Shelach 5780

 “RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh parshas Shelach (EY – Korach)
27 Sivan 5780/June 19, 2020
Mevorchim Chodesh Tamuz – Avos perek 3
CROWN RESTORATION
            One of
the positives about this very difficult period of anxiety and isolation, was
that I was able to take care of some of those things that “I’ll get to one
day”.
            One of
those things was purchasing a new Shabbos tallis, and fixing the zipper on my
tefillin bag. Both my tefillin bag and my Shabbos tallis have a great deal of
sentimental value to me.
            My
tefillin bag was designed and sewn by my mother, a gift for my bar mitzvah. The
picture she drew for my tefillin bag was printed on my bar mitzvah invitations
and on the benchers that were disseminated then. A few years ago, the zipper on
that tefillin bag ripped. Every morning, as I put away my tefillin I thought
about fixing it. But then the day would begin, and I would forget about it.
            A few
weeks ago, I finally brought the tefillin bag to the cleaners. Three days
later, I had a strong zipper and a functional tefillin bag. It gave me a
renewed appreciation for a very personal and meaningful gift my mother gave me
years ago.
            My
Shabbos tallis too desperately needed to be replaced. It was the original
tallis I received from my in-laws and then-Kallah over eighteen years ago. I
remember well the excitement I had when we went to purchase it and I donned it
that first time. I was especially proud of the beautiful silver atarah (crown)
atop the tallis.
            Hundreds
of times since then, I have pulled the tallis with the atarah over my head
during davening, on Shabbos, Yom Tov, and while serving as the Chazzan on Rosh
Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The space inside that tallis is very meaningful, not
only because of the sentimentality of the tallis, but also because of how much
tefillah I uttered there. But, like all physical commodities, the time came
when it had to be replaced. It had gone from being holy to being quite hole-y,
and the atarah was falling off in a few places.
            I
purchased a new tallis and gave in my old one so the atarah could be polished
and transferred into the new one. A week later, my new tallis arrived. I hardly
recognized the atarah – it was polished and fixed up and looked beautiful atop
the new tallis.
            This
coming Monday, 30 Sivan, our family will mark the first yahrtzeit of my Bubby,
my mother’s mother, Rebbitzin Fruma Kohn a’h. The pasuk (Mishlei 17:6) states,
“the crown of elders is their grandchildren”. Rashi explains that the crown of
grandparents is seeing their grandchildren following the straight path. It
gives them a sense of fulfillment and purpose to know that they have fulfilled
their life mission and ambition to raise the next generation of Torah
observance.
            My other
three grandparents passed away before I was fifteen. But I was blessed to have
my Bubby in my life for almost four decades of my life. It was such a gift that
my children were able to glimpse a relic of the previous generation. They were
able to meet a survivor of Siberia, a member of the generation who gave everything
for the preservation and perpetuation of Torah living, amidst vast personal
loss and struggle.
            When one
visits a grave, the custom is that before one takes leave, he places a stone
atop the grave. The symbolism is that although the one buried can no longer
personally garner merits, but we can give them merits through actions we
perform in their memory. We place a stone atop their grave, as if to say that
we can still add to their legacy.
            Bubby
has passed on. We, her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, have
the perpetual task to polish her crown and make sure it sparkles and shines. In
fact, we are her crown!
            May her
neshama have an aliyah.
Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos
R’ Dani and Chani Staum       

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