On this past Wednesday night, a young 37 year old man named Liran waited patiently outside of shul to pick up his son from basketball. While sitting there, his Rov called him, to see how he was doing, to wish him mazel and bracha, and the Rov learned that business was picking up, Baruch Hashem.
By the next morning, Liran was found in his car by a jogger passing by, no longer among the living.
One of my Rebbeim once said, by a funeral, that in Shas there are short mesechtos and long mesechtos. But every single mesechta is complete.
So too with people. There are short lives, and long lives, but every life is complete. So too was Liran’s life complete.
As family and friends are reeling in pain from the news of Liran’s untimely passing, the question is what lessons can we learn from his life. In the gemara it is brought down that it is better to go to a funeral than to go to a wedding, and the reasoning is that a funeral causes more hirhur halev than the levity at a wedding – it causes us to be more introspective, to examine our lives and figure out what we can improve.
Maaleh Min Hatevah
Just as Chazal say that eight is a number which is maaleh min hatevah, I’d like to highlight a small portion of the amazing man that Liran was, to be maaleh min hatevah. Niftar at 37 also seems maaleh min hatevah from the little that we understand down here; let’s explore his life from the same lens.
1. Liran was a man who loved Torah.
Never did someone’s eyes sparkle like Liran’s when he heard a beautiful piece of Torah. He loved being able to come to shiurim, to listen to the Rabbi, to get that chap, that understanding, and be able to bring that nugget of light into his everyday life.
2. Liran was a man who loved children.
When it was time to call the kids in from the trampoline for benching, Liran was often found with them, making it exciting and making sure everyone got along. Liran loved kids and loved making sure that they enjoyed themselves and had wonderful games, as well as positive attention from adults, which is so important for healthy development.
3. Liran was a man who loved family.
Liran was a devoted man to his wife and children. He was attentive, there for his wife, there for his kids, always making sure to help with whatever was needed. Even when friends would joke with him to have others watch his children, to make it easier, Liran was with his kids, paying close attention and being a rock in their world.
4. Liran was a man who loved chesed.
If someone needed help, Liran was there in an instant. He was the first to help with shlepping, with volunteer work, with anything that needed to be done. Whether he knew the person or not, Liran was there.
5. Liran was a man who loved friends.
Liran was close to his friends, and made sure that they felt special. He was a steadfast part of the life of each of his friends, developing the friendship, being the glue that held the friendship together.
6. Liran was a man who loved being there for others.
If you needed someone to call, to help with something, to find someone who could get things done, Liran was a dependable source for could be there for others.
7. Liran was a man who loved learning with his children.
Just a few nights before he was niftar, Liran went to father-son learning with his soon to be bar-mitzvah son. And he loved going. To be there for his son, to help him grow in Torah, was such a source of joy in Liran’s life, it created a whole new facet to his life that helped everything shine the brighter.
8. Liran was a man who loved providing for his family.
Liran worked two jobs as well as running around doing odd jobs to make sure that he could provide for his family well. He knew that financial resources are what help to stabilize a family, and he made sure to do everything in his power to provide for his wife and children.
Take a moment and absorb what this means. Call your family. Call your friends. Let them know you care about them.
To lose someone at such a young age is a tragedy for those of us left behind. But Liran is now in a better place, with Hashem, being able to be meiletz yosher for the rest of us. To seize every moment of the day to advocate for those of us left behind on this earth.
Family and friends set up a fundraiser for his widow and orphans. To learn more, click here.
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