By: Michelle Ruby
Director of Israeli Teen Emissaries & Education
Week after week, year after year, we read the Torah, parsha by parsha, through a continuous cycle with the hope of learning the history, remembering the people, and learning a new lesson from the same sacred words. But what happens when you come across a Torah portion that is full of details, wisdom, and memories, and you can’t find something that speaks to you in that moment? I never believed this could be the case until today. As I was struggling with what to write, my very wise colleague and dear friend stopped me and pointed out something I had never thought of before…what if it isn’t just the parsha, full of messages to share, that has to speak to us? What if we must be in the right place to hear the words to find their meaning?
It has been a challenging week, a difficult couple of months, and a painful 663 for me, my family, my friends, my colleagues, Jewish professionals, people who work in Jewish spaces, Jewish students, Israelis, and the list could go on. So, when the weight of all the heaviness in the world catches up with you and you still need to write the weekly Jco Shabbat message, what is there to do other than to dig deep and find the ancient insight to carry into this Shabbat?
This week, we start the last Book of the Torah, Deuteronomy, which, as a book, serves as Moses’s final speech to the Israelites before his death and their journey into the promised land. Chapter one, verse 33 reads, “who goes before you on your journeys—to scout the place where you are to encamp—in fire by night and in cloud by day, in order to guide you on the route you are to follow.” This offers a meaningful reminder of the presence and support that can accompany us through life’s journeys, preparing the way, offering protection and direction. “Fire by night and cloud by day” echoes the story in Exodus, where God leads the Israelites through the wilderness after their escape from Egypt. Whether viewed through a religious, metaphorical, or literary lens, it points to a profound kind of trust: trusting in guidance we may not fully understand, and in a path being prepared for us even when we feel lost.
As we step into this Shabbat and into the final book of our Torah cycle, may we find comfort in knowing that even when the path feels uncertain and we are holding multiple truths, we are not alone—guidance, whether divine or human, walks before us, lighting the way.
Please email Michelle Ruby at mruby@jewishcolorado.org with questions or comments.