From an email....
Shalom sweetest friends!!!!
This week we will start on a more somber note and send our tanchumin to the Kahan, Stein, Scharf and Turkel families upon the passing of their matriarch, Mrs. Gerda Kahan z"l. She surivived four and a half years of the death camps and merited, with her holy husband Mr. David Kahan, to raise a family of fine upstanding Jews, dedicated to the community and to the Jewish people. When such a person passes away we lose not just an individual but a representative of an entire generation of a world that is no more. We have so much to learn from that generation: Resilience in the face of suffering, not to complain no matter what, to hold steadfast to our values despite persecution and worse, pure faith, respect for elders and authority, a complete lack of being spoiled, a work ethic, never feeling entitled to anything etc. etc. etc.
I didn't know Mrs. Kahan but I know her grandson, my beloved friend, עוסק בצרכי ציבור באמונה, מוקיר רבנן ורחים רבנן ואיהו גופיה צורבא מרבנן, a pillar of Torah in the five towns, R' Shmuel Stein, well and see from where the roots of his special and pure family emantes.
May all of the families be comforted among the mourners of Tziyon and Yerushalayim and know no more pain and sorrow.
May the dvar torah be an עילוי for her holy and pure neshama.
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On a brighter and happier note - a huuuuge mazel tov to my beloved friends [and chavrusa in the works of the holy Gaon of Vilna!!] Daniel Bornstein and Leora Lerman on their engagement and upcoming wedding. More exciting than exxciting. May they merit all of the brachos in gashmiyus and ruchniyus and know only אהבה אחוה שלום ורעות וכל הברכות הכתובות בתורת משה רבינו.
A special mazel tov to the families on this very long awaited, anticipated and heart lifting simcha.
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This dvar Torah should be a zchus for my beloved friend [and chavrusa!!!] R' Hersh Yonatan ben R' Mordechai Ephraim, and his aishes chayil, parents, parents in law and family. May they have אך טוב וחסד כל ימי חייהם!!!
Also, to my beloved friend [and chavrusa!!!] R' Meyer Simcha ben Leah and his aishes chayil, parents, in laws and family. May all of the brachos in body and spirit descend upon them.
Much bracha will be descending upon Washington Heights and Chicago!! 
When the servant of Avraham came to find a wife for Yitzchak, Lavan, the hospitable trickster that he was, graciously invited him into the home. ויאמר בוא ברוך השם למה תעמוד בחוץ ואנכי פניתי הבית ומקום לגמלים - Please come in, Blessed is G-d, I cleared the house and made room for the camels. Rashi explains that Lavan was saying that the house was cleared of idols.
Rav Charlap ztz"l points out that even an evil dupester like Lavan understands that in order to bring the servant of Avraham into his house it must first be cleared of impurity.
I once heard a story [I don't know if it actually happened...] that a woman who had some problems [who doesn't ...] went to a mekubal and he started asking her about her home and what it looks like. She described her living room with its aron kodesh, sefer torah, the furniture, the television.....
The Mekubal told her that a sefer torah and television don't belong in the same home. She accepted his words, went home and promptly .... removed the sefer torah. [Reminds me of the guy who told the rabbi that he couldn't come to shul kol nidrei night because it was the same night as a world series game. The rabbi suggested that he record it instead. He agreed, set up a video camera and recorded .... kol nidrei, stayed home and watched the game. Mets fans - next year. Never lose hope. אין שום יאוש בעולם כלל.]
I think that it behooves us to examine our homes and to see if there are things that are detrimental to our spiritual growth and that of our children. If there are then removing them would be the best way to bring kedusha and the שכינה Into our home.
Bi-ahava rabba,
A shabbos of bliss,
Me
