IN MEMORY OF REB ZALMAN Z'L'

I witnessed the burial of a great soul this morning, Reb Zalman. Even in death, he brought together worlds of various traditions. A Chabad rabbi spoke about his life without eulogizing. He was buried without a coffin like our Muslim cousins. Song and stories, tears and laughter, hands held, hugs exchanged, and across the generations souls touching and reaching for one last moment with their father..., husband, teacher, guide, colleague, friend. Upon returning home I wrote:

There’ll be sparks of light in the sky tonight
Sparks of a soul flying free
Back to its Source, the Divine spark of life
Having departed the earthly body.
No more pain, no more tears
Except for all those left behind.
Let us know that you’ve found rest
Send us comfort. Let us bless tonight
As you would have us bless each day
And one another in the way
You’ve shown us.
Bless the blades of grass that grow,
Bless the hail and bless the snow,
Bless the sun and bless the rain
Each time it falls recite, “Amen”.
The brother to your left,
The mother to your right,
Politically, physically, hold them tight
And let them know it doesn’t matter -
Because we are all part of the shattered vessel
And the sparks, the sparks will return to the Source.
Yes, there will be sparks of light in the sky tonight.
Look upon them and bless them.
Freedom takes many forms.
Bless the sparks of light in the sky tonight.
Bless the sparks.
Rabbi Birdie Becker 7/4/14 in memory of Reb Zalman z'l'