"Letting Go and Letting God In."

"Letting Go, Letting God In"

God tells Moses: "Go up to this mountain of Avarim and see the land that I have given to the Children of Israel.

You shall see it, and you shall be gathered unto your people."

Moses, the faithful shepherd of our people, had one great yearning:

to enter the Land of Israel.

Perhaps he imagined walking its hills, breathing its sacred air, fulfilling his mission on its soil.

But it was not to be.

This land, the destination of a lifetime of prophecy, of leadership, of teaching, would only be seen from afar.

Moses climbed the mountain, gazed upon it, and would die there.

His journey would soon end.

This was not the end he anticipated or longed for.

This moment, painful and poignant, teaches us something essential.

Moses, the greatest of prophets, is denied his dream.

He prays and begs and then in the end, he accepts his fate.

He doesn’t become bitter.

Instead, he asks God to help him find a successor so he can pass the mantle of leadership on.

He cares for his 'flock.'

He ensures the people will continue with another ‘shepherd.’

He models dignity in disappointment, humility in heartache, and deep trust in God’s plan, even when he doesn't understand it.

We, too, have dreams.

We too look ahead with longing and hope.

We imagine the life we thought we’d live.

But sometimes, the path veers.

Reality doesn’t align with our vision.

Our prayers aren’t answered the way we had hoped.

In those moments, can we let go?

Can we trust in God?

Can we accept that God sees the whole picture, and that what unfolds, while painful, may be part of something greater than we know?

Moses teaches us that while we don't control the outcome, we do control how we respond.

We can respond with acceptance.

We can trust in God.

We can find purpose, even in sorrow and heartache.

As Shabbat approaches, may we take this lesson to heart.

Let us accept the present, even when it is not what we imagined or wanted or prayed for.

Shabbat Shalom.

May it be a day of peace, of letting go and of accepting what is.

With love,

Elissa