Trust — As Experienced During The Eclip

Mid-day the sky turned a nighttime black.

We were in total darkness.

Even the temperature dropped.

It was as if the sun and everything it provided us had disappeared.

Yet no one freaked out, no one was afraid, no one feared the worst.

Because behind the dark moon, rays of a bright sun were peeking out, within seconds those rays became even brighter and in minutes the blackness moved over to once again reveal the bright warmth of the sun.

Darkness was replaced by light.

The solar eclipse gifted with a visual of what trust in G-d looks like and feels like.

Total darkness for all of our senses, yet absolute internal calm.

Full trust that the darkness is merely a façade- Simply concealing the bright light that is exactly where it always was, and hasn’t retreated for even a brief moment.

Our family was on the way to NY that morning and we flew through the total eclipse. The pilot announced it a few minute prior and It was a truly awe inspiring few minutes as we flew into complete darkness and got to witness this wonder first hand.

To have faith in G-d is to know that even when things look bleak, we believe that there is a greater power running the show and we surrender to His way of doing things- even when it doesn’t sit well with our human sensibilities.

To have trust in G-d, is to rest assured with perfect calmness that the bleakness is just a façade — there is light within, and it’s about to become visible in its true colors.

On the last days of Passover we celebrate the miraculous splitting of the sea as the Jews were being chased by the Egyptians. That only happened after one individual, Nachshon, trusted that it would.

He didn’t see “the light” but he stepped into the raging water with full trust that salvation would come and when he was neck deep in water the sea parted for their safe crossing.

We all experience moments in life when we don’t see the light, and we need to access our inner Nachshon — the part of us that has learned from our people’s history as well as the minor miracle moments in our personal lives, that a merciful G-d IS running the show.

Our inner Nachshon can propel us forward with calm assurance that G-d is still right there and that day light is about to reveal itself.

When there is bright as day goodness, I don’t have to access trust. The goodness is known and obvious.

Trust lies in the fusion of the absolute vulnerability that comes with darkness and the absolute expectation that it will be followed by light.

Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom and a Happy Passover.