Several weeks ago I had the honor of meeting Zion Levi, a middle-aged Israeli whose son, Kfir, was severely wounded by an RPG missile. Since the injury, Kfir’s life and the lives of his family have been irrevocably changed, with Kfir having undergone 132 surgeries to date. (For more details about Kfir click here)
Our Community recently hosted Zion and Kfir during Chabad Israel Center’s recent Belev Echad Trip to New York. At the Kiddush in shul on Shabbat, I mentioned to a congregant that Zion had given up a successful career when his son was injured. Due to his injuries, Kfir required a full time aide to take care of his basic needs, and so Zion had volunteered. The congregant was astonished at Zion’s selflessness, and remarked that his own father would never have done that for him.
And that set my wheels into motion. Zion could easily have afforded to hire a full time nurse, so why on earth would he prefer to take the arduous task on himself, even forfeiting a career for such a difficult undertaking? Zion must have known that many nurses were qualified for the job, yet at the same time that nobody would give his son the dedication and love that he, a father, could shower on his son…
Placed in that situation, would you do that for your son? Would you do that for your father?
After my maternal grandmother died, my parents were concerned for my ageing grandfather and thought perhaps to send him to an old-age home in Israel. My mother was adamant in her rejection of the idea, preferring to care for him herself. She selflessly flew him out to South Africa from Israel, where he remained in our home until his death five years later. Those five years were trial-ridden as my grandfather grew weaker and weaker, eventually reaching a point where he required assistance with basic needs. The situation was not easy for my parents, but they cared for him day in day out with utter devotion and love.
The Jewish people sinned dismally when they created the Golden Calf. They had betrayed G-d, the Husband whom they had married barely forty days earlier. G-d, in His infinite mercy, acted benevolently with His children, and offered them an opportunity to repent through the mitzvah of the red heifer.
A maid's child once dirtied the royal palace. Said the king: "Let his mother come and clean up her child's filth." By the same token, G-d says: "Let the Heifer atone for the deed of the Calf" (Midrash Tanchuma, Chukat 8).
The red heifer, to whom we are introduced at the start of this week’s Parsha, is the mother who atones for the sins of her child - the golden calf.
The red heifer is G-d saying He will forever love us. Will we love Him in the same manner?
As a shy, timid child of thirteen, I was content to stay out of the limelight and live a quiet, peaceful life. Unfortunately, my father had other plans for me. Kroonstad, a small town two hours out of Johannesburg, was looking for a rabbi and cantor to lead their High Holiday services. The job entailed blowing the shofar, a skill I had yet to acquire, as well as leading the Shacharit and Mussaf prayers, and, of course, delivering the sermon. My father thought it the perfect opportunity to initiate me into the Rabbinate. I begged to differ.
Aharon Nazaroff’s mother prayed for ten long and hard years to have a child. Finally, her prayers were answered and she was given her only child, Aharon. Naturally, his mother did not want him to serve in the IDF-- much less in its combat unit-- but in the end, Aharon’s insistence to fight for his country won out.
When Aharon related his story at the Shabbat Kiddush in our shul two weeks ago, not a single eye remained dry. He described the utter melancholy that washed over him as he lay helpless in bed, refusing to believe what happened to him. He lay in his bed in severe pain and agony. Nothing could raise his spirits - not even the daily visit of the Chabad rabbi.