Letter from Rabbi Moshe Hauer to Members of BJSZ- Reacting to Recent Events

By Rabbi Moshe Hauer
Posted on 03/10/17

Erev Shabbos Zachor, 5777

March 10, 2017

 

Dear Friends:

דּוֹדִי יָרַד לְגַנּוֹ לַעֲרוּגוֹת הַבֹּשֶׂם לִרְעוֹת בַּגַּנִּים וְלִלְקֹט שׁוֹשַׁנִּים

"Our beloved has entered his garden to collect of its roses."

Our community is reeling from a series of losses and hardships that have struck wonderful individuals and their families. In the past week, our own shul family has lost two relatively young dear members, Darrell Zaslow and Bonnie Ziman.  These losses have deeply affected all of us, and have painfully strengthened the sense of family within our community.

We struggle to understand the meaning of these losses, and to formulate a proper reaction. ולא אתנו יודע עד ועל מה. Sadly, we lack the prophetic voice that could properly provide such guidance. We must accept humbly that we cannot know the causes for specific events.

Our Sages have nevertheless instructed us that at difficult times we must explore areas for self-improvement. We do this not presuming that we can identify the specific causes for our hardship, but because self-improvement can only produce positive results.

I encourage each of you to engage in this process individually. As a community, I carefully suggest the following:

Our Sages taught (TB Shabbos 106a) that when a community member dies, all of the community needs to "worry".  אחד מבני חבורה שמת תדאג כל החבורה כולה.  This statement can provide a framework for our self-improvement as a community. 

We are on the eve of Purim.  Purim is a festival of community, of generosity and kindness, and a celebration of the power of prayer to make a difference.

Purim is also the celebration of the turnaround, of ונהפוך הוא, of the turn מיגון לשמחה ומאבל ליום טוב, from sorrow to joy and from mourning to festivity.  Let us now take a collective breath and consciously make that turn from sorrow to joy, and may we - through our efforts at making ourselves better and through Hashem's generous hand - be blessed with a joyous Purim, Pesach and future. 

Sincerely, באהבה ובצפיי' לישועה קרובה,

Rabbi Moshe Hauer