Malkie and I were blessed by Hashem this week with the birth of a healthy baby boy. We are very grateful for the support and love from so many in our community and from friends and relatives around the world.
His bris will be held G-d willing on Tuesday afternoon, May 19 at 5:30 PM at Chabad Uptown.
Our son was born at Touro at 4 AM on Tuesday. Touro has a custom of playing Brahms’ Lullaby whenever a baby is born. So all night the PA system was playing the lullaby for each baby born.
When I accompanied the baby to the nursery it was packed with newborns. I looked around and marveled at the diversity – babies of every race and ethnic background. It occurred to me that each of these babies will likely come into a different situation. Some are born to single mothers who struggle to raise the child without an involved father. Some are born to a family with parents, siblings and grandparents who are excited to welcome and raise them. Some may be born to parents waiting for years to be blessed with a child, while others will have many brothers and sisters with whom to share their life. And everything in between. Each baby with its unique set of life circumstances.
Yet each of them is welcomed with the same Brahms’ Lullaby. How could this be? How can we have this automatic uniform welcome for each baby? True each of them is fashioned in the image of the Creator, but their lives have the potential to be so different.
The Rebbe once wrote to a young lady who, due to her excruciatingly painful life circumstances, felt that she was unloved and living a life bereft of purpose. The gist of the Rebbe’s message to her was, “Birth is G-d’s way of declaring that you matter.”
The miracle of birth reveals that the life of that child has infinite value in the eyes of Hashem. In fact every single person has a unique mission to fulfill on this earth, a mission that cannot be completed by anyone else. So at the moment of birth each child should be welcomed in the same way. From the vantage point of Hashem each one has meaning and an important role to play in history.
We hope that our little one will reach his potential and fulfill Hashem’s vision for his destiny, in good health, happiness and joy for all who are a part of his life.
Mazel Tov to Keren Gesund and Allen Newman upon the birth of their daughter, Aliza.
A deep message of comfort to Rabbi Yossie and Chanie Nemes upon the tragic passing of their niece Chaya Spalter. May there only be simcha and good things for the family for all times.
Heartfelt condolences to Adam and Michele Stross and the entire Stross/Covert family upon the passing of Mildred Covert.
Condolences to the Sarrett Family upon the passing of Judge Carl Sarrett.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin