Last week my mother was niftar. In the days since, I have been sharing small anecdotes about her life so that we can learn from the way she lived—with purpose and with a deep love for every person she encountered. If we try to emulate her exemplary behavior, I believe we can bring ourselves one step closer to the final redemption.
My mother was someone who did not stand on ceremony. If she called someone three years in a row to wish them a good year before Rosh Hashanah, she never stopped to calculate whether it was now “their turn” to call her. She didn’t think, “I’m older,” or “I’ve already called the past three years.” Those kinds of considerations simply did not enter her mind.
She just picked up the phone.
She called because she cared about the person and wanted to connect. It didn’t bother her that they hadn’t initiated the contact. She was simply happy when they answered and she could hear what was happening in their lives.
My mother was a listening ear. When she spoke to someone, she made sure they felt valued, appreciated, and loved.
One of her most beautiful character traits was that she was mevater—she didn’t keep score.
If we can try—even in small ways—to follow her example of letting go of calculations and reaching out to others with warmth and generosity, we will be honoring her legacy in the most meaningful way.
May her memory continue to inspire us to live with kindness, humility, and genuine care for others. May her neshama have an aliyah.
R' Nosson Scherman speaks here about the power of renewal. - Parshas Vayikra
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