That’s usually the parting line made by each maspid
(speaker) in reference to the deceased at his funeral.
He’s only gone a few hours and we’re asking favors
already.
And what are we asking anyway?
Reduced to its lowest common denominator, we are
essentially putting in a bid for proteksia.
The nifter (the deceased) has (hopefully) already gone to a better place
and we are asking him to put in a word for us by whatever means such things are
effectuated in Gan Eden.
The higher one’s place in Gan Eden the more
influence one is presumed to have. And
the more presumed influence the better placed one is to shake things up a bit. That explains why people flock to the
kever of the Baba Sali to pray as opposed to making the trek to the gravesite
of their uncle Morris, whose only distinction in life was that he drove a car
for forty years without ever getting a ticket.
So what are we doing on our end to move our loved ones out if their cubicle so to speak, to a corner office
from where they might be able to exert a little more influence?
Sad to say, not all that much.
The few dollars that we give or the learning that we
do in the name of the nifter is a little something in the right direction that
will no doubt serve to some extent to upgrade his accommodations in the Gan
Eden. A nice touch this, but nice
touches are not the stuff that serious elevation is made of. As in everything else, here too Hashem
operates in midda keneged midda (measure for measure) mode.
Want to expand a loved one’s horizons in the Olam
HaNeshmos? Then you have to expand yours in inyanai ruchniyas while you are
still in this world.
Why so?
Simply put, when you seriously grow in various
aspects of your avodas Hashem, be it in deed or thought, you’re a different
you, and as a consequence you occupy a different place in this world. And if you are a different you with a different
place in this world then you have made the most compelling argument possible
for the one you are asking to be a meilitz yosher to be placed in a position
where he is better situated to actually be one.
