Weekly Message

7 May 2026

In the haftarah for parshat Bhukotai, Jeremiah teaches: “Blessed is the one who trusts in God. . .  for he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, that spreads out its roots by the river. . . [It] does not worry in a year of drought, nor cease bearing fruit.”

Jeremiah, who struggled a great deal in his life, knew better than to claim that trust in God will save us from bad things. He knew that drought strikes good and bad people alike. What he promised was something else: not that God will prevent good people from suffering, but that, during times of trouble, their trust in God will enable them to persevere, to keep bearing fruit. When our superficial sources of nourishment are cut off, faith provides a deeper source of strength.

One of the purposes of a spiritual community is to help us to discover deeper sources of nourishment in our own lives, so that, during times of drought, we too can still bear fruit. May our support for one another help us to tap those hidden streams.