A Soulful Journey

Of Jacob the Torah says, Vayikravu y'mie Israel l'moot, "And the days of Israel approach death." Of Moses, Writ states,  Hayn karvu yamekha l'loot, "Your days are drawing near to die." Of David, it says, V ayikravu y'mei David l'moot, "And the days of David drew towards death." Shimon ben Lakish commented: The "days" of the righteous will come to a close but they do not.

A broken hearted king David learned from bitter experience. Do you remember how his son, longed-for son of his beloved beloved Bat Sheva felt desperately ill. The king was inconsolable, he refused to be comforted. And then when the baby died, the king realized what had happened and calmed and consoled himself. “While the child was still alive I fasted and wept, for I said who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me that child will live?” But once the boy was gone, he dried his tears and changed his morning clothes. “Can I bring him back?” he mused rhetorically. No he could not. He had to walk on and continue to live.  - from 2 Samuel 12   Pain is universal and inevitable. We weep and we grow from our experiences.

Moshe rabbenu fixed the blessing for hazan ("sustenance" in the Blessings After a Meal) for the Jewish people when manna descended. Joshua fixed the blessing for ha-aretz ( "the Land" also in the Blessings After a Meal) when they entered the Land. David and Solomon established the blessing for Jerusalem (also in the Blessings After a Meal). -Talmud, Berachot 28b The Men of the Great Assembly (Anshay Knesset ha-Gedolah) established blessings, kiddish and Havdalah for us all.   -Talmud, Berachot 33a

The Jerusalem Talmud recounts:   When David came to dig the foundations of the Temple he dug fifteen thousand cubits but had not reached the Deep.  Finally, he uncovered a cluster of stones and was about to lift it when one rock spoke to him and said:  Do not touch me… Even so, David did not listen and once the rock was lifted the Deep arose, threatening to submerge the world.  - Rabbi Steven Sager Jerusalem is sensitive. All the world's prayers focus in this one place and the power that emanates from that sacred spot is precarious and needs to be treated with both respect and a sense of awe.  Prayer for her.