Shimon Peres passed away
earlier this week. It was interesting to note that earlier in his political
career, there were moments where he was reviled by Israel’s electorate and was
beaten on several occasions for the Prime Minister position. Eventually he did
serve as Prime Minister. However even as Prime Minister, he never enjoyed
resounding political support. Yet Peres managed to persevere and even transcend
his lack of Israeli popularity to forge the Oslo Peace accords in the early
1990’s. It was only as he grew older holding his last position as President
when he began to truly enjoy a popularity as a statesman, a popularity that was
long overdue. Perhaps his lack of popularity was a result of his courage,
courage to act and do the unpopular and the difficult.
This week’s Parsha is the Parsha Nitzavim. According the
Aggadah, this the recounting of Moshe Rabeinu’s last day of life. Unafraid of
his imminent death, he gathers his family: Rosheichem,
Shivteichem, Zikneichem, v’Shotreichem, Kol Ish Yisroel, Topchem N’Sheichem
V’Geircha Asher B’Kerev Machanecha Meichotev Eitzecha Ad Sho’eiv Meimecha –
The heads of your tribes, your elders,
and your officers, all the men of Yisroel; your children, your women, and the
stranger who is in the midst of our camp, from the wood chopper to the one who
draws water (Deut. 29:9-10). Moshe imparts his last vestiges of wisdom to
his children, his people. Moshe wants to make sure that everything is in order
when he dies and Joshua takes over. Moshe truly has been blessed. He has had
the blessing of old age, and here God has granted him the gift of saying
goodbye in perhaps the most wonderful fashion. God has commanded Moshe to say
his goodbyes and impart the final vestiges of wisdom.
We are taught that death is a part of life. Yet many of
us are afraid of death. Many of us believe that we should shield our children
from death, sadness and loss. However when we read Parsha Nitzavim, we learn
that while impending death is sad, death in the manner of Moshe’s can take on
an aura of holiness – of Kedusha. It is in holiness that we attain the highest
level of life, a life that is directly connected to God. When death comes like
this, from God, with an opportunity to say Goodbye- with an opportunity to
impart wisdom to one’s children, death is not mundane, death is not ordinary,
but rather holy and part of life, the final expression of holiness in a very
physical endeavor.
When we talk of strength, we unfortunately think of the
person who lifts a lot of weight. We think of the person who doesn’t cry, who
remains stoic if he/she is all torn up inside. At this time of year, from Elul
through Succot, when we recite the 27th Psalm and conclude with the
words Chazak v’Ya’Ameitz Libecha, v’Kavei
El Adoshem – Strengthen yourself, and
he will give you courage; and hope to HaShem!, we now understand what it
means to strengthen oneself. Moshe had
that kind of strength. Shimon Peres had that kind of strength. Both had the
spiritual capacity to be aware of the end of life, to prepare for it, to draw
loved ones toward them and share that wisdom. Perhaps that is the epitome of
courage.Shimon Peres spent his transmitting his love of Israel and the Jewish People. He spent a lifetime teaching and cajoling the Israeli electorate and the world that Israel must be counted among the nations and that she has the strength to make peace even if its not the popular thing to do. Shimon paid the price and earned the praise of the world for those beliefs. As an old year winds down and a new year begins, may we have the strength of our morals and our character to teach those values to the next generation.
Peace,
Rav Yitz.
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