I just
watched these clips from the Shiva of the Paley boys, and I don't know how anyone can see this and not be shaken by it. Such youth, such innocence, poor brothers and sisters who are sitting and crying over their 5- and 7- year-old brothers, while their father lays sedated in critical condition in the hospital, unaware that he is (hopefully) going to wake up at some point into a new reality without two of his sons.
It's so hard to fathom.
Reading the piece, I see the fathers name is Avrohom Noach Paley. I know Paley is a common name in Eretz Yisroel, and I assume there is no relation, but I know of another Noach Paley, a composer. The only song I knew from him is the soul-stirring "Bain Ha'ulam Velamizbeach," sung by
Dovid Gabay. I typed the name "Noach Paley" into Google to see if anything came up, and another song popped up from him, on Mishpacha Magazine's website.
https://mishpacha.com/jingle-of-the-heart/In the accompanying article, he relates a stirring story. Even though his punch-line is not necessarily relevant to tragedy, the message still lent a poignant perspective to this. The song's message: "Hashem doesn't owe you anything." This is eerily similar to the words of Mrs. Paley this week: "I'm happy that Hashem gave me my children for a few years."
It's something to keep in mind. We have idea why Hashem does anything. We just have to realize that Hashem doesn't owe us anything. Everything that He does give us is a gift.
