LIGHT ONE CANDLE

 Peter, Paul and Mary had it right so many years ago.  I am writing of that song, Light One Candle, and its message, not about the trio. In the dark times of today and probably, likely, continuing well into the foreseeable future, it is good to focus on light, even tiny little sparks of light which might touch someone's heart or soul, and ignite a fire within. A fire to light many candles from that one light, so lonely in the frightening dark.

Evil darkness can encroach upon all territories. When people forget their commonalities, see others as less than they are, horrid are the results as that feeling grows in intensity in the envelope of darkness. Under cover of that concealing darkness, a shroud of evil grows and grows until it breaks open and proceeds to poison or reactivate poison that had been tamped down. It grows and it spreads until the last little light is almost totally dimmed.   Life itself as was known to that point changes dramatically. 

Thus, here we are, today, for so many days lately, months actually, in a growing intensity and size of the encroaching darkness. Many weak souls or cruel hearts have gladly merged into that darkness, accepted it within themselves. They lose their individuality, their independence of thought and deed, cede their all to the generators of that darkness which steals all that is good from within people and fills that gaping hole with the rotten, reeking odor of hate, a destructive hate which alternates periods of hibernation and emergence for almost as long as man has been on the face of this earth. It hibernates and emerges like the hungry bear, seeking nourishment, eating what it can, growing in strength and power, surviving. Its newly regrown power enables the spreading of havoc   upon the land. Extensive tentacles of darkness ever grasping, even as the waters it touches produce poisonous eddies.   

The world lives within that darkness until finally, when all hope seems gone, someone lights that one candle, finds a match of courage, of knowledge, of goodness and proceeds to combat the darkness. One light added to another and another and another, until finally, that darkness is forced back into its cave, there to hibernate for eons and eons - we hope.  But always we must keep the memory alive if we are to prevent regrowth or in worse times, wage war against it and its acolytes, those who surrendered to that darkness.

Our times are one of those periods in the history of humankind. The bear has emerged, hungry, voracious in that need to feed, and with nourishment it spreads its evil, its encroaching, smothering darkness. That darkness spreads, ever growing, intensifying in depth, in strength, in intensity. It overpowers so many that its evil becomes the mantra of the day for all those weak, purposeless beings seeking something, anything, to make them feel better, superior, and they gulp this tempting cup of darkness - and well, here we are today.  

As it grows, stretching all around the world, a pandemic all its own, tamps down any and all lights until nary a spark is seen. All the good of mankind seems to disappear, gone forever - no hope, no optimism, only a darkness with light going out at an exponential rate. Today. Now.

However, we are not totally lost within that darkness. Looking closely, eyes open wide, one can just about discern sparks, candles, one by one, two by two, struggling, but growing, lessening evil's   intensity and influence. giving us the strength, the willpower, to push that ugliness, that darkness, and its oldest, firstborn offspring, virulent antisemitism, back into their lair, never ever to reemerge. 

As the light grows, as we increasingly reject mesmerizing evil, amoral selfish societies, we, humanity, can look to itself, delve deeply within, and find the right path. The one which will benefit all, improve the world, as its needs are addressed.    It will take a long time, but then again, nothing good ever comes easily, does it. Hard work and determination will gainsay the darkness - if we so desire, with every last fiber of ourselves. 

For a year, we have been living in a darkness not only that prevalent in the world, but a personal darkness, as we stood to lose an important part  of our family. In an ugly way - a fierce cancer which took its strength from that bear. That cancer ate him from within, but never the soul, only the body. He reassured his parents it was Hashem's decision, and hence it was okay. Only not to forget him - as if!

Even as the world began to wake up to the growing darkness of a virulent, toxic antisemitism, we also fought a personal battle seeking aid for that very special child. The world needed him and his goodness, his insights. We needed him. We sought aid wherever we could. We enlisted the good hearts of thousands who continue to pray for the healing of Yitzy, for that miracle so desperately needed. We shot out arrows in hopes of a positive landing site. All for nothing and we grew, grow, ever more desperate, knowing the seemingly inevitable.

Last night someone lit a candle for us. Someone gave us the hope found in another song, One Day, by Matisyahu. An arrow I had shot off, with great trepidation, I dared to send a pleading email, as a griefstricken grandmother, to a brilliant researcher and begged for aid. Last night, clearing the junk mail, I saw a candle go off. A small, slim, very slim, hope that we have found our miracle in a time of Chanukah when G-d granted a miracle to His people. We hope for another. The odds are against us as we race the clock, into the unknown, but maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe.....  

Please, let us all keep our voices raised, hope that Hashem hears us, hears our desperation, and allows us to keep Yitzy with us. 

HOPE. HOPE. HOPE. HOPE.

MIRACLES CAN HAPPEN, RIGHT?

 YITZCHAK ELIMELECH 

BEN CHANA SARAH.  

DEAR G-D, PLEASE.  

HEAR THIS GRIEVING GRANDMOTHER.