Kriat Shema al Hamitah continues: “May our eyes see, our heart be glad, and our heart exult in Your salvation, when Tzion is told, Your G-d has reigned. Hashem reigns, Hashem has reigned, Hashem will reign for eternity. For the kingdom is Yours and You will reign for all eternity in glory, for we have no king except for You.”

The phrase “Your G-d has reigned” is part of a verse from the prophet Yeshayah (52:7). The entire verse describes how, when Eliyahu announces the imminent onset of the Messianic Era, the whole world will recognize and embrace Hashem’s Majesty. It is for that moment that we yearn, because it will be then that we all finally be able to serve Hashem in purity and perfection. We will not be distracted by everything around us because, just like us, everything around us will also only be focused on Hashem’s Glory. The aspirations and dreams of every believing Jew needs to be that we will experience that exquisite moment very, very soon.

Carl Sandburg (1878-1967), an American poet who President Lyndon B Johnson described as, “More than the voice of America… He was America”, wrote, “Nothing happens unless first we dream.” Words that are so true and so poetic. And, as we prepare to go to sleep for the night, we begin the process of tapping into our inner selves. Before we enter into the world of our dreams, we remind ourselves of what is truly important – that our dreams should include Hashem. That we are waiting to hear those beautiful words, “Your G-d has reigned.”

The world of psychology explains that, “Our dreams serve as a window into the labyrinth of our emotions and thoughts, offering a unique glimpse into the hidden recesses of our subconscious minds. They draw upon the tapestry of our daily experiences, memories, and innermost desires, weaving them into vivid narratives or symbolic imagery.” (Integrative Psych)

When used correctly, our dreams are the ingredients of the future. But only when our dreams motivate us to become greater than we currently are. Rabbi Shimon Schwab related how he was once walking with Rabbi Yitzchak Ruderman (1900-1987), the legendary founder and head of Yeshivat Ner Yisrael in Baltimore, in the Forest Park neighborhood where the Yeshiva was originally located. As they walked past a very large old house Rabbi Ruderman turned to Rabbi Schwab and said, “This building can hold two hundred talmidim [students].” In those early days, there was probably no more than thirty talmidim learning in Ner Yisrael. Rabbi Schwab, somewhat taken aback by Rabbi Ruderman’s seemingly inexplicable confidence, asked himself why Rabbi Ruderman was paying attention to a house that could fit two hundred talmidim. Back then the idea of a Yeshiva with two hundred talmidim in a central location like New York was unheard of. How much more so in Baltimore! But Rabbi Ruderman wasn’t deterred by the present. He was dreaming about a future that no one else could see at that moment besides him. Rabbi Ruderman may have been dreaming, but he was not a “dreamer,” but rather was a visionary who used his dreams to create a new reality.

And what a dream! Today, the Ner Yisrael campus is located on nearly one hundred acres! There is a high school with approximately 250 students. The Yeshiva has 300 talmidim and the Kollel has another 200. Who, except for Rabbi Ruderman, could have envisaged such a thing! Because, truly, nothing happens unless first we dream.

To be continued…

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