On Friday, the wife of the Rabbi of my family's former synagogue passed away after a two year battle with cancer. When I heard this news, I was left with feelings of disbelief, sorrow, and sympathy. It seemed unreal that my mom and I had just seen her less than a month before. I know that humans are not immortal, but when you hear about the death of anyone you know, it comes as a shock.
The next day, someone I knew sent me and other people a message asking if we heard about the death and if we could, to try and attend the funeral out of respect. The decision to not go was a difficult one to reach for me and my mom. To visit the mourners during the period of shiva (the seven day period of mourning following the burial of the deceased) is considered a huge mitzvah in Judaism regarding kindness. My question is: if we send a card and donation to the synagogue in her memory and if she is in my thoughts and prayers, am I still not truly fulfilling this mitzvah?
What I like to think happens is that Hashem is gracious and kind and takes in effort as much as He can. That although we cannot be there in person, to keep her in our hearts and in our prayers, we will continue to honor her memory and remember her for the kind, caring woman she was.
I know this is extremely unorthodox and probably not very kosher, but I hope Hashem sends the Pressmans my prayers.
To the Pressmans:
Ha-Makom y'nachem et'khem b'tokh sh'ar avelei Tziyon viyrushalayim.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
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