“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
~ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Today, our hearts are beating with anticipation and hope towards confirmation and activation of the long-awaited ceasefire deal that will bring so many home, save lives and begin steps on the road to relief and repair, recovery and healing, justice and peace for Israelis and Palestinians.
On this same day, we are preparing for an important weekend in the US that marks the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and culminates on Monday with the presidential inauguration.
Like us, you too are probably perplexed by the swirl of competing emotions and narratives. What a weird and wonderful way this weekend invites us to remember what it’s all about – somehow holding it all together, face to face with each other’s hurts and hopes, dreads and dreams. What will help us show up fully at this time and during whatever comes ahead?
The Torah story that will be chanted this Shabbat offers answers connected to our annual theme – ‘face to face – forever now’. These answers echo Dr. King’s critical question – How do we show up for each other?
To walk this talk – we invite you to scroll down and check out the ways in which we plan to show up this weekend: in protest and prayer, action and activism, support and resilience. While we are not holding Lab/Shul-led programs this weekend, we invite you to find your own way of marking this unique time, getting what you need and being there with and for others.
So what does the Torah teach us this Shabbat? Empathy is the way to resist despair and tyranny.
We begin the second of the five books – the Book of Exodus, with the timeless tale of our journey from bondage to liberation. The first chapters of this book include the courage of resistance and resilience, as the Hebrew midwives, as demonstrated by Shifra and Puah, defy the cruel regime’s commands and new leadership arises to take on the tyrants.
Then there’s that one powerful scene in which little baby Moses is in the basket, crying on the Nile, when Batya, the Egyptian Princess, who is part of the privileged, oppressive regime, hears the crying child and her heart is filled with empathy, and with compassion:
וַתִּפְתַּח וַתִּרְאֵהוּ אֶת־הַיֶּלֶד וְהִנֵּה־נַעַר בֹּכֶה וַתַּחְמֹל עָלָיו וַתֹּאמֶר מִיַּלְדֵי הָעִבְרִים זֶה׃
“And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, a weeping boy. And she had compassion on him, and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.”
Ex. 2:6
The fate of the Hebrews is sealed at that tender human moment of empathy for one’s enemies. The Egyptian princess sees a human baby – not a Hebrew threat, and that’s how the Exodus begins, and the labor of love called liberation gets its critical next step.
We honor the courage of individuals like Batya, who defied the law, from within the inner circle of authority, leaned into love, raised up the power of empathy and talked back to power with her actions. We honor the courage of individuals who commit to compassion and care not just for the ones we love and come from – but to all, including those who are ‘on the other side’.
Beyond class divides and political stands, ethnic, religious or racial differences, can compassion be the driving force that helps us handle and heal reality and co-create kinder futures, in the coming days, weeks, months and years?
We are here to be face to face for and with each other, as Dr. King reminds us:
“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools…I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” ~ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
May there be good news, hope and healing, care and compassion for all by all.
Looking for other small group experiences at Lab/Shul?
- SOUL:
Join us for our weekly Virtual Mourner’s Kaddish Call, every Thursday at 12pm EST. - WISDOM:
Join Rabbi Amichai’s Alef/Bet course on Tuesday evenings or his daily Below the Bible Belt journey - TOGETHER:
- Join READ, Lab/Shul’s Racial Equity and Action Delegation
- Join Lab/Shul’s MLK weekend of service with Repair the World + UJA Federation of new york
- Jan 16-20 – Volunteer with other Lab/Shulers and community members in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with MLK days of Service 2025
- Jan 18 – Join the feminist-led weekend of action in DC & EVERYWHERE with The People’s March
Shabbat Shalom,
The Lab/Shul Ritual Team
