Guest Columnists
How's Your Vision?

What does it mean to be visionary, to have a vision for your life and pursuits?

In a basic sense, this means conceptualizing goals and objectives; it means considering future potential and focusing on a target for growth. It means recognizing that "now" isn't all that there is.

"Now" – disconnected from the future and its possibilities – can be stale and aimless.

"Now" is our reality; but vision can breathe commitment, animation and hope into that reality.

Vision brings optimism and direction; it is the North Star which guides the efforts that actually bring our dream to life.

With the passage of time, it becomes difficult for the realistic person to continue dreamingThe problem is that, with the passage of time, it becomes more difficult for the realistic person to continue dreaming. Disappointments eventually take their toll on the human psyche.

Which raises the question: When does one learn to adjust one's expectations and recognize that that dreams are……just dreams?

Never.

While we should always be acutely aware of reality, warts and all, we can never stop believing in – and working toward – a brighter future.

Consider this: Our Holy Temple, along with our entire Jewish Commonwealth, was destroyed by the Romans almost two thousand years ago.

It's been rough ever since, and we're fully aware of our reality. Every year, on Tisha B'Av, the 9th of Av, we mournfully remember the destruction and recognize the pain of our own times.

Yet, interestingly, the preceding Shabbat is always observed as a "Shabbat of Vision." The Shabbat's reading from the Prophets begins with the words Chazon Yishayahu, the "vision of Isaiah" regarding the destruction of the Holy Temple.

Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, an eighteenth century legendary Chassidic master, taught a deeper reason for the moniker "Shabbat of Vision": Every year, he explained, on the Shabbat before our collective day of mourning, G‑d shows us a Vision of the Future. We are shown a vision of a rebuilt Temple, a reconstituted People and better world.

G‑d equips us for the mourning by ensuring that hope – the Vision – never diesG‑d equips us for the mourning by ensuring that hope – the Vision – never dies; this Shabbat ensures that our sobering recognition of "now" doesn't smother our hope for the future.

I can't see this Divinely-granted vision with my physical eyes; but if G‑d's showing it to me, it must be resonating somewhere in my soul.

So this Shabbat, I'll prepare to tackle reality on Tisha B'Av by first searching myself to find G‑d's vision of a beautiful future.

Will you join me?