This weekend was my son's Bar Mitzvah.
Not only was this a milestone in his young life, as well as his mother's, it was symbolic on another level. Only one month before, my little guy was in the hospital recovering from surgery. It has been a very emotional couple of months for our family. One of great lows and massive highs. I wrote the following explanation of his knitted prayer shawl bag months ago. But its meaning has even more resonance now:
Not only was this a milestone in his young life, as well as his mother's, it was symbolic on another level. Only one month before, my little guy was in the hospital recovering from surgery. It has been a very emotional couple of months for our family. One of great lows and massive highs. I wrote the following explanation of his knitted prayer shawl bag months ago. But its meaning has even more resonance now:
On one side of the bag is my son's name in Hebrew with the U.S. southwestern hamsa equivalent known as the healing hand, and on the other, is the Tree of Life: Eitz Chaim עֵץ הַֽחַיִּים. You will notice that there are no leaves on this tree. Why is that? My son’s favorite month is winter. As any Canadian will tell you, most trees lose their leaves during the autumn. But is the tree dead? No. It is very much alive during those winter months. The Tree of Life, combined with the remark
אַל־תִּירָ֣א אַבְרָ֗ם the Lord’s covenant with Abram “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield your very great reward” combine the ideas that although there are many obstacles that are put in our way each day, one must trust in the Tree of Life – the tree of knowledge. Even when there appears little obvious signs of G-d’s presence, existence is there, beneath the temporal. Knowledge and conviction of faith will be a sentinel, a shield, and can guide an individual through the dilemmas with which they are faced, all the days of their life. This is especially important as we attempt to maintain our sense of security in a world filled with political volatility and tragedies. Escalating troubles may slowly plant seeds of doubt in our confidence of Hashem’s protection. How must we, who strive to live with emunah, react? With strength and courage.
… Al tira Avrum … אַל־תִּירָ֣א אַבְרָ֗ם …
Mazal Tov, my Maverick Knitter!
You have faced so much with strength and courage and tremendous amounts of dignity.
You have faced so much with strength and courage and tremendous amounts of dignity.
I love you forever, Cookie Bear.
Chazak, chazak, venischazeik.
Be strong, be strong, and let us be strengthened.
Chazak, chazak, venischazeik.
Be strong, be strong, and let us be strengthened.
