Diary Entry From My Journey #8

The Torah relates that when Rochel asked Leah for her dudaim [a type of fertility plant] Leah answered "Is it not enough that you took my husband, you also want my dudaim?!"

ROCHEL TOOK LEAH'S HUSBAND????????

ROCHEL GAVE HER HUSBAND TO LEAH!! Only afterwards she found out that she would be allowed to "share" Yaakov with Leah [girls - how many of you would like to "share" your husband with another woman?]. How can Leah say that??

Rav Betzalel Rudinsky - Rochel gave Yaakov to Leah with such good will that she made Leah feel that Yaakov was really her's all along!!!

TRUE chesed when you make the beneficiary feel as if he is doing YOU a favor and that he really deserves the chesed. [Of course the beneficiary must always remember who is the giver and who is the receiver.]

SWEETEST FRIENDS!! I have met NUMEROUS such baalei chesed on this trip and I feel very fortunate. People who make me feel SO GOOD about taking. Taking their tzedaka for the kollel, taking their time, energy, rides, hospitality etc. Last night I received the last and most honored [be'kovodike] bracha under the chuppah. I tried to refuse but the kallah made me feel as if I was doing HER a favor by taking it.

Mi ki'amcha Yisroel goy echad ba'aretz.

I love being Jewish!!!:)