[Avodah] Lech L'shalom; Lech B'shalom...

[Richard Wolberg]

On the last daf of the gemara Berachos, we are informed that there is a distinction in bidding farewell to a living person as opposed to a person who has just died.                                 R' Abin, HaLevi said: When a man takes leave of his fellow, he should not say to him, 'Go in peace'. but 'Go to peace'. For Moses, to whom Jethro said, Go to peace,                           went up and prospered, whereas Absalom to whom David said, Go in peace, went away and was hung. R' Abin, HaLevi also said: One who takes leave of the dead                               should not say to him 'Go to peace', but 'Go in peace', as it says, But thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace.

So what is the difference?  Peace is a goal towards which we aim and aspire, but it is a nearly unachievable goal, except for the rare, very righteous person.
We find this in regard to Yaakov Avinu: "Vayavo Yaakov shaleim ir Shechem..." Bereshis: 33:18 (And Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem...) In other
words, Jacob came in a perfect state of peace to the city of Shechem after his daunting encounter with his brother Esau. Rashi comments on this verse: shaleim
b'gufo -- whole in his physical being for he was healed of his lameness (shenisrapei metzalato); shaleim bim'mono -- whole regarding his physical possessions;
and shaleim b'toraso -- perfect in his knowledge of Torah, for he did not forget his learning in the house of Laban (Shab. 33).

Realistically, however, the average Joe or Jane does not achieve this illusive goal. So we say to him "Go towards peace" because it is a continual, ongoing process                        for the living. We attempt to acquire as much of perfect, complete and whole peace as we possibly can. However, once a person dies, he or she can no longer strive                                       for peace, so instead we pray they go IN peace. This is the peace they hopefully have already acquired because of the righteous deeds they performed during their lifetime.

Lech l'shalom... 

ri

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.aishdas.org/pipermail/avodah-aishdas.org/attachments/20091130/a984e09f/attachment-0001.htm>