I often wonder how much the media is to blame for scaring us every day.We change the channel, log on, or adjust the dial to be bombarded with news about murders, terrorism, crime and attack that instill a sense of worry and fright the likes of which are impossible to properly describe on paper. Meanwhile, the feel-good story of kindness, niceness and thoughtfulness is always relegated to the closing seconds of a broadcast.

Media outlets follow this path because when it bleeds, it leads. These painful stories capture people’s attention and the worry reverberates through our common cord and psyche. But, is this how we are hard wired? Do we only worry and not consider the goodness in each of us? Do we not gravitate towards those stories? Does negativity breed more negativity? Does worry create more angst? And, most importantly, could the good be as contagious as the bad seems to be?

In Parshat Sh’Mot, Moses is taken from the water (which is the literal meaning of his name) by Pharaoh’s daughter because her empathy and love for this helpless child floating in the Nile grabs control of her emotion and she makes him her own.

This seems to proves a premise I have been wrestling with as of late: the world is a good place and people are inherently good. Our instincts are to be helpful, kind and supportive where and when we can. Negativity rises to the surface when we feel attacked or angry or concerned. That anger can create a vicious cycle and lead down a path where worry morphs into meanness and that grows into angst which can become loud monsters that squelch the good in each of us.

What if the news cycles decided to only share positive stories and devoted the waning seconds to grief? Would people smile more? Be more open hearted? Would the positivity be as contagious as the worry seems to be?

I ask this question as the world is riddled with babies floating helplessly in baskets, so to speak, yet the fear of terror, illness and countless other reasons to ignore said baby and her cry seem to prevail. If we found our shared thread of goodness that lives in every human being, perhaps the goodness of Pharaoh’s daughter would save more babies. Remember, that baby wound up using his voice, courage and vision to make the world a better place.

Whether Syria, Africa, or the person in need of crossing the street, we are reminded that Moses existence is only made possible through the goodness in the other.

This Shabbat, and each day after, find that goodness and kindness. Spread it like water on a flower and watch it bloom into the beauty that we marvel at daily.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi David-Seth Kirshner