Dear Friends,
There is no doubt in my mind that not only does "Love conquer all", but it also transcends all: time, space, and distance.
These holidays are the best of times for me, as I am not doing anything terribly exotic, but allowing myself the luxury of spending good old plain quality time with my children. Normally we would be rushing -- here, there, and everywhere - to school and other events. But today we just sat and talked and laughed, and had the best time with each other. One of my sons asked where my brother Mendy was, and I told him he was celebrating Passover in Los Angeles. Then we began to talk about my brother who had passed away, and I started to think about yizkor, the prayer we recite on the last day of Passover for all our loved ones.
I always think about why we recite such a solemn prayer on such a happy day -- a day when we are commanded to rejoice after spending time with family, enjoying such great food, and are feeling amazing. Why is it especially now that we are required to stop and think about my brother's untimely passing?
I recall the Passover of 1997 when the rest of the family flew in from Detroit so that we could hold the Seder at Yossi's bedside in a room at Sloan Kettering. On the seventh day of Passover Yossi's soul ascended on high into the embrace of G-d's heavenly angels.I think about all the wonderful the times we had together, and I also think about the transient nature of existence. But as I have these sad thoughts, I am forced to admit that when we reflect on our own mortality we become less concerned with the every-day petty stuff of life, and value what is really precious.
So ask yourselves: how will you spend the last day of Passover? Will you be preoccupied with all the work that awaits you afterward, or will you appreciate every moment that you have with your loved ones? Yizkor prayers are not only to remember the deceased, but also to remember the preciousness of every minute to strengthen and treasure what we have while we have it. Yizkor reminds us our time is limited and not to take our loved ones for granted.
The best possible way for you to spend the next few days, is just to bond with those you love, hold them tight, shower them with kind words, tell them how much you love them, while remembering those special soulsand incredible people in your life who taught you these values. I say, “Yossi, you taught me well, I will hold my dear Yossi (Yitzi as we call him) and all my children as you are looking from on high. I will be giving you a hug with your precious Torah scroll that the Naples community dedicated in your loving memory.” We will continue to make you proud! We love you Yossi!
Ettie & I wish you for the last two days of Pesach - a Chag Samaich and a Good Shabbas!
Rabbi Fishel Zaklos
Lorel Martens wrote...