Letters of Thought

I posted this on his CAringbridge site... I thought maybe you would be kind enough to make a post? http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/stuartoberman

Shabbat Refua Campaign For Shmuel Berel (Stuart)

Rebetzin Frank called me today with a wonderful idea. It is a Jewish custom that on every Friday night before sunset one (particularly the wife) lights a candle or candles to usher in the Jewish Sabbath. The wife generally lights one candle for each immediate family member. Men can light candles if they are alone or not married.

This Sabbath (tomorrow night) we thought it would be nice to ask all of Stu's Jewish friends do something in the honor of the Sabbath in Stu's (Shmuel Berel ben Basha) merit for a refua shlema (complete healing).

Even if you do not usually keep the Sabbath it doesn't matter. In fact, it makes the merit even greater.

When I picture all of Stu's friends lighting shabbat candles to honor Hashem and the Sabbath in the merit of my dad it brings a tear to my eye.

The time for candle lighting this shabbat comes very early. In NYC its at 4:08pm and candles should not be lit after 4:26pm. To find the candle lighting times in your area visit Chabad . Please understand that you are not honoring shabbat or doing it in the merit of Stu if you light candles after the prescribed time. The time of lighting is considered especially propitious for praying to G-d for health and happiness and is forbiden to do after sunset.

The blessing that one traditionaly says when ligting candles are:

Transliteration:
Boruch A-toh Ado-noi E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ho-olom A-sher Ki-de-sha-nu Be-mitz-vo-sov Ve-tzi-vo-nu Le-had-lik Ner Shel Sha-bos Ko-desh
Translation:
Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the light of the holy Shabbat.
And further instructions can be found here.

If you cant light candles for Shabbat there are plenty of other things you can do in honor of Shabbat in Stu' honor.  You can go to friday night or saturday morning service at your local orthodox synagogue, you can ask for a special prayer of healing (his hebrew name is Shmuel Berel Ben Basha), you can get kosher food during the day, put it on a hot-plate and have a nice Shabbat meal with your family on Friday night or Saturday afternoon, you can find a family to join for a traditional Shabbat meal (and talk about Stu), you can sit down and read this weeks Torah portion which is in the book of Genesis 32:4-36:43and is called Vayishlach (it continues the Story of Jacob), learn about any Jewish subject, you can say some Psalms (in particular Psalm 60), or you can do is simply turn off your cell phone and TV and car for the day and rest at home with a book or a board-game or a a blanket and a couch. Or just pray... pray and pray and pray.

There are plenty of things we can all do this Shabbat  in my fathers merit as he would (and in some cases has) done for you.This is a very critical time. And times like these are meant for us to pour out our hearts. If you have it in your heart we can make this Shabbat a Shabbat of healing merit for Stuart.

If you are not Jewish do not feel left out. You can give charity to an  organization that helps the sick and needy. Charity has the ability to heal. One charity that my father is particularly fond of in this catagory is Chama.

After Shabbat is over leave us a message in the Guestbook and share your experience.

To get into the spirit please enjoy this video of my father singing Psalm 121.

"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth!"

I also want to acknowldge that this idea was also fueled by Rabbi Aaron Rovner who taught me a remarkable lesson this week about why Shabbat is so important.

Please join us this Shabbat for the Stuart Shabbat Refua Campaign and spread the word or do it together.