תודה הרב מנחם על הדברים המרגשים והדברים הנכנסים ללב.

רציתי להוסיף את התודות שלי לאישי הציבור שעזרו בארגון האירוע הערב: ראש העיר מר דניאל וקנין, שלום לרנר, ג'קי עדרי, רב חיים בן מרגי, ושלמה מהמתנ"ס, אפי מדיל וזול, ועד בית הכנסת קהילת אהבת ציון וכל החברים שעזרו.

אני מתנצל מראש שאני אהיה הנציג הערב שהולך לדבר באנגלית למען אלו בקהל שאינם דוברי עברית:

K'vod haRabbanim, Ishei Tzibbur, Family and Friends,

It states in Pirkei Avot: "עשה לך רב וקנה לך חבר...."

Rav Eyal and Elanit – we are honored to have you as close friends, people who we can learn from and grow from. You are personal examples for both Halana and me in leading your lives always b'Derech Hashem. We were zocheh to not only know Hadas, but we also cherish the personal memories that we have of her: her smile, her demeanor, and her devotion to mitzvot and specifically to Brachot. We are grateful that you included us as partners in this beautiful yozmah of writing a Sefer Torah in memory of our 2 beautiful girls, and we bless you with much bracha and nachat from all of your beautiful children, עד מאה ועשרים .

We would not be here tonight if it were not for all of those in Ramat Bet Shemesh, in Israel and in Chutz La'aterz who contributed so generously to help us reach this stage, and you should be very proud of your kinyan of Torah today. "ותומכיה מאושר" - May Hashem send much bracha and Torah to you and your families.

We are thinking tonight of my parents and in-laws, as well as brothers and sisters in law, who very much wanted to be here tonight, and who have been there for us from the beginning. May you be blessed with much nachas and bracha, עד מאה ועשרים .

I think that many tonight, including me, are asking themselves: "What is this event tonight? Is it a Simcha or is it an Azkarah?" On one hand, we are singing and dancing and rejoicing with the Torah; on the other hand we know that the driving force behind this is the memory of our two precious girls. Somehow in my mind, I compare this awkward feeling to the transition from Yom Hazikaron to Yom Ha'atzmaut. For an Av Shakul who has lost his son the soldier, I have to believe that when everyone else has transitioned and have already begun celebrating the beginning of Yom Ha'atzmaut, that father has not budged emotionally and psychologically from Yom Hazikaron. So too tonight: Even through the genuine Simcha of bringing in a new Torah, our hearts tonight are still focused back on Hadas and Chani. However, just as by Yom Ha'atzmaut, we clearly understand that it is the fallen soldiers who allow us and lead us to the power and celebration of Yom Ha'atzmaut, so too we tonight, recognize that it is Chani and Hadas and their message that are the driving force to this Zechut of dancing with the new Torah.

To drive this home a little more, I would like to share with you a conversation our daughter Lilach had with a friend a couple of days ago. Lilach mentioned that we are having a Hachnasat Sefer Torah. And like any child, the response was: "Well we are going to one too. My friend's sister is also making a Hachanasat Sefer Torah." To that Lilach responded, "It's not true. We're having a Hachnasa. And not only that, we're going to have lots of candy." "Well, we're going to have flags," said the friend. "Well we're going to have a car with lights and music." And then Lilach added, "Well, did your friend's sister die?!" ... "No". ... "Well then it can't be a Hachnasat Sefer Torah! A Hachnasat sefer torah is for someone who died."

Now it is true that Lilach and I were at the Hachnasat Sefer Torah in memory of my Zeidy and now in memory of Chani and Hadas. But, why do we associate a Hachnasat Sefer Torah with a person who died? Also, why is it davka a Torah that we choose, when we want to commemorate someone?

The message, I think, is that although the person physically is no longer with us, we search for ways to continue their legacy and have it live on with us forever. What more appropriate way could there be than to dedicate a Torah, the very item that signifies the living legacy. The Torah is alive and well even many many years after it was given, and the Torah is the true living legacy that lives on forever – "עץ חיים היא למחזיקים בה (ותומכיה מאושר)". The Torah is the tree of life for those that grab hold of it.

