You Cannot Do It Alone

What Torah teaches us about shared strength

by Rabbi Stephanie Kennedy

February 5, 2026 • 18 Shvat 5786

Ben-Zion, What is my strength, that I should hope? And what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?, 1954

Many of us are moving through our days with tender hearts right now - tender because we care, and because we are paying attention.

Our tradition has a word for what we can offer one another in moments like these: chizuk, strengthening.

Chizuk is not the kind of strength that means “toughen up,” or that comes from putting up walls. Rather, it is an inner strengthening - an intentional effort toward staying connected and acting with purpose. When we finish reading a book of Torah, many communities say, “Chazak, chazak, v’nitchazek” - “Be strong, be strong, and let us be strengthened.” It is a declaration of communal support, a shared urging toward spiritual resolve. Chizuk is a strength that supports others, that helps another person stay standing. It is the work of reminding someone that they are not alone.

In this week’s Torah portion, Moses becomes overwhelmed leading the people, and his father-in-law Yitro tells him, “For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.” (Exodus 18:18) Even Moses - the greatest leader in our tradition - is not meant to carry everything by himself. That teaching sits at the core of chizuk. We are built for relationship. We are meant to strengthen and be strengthened by one another.

Chizuk, in this season, might look like lowering the bar on perfection, asking for help, offering small kindnesses, or staying connected even when it feels hard.

May we keep turning toward one another.  May we offer and accept support with generosity. And may we move through this season knowing that our tenderness is a strength - part of what makes us human.