Translation by Yehoshua Siskin
This week marked one year since the passing of the Rebbe of Kaliv, a Holocaust survivor who suffered horrible torture that prevented him from bringing children into the world, but did not prevent him from educating so many of us to remember and not to forget. Here are three messages that he was accustomed to pass along to his audiences throughout the years:
- "We are their heirs. A story is told about a king who built an enormous and glorious palace. His son competed with him in building a glorious palace, too. When the next son in line to be king received his crown he said: 'I am unworthy of building a palace like my fathers built. I will clean off the dust that accumulated on their palaces in order that everyone should see how glorious they are!' And so too are we. Our job is to care for and conserve the palaces of our fathers."
- "We ourselves are likely to be Holocaust deniers. If we do not remember the Holocaust every day and do nothing to remind ourselves of what happened -- then we are deniers. Whoever has testimonies, diaries, photographs or other relics and does not bring them to the world's attention -- does a great injustice to the memory of the holy ones who perished."
- "In the camps we were beaten not because of anything we did, only because we were Jews. But now we have merited to come to Eretz Yisrael and to restore life to the land. Is there any reason for arguments over petty things? Only through love and brotherhood, together with the many kindnesses of HaShem, will we merit to be redeemed and to welcome the arrival of Mashiach Tzidkeinu, speedily in our days."
