“…there is nothing more painful than that phone call, in the middle of the night, that tells you your precious child, whom you love more than anything in the world, has been severely injured…”
This is a direct quote from a beautiful, heart-rending letter I received this week, penned by the mother of one of our Belev Echad heroes.
The letter continued:
“Since that awful phone call, when we found out that our child had been severely wounded by a terrorist while on active duty in the IDF, our son has been through indescribable pain and hardship, both physically and emotionally. He has undergone multiple operations and medical procedures, and he has not yet finished. He spends a significant amount of time in rehabilitation, and more surgeries loom over his future.
“It has been difficult for all of us. For my son, of course, there has been the physical trauma and the equally potent emotional trauma. The rest of us have suffered, too. Anyone who has spent time with a loved one in pain knows how difficult it is to watch someone you love suffer. How helpless we felt! If only we could alleviate his pain…
“To say I was overjoyed when my son went on the Belev Echad trip would be an understatement. But, as a mother, of course I was nervous, too. Seeing the Facebook pictures you posted kept me feeling reassured and up-to-date on my son’s wellbeing. The fantastic time you gave him and the other wounded soldiers is a gift I know we will all cherish—the soldiers and their families too—forever.
“The amount of love and appreciation my son received from complete strangers fills my heart with peace and contentment. The images of my son smiling, laughing, and looking happier than he has in months, are priceless. I have no words to adequately express my appreciation… Thank you!”
What a heartwarming letter!
This week we read about another mother, “Mama Rachel.” Rachel was one of our four matriarchs, renowned for the sacrifices she made for others. She died while birthing her second child, and she forwent the honor of being buried with her husband, Jacob, and ancestors Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rivkah, just so that she could assist her children thousands of years later, when they were exiled from Jerusalem because of their sins. As they passed her grave, she would pray for them and beseech G-d to forgive them and allow them to return to Israel, their homeland. This is a true Jewish mother, always thinking of her children and their needs.
A healthy parent wants nothing more than to see her children happy. That is a the greatest gift a child can give.
We have the ability to give that gift to our Parent—G-d. He wants to see us smiling and joyfully living the life He prescribed. “Serve G-d with joy,” we are told, for it will enhance the mitzvahs we fulfill, and lead us to do even more. Give charity with eagerness, pray with exuberance, go out of your way to smile and help those around you. The combination of happiness and mitzvahs is the ultimate gift we can give our Father and Creator.