The Godliness of My Mother

Rabbi Friedman says that to be a good parent, you must lead a life that your children would want to emulate.

Memories

I remember doing therapy as a kid, probably when I was 4 or 5. At the end of therapy, we sometimes went to McDonald’s with my mom. There’s one memory that I often think about after leaving therapy with both my parents and getting a cheap flying disc toy. I remember being very happy despite going through a tough time and not knowing it. I didn’t even know the toll it could have taken on my parents.

There’s something weird about memories for me. I have memories from when I was extremely little (younger than 3 or 4), and they feel like something in between a dream and a memory. Most of them were with my mom, who was teaching me Judaism.

Godliness

There’s something godly about parents, especially mothers. The birthright of being Jewish comes from your mother. More importantly, the relationship between you and Hashem is the same as that between you and your mother. Rabbi Friedman put the perspective of needs into a good example. When kids tell someone they need to call their mom, they’re lying. A kid doesn’t need to call their mom. Their mom needs their kid to call them. A Jew doesn’t need to pray; Hashem needs you to pray.

In the same way, Hashem gave us the Ten Utterances (Commandments) to provide us with a good and meaningful life, mothers give us principles, and Hashem’s teachings guide us in life. They’re still the person you call and ask a question as an adult, just like you did when you were a toddler, asking about the world. They’ll still be the person you ask about the world for eternity. When Mashiach comes and Earth becomes heavenly, you’ll probably ask her what to do.

Hashem even compares Himself to mothers in Isaiah 66:13

As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.

Generational Connection

The bond between a mother and child cannot be taken away by anyone, not even Hashem. It only grows stronger over the years. A mother and father will attend their descendants’ weddings for generations. Souls don’t get much opportunity to return to Earth, which reinforces the strength of this bond.

My mom encapsulates all of this. So, on this Mother’s Day, I wanted to dedicate this post, and now this entire blog, to her.