The coincidental thing is this Shabbat falls on the eighth anniversary of 9/11. Where 2,993 (numbers from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11_attacks) almost all innocent people moved from our world to the next. 6,291 or even more had been injured Fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters. Our neighbors, our friends. 2,993 is just a large enough number that almost anybody knows someone in the accident. I thank God every year that my father and mother did not work in the Twin Towers that day. I am sorry to all those who did lose someone close. In my opinion, the attack is the most horrific thing that has happened since the Holocaust.
The biggest difference is the people of 9/11 died for no reason and Moses could not live to go into the Promised Land for two reasons. 1. He committed murder as an Egyptian abused a slave. 2. He smashed the Ten Commandments into a mountain side. One thing I liked about this particular portion is the role Joshua plays.
The scene depicts the seniority of Levites in the Tent of Meeting blessing Joshua as the Lord appears to them in the form of a cloud. Moses is getting ready to leave the world and gives the advice of his past to Joshua. L'Dor V'Dor! Although they are not son and father, this reminds me of when my parents will advise me as I become a man in the Jewish community on October 17th.
Moses will definitely be missed by the people of Israel as Deuteronomy finishes, but they must remember Moses. One thing I insist you remember from this blog post is that one someone passes the greatest honor you can give them is to remember them. Whether its Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Moses, or even a friend or family member, remember them. If you miss Ted Kennedy, remember him. We remember the Twin Towers every year on this day that shows another year further away from that tragic day. Today in school, we dignified the event by having a schoolwide moment of silence at 9:00 a.m. That is when the planes approximately hit.
The lights that go up tonight reminds me of the scene in the Tent of Meeting. As the holy event happens, the Lord shoots light into the sky and the Israelites remember. (Note, he did not actually do this in the parsha. This is my imagination.) Whether you shoot light above one of the biggest skylines in the world or crossing the Jordan River, remember the dead.
Adam - I always remember my two friends that past on 9/11 - Jake and David. Jake was a friend of ours that lived in Marlboro and treated everyone as their best friend (and meant it) and David was a childhood friend from up the block. David had more friends from his childhood than I could ever remember an adult having.
ReplyDeleteI also remember all of my special friends that did not pass on that horrific day as well!!!!