According to the laws of physics, it is impossible for an object to implode and explode simultaneously. An inward collapse and an outward burst are opposite actions; they cannot occur at once.
But politics has no such constraints. Political forces are capable of making the impossible possible—for better and worse.
International condemnation, diplomatic isolation, and antisemitism are pressing down on Israel from the outside. Right-wing warmongering, ultra-Orthodox draft-dodging, and, rightly so, the desperate pleas of the hostage families, are pressing from the inside. Our army is pressing into Gaza City, and the Houthis are pressing on with their missile and drone attacks. That is a lot of pressure, even for this pressure-cooker of a place.
In response, everyone I know is hunkering down. We are focusing on the most constructive, creative work we can, and the people we care most about. We are partially shielding ourselves from the outer reality to conserve our energy for the challenges ahead.
So far, inner and outer forces have not synced, an improbability that would shatter us. But they have inflicted painful fractures and caused seismic rifts in Israeli society, which leaves one question, and it, too, is pressing: will we be able to repair the damage?