We’ve been watching a lot of Frozen 2 at our house, thanks to Disney’s outstanding choice to release it early on their streaming platform. In truth, I was not a huge fan of the first film—I much prefer Moana. But several viewings into Frozen 2, I think it has profound teachings to offer about grief, loss, memory, and love.
But going into this Shabbat, I am thinking about one scene in particular. Anna is stuck in a cave, fearing she has lost her sister and about to lose her best friend. Alone and frightened, she remembers advice given to her earlier—that when she is not sure what to do, she should do “the next right thing.”
One of the deep challenges of this time is the unknown (also a little Frozen 2 reference, if you didn’t already know); we do not know when it will end, we do not know who will get sick or worse, we do not know what the other side looks like. But, like Anna—we know the next right thing that we can do. We know that tonight we can light Shabbat candles together, we can gather together for prayer and song, and we can welcome a new week—even with its unknowns—with light and sweetness. Each and every week, Shabbat provides us with an answer and a refuge—a chance to do the next right thing.
— Rabbi Sari Laufer