Thursday, August 6, 2020

How Can it be?

The 15th yartzeit of my brother, Shalom ben Chaim Nosson, is tonight and tomorrow. It's hard to believe it's been so long, yet the emotions come back and we miss him so much. May all the actions we do for his neshama bring us comfort as his neshama continues to go higher and higher in gan eden.

Here's the poem I wrote this year.
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How can it be?

It's been 15 years since that fateful day,
When you climbed that tall tree that took your life away,
Our family was so shocked when we were told,
Shalom, you were too young to die, you weren't yet 16 years old!

How can it be?

You lived your life according to the way you were raised,
At your levaya, for all your special qualities you were praised,
You looked out for others, helping before you were asked,
And now, up in heaven, in the pleasure of the שכינה your soul does bask.

How can it be?

We continue to talk about your unique qualities,
Sharing stories with our friends and family,
How your sense of humor and love of animals is what made you you,
And now your nephew, with your name is so similar too!

How can it be?

He loves to climb trees, wishes he could live on a farm,
Is so gentle with animals, won't cause them any harm,
Chess is a game he loves to play,
And now for a label machine, with his own money he wants to pay.

How can it be?

I miss you more than words can express,
I became stronger and more sensitive through this huge test,
I wish I could see you one more time,
Give you a hug and share thoughts that are mine.

How can it be?

So many milestones in my life that you haven't shared,
Moments of joy and times I was scared,
I often wonder what my life would be like if you were still here,
Shalom, how much I treasure you - in your lifetime were you aware?

How can it be?

Near my shabbos candles stands your picture in a frame,
Your face so calm, your demeanor so tame,
I think about you so much, I never dreamed,
That your loss would affect me so strongly.

How can it be?

As Jews we live with אמונה that's constantly put to the test,
That Hashem has a plan for our נשמה and He knows what's best,
He puts us through challenges that refine our soul,
So through our time on this earth, we become better, more whole.

That's how it can be.

We accept that this too, was for our good,
Even when we feel weak and question how this could
Be for our benefit, we still know deep inside,
That Hashem put us on this journey and He is our guide.

That's how it should be. 

To make a donation in memory of my brother, you can go to my personal fundraising page here and help us continue to run programs that bring non-affiliated college students closer to Torah and Mitzvos!

To read more about Shalom and his story, click on the following links: 



Monday, August 3, 2020

Parsha-Shema

This past week, we read Parshas Va'eschanan. The foundation of our belief in Hashem, the Shema, is written in the parsha. We cover our eyes when we say this phrase, reciting it in the morning and in the evening, and even before we go to sleep at night.

Why do we cover our eyes? We are expressing that we believe in the oneness of Hashem and that everything He does is for our best. Whether we are experiencing the highs of life, the clarity and openness of Hashem's involvement in our lives, or we are going through challenges and things are dark, we remain strong in our trust in Him. We believe that He orchestrates every single thing we go through - the happy times, the difficult ones, they all come from Him.

And we cover our eyes to express that even when we can't see how it's good, we believe there is an ultimate benefit to be gained from every single thing we go through. 

The morning represents the good times. 

The evening represents the tough times. 

And even before we retire for the night, every Jew proclaims this truth: As my day comes to an end and I reflect on my experiences, there are some things I'm grateful for and some things I'm confused about. I will never be able to understand everything going on in my life. But I believe that you Hashem, you know what I need in order to accomplish my mission. Please help me continue to believe in you, no matter what I go through. 

May we continue to strengthen our trust in Hashem at all times!