Let G-d sort everything else out

While attending a conference yesterday, I was talking to people asking about HFBA, and our services. One person I spoke with asked me if someone had to be a religious, practicing Jew, to avail themselves of HFBA's services. I replied that HFBA buries all Jews, regardless of affiliation or observance. In death, we are all equal.

Man is not equipped to determine who G-d was pleased with or who G-d was disappointed with. Every Jew is buried wearing the same linen tachrichim (shrouds) and is placed in the same plain pine coffin. The graves are the same, and the prayers at the graveside are the same.

There is a human tendency to judge other people. We use our own standards of right and wrong and apply other people's actions to those standards. This is wrong on several points. First, how do we know that our standards of right and wrong are correct? Maybe we have the incorrect assumptions and ideas. Secondly, every person's life situation is different. I don't know the struggles my friend has. The challenges that he faces. What comes easy to him? What comes more difficult? What's easy for me might be quite difficult for someone else. How do I know?

There is an idea that says when we appear before G-d, he isn't going to ask us, "Why weren't you like _______ (fill in the blank with any great person over time, Abraham, Moses, David, etc..,)? Rather, we will be asked, "Why weren't you the best you during your life? Did you use all of your talents and gifts? Did you take advantage of everything I gave you?" What's expected of us is to make the best with what G-d has given us.

With this in mind, it is easy to understand why in death we are all equal. Only G-d knows what each person accomplished relative to their talents and gifts. G-d will sort out who belongs where in the next world. As for us, we treat everyone equally, as in death, we are all equal.