The broken shards of the first tablets are stored in the ark together with the whole ones.—Talmud Bava Batra 14b.
When you find the Infinite, where will you put it?
In your broken vessel?
It will not stay.
In a new whole one?
It will not fit.
Let the heart be broken in bitterness for its confines. Let it be whole in the joy of a boundless soul.
This is the secret that the human being holds over the angels: Only the human heart can be broken and whole at once.
To Karin and Valerie....That irony....
That's really
our friend Providence.
She loves to dress up
and parade around
in her very convincing
"coincidence' costume.
Does she think we will not recognize her
when she has a singular
delicious fragrance?
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Brolen and Whole (Re:Valerie Becker)
How ironic! I always start reading comments from the oldest to the newest, so I read your post of 4-27-14 and it touched my heart again because you remembered the dates correctly and acknowledged the anniversary of my beloved daughters' deaths in an "easy" year. It was a gift of compassion that I will never forget - a joyful memory that was imprinted on my brain. Saying that an earlier note from me to you lifted my spirits, too.
You are right about being here for reasons not yet known - we may never know. It's easy to be thankful when life is good, trickier in the rough times; hindsight invariably teaches that challenges are truly a blessing from Hashem ... those challenges elevate our souls. Take care.
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broken and whole (re Karin Kruger)
we are still here, miraculously, i feel! happened to check this site just now; re-read your earlier note to me - and it lifted me up!!
thinking of you and wishing you G-d's blessings and here's something I've been thinking -- we're here for reasons we might not know yet -- and one of them could be to be ever so thankful - and to honor the ones we love so much in everything we do! take care
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Made new HaShem created us, each a unique individual. When our hearts are broken, HaShem heals us, makes us new again, with love that knows no bounds, a perfect love emanating in and around us. Memories remain but with time tears sown are reaped with joy, a joy we once thought we would never experience again. Only true loving patience can guide us from the darkness back to the light. Thank you, to those whom have shared their sorrow on here and a little prayer will be said for your joy to continue. Reply
Broken and Whole - one more update
B"H
It has now been 22 years since I lost my first daughter of blessed memory - since many of you have read my posts, let me share the miracle. I knew from what I learned from other people at TCF that year 20 marks "total acceptance," but had no idea if it was true or not.
I woke up the morning of 1-5-15 and was sad, but didn't feel the excruciating pain of past years; I spent the day thanking HaShem for giving me peace and serenity again!
4-30-16 started year 15 for my older daughter of blessed memory. I was not prepared for feeling "numb" - guess it was my year of shock. Selfishly, I have prayed to live long enough to mark 20 years for her.
G-d forbid there are any readers who understand the early pain; I can only pray that if there are, that my words will offer hatikvah.
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Broken and Whole (Re: Valerie)
B"H
I read this post Daily Post yesterday - 3 days before the date of my older daughter's death and was in that place where one can go briefly, but can't stay too long.
Then today, out of the blue comes a notification that there has been a new posting ... and it was yours! HaShem has blessed me with yet another "earth angel," a term I coined 19 years ago when I began the first journey of knowing grief that is impossible to explain to those who have not lost a child, G-d forbid more than one.
Her formal yahrzeit is 7 Iyar, a day of relief; the day that burned into my brain is 4-30-01. (That is probably a connection to my Dad of blessed memory; he worked in the back shop of a newspaper and in the days of linotypes, "-30" indicated "the end of the story.")
Thank you for your beautiful words and may HaShem bless you in double for all you have wished for me.
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BROKEN AND WHOLE (re Mrs Kruger) i hope this beautiful day, now passed the 19th year for your younger daughter and coming to the 13th year for your older daughter, of blessed memory, finds that G-d has kept you healthy and please know your note to me from 2012 (*which i first saw two minutes ago!!) means so much and know you are never ever ever alone. i, too, hope you are blessed with beauty and joy in your life, while we hold those we miss so much close to our hearts and shine from that love. Reply
Broken and Whole - (re: Valerie)
I have now passed the 17th year since the death of my younger daughter and am coming up to the 11th year for my older daughter, both of blessed memory.
My younger daughter's yahrzeit fell on January 29 (5 Shevat) this year and Sunday is a difficult day to get a minyan; 25 people came and I still feel so blessed and special. The rabbi always asks us to say a few words about our loved one and this was the first year that I was able to fell a funny story about her and the laughter that followed was total joy.
I cannot begin to tell you how much joy and beauty have increased since my 2008 post; there are not enough characters!
Besides understanding, G-d has also given me countless opportunities to share hope with others who are in the early part of the path I've walked.
I hate that anyone has any comprehension to understand the depth of pain That I wrote; (Since you have been through the worst possible times, I hope you are finding joy and beauty in your life.)
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broken and whole - (re: Karin) your post, way back in 2008, was astounding. maybe, mostly those who have been through such great losses and broken hearts could realize the depth of what you wrote. and i, too, have felt during the worst possible times, who else could have ever understood but G-d?!! and that faith, as with you, showed how G-d does bless; and somehow with all of the broken pieces, the heart bursts with good things and life and joy. it's amazing. (i hope you are enjoying the beauty and joy in your life more than 3 years later!) Reply
a whole heart Maybe it means that I can not be whole until I have experienced the entire range of human emotions. I'm fast to acknowledge that G-d is with me when everything is going my way, but when tragedy and pain come, and I keep my faith in G-d, even when things are not going my way, accepting His will for me, I can be brokenhearted and wholehearted at the same time. Reply
Broken & Whole
I wish I did not understand this!
I was celebrating my 60th birthday on Monday without my daughters of blessed memory.
At their deaths 13 and 7 years ago, my heart was broken, stomped on and pulled from my chest, leaving a huge and vast emptiness! There is a river of grief that runs through my soul.
Those are broken pieces that can never be restored!
At the same time, G-d has blessed me with so much that my former heart could not have begun to comprehend those blessings because I would not have appreciated them.
There is beauty in my life again and there is also joy ... not the same as before, but still joy and laughter. I am grateful for the healing process.
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Broken and Whole I did not understand this one either... Could someone please explain it? Thank-you. Reply
For M. Pogoda Need to read it in context of those preceding it. Reply
Broken and Whole Did not understand this one. Reply
We are a work in progress.
G_d wanted us to be a force higher than the angels. He requires us to rebuild the shattered soul. We must participate to make it whole again.
We must figure out how to reassemble our pieces.
We achieved this wholeness at Sinai when we felt as one man with one heart in our desire to reveal G_d's presence. Then we touched the infinite love as G_d's Light flowed between us. Only when we join our small sparks, that desire to connect with G_d, then we magnify that wish to draw His light upon us to make us one whole spiritual network.
Then we slip back into the confines of our egoistic nature. The wholeness is broken until we can sustain our connections eternally. Then we can celebrate our new character with joy. No need to act anymore. We reached our destiny in each other's hearts to feel as one.