STRENGTH OF BEING

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In The Footsteps of our Fathers

Avos 5 Mishnah 25

STRENGTH OF BEING

Harav Y. Reuven Rubin Shlita

Britain has been celebrating a national milestone that has become a marker for its glorious past and hopeful future. Eighty years ago, the brave forces of this land finally overcame the insufferable enemy, the Nazi regime and ended what was one of history’s bloodiest chapters. All those years ago, after so much pain and despair, the denizens of this fair land took to the streets in celebration, the darkness would dissipate, and humanity would be enabled to rebuild itself. Such was the public cheer, families gathered together for street celebrations, children ran through the streets with laughter, and hope was born anew. At the very same time, in the far-off land of Brooklyn another family celebrated a gift from Hashem, a little baby boy was born, brought into a new word that would soon be named post -war America. I was that little baby, and as I type these words eighty years later my mind its awhirl with thanks to HaKodoish Boruch Hu for a myriad of reasons. The Mishna in Avos (5:25) speaks of the various stages of one’s life, how we are meant to use their gifts and climb closer to our connection with Hashem. I have often thought about this Mishnah, especially in one particular facet. It tells us that at age eighty-one acquires strength, and to be honest, this always seemed a bit difficult to understand. Now that the clock has tolled my eightieth year, I see a glimpse of what the Mishnah means. I have been writing on Pirkei Avos for close to two decades, much ink has been expended, much time consumed. I can only hope that my readership has found some of my words worthy of thought, and now that I have come to the age of strength, they will allow me to share my early explanation of what the strength of the Mishnah is all about.

Life hands us many challenges, it’s why we are here. We are each born into an incomplete world, one created by Hashem with the purpose of each of us trying to fix the one point that is unique to our being. As we march through whatever time we are gifted with, our role changes but the need for completion remains vital. When the mishna says that at eighty we come to the stage of strength, we aren’t talking about weightlifting, or para gliding, we are talking about the realisation that our lives lived are a rich source of strength for moving forward. We have seen much, stumbled and perhaps bled, but each step was the tonic of strength to go forwards, and it is through this that we find true strength.

Hashem has granted me so much kindness, and I can truthfully say that as I enter this new stage of what I hope is growth, and cherish the wonderful moment I am still living with.

Last Shabbos I had a great surprise, I know it is not the minhag to celebrate birthdays as such, ours is not a society that puts on paper hats and sings happy birthday. However, many will be aware that someone celebrating a birthday has the gift to bestow brochos to those around them, to give of their strength and joy. Our shtieble has a kiddush every Shabbos, with the usual fare of cake whisky herring and yes kugel. I am a great fan of the friendship shared over a bit of Shabbos delicacies and I always end these gatherings with a torah. In the middle of last week’s kiddish a new and exotic surprise was served. A big cake with icing, what in the hiem was called a torte cake, was presented with a sign saying “Happy 80 to our Rav”. By the way, the cake was made of spelt four, (something that also comes with age) and baked with love by Reb Shimon Guttman. The olam broke into spontaneous calls of mazel and brocha, smiles were electric, and this old man cried. I know, we don’t do birthdays, but we can do strengthening, and the naches and warmth of our Chevra was the greatest present I could have asked for. I write these lines for a purpose, we all need strength, we all need the various stages of life as depicted in the Mishnah. We need all this with friendship and care, for this is the true tonic of those who seek to grow.

Soon after Shevuos I will be off to that foreign land of my birth to celebrate my oldest great grandchild’s chasanah. When I was born few of us even knew a living grandparent, and now I will be blessed to tantz with my third generation. Of course, gaining strength comes with some loss, my partner in life The Rebbetzin Chaiky AH won’t be with us, and I can tell you she was the light of every family simcha. I will miss her, especially at the chuppa and mitzvah Tantz, but she will be there giving me strength, and seated on the floor around the kallah will be a number of toddlers dressed in their finery, they carry Chaiky’s name, and she will dance in their hearts. I better stop here, tears are welling, and that’s not what the article should end with. Rather, take the brocha of this strong eighty-year-old, let your years inspire you to greatness, and allow yourself the merit of Hashems love to flow.