After the Death

Acharei Mot – After the Death

"Hashem spoke to Moshe after the death of Aharon’s two sons, when they approached before Hashem, and they died." Vayikra 16:1

“After the death” — Acharei Mot — feels especially resonant right now.

We are living in the aftermath of many deaths.

The question is:

What now?

What do we, the living, do?

Perhaps, we are here to remember.

To mourn.

To act.

To refuse to be bystanders.

To be beacons of light in a world so often shadowed by cruelty and pain.

Yes, there is evil in the world.

And it cannot be explained.

It exists as part of this world’s fabric, and

it is incomprehensible.

There is suffering, agony, and

devastation we cannot make sense of.

The ultimate goodness of creation is hidden.

And yet — we are called upon to be holy.

God invites us to stand as partners, to be God's representatives, to confront evil, and to be God-like in our compassion and courage.

We do not understand God’s plan.

We were not there when the foundations of the earth were laid.

We do not know the alphabet of creation.

We cannot explain why people suffer.

But we are told this:

When the soul departs this world, it rejoices.

It ascends to the world of souls — to light, to peace, to reunion.

And those left behind grieve and ache and cry.

All those who die because of their Jewishness are considered kadoshim- holy ones.

Their souls ascend to the highest places,

basking in the light of God’s love.

They did not die in vain.

We are alive because God has faith in us.

We are alive for a reason.

Our lives matter.

We have work to do.

Each of us is needed — to fight for justice, to carry God’s goodness into the world, and to shine our unique, holy light into the darkness.

Maybe now, more than ever, we are being called:

To "do" Jewish.

To light candles before Shabbat.

To put mezuzot on our doorposts.

To love our neighbors and reject hate.

To fight injustice.

To perform acts of kindness.

To stand up and show up.

After the deaths of our parents, our grandparents, our loved ones and in the face of the deaths of Jews today simply for being Jewish let us respond with fierce love and unwavering commitment.

Let us hold each other tighter.

Let us pray for one another.

Let us feel each other’s pain.

Let us be proud of who we are.

Let us choose unity over division.

Let us live as Jews.

Let us do Jewish.

Let us bring more holiness into the world — acharei mot, after the death.

Much love

Elissa