[yshavurah] Message from Abi
- From: "Suzanne A. Smailes" <ag348@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: yshavurah@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 19 Dec 2004 15:02:27 -0500 (EST)
FORWARDED FROM: /mail/ag/ag348(#15339) From:abi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Suzanne,
We will be traveling this weekend, so we will not be at Services. =
Please
share this 'Meditation Before Saying Kaddish' on our behalf. It comes =
from
the book "Grief in Our Seasons; a mourners Kaddish companion" by R. =
Kerry M.
Olitzky. =20
Not to mourn is to disrespect the deceased; to mourn excessively is not =
to
accept God's own bereavement of God's action. Not to mourn is to =
trivialize
the sanctity of life, to mourn overmuch is to betray future life.
Agnon (a modern Hebrew essayist) suggested that the mourner's Kaddish, =
which
sanctifies God's name, is meant to comfort God. For indeed, if we are
created in God's image, our death is God's diminution. How do we praise
God's name? An anonymous commentator translates a verse in Psalms, =
"Adonai
is my shadow," with a parable. The shadow is our reflection. If we =
walk
stooped over the shadow grows smaller - but if we walk erect, the shadow =
is
lengthened. Kaddish is recited not when we are seated and not when we =
are
alone, but when we are on our own two feet and in the presence of =
community.
Rising in the face of adversity, we raise divinity. In so doing, we =
raise
our own spirits.
-- Adapted from Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis
Shabbat Shalom,
Abi, et al.
-----Original Message-----
From: yshavurah-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx =
[mailto:yshavurah-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Suzanne A. Smailes
Sent: Thursday, December 16, 2004 3:38 PM
To: yshavurah@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [yshavurah] Shabbat services this Sat
Shalom, everyone-
A friendly reminder that there will be services this Sat (Dec 18th), 10 =
am
at
the Rockford Chapel. The service will be followed by a vegetarian =
potluck.
I
hope to see you there!
Suzanne
-----FORWARDER'S COMMENTS:
Shalom, everone-
I received this email from Abi, but unfortunately didn't read my email until
today...while I therefore didn't have the chance to read it during services, I
don't think Abi would mind if I shared it with you now - it certainly reflects
what we did (and do) in services.
Thanks,
Suzanne
Other related posts:
- » [yshavurah] Message from Abi
