Imagine that you got to travel all around the world on someone else’s dime and got paid a high salary to boot. Of course, you would first ask what would be expected of you. Here is the job description: Travel all over the world and dance badly. SIGN ME UP! Check out this video from the man who has one of the greatest jobs ever! (On a side note, which is more important than what I just wrote, notice how a simple dance connects with everyone and literally brings joy to the entire world. It does not take much to bring us together).
“Communication! Communication! Communication!” Communication is critical to having valuable and meaningful relationships. This goes for our spouses, friends, children and anyone we choose to have a meaningful relationship with. Communication is not a one way street. It is a two way road and sometimes it must be a five lane highway with three off-ramps and an HOV lane. Whatever it takes to make sure the people having the conversation are heard. The first step to ensuring everyone is heard is to work on listening.
A teacher at my school showed me this cartoon and I can’t think of a better way to illustrate the importance of listening.
I am a big fan of Rabbi Heir. I just watched his speech at the Mumbai memorial program in Los Angeles and I felt that it was worth sharing. I could not agree more with everything he said and how he said it.
A few nights ago I went to a Tehillim (psalms) gathering for Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, his wife Rivka and the other hostages being held in the Mumbai Chabad. I prayed as many did around the world. However, a few hours later the news began to spread that they were all murdered. Tonight I went to a memorial service for them.
Throughout the service, I cried as I heard personal accounts of the Rabbi and his wife. I cried at what the Jewish people lost. I cried at my own questions about how such innocent people who were truly a “light onto the nations” were taken from this world. Why didn’t Hashem answer our prayers to save them?
I do not have any answers for myself or for anyone else who might be reading this. However, I am comforted with a statement once made by Yehuda Wachsman, father to slain IDF soldier Nacshin Wachsman, at the funeral of his son. I prayed for Nachsoms safe release over ten years ago at the Kotel and was torn apart by the news of his death. At Nacshoms funeral, his father responded to many who were questioning G-ds actions by stating “just as a father would always like to say “yes” to all of his children’s requests, but sometimes he had to say “no” though the child might not understand why, so our Father in Heaven heard our prayers, and though we don’t understand why, His answer was “no.”
While this did not take away the pain then and does not tonight, I will never shake the impact Yehuda’s faith had on me. To still believe that G-d answers our prayers even when it is not the answer we want to hear is a powerful statement coming from the father of a slain son.
As one of the speakers said tonight, “we are not obligated to defend G-d.” I do not defend what happened in Mumbai and I certainly do not understand it. However, what I do know is that Jews from all different backgrounds gathered tonight in Houston and all over the world to pray for Jewish souls. Those prayers meant something even if that meaning will not be known to us for many years or ever. This is the power and the struggle of faith.
May the Neshamot (souls) of Rabbi Gavriel and Rivkah Holtzberg, Rabbi Leibish Teitelbaum, Bentzion Chroman. Yocheved Orpaz and all who were murdered in Mumbai be elevated.
