by Elisa Garfagna
Hope (Tikvah in Hebrew) is one of the fundamental pillars of Jewish thought, a thread woven through millennia of history, sacred texts, and rabbinic interpretations. In Jewish tradition, hope is not merely a fleeting emotion but a vital force that has sustained the Jewish people through their most challenging trials.
In the Torah, numerous examples of hope emerge. One of the most prominent is the story of Abraham, who, despite his advanced age and the apparent impossibility of having children, held steadfastly to his hope in God’s promise. As Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel commented:
“Abraham’s hope was not merely a human desire but a profound understanding of the divine nature of the promise. His hope was rooted in the certainty that God always fulfills His word, even when circumstances seem to render it impossible.”
Another powerful example of hope appears in the book of Exodus during the Israelites’ enslavement in Egypt. The Midrash Rabbah recounts that the Jewish women kept hope alive even in the darkest times, using their copper mirrors to adorn themselves and believing firmly in future redemption. These same mirrors were later donated to construct the Mishkan (Tabernacle), symbolizing how hope can transform into sanctity.
Rabbi Nachman of Breslov offered one of the most profound teachings on hope:
“There is no despair in the world. Despair is forbidden! Even if you feel you are at the lowest possible point, that is precisely when you must find within yourself new ways to begin again.”
This teaching aligns with the concept of “Yeush shelo midaat”—unconscious despair—suggesting that true hope persists within our hearts, even when we are unaware of it.
The book of Psalms frequently emphasizes hope. Psalm 27, recited during the month of Elul and the High Holy Days, declares: “Hope in the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; hope in the Lord.” Rabbi Elijah ben Solomon Zalman explained this verse, noting:
“The repetition of the command to hope is not accidental. The first instance refers to trust in divine promises already revealed, while the second speaks to the ability to hope for what we cannot yet see or understand.”
A particularly poignant midrash tells of the First Temple’s destruction. Amidst the flames, a group of young priests ascended to the roof with the Sanctuary’s keys. Declaring themselves unworthy custodians, they cast the keys heavenward. A divine hand appeared and took them, symbolizing that the hope for rebuilding was not lost.
Hope in Judaism is also expressed through daily practices. The Amidah prayer, recited three times a day, includes a specific blessing for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the return to Zion, preserving the messianic hope through generations of exile.
The concept of Hatikvah (“The Hope”), which is also the title of the Israeli national anthem, is not merely a modern political expression. It has deep roots in biblical and rabbinic tradition. As Rabbi Jonathan Sacks explained:
“Hope is the Jewish faith transformed into active virtue. It is the conviction that by acting as God’s partners in the work of creation and redemption, we can elevate the world from what it is to what it ought to be.”
In Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical tradition, hope is viewed as a cosmic force that maintains the world’s balance. The Zohar teaches that every act of human hope has the power to influence the celestial spheres and contribute to the world’s repair (Tikkun Olam).
Even during medieval persecutions, rabbis taught that hope is not simply waiting for better times but actively striving to bring them about, even in seemingly impossible circumstances.
In Judaism, hope is not mere optimism but a profound conviction rooted in the relationship between God and His people. It is a force that has sustained the Jewish people through millennia of challenges and remains a central element of Jewish spirituality and identity. As an ancient Jewish proverb teaches, “As long as there is life, there is hope,” but in Jewish tradition, we might say it is hope itself that keeps life alive.
Sources:
Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel, Gevurot Hashem
Midrash Tanchuma, Parashat Pekudei, 9; Midrash Rabbah Shemot (Exodus) 48:6
Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, Likutei Moharan II, 78
Commentary on Psalm 27: Biur HaGra al Sefer Tehillim
Talmud Bavli, Tractate Ta’anit 29a
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Future Tense: Jews, Judaism, and Israel in the Twenty-first Century (2009)
Zohar, Section Bereshit
The Amidah prayer as found in the Siddur (Jewish prayer book)