Page 30 - חזקו בשנה החולפת

They pour straight from the heart, lubricated with the tears ‘During one of these ‘unplanned’ visits I met an old friend
of a Yiddishe mother. who wondered aloud what I was doing here. I replied that I
missed my dear son fiercely and sitting opposite his Yeshiva
‘I sat next to Srulik’s bed from when we arrived in hospital dorm room eased my longing somewhat. She smiled and
that Shabbos till Sunday morning. When my children came asked me “You can’t part from your mezinik’l? What will you
to swap with me I peeped at Srulik. He was pale and weak, do when he gets married and lives in his own home?”
but still calm and lucid. I could not even imagine how terrible
the situation would become in the next few hours. It was a ‘I smiled in return. It was pleasant to sit there enjoying the
chesed from Hashem that I did not see him suffer towards gentle sea breeze with Srulik’s window endowing me with a
the end. As a result, the image that always swims before my sense of peacefulness and happiness.
eyes and remains etched in my brain is of his refined smile
and peaceful countenance. ‘These were the last weeks of his life. When I think about it, I
am overwhelmed at how these inexplicable excursions, pre-
‘When I think back to that wonderful ordained from Above, served to cushion
Shabbos which the whole family spent the blow which would dramatically
together I am so grateful to Hashem affect my life, by supporting me with
for orchestrating that beautiful time heaps of nachas and love.
of family togetherness, where we had
our final chance to enjoy our precious THE ANGEL OF DEATH DID
Srulik. NOT MISTAKENLY COME
‘Our married children didn’t take leave AND TRAGICALLY CUT Candlesticks for the Beis
of us after Shabbos – they stayed with SHORT THE LIFE OF OUR Hamikdash

us in order to ease that anxious time PRECIOUS SRULIK IN HIS ‘I want to tell you a story about Srulik’s
‘until Srulik would come home’. In the BLOOM. EVERY DETAIL candles,’ says Mrs Kluger. And thus
terrible and difficult days that followed I become aware of an amazing story
as Srulik’s condition worsened we
were not alone for even one minute. WAS PRE-ORDAINED which sends a shiver through my bones
Thereafter, during the levaya, shiva and FROM HEAVEN. I DO and a sense of awe into my heart: it is
its aftermath, they were there with NOT FOR ONE MOMENT the story of Shabbos candles which
us, helping us to survive and recover became neshama candles.
from the devastating blow. All part
of the master plan which had been BELIEVE THAT MY SRULIK ‘Already before Pesach there
pre-ordained from above, wrapped in DIED DUE TO A MEDICAL were wonderful shidduchim being
mercy and loving-kindness. FAILURE OR ANOTHER suggested for mySrulik ,’ says Mrs
TECHNICAL REASON. Kluger with obvious pride. ‘As is the
custom in our chassidus we waited
‘If we go back a little, about a month until he was eighteen years old. When
before ‘it’ happened, I’ll relate you
something which may seem rather he came home for the Chodesh Nissan
Bein Hazmanim I said to him: “Come
unusual and perhaps even funny, Srulik, let’s start preparing for your big
and even I myself did not exactly
day, let’s buy something in preparation for your wedding. “
understand what I was doing. I am not the type of person to I wanted him to feel how much we loved and respected him
just pick myself up and take a spontaneous trip. Somehow and for me it was to be a moment of nachas and pleasure
though, one fine day, I decided to travel to Netanya for to be preparing for Srulik’s chasuna. I planned to buy the
absolutely ‘no reason’. I did not go to the beach, but rather silver leichter which would in the very near future adorn his
settled myself into the garden of the old age home which Shabbos table.
was opposite the Sanz Yeshiva dormitory, directly opposite
Srulik’s bedroom window. Sitting there, I felt a strong bond ‘Srulik insisted that he did not want leichter of pure silver. ‘It’s
with him, almost as though he was standing next to me. I a waste of money,’ he argued passionately. ‘Silver plated
didn’t call him because I did not want to disturb him from his leichter look just as nice.’ That was typically Srulik’s way of
diligent Torah-learning, but simply sat there and experienced thinking – knowing what’s important in life and what not.
a close connection with my precious Srulik.
‘The first time we shopped for the leichter Srulik was unhappy
‘I did not tell anyone what I had done and two days later with the selection. He asked the shopkeeper if he perhaps
I did it again. My strong emotions compelled me to seek a has candlesticks in which the oil can be poured directly
closeness with Srulik and three times that week I found into it. After all, the menorah in the Beis Hamikdash was lit
myself on the 613 bus to Netanya. without glasses and the Shabbos lights are the menorah of

the Yiddishe home, he explained passionately. I was struck