Faith

Longing for My Mother Who Passed Away

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Question

Hello to you all, 

I want to thank you for your wonderful website and for the very interesting classes that you broadcast throughout the day on television. Most of the time I watch these classes, because almost nothing that is on television interests me; what they broadcast is so not educational, or something that can give a person perspective in life, but rather injustice and foolishness, like the dumbest show, The Big Brother. So thank you very much for having your classes. I am writing to you because I need help. Five years ago my mother passed away. They say that time is the best medicine, and with time the wound heals and one misses her less, but for me it is not like that. I miss my mother very much, and every day it is harder. I so, so want to feel her and see her and hug her, and when I cannot because she died, I feel that my soul is suffering. I cannot bear it anymore; every so often I cry from longing. Every Friday evening at candle-lighting I give charity in her merit for the elevation of her soul and tell her how much I miss her. The sadness is very, very great, and sometimes I tell my mother and Hashem that I want to go to my mother, but I am realistic and know that I cannot, because I must remain for the sake of my four children who need me, and also the thought of going to the World to Come and leaving them in this world without me, as my mother did to me, is very difficult for me. I would very much like you to help me find someone who can communicate with the World to Come so that I can feel or hear my mother. And if possible, that Rabbi Yitzchak Fanger contact me, because I know that the rabbi can help; he has tremendous influence. 

I thank you again and hope you can help me. 

Thank you, Rinat.

Answer

To the questioner,

You surely want your mother to be in a good place.

From what I understand, the more one continues to bring the soul back to this world through our constant thoughts, the more this can hold it back from ascending higher, and our Sages said, On the dead it was decreed that he be forgotten from the heart (Rashi, Genesis 37:35).

Therefore, if you are asking only to know that she is in a good place and that her condition has already reached its rectification, the advice is to pray to Hashem that your mothers soul be granted permission to appear to you in a dream and that you will be able to discern from the dream whether her condition is good. And after you pray, do not keep waiting again for when it will come [since this is the rule in our prayers: if one expects an immediate answer, the result does not come (according to Talmud Sanhedrin 97a)], and with Hashem s help there will come a time when you will be able to see that Hashem answered your prayer.

However, once you already know that up above everything is fine, do not ask again and again for it to be revealed to you, since it may be an effort for the soul, and of course it is not your wish to cause that.

May it be Hashems will that you merit knowing that your mother has come to her proper rest - every deed you do in her merit - such as giving charity, performing a mitzvah, or reciting a blessing - as well as everything done by your children, is an immense elevation for your mothers soul, and surely she is happy when you and the family bring her contentment and merits above, every day, from this world. And of course she also prays from there for your well-being and for your good in this world.

With blessings, 

Rabbi Nachum 


Tags:faithmourningcoping with loss

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