A regular women’s shiur dedicated to the theme of trust in Hashem and the understanding that a person’s inner strength is born primarily from Hashem’s help, rather than relying solely on oneself, was held in the “Menorah Community” youth project of the Dnipro Jewish Community, which is actively developing thanks to the support and efforts of the Zislin family.
The shiur was led by the “Menorah Community” project teacher, Osnat Liberman, who structured the conversation in the form of a calm and thoughtful study. This allowed the participants not only to reflect on the ideas of the Torah but also to see their living connection to their own lives.
The discussion began by exploring why the people did not always hear Moshe during the Exodus from Egypt, as they were immersed in the logic of self-reliance. They grew weary of this but did not find an outlet in complete trust in Hashem. It also touched upon how, in Jewish tradition, difficulties and trials can be perceived not as punishment but as a “jolt” that helps a person shift the focus of their trust from themselves to Hashem.
The main topic of the lesson was the discussion that human effort and actions are important and necessary, yet they should not become the dominant and sole point of reliance. The participants spoke about the key ability to primarily seek the trace of Hashem in what is happening, to trust His guidance, and from this trust to draw the inner strength for actions and decisions.
Special attention was given to the theme of “women’s faith in darkness” – the ability to see Hashem’s presence even in complex and uncertain circumstances, to understand that a person is already beloved and chosen, and that this very knowledge provides a quiet but resilient inner strength. The theme of “weariness,” a negative background, and other types of stressful situations as factors that make it harder for a person to open up to Hashem was actively discussed during this two-hour gathering.
“For us, it is important that such shiurim help women understand themselves and their purpose more deeply, to be able first and foremost to trust in Hashem and seek His presence in their lives,” says the project co-leader, Esti Zislin. “Each shiur provides new strength in drawing closer to Torah and mitzvahs in the light of Chassidus, and we are very grateful for this opportunity, gifted to us by the united and close-knit Dnipro Jewish Community under the leadership of Chief Rabbi Shmuel Kaminezki.”
