I would like to share with you the thought that I told over this morning at Chani's kever.

It is hard to believe that 5 years have passed already.

There are many ideas that go through my mind when I think of Chani, but there is one specific one this year. It connects also into the first Rashi of this week's Parsha, בהעלותך. Rashi notes that Aharon Hacohen was disappointed that he and his shevet were not part of the חנוכת הנשיאים. Hashem puts Aharon's concerns to rest when He clarifies to Aharon that his job is even greater – "שאתה מדליק ומיטיב את הנרות" – that your higher role is to light and thus enhance and beautify the candles."

Chani, in her short 3 years, taught us what it means to light the candles. The candles and menorah are very nice, but they only become greater and more kadosh when someone comes and raises them (B'haalotcha) to a higher level by lighting the candles.

Each of us in our lives see things around us each day, they are the "candles" of our lives, the things we do each day, the people we meet, the things around us. These are all opportunities waiting to happen. We are reminded on Chani's Yahrzeit to follow her lead and role model and look for opportunities to light that candle, to find mundane and everyday occurrences and make them meaningful, to make a difference in the lives of people around us. Bring a smile to a neighbor or a friend today. Say an extra Tehillim today for someone in need of a refuah or a bracha or a shidduch. Each and every minute that we are blessed with in life is a gift, and we can either waste the moment and the gift, or realize that it is in fact a gift and utilize the opportunity.

As we have said by אברהם אבינו, the Torah says: "ואברהם זקן בא בימים". What does the phrase "בא בימים" come to teach us? A lot of time we get caught up in how old we are or in the time that passes. I believe that the message is: "Don't count your days, make your days count".

Hopefully, G-d willing, Chani will be a meilitza yosher today to bring all of our tefillot and Torah and Chesed לפני כסא הכבוד. We each can take our part in the world to be a "מדליק ומיטיב", and do our part in תיקון עולם. Chani was this light. Chana Liora, with the name Liora from "אור חדש על ציון תאיר". And as is engraved on her matzeiva, the words of Sfas Emes: "יש נשמות שהם כלי לקבל האור, ויש נשמות גבוהות שהם בעצמם האור".

And finally, a short story from Chani's life. This story is very much in line with a beautiful chiddush that I heard over Shavuot from Rav Meir Goldvicht: We know that we are taught in Pirkei Avot: "איזהו עשיר? השמח בחלקו" – Who is one who is rich? One who is content and happy with what he has. Rav Goldvicht added a new idea: Who is one who is truly rich? One who is שמח בחלקו - Whose חלק? "בחלקו – בחלק של לחבירו" - In his friend's חלק. One who can see his friend or neighbor receive something great or buy a new purchase, and be truly and honestly שמח for him, that is one who is truly rich.

Chani's story was actually told to me by someone who visited us when we were sitting shiva in New York exactly five years ago: This man who told me the story, davened with us in the same minyan in Kew Gardens Hills in NY. He told me that one Shabbos he saw Chani and Lilach in shul with me, as they often enjoyed coming to shul. The man offered Chani a purple lollipop. Chani took the lollipop and turned up to the man and said "Oh, purple is my favorite color!" Then Lilach, Chani's big sister, came over and saw Chani's lollipop and she also wanted a purple lollipop. The man checked in his pockets and found that he did not have any more purple lollipops; he only had yellow lollipops left. Chani immediately gave over her purple lollipop to Lilach and took a yellow lollipop from the man. Chani then turned up to him with her big eyes and said "Oh, yellow, yellow is my favorite color!"

This was Chani's שמח בחלקו.

Let's each take on today to each go out in our daily routine today and find that "yellow lollipop" in your day, that opportunity to make a difference, be it small or large, and bring a little of Chani into the world on this 5th Yahrzeit.

To view a short clip on Chani, please click here.

May we share in smachot and happy times together in the future, Daniel and Halana