The Best Day Of The Year

Today is the most important day of the Jewish year.

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Pesach is yetzias metzraiyim in order to get the Torah at Sinai. Shvuos is Kabbolos HaTorah. Succos celebrates the return of the clouds of glory to the mishkan which is the continuation of the Divine revelation at Sinai [Ramban]. Purim is receiving the Torah out of love [Gemara Shabbos]. Chanukah is the victory of the Jews over the Greeks who tried with all of their might to make the Jews forget the Torah. In other words all of the Jewish holidays are about Torah. Wait - I forgot to mention Simchas Torah. What is the connection between that one and Torah?

Rosh Chodesh Elul is the days when thousands of Jewish men and boys return to yeshiva to start learning Torah. The other holidays just symbolize Torah but here we are mamesh mamesh going to our gemaras and pounding. So I am beyond excited. Klal Yisrael returns with new kochos to fulfill its purpose on earth.

On a personal level I am not zocheh to be going to yeshiva [I can't say I didn't try...] but my children are. My oldest son is starting yeshiva gdola in Bnei Brak. Hatzlacha to the holy Shmuel Alexander ben Necha Gittel!! I would say that I love him but they haven't yet invented a word for how I feel about him. [I never thought I'd have a son with peyos down to his shoulders:-)] My next son is starting yeshiva ketana [high school age] where they learn all day just like in yeshiva gdola. Hatzlacha to Avraham Mordechai ben Necha Gittel!! He is a precious neshama and we daveeeennnnnn that he be successful. In a wanton act of husbandly coercion I forced my wife to quickly say all of sefer tehillim in their merit [for those who want to give her the number of a shelter for battered wives I assure you that I didn't really force her and she did it from the heart. It helped when she had to wait an hour for the bus today....]

Together with my tzadikim I bless EVERYBODY with limitless success and shteigin'.

As for me - I hope to learn also this Elul and beyond. I continue to seek a position where I can teach because that is an obligation [as codified by the Rambam at the beginning of Hilchos Talmud Torah], plus it is fun. But as long as I am unwanted [:-)] I get to try to shteig and shteig. Also the now-famous yeshiva gdola d'skype is open and active Baruch Hashem with a few spots left [but probably not for long. See the ad on the side of the screen]!

A gut choiiiiideshhhhhhh!!!!:-):-)