And so too tonight, we are here to ensure that the message and legacy of Chani and Hadas remains with us. We, Chani's parents and siblings, know that we don't wait for a Yahrzeit or Hachnasat Sefer Torah to think of our Chani Banani or her legacy. Chani is on our minds each day of our lives. By understanding what Chani and Hadas accomplished in their short lives and by bringing out their message, maybe we will be able to bridge the azkara and the Simcha. We may not reach Simcha, but we may achieve appreciation of the moment and a nechama of having the opportunity to write a new Torah.

So what is Chani's legacy?

I think that it can be learnt out from this very same line: "עץ חיים היא למחזיקים בה ". Why is the Torah compared to a tree? And why does it specifically compare a Torah to a "living" tree? What makes the tree living or dead?

A tree is something that is often not appreciated because they are all around us, very easily accessible, and there are so many of them. What turns a tree into a live tree? When one stops and takes a moment to appreciate the beauty of the tree. Its buds. Its flowers. Its branches.

So too by Torah. Baruch Hashem, today the Torah is all around us. Anyone who wants access, can find the Torah on almost every street corner in Ramat Bet Shemesh, or on any internet website. We sometimes do not appreciate it. It is easy to get caught going through the motions.

And therefore the message is – When is a Torah a "Live" Torah? - "עץ חיים היא למחזיקים בה". The Torah comes alive and beautiful when one makes the effort and grabs on. Each of us has the personal challenge - that each time , each Monday and Thursday, each Shabbat, we take out and read the Torah, we each are מבקר בהכלו and that we feel and act on the electricity and energy of today's הכנסה .

Chani taught us that this message is true not only by trees and Torah, but in life in general. Each moment is a moment to be cherished and appreciated, and one to ensure that we are מחזיקים בה. Chani made the most of every day that Hashem blesses us with.

I distinctly recall one of the best Shabboses of my life. It was in NY a few years ago, and we were at Sloan Kettering for treatment with Chani. It was Friday and Chani had been in the hospital for a few days and Baruch Hashem she was feeling better. As Chani was feeling good, we naturally were pushing for the doctors and nurses to release Chani to go home for Shabbos, but this time they did not approve it and we had to stay in for Shabbos instead of being home with the rest of the family. I was initially very upset, however, in the end it turned out to be a great bonding Shabbos with Chani. On Shabbat morning, Chani was feeling good and so I decided to take her out for a walk outside. This was never done before, but I wanted to take Chani to shul. So Chani and I walked to the shul in Manhattan that I was actually once a Youth Director at, and we went to the Childrens Tefilla. Chani sat quietly and watched the tefilla service. The group then opened the little childrens Aron Kodesh to reveal about 20 or 30 little kids' doll Torahs and there even a few bigger more real looking Torah's meant for older children. Chani took one of the bigger Torahs and she held it tight on her lap, enjoying and clinging onto this unique, unique opportunity. A few minutes later all the children were told that it was time to return the Torahs to the Aron Kodesh. The only thing was that Chani refused to give it back and held on tight - למחזיקים בה. You could see on her Panim how she appreciated the Torah and was truly grabbing on because who knew if when get this opportunity again. That Shabbat in fact turned out to be one of her last Shabbatot.

When we try to understand the meaning of עץ חיים היא and the meaning of Chayim, we must go back to the beginning, the source of all life, the first אם כל חי. This concept of a tree and of חיים reminds me of what we read just week's ago in Parshat Bereishit, the first tree story in the Torah.

The Torah tells of how Adam gives names to all of the animals in his search for the appropriate mate. Hashem then creates woman, and the Torah proceeds to tell us of the חטא of eating from the tree. Hashem then punishes each of the snake, woman and man and outlines each's harsh punishments, the final statement of punishment that is directed at man: "כי עפר אתה ואל עפר תשוב". Hashem says that now after the חטא now there will be death introduced into the world, unlike in Gan Eden. The very next Pasuk tells us that Adam names his wife Chava, "כי היא היתה אם כל חי, because Chava was the mother of life.

