Tribute to Grandpa

Shalom and welcome to Tikkun Tips!

Recognize the beauty in the natural cycles of life and death.

(I apologize in advance for this week’s tip as it is both abstract and personal.)

On Friday my grandfather, Chaim Yoseph ben Eliezer and Yudel, passed away at the age of 87. Over the last week I have been privileged to take part in the various elements of the Jewish mourning rituals. I have been struck by several things, and wanted to share them with you. We learn in the creation story that Adam was formed out of the earth, and that God blew life into him. It is interesting that Jewish law states that people are to be buried directly in the ground. In America, as local law requires a coffin, Judaism opts for the most basic pine box, mainly because the wood decomposes quickly. Judaism recognizes that our physical bodies are made from the earth, and ultimately should return to the earth.

At Teva we teach this process, known as decomposition, every week. It is one of the most basic ways in which nature recycles its resources. The nutrients from the decaying matter, whether it be animal or plants, are released into the soil and used to nourish other living things.

This same principle is applied to the process of composting food waste. While some food is inedible to us, it still contains nutrients, and by separating this waste from inorganic materials, we can allow the natural processes to turn what was once garbage into nutrient rich soil. (In future weeks I will be writing about setting up compost bins in your own home.)

As I stood at the cemetery, shoveling dirt into the grave, I noticed how many pieces of roots I saw in the rich soil, broken off from the root system of a large tree growing nearby. Later in the week, as I was praying the evening service at home, I had an entirely new understanding of the second blessing of the Amidah, "Michayei Hamettim," "Who resurrects the dead." This blessing had been problematic for me, and for many others, as it is usually understood as a messianic prophecy in which the dead return to life. But now I understand it as a recognition of the natural processes in life. A person's soul remains alive by the deeds and thoughts of the living who act in memory of the deceased. And the physical body too remains alive as its nutrients return to the land from which they came, to nourish and propel life into the future. It pleases me to know that my grandparents are aiding in the growth of a beautiful tree which provides shade over their graves.

Take a minute to ponder these processes. Look at your body and try to imagine the infinite sources of nutrients that have taken shape within your shell. Recognize that this is all fleeting, and that ultimately everything you see will return to the earth, freeing our souls to rise up to the source of all life.

May my grandfather's soul rest easy now, and may his memory be a blessing to all who knew him.

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