Shaaaaloooom sweeeeeeetest friendsssssss!!!!!
Firstly, I would like to thank everyone who made my trip to America so enjoyable. Those who fed and dined me, hosted me, organized and/or attended shiurim, drove me [the train can only get me so far!], spoke with me, smiled at me, and helped me raise the funds necessary in order for the mitzva for which I am collecting be fulfilled. One of my favorite brachos is that you should ALWAYS have an abundance to give and never need. So I humbly bestow that bracha upon all of my beloved friends, readers, brothers and sisters. I am leaving next Tuesday because I thought it would be SOOOOO special to spend Pesach in ISRAEL!! I found a unique "Pesach Program". I sit at home with my wife and children and tell them about yetzias mitzrayim. We will have entertainment [my daughter Leebee saying the Mah Nishtaneh], a 24 hour tea room [I just go to the kitchen and heat up water for tea whenever I feel like it], a concert [my family singing chad gadya], a sauna [the neighborhood mikva when it's hot], a shvitz [ditto], a comedy show [I will try my best. I am funnier after I have four serious, loaded cups of wine in my system. No driving after MY seder], trips [to the local makolet to stock up on kosher la-pesach chocolate], famous personalities [Eliyahu Ha-navi will be attending my seder, I hope], a scholar in residence [my son Shmuli will share a vort on the hagada], social interactions [we are visiting the mechutanim. Hope I don't say anything too stupid:-)], singles opportunities [talking to my daughter about her upcoming wedding - I really want to get Shwekey - does he do free weddings?], and a delectable menu that will make any regular person fat [since I am not regular i can't seem to gain weight]. WHATTA PESACH PROGRAM!! And it will feel JUST LIKE HOME!
This dvar Torah should be a zchus for:
Rav Moshe Gavriel ben Yehudis - Hashem should grant him and his holy Rebbetzin all of the desires of their heart!
Rav Yehoshua Daniel ben Freida Simcha - only good things for this hidden tzadik and his family. He helps me in so many ways - all out of the goodness of his heart.
R' Avraham Yitzchak ben Esther who is my most faithful and dedicated friend. All he can think about is others. His middle name should be "Selfless". Limitless shefa bracha!
R' Yaakov Dov ben R' Dovid Hakohen who is so sweet, pure and innocent, that he is the world's leading lawyer in the realm of goodness and sincerity [if you are a doctor sued by a patient - he is the address]. He is so close to my heart and all I can daven for is that Hashem give him, his special devoted wife, his parents, in-laws and of course his children, Gavi, Esther and Ayla, only the best things always. [A special "happy birthday" wish to his father - until 120!!]
Chana Beila bas Hinka Rochel and her hollly roommates for graciously hosting a shiur and all they do for me.
Acharonim Chavivim - to my parents, who do so much for me and never want anything in return [except that I should eat more and buy clothing for myself]. First my mother graciously hosted me in her womb, then both my parents hosted in their home for the duration of my childhood. Then I went off to yeshiva which they soooo kindly sponsored and only because of all the years of study I know the little I know and am zocheh to share Torah with my chaveirim.
In this weeks parsha we read about Tzaraas Ha-batim - tzaraas that affects the house. Chazal say that it was really a good thing that our houses became contaminated. This is because they were dismantled [which is also what happened to Mickey Mantle after he died] and the Jews found the TREASURES that the earlier residents of Israel, those impure Emorites [we know what their favorite parsha in the Torah was], had left hidden in the walls.
Waaaaiiiiitttttt a second!!
Hashem wants to give us money? Gold? Silver? Can't he do it without having us go through the trouble of destroying the walls of our homes?? Of course he can! So why this process?
This is huuuge.
We look at life and assume that all impurity should be banished from our lives. This is a mistake. The only way impurity has life is due to the purity that inheres within it. We break down the house which symbolizes our desire to destroy the IMPURE elements and we find DEEEEPPPP INSIDE - TREASURES. BIGGGG BUCK$$$$$!!! That is a lesson for life - find the pure that is hiding within the impure.
