How to Dispel Darkness? The Way to Bring Light into Life

There is a known Chassidic saying, 'Darkness is not chased away with sticks, a little bit of light pushes away much darkness.'.

How is this actually done?

Handling Challenges

There is a spiritual law – thoughts have power. What we focus on will grow. We face challenges and trials in our lives that are not always under our control. How can we handle tough and unpleasant situations? It turns out that when we engage with goodness, the darkness leaves on its own..

When dealing with life circumstances that create some kind of distress, it’s easy to get pulled into blame. We might be angry at ourselves, others or even, heaven forbid, at the Creator. To handle these situations more effectively, it is crucial to strengthen our faith and understanding of divine providence, and to train ourselves to see and be grateful for the good in our lives. At the same time, we should pray and ask for salvation, asking to feel the good clearly and simply, not just to know intellectually that it’s for the best.

While everything is under exact divine providence, and we do not control everything, we do control our response to life events. By stopping self-blame or blaming others, we connect more with our inner strengths, and handle situations better—even finding solutions we didn't see before. Sometimes Hashem closes a door for us but opens a window...

Outstanding IDF Soldiers

An example of this - people facing disabilities often receive special skills from Hashem as "compensation".

After the Yom Kippur War, a group of disabled IDF soldiers visited the Rebbe of Lubavitch. The Rebbe told them that a physical limitation comes with special strengths from above. Therefore, the Rebbe suggested calling those injured in Israel's wars "Outstanding IDF Soldiers" instead of using the word "disability," which can be associated with inferiority.

Between Man and His Fellow

Until the arrival of the Messiah, we will not find a person without flaws. And just as we want others to relate to our flaws, so should we relate to the shortcomings of others...

What should we do when we see a flaw in another Jew?

All the great leaders of Israel highly valued guarding one's tongue and speech, and we received clear laws on this subject from Rabbi Yisrael Meir HaKohen of Radin, known as the "Chafetz Chaim." The Lubavitcher Rebbe explained that the foundational concept in the laws of guarding one's speech is that merely speaking about the negativity of another person drags the speaker, listeners, and the subject deeper into negativity, and emphasizes separation between people. Therefore, when we see something undesirable in another person, we should focus on whatcanbe done to fix the situation. We should see if it's possible to reprove the other (according to the law – privately, gently, and calmly), oroffer them helpandspiritualguidance, and also prayandgivecharity for their spiritual success. After doing everything possible – do not dwell on it! Why? Because it emphasizes negativity. The Rebbe stressed that a Jew should strive to see the good in another Jew, and speak of their virtues and praises, because speaking about it helps bring out the good in others to manifestation.

The Light of Torah and Mitzvot

By connecting more and more with Hashem through learning Torah and keeping mitzvot, we bring more light into the world and our personal lives. It is explained in the Tanya (chapter 23) 'that the act of the mitzvot is the inner garment from which the light and vitality of the supreme will extend to be clothed in worlds.' Although divine light isn’t visible, sometimes, when a person sanctifies themselves greatly, it becomes evident even physically, as seen in the glow of holiness and purity on the faces of the righteous.

Connecting with our divine part takes us to a place that surpasses personal desires and goals, to nullification to the will of Hashem. As explained in the Tanya, nullification to Hashem's will makes a person a vessel for divine presence.

Sometimes, we need to ignore others’ insensitive or uncomprehending responses, so we can light up the world with light of holiness and purity, like Yosef the righteous who dedicated himself to his divine mission despite his brothers' behavior, without sinking into bitterness and personal pain.

The Light of Redemption

Every effort and endeavor towards light and holiness hastens the redemption. As explained by the Lubavitcher Rebbe: 'We were promised that even a little light pushes away much darkness, how much more so with much light, so that when everyone lights their candle, 'the soul is the candle of Hashem', it will illuminate with 'a mitzvah is a candle and Torah is light', and until it lights up their part of the world, it will join with the candle of another Jew and a third Jew 'brothers dwelling together', and by this, the overall light continues which will be revealed in the true and complete redemption speedily in our days just like this".