Shaaallloooom sweeeetest friends!!!
A huuuuuuuuuge mazel to my father Avi Mori R' Yitzchak Yonah ["Reb Jules" in the shteibel] Ehrman on his upcoming birthday. I am not at liberty to say how young he is but suffice it to say when he was born the Chofetz Chaim was still shining in this world....
The sefarim teach that in order to properly fulfill the mitzva of honoring one's parents, the child must find an area in which the parent is the GADOL HA-DOR!
How is my father the gadol ha-dor? Here is one area: My parents raised their children a certain way. We are all the independent types and all followed our own personal paths of serving Hashem [which, in 75 percent of the cases - didn't include working in a profession that pays but rather dedicating oneself to Torah study and its dissemination]. We changed our garb [e.g. from Mets cap to black chasidic type...], our forms of speech [e.g. "that is takeh shver". "What was your hava amina?" "Shkoiyach"], our residences [e.g. small settlement nestled beyond the green line not far from Arab villages], the way we educated our own children [the schools my children attend are a far cry from the Manhattan Day School of my youth] etc. etc. YET, despite everything, my father has ALWAYS been there for all of us. We would all be homeless or hungry if not for his continued help all of the years [a rebbi's salary in israel pays either rent or food but not both...], he constantly, endlessly, showers upon us his love in his inimitable way.
"Grandpa" [as he is now known] is a veritable hero in the family. The grandchildren adore him. Together with Bubby who is with him every step of the way [and deserves a full length biography detailing her tzidkus - she is beyond unbelievable], he is the holy patriarch of our ever growing family. Soon we will celebrate the wedding of his first grandchild "Gila" [a close relative of mine as well] and will see אי"ה the next generation continuing the chain that Grandpa worked so hard to preserve. Most of our gashmiyus and much of our ruchniyus as well can be attributed to Grandpa and Bubby's investment of time, finances, effort and on a rare occasion strict discipline [when we got out of hand].
On the last day of Gila's sheva brachos they will be celebrating 50 years together!! Who would have known that their marriage would have produced so many children and grandchildren who follow in the derech Hashem on 2 continents?!
Grandpa - in my eyes you are the gadol ha-dor in being there for your children. You are also the gadol ha-dor in work ethic. In my entire childhood, I remember only one day when you stayed home from work. It didn't matter how tired you were from your latest overseas business trip - work is work and one must go [even though you were your own boss]. That was a great chinuch for me in taking responsibility.
May you and Bubby enjoy many many more happy and healthy years together!!
With much love,
Me
Woops! This email is very long already. So I will just add that this Shabbos is my son Simcha's aliya la-torah [Tolna Beis Medrash at 8:30] - all are invited. Kiddush after davening. [DURING davening for those who wish to start a kiddush club].
And now a short-vort on Terumah that I once wrote on the blog:
Recently we wrote about the three loves one must have - Hashem, People and Torah. Today I saw this idea expressed beautiful by that Angel Of G-d, The Holy Ozorover Rebbe Ztz"l.
"The keruvim shall spread their wings upward, shielding the ark-cover with their wings, with their faces turned to each other" [Shmos 25/20]. "Spread their wings upward" - symbolizing love of Hashem. "Shielding the ark-cover with their wings" - symbolizing love of Torah. "With their face turned to each other" - symbolizing love of people.
GESHMAK!!!
Bi-ahava rabba and a shabbat shalom to all,
Me
May you and Bubby enjoy many many more happy and healthy years together!!
With much love,
Me
Woops! This email is very long already. So I will just add that this Shabbos is my son Simcha's aliya la-torah [Tolna Beis Medrash at 8:30] - all are invited. Kiddush after davening. [DURING davening for those who wish to start a kiddush club
And now a short-vort on Terumah that I once wrote on the blog:
Recently we wrote about the three loves one must have - Hashem, People and Torah. Today I saw this idea expressed beautiful by that Angel Of G-d, The Holy Ozorover Rebbe Ztz"l.
"The keruvim shall spread their wings upward, shielding the ark-cover with their wings, with their faces turned to each other" [Shmos 25/20]. "Spread their wings upward" - symbolizing love of Hashem. "Shielding the ark-cover with their wings" - symbolizing love of Torah. "With their face turned to each other" - symbolizing love of people.
GESHMAK!!!
Bi-ahava rabba and a shabbat shalom to all,
Me
