On May 16, 2010 (3 Sivan 5770), my father—may his memory be a blessing—passed from this world to the next. I was with him in the final moments, and during most of the preceding three days and nights. Since that intense weekend I have been able to think seriously only about two things: the good life that my father lived and the reality of death that brought his earthly life to a close.

I have never encountered death at such close quarters. I was also with my mother when she passed away, but she made the transition quickly and with a minimum of fuss. She was always the impatient one. My father, in contrast, took his time with everything that he did. Like my mother, his way of dying reflected his way of living.