Shavua Tov! The words in the Havdalah at the end of Shabbat shone this time in a new light:
"לַיְּהוּדִים הָיְתָה אוֹרָה וְשִׂמְחָה וְשָׂשֹׂן וִיקָר".
"For the Jews there was light and joy and happiness and love."
Light and joy, they are here.
It's not over yet. Hamas has kidnapped dear people and is trying to continue kidnapping our consciousness. Play with us and abuse and break agreements until the last minute. Happiness is mixed with frustration, excitement is mixed with rage.
But we have seen so many horror videos, and now - we can see some happy videos. Because even good dreams come true, not just fears and anxieties. Here are people we don't know, but know so well, returning from the darkest place to the brightest place.
We saw the 85-year-old grandmother Yaffa Adar being kidnapped on the scooter, and now returning to a warm hug with family members. We saw the girl Emily Hand, whose family already thought she was dead, returning tonight after 49 days in captivity in Gaza. Now we can imagine more, want more, hope more.
So what should we ask for? More and more good. Not only that everyone will return from captivity in health and security with God's help, and without paying heavy prices, but to pray for a much better reality. To a corrected world, to the victory of light over darkness, to a complete redemption.
