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Question
My father died a number of years ago and my mother had a grave stone made for him which included the phrase
וראשו מגיע השמימה
Can you give me the context and meaning of this? Also, we are considering having a new stone made as my mother has recently died and is buried in the same place. We would like to have stones for each of them that are the same. Would replacing the stone be a reasonable thing to do?
thank you!
Dear Rose,
Thanks for writing and Shavuah Tov, after Sukkot and Shabbat, 3 days in a row of synagogue, sukkah meals!
The phrase you sent me is from the Book of Genesis in the Torah, describing the dream of Jacob.
Literally the phrase means: "its top was in the heavens."
Jacob dreamed and in his dream a ladder/staircase reached from earth to heaven, with messengers coming down and going up.
The phrase as used there meant that the top of the ladder/staircase reached up to heaven.
I can only speculate why this phrase was inscribed on your father's gravestone:
(1) Your father's name was Jacob or a variant of Jacob, and thus the phrase applied to him.
(2) It may have been a favorite passage or quotation of his.
(3) The phrase was used metaphorically to suggest that although earthbound, your father's soul/mind/heart/etc. reached up to the heavens, or ascended to God.
I can't suggest how to handle your plans for your mother's stone in terms of this inscription, and I would urge you to speak with your Rabbi in making these plans.
Best wishes for happy occasions and a New Year of health and blessing.
Rabbi Dov
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Thanks so much. I think that last one is the most likely explanation. Your help is much appreciated. | ||
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Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner
Expertise
Write to me with questions about Jewish customs and law, history, philosophy and tradition for answers from a Conservative perspective or conversion. I am a graduate of The Jewish Theological Seminary and a member of the Conservative Rabbinical Assembly. Having served in congregational pulpits since 1970, I now am President of the Foundation For Family Education, Inc. a non-profit educational endeavor. I established it to create new formats of hands-on programs and provide free educational downloads at www.jewishfreeware.org. In addition to general informational questions I welcome your questions about programs for social action, outreach to dual-faith families, inter-faith clergy projects, healing services, education for conversion, adult education for the congregation and the community. If you have questions about Informal and Formal Education I am ready to share my extensive experience with Youth Activities, Camping and Religious School/Hebrew High School on a congregational, community and national/international level.
Experience
I have served on the National Youth Commission for more than 25 years and serve on the Boards of the Conservative Zionist movement MERCAZ and the World Council of Synagogues. I have always dual-families and taught candidates for conversion with a great sense of fulfillment. I am very proud of 25 years on the Jewish camping staff of Camps Ramah. My greatest source of pride is my family! Ask me about them, please!:-)
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