Reflecting on Resurrection of the Dead, I am drawn to the Prophet Ezekiel who described his symbolic vision of the resurrection of very dry bones. G-d tells him “Son of man:… prophesy to the bones, and say to them: Dry bones, listen to the word of G-d.” We may feel that all hope is lost, that we are cut off. But Hashem brings us comfort by reminding us that hopelessness is never the answer.
Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, survivor of Buchenwald, described three years being surrounded by corpses, as “in the valley of dry bones.” “When I get up in the morning and say Modeh Ani, thank you to G-d for restoring my soul, I also have an additional intention – that G-d did return my soul and has performed countless miracles for me.”
Rebbetzin Dina Hurwitz of Chabad of Temecula, explains “…it’s to this very pile of bones that we need to speak, to prophesy about the future and remind us of the good yet to come. To allow our tears to dampen the dryness and to revive our spirit of hope. Sometimes the most vulnerable thing we can do is to open our hearts and minds to hope, despite the reality in front of us.”
Given what our brothers and sisters in Israel are going through, we have to use our tears to bring comfort to those who are suffering and remind them that they are not alone. The hope still lives and the dream shall never die.
