Recommended Price $90.00
Yom Kippur – Kol Nidre - 5785 - 2024
Of all the speeches I’ve written for Yimim Norim this year, this one is my personal favorite.
The ‘Even If’ Principle: A New Approach to Life speaks to the heart of Jewish resilience and faith, touching on a truth that has sustained us for millennia: that faith is not merely a response to the good times, but an unyielding commitment to what is right, even when the world seems to crumble.
At the core of this speech is a powerful lesson drawn from the story of Chananiah, Mishael, and Azariah—three young men who stood defiant in the face of the Babylonian king’s command to bow before an idol. They declared, “Even if G-d does not save us, we will not bow.” Their words ring through history, challenging us to hold fast to faith, not because of what might happen, but despite what may not.
This principle, timeless and unshakable, finds new life in the story of Oz Davidian, a modern-day hero who exemplified this courageous faith during the terror of October 7, 2023. His bravery, saving countless lives while facing immense danger, mirrors that of our ancestors. It is a reminder that faith is not a guarantee of safety, but a declaration of who we are and what we stand for, even when faced with the gravest of circumstances.
But this speech goes beyond crises. It calls us to bring this ‘Even If’ mindset into every aspect of our lives, asking us to transcend the conditional ‘If’ that so often limits our actions.
“If my circumstances were better,” we say, “then I would act.” The speech challenges this mindset, urging us instead to act even if our circumstances are not perfect—to embrace faith, love, and joy in their truest forms, which do not depend on external guarantees.
Through the lens of Torah wisdom and Chasidic thought, the message is clear: real transformation comes when we choose to live, to act, and to believe, not in the comfort of certainty, but in the courage of the unknown.
This is the faith that has carried our people through history, and it is the faith that will continue to guide us as we move forward into an uncertain future.
