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Shloshim / 7th Iyar / "Love Eternal" / David Mandel

VOICES OF GUSH ETZION / Cheryl Mandel

Daniel my friend / Barak

Daniel / Lieutenant Michael Rosman

Memorial Tribute to Daniel Mandel / Ofir Sasson

Eulogy by Gabi

Daniel Mandel z"tl

Daniel my friend / Barak

Daniel,

I've been doing a lot of thinking since you left and this is the first, good opportunity to share my thoughts with you in an orderly way.
Last week, I talked with Elisha and I realized that we both had been thinking exactly the same thing when we heard that you had fallen.
We each thought that someone with so many more goals to accomplish in this world simply cannot die.
So how in heaven's name could it be you, you who had so much more to do and about whom Rav Zvi said that you could have been a Rosh Yeshiva, why was it you who finished here?
And as the days passed and I thought more, suddenly I understood.
On your last Shabbat when we sat together at the second minyan and I noticed for some reason how you would go and kiss the Sefer Torah and accompany it all the way to the bima, while I, as usual, remained standing in my place.
The following Shabbat, I sat again in the same place, but this time, I sat alone. And when they opened the Holy Ark, it seemed as if I heard you saying to me: Did you see? This is the way to do it. Now, you go and kiss the Sefer Torah, and I will stand here in my place.
So I went to kiss the Sefer Torah and you in fact remained standing in your place. And since then, you remain standing and watching over everyone to make sure they are doing things exactly the way you showed them. And I am beginning to understand...

You were always a few steps ahead of me.
While I was still learning one musical instrument, you managed to become the commander of a successful platoon and at the same time, learned to play the bagpipes - your fifth instrument.
While I dragged myself to a Torah shiur once every few months, you faithfully attended Rav Zvi's shiur or another one every Motzaei Shabbat.
While I am still searching to find my way, you already knew exactly what you wanted from yourself and everything was organized in your mind down to the last detail. Your free time was well planned and well utilized; you didn't allow yourself to waste a minute on nonsense.
And, all in all, we both stood together at the starting line and together leaped forward to embrace life, but you always ran faster and you were always a few hundred meters ahead of me. It didn't bother me, because you were clearly in better shape than I was. You ran at your pace and I ran at mine. Such is life.
And today I understand that you didn't run next to me arbitrarily. You ran next to me, because when two people run together, the first always spurs the other on, and motivates him to run faster.
And you were ahead of me so that I could see what the path looked like and where I needed to make a turn.

And now, suddenly you stopped.
I can really see you, and I know that I can reach you, and that only makes me want to run even faster.
And today I understand, that from the very beginning, you started running for this very minute - so that ultimately you would stop and look back at me to make sure that I'm running as I should be and that I don't let up at all until I reach you.
And today I understand that you were simply here in order to show us how it's supposed to be done.

And today I understand that you were here as an angel.

Daniel -

The first few days after you left, I couldn't comprehend that you were gone and that you wouldn't be here any more.
Today, I already understand that you were an angel and these past days, I cannot comprehend that you lived here among us, that there was an angel among us.

And lastly, Daniel.
I still love you and think about you wherever I go,
I remember you whatever I do and I will never forget.

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