Ani Chazak Ki An Ani Nitzchi. I am strong because I am eternal.

As the jet lag wears off and the reality of life outside of Israel begins to set in, I am vividly and intensely experiencing the paradox of being Jewish.

When the war started it hit me that we are a People of paradox; a massacre takes place on the most joyous day of the year and through our tears we dance.

As the war took root and anti-Jewish people and behavior showed up, again the paradox was vivid; we are fighting for survival and standing up for all that is moral in this world and yet the very people that claim to be the bearers of all that is good are protesting against Israel.

Being in Israel last week brought the paradox into full color. (Come this Shabbos for the sermon and Kiddush and Dena and I will share our experiences.) The deep pain felt across the country and at the same time the unbelievable resolve, faith and trust in Hashem was palpable everywhere we went.

We are a paradoxical people and have been since the beginning of time.

In this week's Parsha, the mysterious and frightening affiliation of Tzaaras (a type of miraculous leprosy) shows up. Its spiritual impact is intense; the one affiliated needs to be alone outside of the camp for 7 days and needs to engage in a very intense purifying process.

The Torah uses the word Adam to refer to the person who is afflicted. Adam means man but it refers to a refined somewhat perfected person. The mystics explain that the person afflicted is of a high spiritual nature.

The reason a person of high stature is afflicted with this serious malady is to cleanse them of the last vestiges of impurity. The last mile is the hardest. This impurity lives however on the outside, on the surface. It's only skin deep.

The teachings of our Scripture and our Sages frame the era prior to the coming of Moshiach thematically with the image of this Tzaraas. Moshiach is called a Metzorah (one afflicted). There is a cleansing of the people, a whitenting that takes place.

That is to say the paradoxical thing; while the pain is deep, the faith is as well. While the isolation and the hurt is so strong, we have each other and Hashem. While the pain is real, we are also reminded that these are the birth pangs of Moshiach's coming, we are almost there.

Let's be the paradox. Let's live the paradox. Show up in full color as a Jew, in a world that wants the Jew to disappear.

Ani Chazak Ki An Ani Nitzchi. I am strong because I am eternal.

Good Shabbos!

I hope to see you on Wednesday at the Matisyahu Concert - stand proud, stand strong! GET YOUR TICKETS NOW