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I wonder if anyone is feeling a bit sad or out-of-sorts these days? If so, according to the Jewish calendar, you have good reason. We have begun the new month of Av, which is often referred to as the saddest month of the Jewish calendar.

It is a time period in which we mourn the destruction of Jerusalem’s Holy Temple two thousands years ago, as well as many other calamities that Jews suffered throughout history. The Mourning Period begins on the first day of the Hebrew month of Av and concludes next Thursday on Tisha B’av (9th of Av).

During these next 9 days, some Jews partake in traditional mourning customs and refrain from such things as haircuts, new clothes, or large, festive gatherings.

Come to think of it, it sounds a lot like these COVID times. No haircuts, no need to purchase new clothes, no big parties. It feels like these days all we hear is NO, NO, NO. No this, no that. This is canceled, that is canceled. It bears no exaggeration to say that this extended period of time has felt much like a period of mourning.

And yet, through all the losses, absences, and cancellations, so many have been pointing out the blessings, the “silver linings.” While the pain and the suffering of our world is real, and brutal, I find comfort in noticing and naming blessings as they arise: attending a friends birthday party via Zoom in California, forgoing snarled Atlanta traffic, a letter in the mail from an old camp friend, the chance to take a midday walk. Sometimes these blessings are obvious, other times hidden, but always profound. Recognizing and embracing these small details can lead to a life well-lived.

This week in a moment of angst and anxiety, I came across the following Pueblo Blessing. In an instant, my mindset shifted from one of scarcity to one of abundance.

Hold on to what is good, even if it is a handful of earth
Hold on to what you believe, even if it is a tree which stands by itself.
Hold on to what you must do, even if it is a long way from here.
Hold on to life, even if it is easier letting go.
Hold on to the hand of your neighbor, even when we are apart.

These words then transported me to our own Jewish tradition, and the famous words said by one of Israel’s great modern poets, Aba Kovner:

A tree may be alone in the field,
a person alone in the world,
but a Jew is never alone on her holy days.

As we enter this traditional period of sadness, as we soon enter the reflective month of Elul, and prepare ourselves for a High Holy Day period unlike any we have known before, we keep this top of mind. We are a community unified, together in holiness, regardless of the physical space that separates us.

This Shabbat, what are some little things that we can hold and elevate, that can help us deal with feelings of loss, mourning, or pain? On this Shabbat, may we all find that “handful of earth” and may it be a weekend of peace.