* Translation by Yehoshua Siskin ([email protected])
Shiri Vidan, a student from Kibbutz Na'an, wrote to me as follows:
"Last Friday, before everything happened, I was a filled intense emotions over something very personal. But then I heard you on the radio talking about Simchat Torah when we finish reading the last chapter of the entire Torah, but then begin to read it once more from the very beginning.
This thought took hold of me and gave me strength. I decided that if everyone is to start from the beginning, I will join them and start learning the Torah from the beginning too.
Since then . . . our entire world has been turned upside down. But yesterday night after the news and before going to sleep, I took two books of commentary on the weekly portion and read the first chapters of Bereishit. 'In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.'
I wanted to remind myself that even though everything looks different now, it's possible to try and begin anew. Last night, that thought gave me great strength."
May all of us merit to begin from the beginning.
