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Shai and Tamar then left for three He helped build his own dream house, productive life after such a crushing
months touring in New Zealand and where he and Tamar live with their three injury?
Australia. “Every soldier does a post- children, one of whom is named for Ari.
army hike,” said Shai, “and I won’t be And this is what he said: “In life – as in
cheated out of mine!” They hiked the And every year, on Yom HaZikaron, the army, each one of us has a mission.
mountains, snorkeled the Great Barrier the Memorial Day for Israel’s Fallen G-d has chosen this mission for me. I
Reef and even rode bikes together. Soldiers, Shai comes early to Ra’anana’s don’t look back on my former life; I look
military cemetery in his wheelchair. ahead, I look forward. To all the things
“That trip proved beyond a doubt that Not to avoid the rush but to clean and I can and will do – for my family, my
Shai could go anywhere and do anything prepare Ari’s grave for the hundreds of community and for Medinat Yisrael. I
he put his mind to,” says Tamar. people who will visit. consider myself blessed.”
Shai now drives a specially-equipped I asked him where he gets his stamina Rabbi Stewart Weiss is Director of the
van. and determination from. How has Jewish Outreach Center of Ra’anana
he been able to lead such an active,
TORAH?WWGhIOaVUtEHLTeDaOdYTliOnHeUE Sivan Rahav-Meir
W e have reached the finishing sacrifice brought twice a day: “The one like preparing lunch for our children
line. VeZot HaBeracha. lamb you shall offer up in the morning, and saying our prayers. It is not at all
Another cycle of Torah and the other lamb you shall offer up in glamorous to carry out these tasks.
reading comes to an end. And begins the afternoon.”
again… The Midrash’s conclusion is that the So the Midrash tells us that it is precisely
In the Midrash, we hear about the rabbis third verse is the best and it was chosen these moments that are the most
discussing the verse that best sums up as the one that best sums up the entire important ones in life.
the whole Torah: Torah.
One sage chose the verse of Shema But surely it is teaching us a mere Our life is what it is because of these
Yisrael, the most famous declaration in technicality in the laws of sacrifices. moments. And we can only make the
Judaism. Why did the rabbis prefer it over Shema playoffs if we play well week in week out.
Another suggested, “Love your neighbor Yisrael and loving your neighbor?
as yourself.” Persistence. There is no glamor, drama Yes, the pinnacle of our prayers is often
The first verse relates to our relationship or heroism in bringing the daily sacrifice. seen as Neilah on Yom Kippur but it is
with G-d and the second to our Just the daily routine that repeats itself also davening Mincha on any Tuesday
relationship with our fellow human twice a day, every day, morning and afternoon.
beings. evening. A routine that is the essence of
But then the Midrash continues with life itself. The real pinnacle is to continue being
another, perhaps more surprising One-time events with high peaks are faithful to our routine throughout
suggestion. Shimon ben Pazi declares wonderful. Who would not want to our lives, even when there are many
that he has found a more inclusive experience winning the lottery or a obstacles along the way.
verse, which describes the daily Tamid major competition? However, most of
our lives are filled with routine tasks Sivan Rahav-Meir is a popular Israeli
journalist, broadcaster and author of
#Parasha
Photo of Sivan Rahav-Meir: Eyal Ben Yaish/Ma’ale HaYetzira 23
