My Mother's Spirit Lives On
Copyright Rabbi Eli Hecht
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Our Rabbis teach us that when a parent leaves this physical world they live through their children. The classic example is Yakkov Avinu – Jacob, our father of the 12 tribes. The Talmud states a lesson that Yakkov Avinu did not die. Asks the Talmud the obvious question. It says that Yosef, his son, took the body of Yakkov and had it embalmed. He then took it to Eretz Yisroel and buried Yakkov in Chevron. One of the answers given – it true that Yakkov died in a physical sense-but in spirit he lives through his children, the Jewish people.
It has been some time that my dear mother, Lieba, has passed on. She has left me with the responsibility of reciting the kaddish on a daily basis. Three times a day a religious Jew prays and three times a day I have the responsibility to recite the kaddish. In the past I could pray by myself or with a minyan. But now that kaddish needs to be recited I need a minyan of ten males over the age of thirteen.
Jewish living in the South Bay California is, at times, a hard job. Where do we find kosher food, a school, mikvah, and a daily minyan? It took me some 30 years to influence our area to change. We now have local stores stocking the food shelves with kosher chicken and even handmade matzah for Passover. We also have a childcare, day school, Mikvah and daily early morning minyan. But there was no afternoon or evening minyan. That was until my mother’s untimely death.
Now Lieba Hecht has brought our community together with a purpose of creating a daily Mincha and Maariv minyan. For the past seven weeks there has been an evening minyan! It’s hard to imagine that in the South Bay adults come together to pray and have the Kaddish recited. But what is truly fascinating are the little children that come to shul with their fathers.
The important study room has transferred to a real Beis Hamedrash – a room where prayers are said daily. Imagine, on Monday mornings we conduct a senior group where the average age is 72 plus and in the afternoon there is a minyan joined with little children, 3 – 7-year olds! In the mornings after minyan there are Chumash and Rashi classes. Then come classes in Talmud or Jewish Law. There is even a new women’s study group that meets Monday nights.
Speaking to my dear esteemed father, Rabbi Abraham Hecht, about the many Torah studies and activities in the study room he said to me “It would be fair to state that the study room is a place where your mother’s spirit would like to dwell.”
I am pleased to announce that a very large gift has been made by my father to dedicate the study room in memory of my dear mother, Lieba Hecht. The room will now be named the “The Lieba Hecht Study Hall.” I know this will make her very happy indeed. Imagine her spirit living through the little children and older seniors. My mother’s good work will now live on in the mitzvos of South Bay Jews. Her influence continues to support Yiddishkeit.
My yiddishe Mama will always be with me.
On behalf of our Chabad of South Bay community we thank my father, Rabbi Abraham Hecht, for his gracious gift. We pray that all the Torah, prayers and good deeds performed in this room bring good health and blessing to you and the entire Hecht family.