Hesped from Shmuel Silberman

Hesped for Mel Silberman a”h


The title of one of my father’s books is People Smart. This name represents my father’s life. He was forever understanding people, teaching people, thinking about how to bring out the best in people. In turn he was loved by people. “Who is honored? One who honors others.” He was greatly honored. No one in his community was more so.

Hashem created the world to bestow His kindliness to others. My father had compassion for everyone. He felt sorry even for the wicked. He emulated the A-mighty. He would have gone a step further and pleaded for Sodom. He was a child and inheritor of Avraham Avinu.

‘Who is wise? One who learns from others.” He was interested in everyone. He was fascinated by Hashem’s creations, human and otherwise. There are many talkers in the world but few listeners. He excelled at listening. Anybody could talk to him whenever. In this way too he emulated the A-mighty.

Hashem is erech apayim. He holds his nose, so to speak, and waits patiently in the face of man-made destruction. My father never stopped waiting. He had faith that others would learn more and do better. He did not give up on others even if they grieved him. As a master teacher himself he believed people could be taught.

“In the image of G-d He created him.” He was concerned with the dignity of everyone. When I told him I was working as a Shabbos counselor in a home for the retarded, he said it would be good if they were treated like adults as much as possible. He was a religious humanist.

“Whoever pleases the spirit of people pleases the spirit of Hashem.” Hashem is pleased with those who are pleasing to others. He was beloved to all. People craved to be in his presence. His life was a beautiful example if how to give pleasure to others, and a reproach to us when we allow our relationships to be clouded by petty things.

My father was a man of chochma. His students numbered in the thousands. They wanted to learn from him. They needed him. We still need him. He was a reservoir of wisdom concerning what it meant for human beings to relate. We need to go back to his teachings. He was concerned that I act like a Jewish husband. He was concerned that all people fulfill their potential. We must ache that marriages and families are split apart solely because they do not have the proper coaching in human relationships. We can still look back to my father and remember this example of humanitarianism. He was an I-Thou person.

My father’s name has so far not been mentioned in full. He is Moshe Aryeh Leib HALEVI. Levi means to be attached. I believe this is the source for the English word “alleviate.” This was my father; he was attached to others.
It is not enough to miss my father. We cannot go on with business as usual. He must live on as a beacon of light for a world that needs healing. We must live with the ever present awareness of the dignity of human beings as created in the image of Hashem. May his memory be for a blessing.