The Holocaust, as horrific as it was, serves as a reminder of the importance of the Jewish people’s mission to be a light unto the nations. It is a stark illustration of what can happen when humanity strays from the values of justice, compassion, and morality that the Jewish people have sought to uphold throughout history.
As we remember the victims of the Holocaust and honor the survivors, we must also reaffirm our commitment to living out the principles that have guided us for millennia. We must continue to strive for a world where hatred and prejudice have no place, where every individual is valued and respected.
Through our actions and deeds, we can ensure that the lessons of the Holocaust are not forgotten. We can work towards a future where such atrocities never happen again, where the darkness of hatred is overcome by the light of compassion and understanding.
May we never forget the past, but may we also look towards a future filled with hope, where the message of the Jewish people shines brightly for all to see.
Regenerate: In that way, the suffering itself becomes the source of the Jewish message to the world.
The Lessons of the Holocaust
Where was God during the Holocaust? As a people, we declare that God was right there – pleading with us to pay attention, never letting us forget how much work remains to be done in this world.
After the Holocaust, is there a Jew on earth who would choose to be born a Nazi instead of a Jew? After the Holocaust, is there a Jew on earth who does not see the need for a nation of teachers? Who else will help mankind rise above its potential for such cruelty if not the Jews?
More than anything else, the Holocaust was a clarion call to the Jewish people: Remember your covenant, be a light unto the nations. Show the world what it means to be given the gift of life, what it means to be created in the image of God, what it means to live according to the values of justice and mercy, what it means to be a nation dedicated to those goals.
SOURCES:
1. Sanhedrin: 37a (return to text)
2. Exodus: 19:6 (return to text)
3. Isaiah 42:6 (return to text)
4. Leviticus 19:18 (return to text)
5. Deuteronomy 16:20 (return to text)
6. Exodus 22:21 (return to text)
7. Isaiah 2:4 (return to text)
8. See Passover Hagadah; “For in every generation…” (return to text)
9. See Mesilias Yesharim, pg. 21, Feldheim edition; (return to text)
10. Deuteronomy 4:6; 33:9 with Rashi’s explanation (return to text)