As much as we try to get to “know” each hostage and each victim… As much as we try to hear each story, horrifying though it may be…

Still the brain is not up to the task; we cannot contain all the details and all the stories. And our heart is broken into pieces every day by what we do manage to absorb. And life in these difficult days lurches between despair and hope. It reminds me of the first leader of the people of Israel.

Moses.

Moses (Moshe) was suddenly overcome with fatigue. It was not from hiking in the desert. It happened in the middle of the Israelite war with Amalek. It is written that as long as Moses raised his hands, the Israelites were victorious; whereas when his hands sagged the Amalekites began to gain the upper hand.

This act of holding his hands up exhausted Moses, it was not easy. How long are your muscles capable of holding your arms up above your own head? Aaron and Hur noticed what Moses was going through. And they understood that instead of letting Moses’s hands fall (and then also maybe blaming him for defeat, or calling for an investigation)… Instead of that, they took the initiative and supported him each side, holding his arms up in the air until the battle was won.

The Torah describes this moment in miraculous words, usually translated “So his hands were steady,” but literally the Hebrew says:

“And his hands were faith.”

“And Moses’s arms became heavy, and they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and one on the other, and his hands were faithful until the coming of the sun.” (Exodus 17:12)

There is a lot of talk about faith in this time of war.

One traditional description of Israelites is: “Believers, sons of believers” (Ma’aminim bnei ma’aminim). And what is this belief, this faith? Is this a religious belief? Is this faith in hope? And from this thought also comes the insight that faith, in addition to being trust in God, is also a hidden strength most strongly expressed during a crisis. Everyone knows exactly what he lacks and what he needs to strengthen himself in faith. Each of us should examine how we can “hold up our hands” and the hands of others, in the air – despite the pain and difficulty, despite the fatigue.

In spite of how often we hear demeaning, cynical and faithless voices around us.

Like: “You’ll see; not all the hostages will be returned.”

Or: “All these years Israel miscalculated regarding Gaza, now we are paying for our mistakes.”

Like many people who put an exclamation mark at the end of their every sentence as if they know everything, with no uncertainty. Naysaying words such as:

“We will never succeed in eliminating terrorism.”

“Look how the whole world is against us.”

“Everyone hates the Jews.”

The worst are the words uttered out of such a lack of faith that they say:

“You’ll see … the whole situation will go back to being exactly as it was.”

The list of what these faithless voices are saying, is long and tiring. But precisely before we drop our hands and let the enemy win…

It’s time to believe! Hold your hands up high despite the difficulty, and if necessary, ask for help from others. Just like Aaron and Hur helped Moses hold up the hands of faith. Let’s support one another. Even request from your friend with these words: “Please encourage me that everything is going to turn out for the better!“

“Tell me we will be victorious.”

Be an encouragement! Say good words that strengthen! Because that’s the only way we can defeat our enemies. Words have enormous power, as do thoughts and actions. With words God created the world. With the letters of the “alphabet” He created this whole universe. And therefore words have the power to create and the power to destroy.

Words have the power to influence reality.

One person’s despair can snowball and lead to the despair of an entire nation. Likewise the faith of one person, can lead to the faith of an entire people. And that one person right now is each and every one of us.

So please continue to strengthen and encourage others “until the sun comes.”