Turning on the Light
In this week’s Parsha, we read the painful story of the sale of Yosef. Before the brothers sell him, they cast him into a pit. The Torah tells us, “The pit was empty; there was no water in it.”
If the pit was empty, then of course there wouldn’t be water!
Why does the Torah spell it out? What extra message is hidden in those words?
The Sages answer, that although there was no water, there were snakes and scorpions.
This detail is more than historical, it is profoundly relevant.
Wherever there is no good, wherever there is an emotional or spiritual vacuum, negativity finds its way in.
In a home without warmth, in a workplace without values, in relationships without communication, in communities without leadership something else automatically fills the void. And what fills it is often chaos, frustration, or fear.
The question is: What do we do with the snakes and scorpions?
Too often in life, we find ourselves fighting the darkness, battling the “snakes and scorpions” around us and within us. We struggle with people, situations, and even our own inner voices.
But the Torah hints at a different approach: instead of fighting the darkness, bring in the light.
Add “water”, Torah, kindness, purpose, generosity, connection, and the negativity has no place to survive.
Darkness doesn’t need to be chased out; it disappears automatically when light is introduced.
Instead of wrestling with the challenges, lets try adding something positive: a kind word, a moment of learning, a generous act, a breath of patience. You may be amazed at how naturally the “snakes and scorpions” fade away.
This message arrives precisely as we celebrate Chanukah. On Chanukah, we place a small flame in the window, even when it is dark outside, especially when it is dark outside. Each night, we add more light. We increase holiness, hope, joy, positivity, love, and kindness. We don’t focus on what is missing; we focus on what we can illuminate.
So instead of wrestling endlessly with challenges, with the “snakes and scorpions” in our lives, let’s try adding something positive: a kind word, a moment of learning, a generous act, a breath of patience, a spark of faith.
You may be amazed at how naturally the darkness fades.
To fight the darkness.. sometimes all we need is to turn on the light.
