This was a week of so many words.
Words that made you sob and words that lifted the spirit.
Some words were written some words were spoken.
Here are some words that made me smile.
These were words written on a note.
The owner of a plant nursery in one of the Kibbutzim that was so brutally attacked, destroyed and devastated, returned home after having escaped three weeks ago.
He fully expected to see rows upon rows of dead and dried out greenery in his greenhouse.
To his shock and delight the owner found a note leaning against one of the blooming shrubs.
“Sorry we broke into the nursery.
We had to water the plants.
Signed
The Chayalim (the soldiers)
Words of love coming from seemingly such an unlikely source, our warriors who go to war to protect us.
Let’s investigate more warriors who wield words.
Miriam Peretz, the Israel Prize winner, a mom who lost two sons in battle, is bringing words of comfort to those who are bereaved and grieving.
She often quotes from this week’s Torah portion which is called Chayei Sarah, the life of Sarah. In the beginning of the Portion Sarah passes away and we have a full narrative of Abraham’s grieving process.
He buys a burial place in a a sophisticated power play and he eulogizes Sarah.
But then the Torah tells us that Abraham rose up, got up, in the presence of his dead.
Miriam Peretz emphasizes again and again these words, “and he will rise”.
Because after the crying and the tragedy, Abraham knew he must get up and continue.
He is not paralyzed. He must use the grief to fuel his further mission in life.
The words”and he got up” are words of hope and inspiration.
In Kibbutz Bari which was hit so hard, the synagogue stands.
It survived the destruction.
The wonderful woman Rachel Fricker, who is it’s founder, was contacted by the soldiers stationed there.
They wanted to use the synagogue but it was locked.
She told them that the key was in her home but her home had been incinerated.
She gave them permission to break in.
Since then, the synagogue has been in constant use, 24/7, for prayer, Torah study and for gathering.
Rachel Fricker who survived the massacre, came back to Bari to participate in the writing of a Torah.
As she looked inside she noticed that the first word Breishit, in the beginning, has within in it the letters of her home, Bari.
She sees that word as a beacon of hope, that there will be new beginnings and light to dispel the darkness.
Breishit. The word that means In the Beginning.

Now the most poignant words of all from this week.
Atlanta gave a gift to Israel when Rose Lubin HYD decided to make Aliya.
This was the fulfillment of her dream.
Rose was an unusual young woman. She was a study in contrasts.
She was a wrestler and a cheerleader.
She loved bright colors, but wore the black uniform of the Border Police with pride.
My daughter remembers Rose as a fun and adorable five year old, who very precociously engaged in mature conversation about the World to Come and Moshiach.
Rose was murdered this week while she was fulfilling her dream to be the warrior who would keep Jerusalem safe, to protect those who wanted to pray at the Kotel in peace and safety.
Yesterday Rose was buried on Mt Herzl along with the scores of our beautiful sons and daughters who have fallen defending our country.
There were many eulogies given and meaningful words.
But the most beautiful words came from Rose herself.
They are the ones she wrote for her Bat Mitzva speech and they are words which are her mission statement.
“There will be a time when I am not existent in this world.
So what do I do about it?
I make every chapter in my book worth reading.
I work hard me do my best and follow the laws that Gd instructed me to follow.
I am not going to wait for the world to do something great for me, I am going to do something great for the world.
Now at this point in my life I have all the power to make a difference, become a better person and create a mind blowing life story and no matter how hard it becomes to withstand the current of wrongdoing, I will always push to do the right thing and be me and make a change.”
Rose died on the first day of the week leading up to the Torah portion that records the death of Sarah.
Sarah lived 127 years and the days of her life are written out strangely. 100+20+7. You have to do your own math.
But our Sages teach us that this unusual accounting makes us aware of the fact that Sarah made the most of each day, all the days were equally good, because she used each day to fullest. Sarah wrote a book with 127 mind blowing chapters.
Rose picked up that mantle.
In the mold our our matriarch Sarah she left her home to go to the land of Israel.
Her book is however, achingly short.
But she accomplished her desire to “make a difference, become a better person, and create a mind blowing life story.”
Rose, you have the final word.

These words are penned as a merit for the shining soul of
Rus Elisheva bat Chaim Dovid and Robin.
May her memory be for a blessing and may we have no more words of sorrow.
Shabbat Shalom and so much love!