If you believe you can destroy, believe you can repair. - Rebbe Nachman of Bratslav

“Russian soldier — Stop! Remember your family. Go home with a clean conscience.” - Billboard in Kyiv

The quote from Rebbe Nachman is one of my favorite quotes. I think of it when I experience a broken relationship, a disagreement, or political conflict. In fact, I think of it every time someone is harmed or feels discredited. Simply, I think Reb Nachman is suggesting that when we are unkind, or hurtful, or seek to discredit another - whether intentionally or unintentionally - we must believe that we have the inner strength and the moral obligation to repair the fissure and make the connection stronger and better.  “Destroy” is an extremely strong word. It is the opposite of create and creation. It feels final and filled with existential loss. Too often we have the intention and the means to destroy others’ lives without the desire to rebuild them. Too often our need for power, or our need to be right, leads to destruction. Today, I am thinking of Russia, other days I think of other national leaders, but I am also thinking of the many instances where, for our own purposes and perhaps without much thought to the big picture and the larger community, we are destructive and we destroy. 

The antidote to our power to destroy is to focus on our power to repair, because if we can do one we can do the other. While I don’t think we always have to focus on Jewish communities, I can’t help but think of the Jews of Ukraine. They have flourished and they have suffered in that region. Though so many of our ancestors fled Ukraine and  the Pale of Settlement where they were forced to live, today their President and Prime Minister are Jewish, and we have Jewish communities that are thriving. One of the Masorti (Conservative) communities along the Ukraine/Russia border just moved into their new building two weeks ago(!). Today they are busy shuttling people to safety and providing them with food and supplies. Midreshet Schechter, in partnership with Masorti Olami, is providing vital aid to the efforts on the ground in Ukraine. Read Rabbi Irina Gritsevskaya’s post about her role in this work here. To support these efforts financially, click here. “Believe you can repair.” 

The second quote, from a billboard in Kyiv, speaks of repair. “Russian soldier,” you who are here because you have been ordered to fight; “Stop! Remember your family,” remember your humanity, your life, your loves and desires, remember that we are all human and share many of the same aspirations. “Go home with a clean conscience.” In other words, believe you can repair. 

Shabbat Shalom.