May his memory be blessing

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I am writing these lines in the airport waiting at the gate for my flight back from Las Vegas to S. Jose.  I came here this morning for the funeral of a good friend who used to live in our area and moved to LV a few years ago. Howard - Henach Nachman ben Avraham Shachna Haleivi - was a good friend and a generous partner in our work serving the needs of the community. He was instrumental in the exponential growth of Chabad Palo Alto when he helped make it possible for us to add another Shliach (Rabbinic) couple to our staff. Each of our Shluchim directly impacts thousands of lives, and today I am thinking of the merit that his Neshama has for all the people who have been touched by his generosity. He was taken way too soon at the age if 59, falling victim to the horrible pandemic that looms over our heads. He passed away on the saddest day of our calendar, Tisha B’Av. May his memory be a blessing and may his soul reach great heights in Gan Eden. 


Now how do I segue from that to discussing the Parsha and it’s lessons?  I think I don’t know the answer to that question so instead let me just say that this Shabbat there is a holiday, the fifteenth of Av. It marks the conclusion of the transition from the sadness of the destruction of the Three Weeks and Tisha B’Av to the hope, comfort and joy of a new future. You can read a lot about it here https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/53680/jewish/15th-of-Av.htm. 

As Jews we have never allowed ourselves to be defeated by difficulties, challenges and darkness.  Our response to darkness has always been to bring light, because ultimately that is the way to remove darkness. We look forward to the day soon when all the good that has been done through the ages, especially the Mitzvah of Tzedakah as explained in the book of Tanya, accumulates and breaks through the darkness of exile. At that time, the world will be transformed, the third Holy Temple will be rebuilt, and the end to death and destruction will happen. 

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