What's Your "Bibas Mitzvah"?

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What's Your "Bibas Mitzvah"?

Now is the time for us to channel our tears into action—for Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir.

By Shalom Paltiel

Rabbi Shalom M. Paltiel is executive director of Chabad of Port Washington.

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4 Comments

Hinda Reizes February 28, 2025

And how appropriate! Modeh Ani also alludes to Techiyas Hameisim, the Ressurection of the dead. And of course their souls are very much alive, shining in the highest heavens, Reply

Rivka February 27, 2025

Bibas mitzvah! I love this phrase. I’ve been thinking to take something on and I keep coming back to what you referenced גיבור כארי - that we should wake in the morning with lionlike drive to serve Hashem - and I wonder if taking on מודה אני as a zchus for the Bibases is appropriate. On one hand as a BT I never got used to saying it and I know I should, but on the other hand I feel a little funny about starting to thank Hashem that I’m alive when…they’re not. Rabbi, do you have any thoughts? Reply

Shalom Paltiel February 28, 2025

in response to Rivka:

It’s a great idea! Modeh ani expresses the essence of the neshsma, known as yechida or the pintele yid. It’s the perfect gift to these holy neshomos who actualized the essential connection, in that their very lives were taken because they were yiden. Perfect! Btw someone once asked the Lubavitcher Rebbe was his favorite prayer was. He said it was modeh ani! Which is very much in line with how he viewed every Jew as perfect, the way they are at that yechida level. Reply

Bassy Brooklyn February 28, 2025

in response to Rivka:

Not a Rabbi, but my thoughts are that it's a beautiful thing to do. As a FFB, somehow it's also something that I don't do consistently enough. I think it would be so appropriate to start each day grateful for the gifts of life that Hashem gives us, specifically because it was snatched so soon from the Bibas family. Thank you for the thought- I hope to join you. Reply