Funeral

I guess one can learn from everything.

Yes, pomp and ceremony in the Popes’ funeral are strange and foreign, but the services are also impressive in their scope to many around the world and the to millions physically present. Our own takanos of simplicity in burial are from R' Yochanan ben Zakai not for essential kovod ha niftar but rather for social equity reasons.

That being said, the ceremony seemed to me to be a 'chizuk ha daas' and a positive influence for the participants, and that is something that is significant in a time in history when physical self aggrandizement is the order of the day . The ceremonies commemorated an individual whose values for broader society frequently coincided with our own, and one who left in his will "no earthly possessions" ( and I have not heard of any personal scandals to date). He also may have a zchus for saving at least two Jewish lives.

It also may also work out to be a good thing over the course time that President Katzav made the acquaintance of Bashar Assad and President Khatami at the funeral.

Is it possible that this chasid omos haolom can actually be part of an antidote to the Clinton social legacy of satisfaction of self at every turn?