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Darkness into Light

Finding meaning in life’s challenges

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Darkness into Light: Finding meaning in life’s challenges

How Torah teaches us to maintain our faith, and to not only endure difficult times but transform them.

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Topics:	Thought, Power of; Positive Thinking

By Sara Esther Crispe

Sara Esther Crispe, a writer, inspirational speaker and mother of four, is the co-director of Interinclusion, a nonprofit multi-layered educational initiative celebrating the convergence between contemporary arts and sciences and timeless Jewish wisdom. Prior to that she was the editor of TheJewishWoman.org, and wrote the popular weekly blog Musing for Meaning. To book Sara Esther for a speaking engagement, please click here.

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11 Comments

Naomi Ruth January 29, 2014

Thoroughly enjoyed! It really brightened my day. Reply

ruth housman marshfield, ma March 2, 2012

silverware of is belonging & AV If I am the silverware then G-d is the gold and that is assuming it is my words being referenced above. Silverware are implements we use to eat. We are here to nourish each other in myriad ways and it could be saud we are here as co-creators but G-d is the choreographer every step of the way.

You ask for The Moshiach not realizing every single one of us is here for tikkun olam and we are saviors for each other. No man or woman would ever so declare because it is all G-d and to be a recognized guru of any kind would be to refuse this other than as teacher because a Moshiach would know about humility in being G-d's messenger and would know we are all ONE.

Words that are unkind or divisive when speaking of love are as the yetzer. No. I have it from G-d that we do this together in concerted effort in concert and no one will appear other than as messenger that we do this together. The joys of moving forward in love, this journey of soul is where it is 'at'.

And yes, we are part of AV. Reply

chana malka mont, ny via jewishcatskills.org February 29, 2012

a thought very distracting listening to silverwear chattering in the background otherwise an awesome lecture so thank you Reply

ruth housman marshfield hills, MA February 22, 2012

mourning comes... Night And Day You say the job of the Moshiach is to explain the existence of suffering in this world. I think this has been explained by many, and that the answers to this are deep, and cannot be truly ever imbibed by any of us, and that includes the Moshiach, because the Moshiach will be and is of us. And we are ONE.

We will all go to the wall on human suffering, because we are made to be humane, and tikkun is the realization of that humanity. The only way to access humanity is to have reason to act, as in the breakage of the vessels, as in a world that is curiously perfect in its imperfections. There is no way around this, and G_d bleeds knowing this, having Created the World giving us meaning through suffering, and by giving us a world that is deeply in all respects bipolar. What would we be doing, without this, as you say flat line? That's death, and I know it's not actually over. The candle is never really extinguished. This connects to suffering. It must. We're at the crossroads. Reply

ruth housman marshfield hills, ma February 22, 2012

Elemental Truths Everything you're saying here is resonant, and beautiful. It's the first time I have seen you on line. I so totally perceive that we're all here on a Mission from G_d and that we're all here for a reason.

Bet is a powerful Hebrew letter, as in House, Bet Yisroel. What is hidden, as you are saying, is the opportunity to discover the extraordinary, and we're all in a way, playing at Hide and Seek with what is Divine, and when we find our way to Delicious, the journey is so much better (BET TER) than having it handed directly to us.

When I go up Center Street in Newton and pass Hyde Street which is near Garden, I think about this, about Gan Eden, and about what is revealed, daily, to us all, in small ways.

Adir hu, who is like unto Thee. And ADAR, so beautifully explicated. Wherever we look, in Hebrew and across all languages, we see the unfolding beauty embedded in language itself.

Dar is to give in Latin.

I heard a story of how a pregnancy cured a woman of cancer. Miracles! Reply

Rabbi Shais Taub April 5, 2011

re: I don't understand You are correct that this lecture was first recorded a few weeks ago although it was not made available until now. Many times classes are recorded ahead of time and aired later for the first time.

Rabbi Kaplan's class on Tuesday night is generally live, but there have also been times when it was necessary to pre-record a certain episode of that series in advance.

So, in short, new classes are always new (first time they are airing), but not necessarily live. Reply

Catherine NY, NY April 5, 2011

the walking dead I thought your speech was especially touching. My dad died two years ago, and my mom who has always been one who sees the dark side of everything, went down hill. She broke two hips, and is now wheelchair bound. She lives in assisted living and even though it is a beautiful place, she only sees the losses. I consider her the living dead. When you mentioned it in your speech, I had to write you to say, you are right. She sees her life as over, regardless of of me her daugher, her son, her grandchildren, or her friends. She is difficult fo to visit, mostly because I cannot make her happy. I am the kind of person who has strived to be her opposite. I do see the bright side of everything. I have little tollerance for the dark side, and refuse to let it consume. I am now faced with my challenging mother, and all I can do is think of the lesson for the month of Nissan. The miracle of knowing there are some things that I cannot change. G-d rules all, not me.That is my miracle. Reply

Jack Baret Mississauga, ON April 5, 2011

Finding Inspiration Great lecture on counting our blessings Sara despite our challenges. I work with special needs kids and believe you me they are here to remind us about reaching out and giving rather than taking. Reply

Joy Krauthammer Northridge, CA, USA April 4, 2011

Excellent talk on double Adar and challenges Dear Sara Esther,

Your presence and talk were awesome! Yasher Koach.

With your story about the waitress and the "big brother", I began to tear. I understand nesayim / challenges, and hoping the nes / miracle will be revealed, as it was for the woman who had had a loss and was "critiquing" the joyous one when she was grieving. What a wonderful story on the ills of judgement, empathy, and revelation.

May we be blessed to share the joyous energy of Adar in gratitude, and in passion for life, even as we honor our deceased loved ones.

Reb Shlomo Carlebach, z'l, taught us about joy, and I know that when he died, as difficult as it was, I had to remember in my behavior, his teaching, especially in his zechut / merit.

Thank you for the many meaningful points that you raised with great wisdom, clarity, ease and joy shining forth.

BlesSings for being able to "write and draw", and more, in double joy.

Joy Krauthammer
29 Adar II Reply

Jacki Pincus Philadelphia, PA April 4, 2011

Sarah Esther I so enjoyed your talk and I have the same philosophy. I do believe in miracles. I have been having difficult days recently and it only makes me care about the world more. By the way, I will never forget your kindness.

Warm Regards,
Jacki Reply

Anonymous April 4, 2011

I don't understand This is being billed as a live class, but on the eve of Rosh Chodesh Nissan the speaker tells us we just started Adar Beis?

Is Rabbi Kaplan's class on Tuesday night actually live?

Thanks. Reply

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