Meaningful Life Skills with Rabbi Simon Jacobson18 Des 2025

Finding Deeper Light in the Abyss

I speak to you with a heavy heart in the aftermath of the cold-blooded and brutal murders of our brothers and sisters—colleagues, friends, families—on the first night of Chanukah at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. We are all shaken, shocked, and devastated by the sheer evil inflicted upon innocent men, women, and children.

Our hearts ache for the sacred souls taken from us, and for the shattered families left behind. We offer our deepest prayers for the wounded to experience a complete and speedy healing.

Yet beyond the pain, an agonizing question confronts us. How could such darkness erupt on the Festival of Lights—at the very moment when we celebrate the triumph of light over darkness? At that moment, it seemed as though darkness had prevailed.

We find ourselves at the threshold of a new year, a season when we seek meaning, love, and hope amid the many challenges of our lives. And now we are compelled to ask: How do we look directly into the face of such evil and not turn away? How do we emerge stronger, more resilient, and more deeply defined by our values than ever before?

This is a challenge we face in every generation, but it becomes especially urgent in the wake of such senseless tragedy.

I invite you to join me as we explore how to carry the light forward—how to cross into the new year with purpose, courage, and moral clarity, and how to discover a deeper, more enduring light even within the abyss of pain and loss.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(391)

Sukkot: When Joy Takes Over

Joy. What a beautiful word. Is there a word more joyous than joy?Imagine living with a sense of happiness and joy—not just in fleeting moments, but as a way of life. For many of us, that sounds almost...

24 Sep 33min

The Return That Takes You Higher

We all have regrets. Mistakes we wish we could correct. People we may have hurt and would like to ask forgiveness from. Moments and situations we wish we could go back and change.But how do we truly r...

17 Sep 26min

The Power to Begin Again. Rosh Hashana and September 11

The 25th anniversary of September 11th this year coincides with Rosh Hashana. What can we learn from this powerful convergence?Every one of us remembers exactly where we were on September 11, 2001. I ...

14 Sep 26min

From Reflection to Renewal. Looking Back with Gratitude, Moving Forward with Purpose

Every healthy organization, every company, every living organism needs moments to stop and take stock.How are we doing? What worked? What didn’t? What can we learn? What needs to be repaired? And most...

3 Sep 24min

You Don’t Have to Search for G-d—He’s Already Near

One of the most universal questions human beings have ever asked is: Where is G-d? Where and how can I find Him?From the beginning of history, people have searched for answers—in books and debates, in...

26 Aug 33min

Your Next 60 Days Could Change Everything.

If you could change one thing in your life, what would it be?It’s an important question. But there’s an even bigger one: Is real change actually possible?Our habits, patterns, routines, and the inerti...

13 Aug 20min

Reclaiming Awe. When Did You Stop Being Amazed

Two vivid memories from my childhood summers have never left me.I remember being in the bungalow colony after a rainfall, rushing outside in search of the orange salamanders. The green ones were commo...

11 Aug 28min

The Empathy Effect; Feel. Listen. Heal.

What role does empathy play in the healing process?Healing has become one of the defining pursuits of our time. Whether through medicine, therapy, or countless approaches to emotional and psychologica...

11 Aug 35min