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Shiurim & Adult Education
THOUGHTS ON BO BY RABBI WILKINSON
My sister-in-law used to live in a small village in Norfolk. It was literally in the middle of nowhere. I think the nearest shop was a twenty-minute drive away. Once when Ruth and I went to stay with her I decided to go out for a walk before going to bed. We often hear about light pollution but there was no light pollution there. A few steps from the house there was nothing. No lights at all. As it was overcast there was also no visible moon or stars – just darkness. I felt totally alone.it was quite frightening and I quickly made my way back to the house.
The ninth of the ten plagues was the plague of darkness: “And Hashem said to Moshe: stretch forth your hand towards the heavens and there will be darkness upon the land of Egypt and the darkness will be tangible” (Shemot 10:21). Rashi explains that the darkness was not just the darkness of night; it was a type of darkness that could be “felt.” Indeed, the Torah states that “no man could see his brother nor could anyone get up from his place for a three-day period” (Shemot 10:23). Rashi adds that anyone who was standing up when the plague began could not sit down and anyone who was sitting when the plague began could not stand up.
The ten plagues can be understood on many different levels, including the messages they have to teach every person in each generation. In psychological terms darkness represents a sense of depression that is fed by despair and purposelessness. Everyone experiences depression to some degree, but for those who wrestle with long bouts of depression the Torah’s description is quite frighteningly accurate; darkness is a real plague.
Depression causes people to feel alone, as if no one cares about them and in turn leads them not to care about others. This phenomenon is described in the Torah: “no one could see their brother.” An even more extreme form of depression occurs when people are completely sunk in the abyss and are virtually unable to move. They are stuck in a state of physical or emotional paralysis. This phenomenon is also quite literally described in the Torah: “nor could anyone get up from his place.”
Rebbe Nachman explains that the evil inclination is more interested in the depression following a sin than in the act of sinning itself, for nothing is as spiritually and even physically debilitating as depression. Everyone makes mistakes and acts in ways they later regret. The weight of guilt and inadequacy, if not addressed, can become a burden too heavy to bear. Fortunately, teshuvah (true repentance) cures the after effects of sin. By returning to Hashem, the effect of “missing the mark” ( a more literal translation of the Hebrew word for sin) is healed. However, if one chooses to wallow in the pain and refuses to take advantage of the healing effects of teshuvah, depression and despair often follow. The exodus from Egypt, on both national and personal levels, entailed confronting the darkness and returning to the light, as the Torah states in the continuation of the above verses: “but for all the children of Israel there was light in their dwellings.” Despite the slavery, oppression and darkness all around them, the children of Israel held on to the light and the hope of salvation. Frustration and sadness only evolve into depression when people give up, relinquishing all hope for the future.
Just as the plague of darkness immediately preceded the redemption from Egypt, so too, the darkest hour always comes right before the dawn. Knowing this secret and deciding never to give up are the greatest antidotes against the evil inclination’s ultimate secret weapon of depression.
Jami Mental Health Shabbat always coincides with Parashat Bo. On this Shabbat we read about the plague of darkness, which can be likened to the experiences of many living with mental illness and distress. The parasha also talks about how the Israelites, full of hope, could see through the darkness into the light. This special Shabbat is an opportunity for us to encourage conversations on mental health, raise awareness of mental illness and distress and share ideas on how to support ourselves and others within our community.
Shabbat shalom
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