My sister Mina, of blessed memory
Dear friend,
It was exactly 27 years ago this weekend, on the 23rd of Tevet, when the soul of my dear sister Alta Mina, Of Blessed Memory, returned to her maker at the pure age of seven.
In Judaism we are taught that life does not end with death, rather there is Life, and then there is After Life. A time when our loved one continues to live, but in a different realm. A time when we connect with those whom we love with a deeper soul connection, beyond the limitations of a physical existence.
On the anniversary of ones passing (a Yahrtzeit), we have an incredible opportunity to spiritually nourish the soul of our loved ones in the heavenly spheres by learning, sharing, and doing good deeds in memory of our loved ones.
Anyone who knew my little sister, Alta Mina, of blessed memory, even for a brief time, knows how deeply she embodied the concept of having a positive attitude, despite all of her physical challenges. Or, as we might call it, a "Gratitude Attitude," an attitude where nothing is taken for granted, and everything is joyful.
In her short seven years, she faced more challenges than many of us have faced in many decades more. And yet, she had a perpetual smile on her face. Her eyes were constantly glowing with excitement, with joy, with the sheer delight in being alive. Nothing could break her boundless enthusiasm for life.
It happened once on a Friday afternoon, she was in an isolation ward in the hospital, and absolutely no one would be seeing her over Shabbat, other than my parents. Yet she insisted on changing out of her pajamas into her Shabbat clothes! When my mother told her, "Mina no one will see you, as you are in isolation. Why get dressed for the Shabbat?" She said indignantly, "but the Shabbat Queen will see me!"
Even in the playground, her spirit could not be broken. When a classmate asked with childish innocence why Mina wore a cap and why her head was bald, she confidently told her friend: Don't worry, the same way G-d took away my hair from me, He will soon give it back.
Talk about a positive perspective on things . . . If you were to look at family videos, you would not observe a child suffering from Cancer, beaten by the exhausting sessions of chemotherapy. You would see a vibrant child, a smile literally bursting from her face.
The holy sage, the Baal Shem Tov taught his students, that when somebody passes on, there are three ways to react: 1) With tears, 2) With silence, 3) or with a song.
His students asked: "We can understand tears, and even silence. But why with a song?" The Baal Shem Tov, explained, each person's life is a song, a melody. A melody has high notes and low notes, turbulent notes and soothing notes, dramatic notes and simple notes. When they pass away, their song is interrupted.
And we can sing in order to continue their song. We can sing the song, we can continue the powerful, inspiring, melody-by perpetuating the legacy of our loved ones, as we keep their soul alive. It's up to us.
As we commemorate Mina's 24th Yahrtzeit, we sing the song of her life. The song of living our lives with the "Gratitude Attitude."
I conclude my thoughts with a poem written by J.J.:
When you are ungrateful, when your moods a stormy day,
When you think "Woe is Me" and nothing goes your way...
When your'e feeling anxious for each dawn you have to greet,
take on an "Attitude of Gratitude" and your life will be complete,
When you can't acknowledge the gifts G-d gave to you,
When emotions of helplessness overcome out of the blue
When there's something missing in your heart or in your soul ,
take on an "Attitude of Gratitude" and you'll know which way to go...
For "Attitude of Gratitude" is what G-d had in mind
When He blessed with friends and family and the hour glass of time...
Time to smell the roses, walk along the beach
aroma of coffee brewing or grab a moment to teach
Be grateful for each raindrop for the sun is on its way
Your "Attitude of Gratitude" Thanks G-d for each new day...
May the Neshama of Alta Mina rest in peace, and be bound up with the source of true life. Amen.
Wishing you an uplifting Shabbat with your loved ones,
Rabbi Zalman & Nechama Tiechtel
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MY
SISTER MINA'S LIFE & LEGACY
