I remember a friend asking me what I thought was the hardest part of her downsizing. A new neighborhood? No. Less living room space? Nope. For her and her husband the hardest part was going to be less library space for their sefarim and thus a parting from some of their religious library. No tears were shed on saying goodbye to the secular bestsellers of the last 20 years. But sefarim were different.
She told me, as they culled through what they could and could not take, they lovingly kissed goodbye to the extra Chumashim and works they rarely looked at but nonetheless cherished. It brought tears to my eyes.
Our sefarim are not merely books with values and wisdom. They represent something far deeper. They hold honored places in our homes and their departure is akin to saying a tearful goodbye to loved ones. It’s a spiritual reminder of the central role our holy works play in our lives.
May not only our shelves be able to accommodate our overflowing sefarim but our hearts and souls as well, always finding a place for their messages and the call to living a life of Torah and mitzvot.