Rashi’s Letter to Her Siblings

By COLlive reporter

Family and friends of Mrs. Rashi Minkowicz, the Georgia Shlucha who suddenly passed away this week at the age of 37, are finding inspiration in an email she sent a few months ago.

Titled “How to stop crying,” the co-director of Chabad of North Fulton in Alpharetta wrote to her 16 siblings and many cousins following the passing of her aunt, Mrs. Shaindy Lieberman, 59, the Shlucha in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Lieberman passed away on 14 Tishrei 5774, 2 days shy of the yartzeit of her aunt (and Minkowicz’s grandmother and namesake), Mrs. Rashi Gansbourg, also at the age of 37, on 16 Tishrei 5730.

Her husband, Rabbi Hirshy Minkowicz sent COLlive that email with the note, “In keeping with Rashi’s style of ‘saying it as it is’ the full email is attached below.”

From: Rashi Minkowicz
Date: September 18, 2013 at 2:53:07 PM EDT
Subject: How to stop crying

This Friday is bubby Rashi’s yahrtzeit and I keep thinking today of the story of how Zaidy Hersh Gansbourg was dancing on Simchas Torah with such intense joy just a few days after bubby Rashi died.

I keep asking myself what am I taking from today’s tragedy and the Yahrtzeit of bubby Rashi… As my bitter tears fall into my mixing bowl I can’t help but wonder if Zaidy Gansbourg would be proud of my falling apart.

Would he be looking down and seeing that we are truly living his message or are we falling apart which is the easy way out.

Obviously we know what we need to do. Somehow we need to transform the energy of our crying into joy because joy is as productive as sadness is destructive.

Both require energy… To be joyful in face of unbearable sadness is the hardest challenge of all.

But Zaidy did it as a true Chassid and an entirely g-dly man.

We need to take his lead and triumph over our natural reactions to this crazy world of pain and darkness.

If G-d could be crazy so can we. Crazy enough to accept His challenge and forge ahead.

Just rambling but I need to keep saying this so I don’t completely destruct.

May Zaidy Gansbourg and Bubby Rashi and Shaya Gansbourg look down at their family and offspring and know that while they are gone we continue to keep their spirit alive by smiling while we are weeping and by continuing to climb the arduous mountains that are put in our way.

And may the Neshoma of Shaina Chaya bas Rochel Leah be begging Hashem along with all the other special Neshomos that were taken way too soon that Moshiach come NOW!!!

Wishing u all a good yomtov!
Rashi Minkowicz

To support Rashi’s legacy please click here www.chabadnf.org/donate

RELATED ARTICLES:
+ Rashi’s Letter to her Siblings
+ Shlucha Son’s Special Request
+ Heartbroken Farewell to Shlucha
+ Upon the Passing of Your Mother…
+ Rashi Minkowicz, 37, OBM
+ My Father’s Tragic Dance
+ Shaindy Lieberman, 59, OBM
+ Rabbi Shaya Gansbourg, 57, OBM