Why can’t we hold back the rising tide, like Moses long ago?
Or at the least, like Aaron, with his rod, lead you safely home?
With cloud and fire to guide you -
Safely to
Gan Eden -
Can you hear us, as we mourn you?
Can you take us by the hand?
Let us walk you to the Gates, Joel.
See you to the Promised Land.
Oh descendent of the Covenant
claim your inheritance
for you bore the Breath of God -
neshemah -
and it’s to Him you have returned.
The Mourner’s Kaddish says rejoice
but still we mourn.
Still we mourn.
Why couldn’t we hold back the tide?
Or bear the rod like Aaron?
Why can’t we behold your entrance
to the Gates of Heaven?
And soothe our souls with images
of you
among the “blooms
and almonds” by the score
in this Paradise, as promised
in Torah days of yore.
May your memory be a blessing, Joel
and - once the pain subsides –
May we watch the Braves and, yes, the Tide
with knowing little smiles
May we drink a toast at holidays
and every Yahrzeit celebrate
the Man Bernard remembers
as his favorite – his best Mate.
Oh descendent of the Covenant
though you’ve claimed your inheritance -
neshemah! -
The Mourner’s Kaddish says rejoice
but still we mourn.
Still we mourn.
Why couldn’t we hold back the tide?
Or bear the rod like Aaron?
Just one more day
to see your face
to hear your laugh
feel your embrace
to reminisce
on good times past
On hot dogs at The Battery
On all the things you meant to me
From Heaven can you fully see
your impact, engraved upon our hearts?
My god, Joel – where to even start?
Where to start?
The childhood that you shared with Beth and Stevie in Ozark?
The bachelor life with David before Nancy came along? And took you in and fed you – the Miller house: a second home
The godsons, Lane and Scott, that you loved as your own?
Or on our special bond?
On Churchill and that time you wandered off
in England
Twice.
On “delicious meats” at Harrods…
Or the beach at Normandy…
On everything you meant to me?
They say you went peacefully…
Peacefully.
You went gently
into that good night
which is some small comfort.
The Mourner’s Kaddish says rejoice -
to revel in what was
But how do we experience the joy of what was
with what is?
Why couldn’t we hold back the tide?
Or bear the rod like Aaron?
Is it because Joel’s miracle
was reserved for Heaven?
His miracle, a table set with Joel Gott wine
and a meal he’ll likely question (Nancy: “It’s brisket.”)
Joel, will you remember
all the times
you ate so well you’d mention
it
at every meal to follow?
Is there memory in your miracle?
Across from your miracle table, a miracle a 72 inch tv,
tuned to ESPN or MSNBC.
So you can talk baseball with Scott and Billy
or politics – he’s meshuggah! – with David.
Joel’s miracle: easy-to-use electronics
that he doesn’t need Scott to fix
so he can care for Stevie
check in on Beth
catch up with “Dr. Miller.” (“Y’all heard from Lane? How’s he doin’?”)
But perhaps Joel’s greatest miracle – he had those things in life.
At least the best, most important parts.
And his miracle continues as he lives on in our hearts.
And perhaps that is our miracle
that we received the gift
of Joel Elliot Schaffer
We’ve been blessed.
neshamah!
May he rest.
May he rest.
