Eternal Consolation: The Teacher’s Light Lives On
Comfort can be found in the fact that the loss of a teacher does not mean the disappearance of His light or the transmission of the Torah. His blessed essence and voice continue to resonate in the hearts of His students. For example, as stated in one source, it is important to note that even if the outward manifestation is the pain of loss, true consolation comes from the realization that the teacher has already attained a radiant place:"But I dare not weep for you; for I know that the Son of Kings has received you into His luminous palace. Nature impels me, through the natural feeling of love, to weep for your demise; yet I fear that my lamentations might dishonor the Royal court... Therefore, I choose to rejoice in the multitude of offerings I have made... Your voice still echoes in my hearing; I recall it and, trembling, I listen to your pleasant sounds and sweet words. But as soon as I begin to weep for this, my soul recovers and listens in wonder to the songs of the mountaintops, exclaiming: Hosanna!..." (source: link txt)Furthermore, the idea that the teacher enters an eternal crown of glory also offers hope and affirmation that loss bears a temporary character for our earthly existence, while Truth and Light remain eternal:"He places a crown of glory upon my head and fills me with mirth. The Angels who have taken you from us lead you into Eden, raising you as an offering to Him Who created you. Go in peace! Prepare for your servant a great treasure filled with goodness, and lay his spirit to rest in the Kingdom with peace. The trumpet sounds, and the call of the horn resounds; the dead awaken and rise from their graves. The righteous fly on clouds to meet our Lord, and with Him enter into a nuptial chamber filled with joy. To you, blessed one, has already been woven a crown in Eden made of flowers that will never wither in the Kingdom."(source: link txt)Thus, despite the loss of part of the Torah and the feeling of being distant from Truth, consolation lies in recognizing the blessedness of the teacher, whose teachings continue to live in sacred texts and in the memory of His students. Immersion in a deep study of the Scriptures and a constant return to His words help not only to maintain the connection with Truth but also to protect against spiritual loss even in such a difficult hour.