Here are my questions:

Why didn't Adam name Chava right away when she was created, instead of waiting until after the story of the חטא? Why does Adam use the word היתה in "היתה אם כל חי", using the past tense היתה of all living beings? Also, why does Chava's naming come right after the punishment of death onto the world "ואל עפר תשוב"? And furthermore, Adam is upset that Chava caused him to eat the forbidden fruit and has such brought death upon the world and mankind forever, so why in the world would Adam call her mother of Life אם כל חי, she should be mother of death אם כל מת!?!

The word "היתה " is telling us that Chava really was Eim Kol Chai before the חטא, but Adam was only able to fully appreciate this after he understood that "ואל עפר תשוב". Sometimes in life, we do not appreciate what we have in life until we no longer have it. Adam came to realize that – yes we are all going to die eventually. But Adam had to decide whether he was going to focus on the death and choose to go through life blaming Chava, or opening his eyes to the positive and thank Chava for being the mother of all life. By calling Chava – Aim Kol Chai, Adam focused on the good and he showed that he appreciated the life that was given to him and was going to make the most of it and make it into an עץ חיים היא.

I have noted in the past that by Avraham the Torah states: "ואברהם זקן בא בימים". What is "Bah Bayamim"? Avraham did not count his days, rather he made his days count. And so did our Chani. Always living life to its fullest, with true Simcha, in the face of all of the challenges she faced. She actively chose the tree of life by grabbing onto it. "ובחרת בחיים" - ultimately, we are all going to die - "ככה זה טבעו של עולם".

Hakadosh Baruch Hu dictated in the world that man would eventually die. Now, the question is what are we going to do about it? Are we going to die our lives or live our lives?

Each day that we awaken in the morning, our life is in our hands to live or to waste. To make a difference or to ignore opportunities. To pick up the Torah and learn it, or overlook it like another tree in the forest.

Chani and Hadas in their short lives have made the tree into a living tree, the Torah into a living Torah: "עץ חיים היא".

ואפילו מצאתי רמז לדבר –

"עץ חיים היא"

"עץ חני הדס"

Chani taught is to appreciate every moment in life and make the most of it, always focusing always on the good and the positive.

Hakadosh Baruch Hu gives us each challenges each day and the question is how we approach them. Do we appreciate every moment and look for the positives – even through the hard times?

Rav Eyal and I discussed which letters would be appropriate for us to write in on the Torah. We ultimately decided that the last 2 letters were most appropriate. When many others around the world are faced with serious life challenges and tragedies, their response is one of the letters ל and א - spelling לא, one of rejection of G-d. Our response to our personal tragedy and loss, is that although it is very painful and although the tragedy follows us everywhere, and although we cannot understand it, we respond "א-ל" Keiyl, we turn to Hashem.

Chani and Hadas appreciated what they had and the gifts that Hashem gave them. Halana would walk in the streets with Chani and Chani would notice and point out all of the birds chirping, pretty flowers and beautiful things and Halana could not help but say "מה רבו מעשיך ה'"

This is the reason we thought it appropriate to give you today a specialized Birkat hanehenin card as a souvenir of this hachnasat Sefer Torah. When you wake up in the morning and go off into the world, look around you and search for the little wonders that Hashem has blessed us with, and appreciate the little miracles, and thank Hashem in bracha.

Baruch Hashem even with all the tragedy we have been blessed with so much, with beautiful children, Lilach, and Eli and Maayan and Benaya, and now we have been fortunate enough to be mekayem a big mitzvah on the writing and dedication of a Torah. Each of you who have helped in this special mitzvah either financially or otherwise, each of you have a tremendous zechut and Kinyan in the new Torah. We hope that as we read this Torah and learn from this Torah in our new Bet Knesset, we will keep in mind Hadas and Chani, two little sweet girls, and their legacy will encourage us to open our eyes to the beautiful opportunities around us and help us make this Torah a true living Torah – עץ חיים היא .