Late last week, while Americans and allied forces prepared to leave Afghanistan, and airlifting Afghanis who were able to get to the airport and had the necessary papers to leave, a suicide bomber killed over 100 Afghan civilians 13 U.S. service members: 11 Marines, one from the Army and one from the U.S Navy. With 4 days before pulling out of Afghanistan, these 13 Service members, 12 of whom were between the ages of 20-23, and one was 31 lost were days away from going home, their families were days away from being reunited with loved ones. Not one of those 13 service members had a chance to prepare for their own deaths, to gather loved ones around them, tell them that he/she loved them. So I watched 13 coffins arrive at Andrews Airforce base, 13 coffins treated with the dignity and the respect that the deceased should always be treated, and ultimately escorted to their families for burial. Each coffin was saluted by the President, the First Lady, the Secretary of the Defense, and other military brass.It was a somber moment and a powerful reminder of the importance of closure when dealing with the death of a loved one.
This week’s Parsha is the Parsha Nitzavim. According to the Aggadah, this is 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 woodchopper 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. 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 Parshat Nitzavim, we learn that while impending death is sad, death in the manner of Moshe’s can take on an aura of holiness – of Kedushah. 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 Sukkot, 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. To be aware of the end of life, to prepare for it, to draw loved ones toward and tell them how we feel is the epitome of courage.
One of the service members was a 23-year-old Marine from California, Sgt Nicole Gee. Days before the attack, while helping Afghans get through the myriad of obstacles that separate them from freedom, she posted a picture of her cradling a little baby. She posted the picture on her social media account with the caption saying that this is why she loved her job. Amid a war zone, amid the chaos of an airlift and the stress of an enemy waiting for America and its allies to leave before they do whatever they want to Afghan citizens, Sgt, Nicole Gee was able to re-affirm life in a place and a moment where life was cheap and death seemingly close by. Sargent Gee, with that poignant picture, reminds us to reaffirm life no matter how difficult, no matter how troubling. The Jewish People are less than a week from celebrating Rosh HaShanah, (Jewish New Year). Rosh HaShanah is also known as Yom HaDin (Judgment Day). So while there is joy at arriving on the brink of a new year, perhaps there is a bit of anxiety while awaiting Judgment. The tragic deaths of those 13 service members should remind us that if we have that we should seize the opportunity to tell our loved ones, that we love them so that there is always closure.
Rav Yitz
there is always closure.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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