What's In A Name

The wonderful news is that earlier this week our older son and his lovely wife named our first grandchild after my dad, z'l. I am told that it is a great zechus (merit) for my dad for a child to be named after him so soon after his petirah (passing). I choose to believe that.

The news that is hard to categorize is the reaction of my mom (zzg). When she heard the name called out during the bris she began to cry. (No one knew the name ahead of time except the parents and our Rav, whom they had consulted). One would expect nothing less, especially in light of the fact my parents were happily married for 57 years and the baby has both my father's first and last names. (I, too, admit that I was crying; I could hardly complete the kaddish that was said immediately after the bris).

But now things are getting out of control! At the seudah following the bris my mom hugged the kids and told them how much it meant to her, and, of course, began to cry. The other day my mom called me to tell me how meaningful it was that the kids named the baby for my dad. And, whaddaya know, she started to cry again.

Knowing my mom, she will probably cry every time she sees him (or even hears his name) for the rest of her life!