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On a day after the Houston Astros won the World Series for the first time in club history, I am proud to shout out my Houston roots! Watching the Astros win the Series last night, though, I wonder if Houstonians could have possibly imagined their city being able to celebrate such a tremendous event just two months after Hurricane Harvey flooding devastated the city and the lives of thousands of residents.

In the midst of crises or painful situations, it is understandably difficult to look beyond a particular moment in time. Whether or not the crisis is on the scale of a natural disaster, everyone surely appreciates that feelings of despair, grief, and physical pain can be all-consuming. In this week's Torah portion, though, our patriarch Abraham demonstrates the possibility of looking outward, even in the midst of personal discomfort.

The Genesis verses begin with God's appearance to Abraham as he has positioned himself at the entrance to his tent, mere days after he has endured a painful medical procedure (i.e. his own circumcision at the age of 90!). Some rabbis have taught that Abraham sits at the opening of the tent so he can welcome passersby and practice the mitzvah of hospitality. However, a beautiful lesson in the mystical commentary known as the Zohar looks at this text on an entirely different level and equates the "opening of the tent" with the "gates of imagination." Shared by Rabbi Marc Margolius, the teaching goes on to suggest that, despite his own discomfort, Abraham - positioned spiritually at the gateway to imagination - is engaging his capacity to imagine unforeseen possibilities.

In a world where we will undoubtedly continue to confront both personal and communal crises, I believe this lesson to be quite significant. The next time we confront sadness, pain, tragedy, or even disaster, let us also strive to recall this inspiring message as we do the work of recovery. Like Abraham, we each possess the spiritual wherewithal to view any moment in time - even painful ones - as the "opening of the tent," as a gate to looking past the present reality and imagining new blessings and opportunities, renewed life and healing. May we never stop imagining what is possible.