“Blessed are those who uphold justice and act righteously at all times”

One of my rabbinic roles is to running the only mikveh in the country (on Kibbutz Hanaton) that is open to all; there I create and officiate mikveh ceremonies. Despite all my doubts and questions about religion – is it a good or bad thing for humanity (especially in our times) ? – my belief in the spiritual powers of full body ritual immersion in the living water remains constant.

But despite my love for mikveh immersion, it was not easy for me to bring myself to immerse this year before Yom Kippur. I was not in a spiritual and emotional space of new beginnings. I was more in a liminal space of in-betweenness, of uncertainty, and of tension and worry about the future.

On the eve of Yom Kippur, a post was published on an online community for fans of Discworld, a book series by British fantasy author Terry Pratchett, reading as follows:
“I need a quote for courage.
Last year tomorrow someone tried to blow me and my synagogue up in the morning of Yom Kippur, the holiest day of our year.
Tomorrow morning is Yom Kippur and I’m walking to synagogue again.
I’m scared to go.
Please can you help me find STP quotes to give me courage?”

Only this year did I finally understand what has bothered me so much about the beloved and familiar midrash about the Four Species that I have known since kindergarten. Among the many midrashim about the Four Species, one of the best known explains the different qualities of each species and what they represent