This past week Dina and I had the joy of celebrating our grandson’s bris.
So many thoughts flashed through my mind. Wishes for little Gedalya named after his great grandfather, worries for some of the troubling developments in the world, anticipation and excitement for all the opportunities that Gedalya will have — and the list goes on.
My grandparents had the same feelings no doubt. The same wishes, anticipation, worries at a totally different time and generation.
Yet the core underlying wishes were exactly the same. It was the same for the grandparents of my grandparents too and-so it was, for the entire unbroken linked chain stretching back to Moses at Mount Sinai.
It’s a cool concept. Actually let me correct that, it’s a mind blowing concept. Dor L’dor — through thick and thin — the values, principles and underlying wishes of every single generation was the preservation of that gift that was handed to us at Mount Sinai— the Torah.
Ironically, our unyielding and selfless system of preserving and sharing this Divine wisdom is the fury of the world. The truth about the nation that invented the word mentsch, that greets one another with the word shalom, that reveres life and tikun olam, that innovates, teaches and gives charity like no other people, provokes lies, discomfort and ultimately outward aggression.
Most of all, standing at my grandson’s bris as he was flanked by two sets of great grandparents (may they be healthy and strong) I was praying — praying that he take a page out of their book, their great grandparents book — that same book that was the prayer on all of our great grandparents lips for millennia!!
Dor L’dor. Let’s keep up the heroic efforts of ensuring Jewish continuity and vibrancy despite the challenges and despite the news headlines. Truth always prevails — Am Yisrael Chai!!