Within all evil there is something good hiding. So we sinned by speaking lashon hara, were punished with tzaraas on our homes and were taught this lesson. Yes, maybe the person you spoke about wasn't a good person on the surface. But if you would dug deeper, you would have found TREASURES!! There are so many things about every person that are positive and holy but we overlook them by focusing on the negative. The tikkun for this sin is to find the treasures hidden in the house. On the surface it looked impure and contaminated, but a deeper look revealed gold and silver, diamonds and Russian Rubles.
In this weeks parsha we read about Tzaraas Ha-batim - tzaraas that affects the house. Chazal say that it was really a good thing that our houses became contaminated. This is because they were dismantled [which is also what happened to Mickey Mantle after he died] and the Jews found the TREASURES that the earlier residents of Israel, those impure Emorites [we know what their favorite parsha in the Torah was], had left hidden in the walls.
Waaaaiiiiitttttt a second!!
Hashem wants to give us money? Gold? Silver? Can't he do it without having us go through the trouble of destroying the walls of our homes?? Of course he can! So why this process?
This is huuuge.
We look at life and assume that all impurity should be banished from our lives. This is a mistake. The only way impurity has life is due to the purity that inheres within it. We break down the house which symbolizes our desire to destroy the IMPURE elements and we find DEEEEPPPP INSIDE - TREASURES. BIGGGG BUCK$$$$$!!! That is a lesson for life - find the pure that is hiding within the impure.
Within all evil there is something good hiding. So we sinned by speaking lashon hara, were punished with tzaraas on our homes and were taught this lesson. Yes, maybe the person you spoke about wasn't a good person on the surface. But if you would dug deeper, you would have found TREASURES!! There are so many things about every person that are positive and holy but we overlook them by focusing on the negative. The tikkun for this sin is to find the treasures hidden in the house. On the surface it looked impure and contaminated, but a deeper look revealed gold and silver, diamonds and Russian Rubles.
This theme is found on Pesach as well. It says in the pasuk [Bo 12/27] that the Jews bowed in thanks when they were told that they would have children. ויקד העם וישתחוו. The problem is that this pasuk is said in the context of the question asked by the evil son, the בן הרשע [Mah ha-avodah ha-zos lachem - 12/26]. So what is the groise glick [French for "nothing to write home about"]?? The answer is that even the בן הרשע is holy. He is a Jew!! He is someones son [someone being Hashem and his parents]. He has a neshama!! He has potential!! All we have to do is break away the impurities, the tainted parts of his being and we will discover that deep down, treasures are waiting to be revealed. THANK YOU HASHEM FOR THE TREASURES.
Yes, right now it may be Shabbos and he is busy getting dumber with his smartphone. But one we remove those husks of impurity, we will find treasures of which we never dreamt!!
Yes, right now it may be Shabbos and he is busy getting dumber with his smartphone. But one we remove those husks of impurity, we will find treasures of which we never dreamt!!
Sweet friends! Let us START by believing in the treasures we have within our own souls and then go further by helping others realize theirs.
With love and wishes for a BBBBIIIIGGGGGG, HUUUUUUUGEEEE, SHABBOS HA-GADOL, [spellcheck didn't like this last sentence but I resist...]
Me
P.S. Poster for Motzei Shabbos concert attached. Hope to see you there. Still looking for sponsors. Advertise your business. The proceeds go to a good cause so you will gain many merits and a boost in business we hope as well. Expecting a BIG CROWD IMY"H!!
With love and wishes for a BBBBIIIIGGGGGG, HUUUUUUUGEEEE, SHABBOS HA-GADOL, [spellcheck didn't like this last sentence but I resist...]
Me
P.S. Poster for Motzei Shabbos concert attached. Hope to see you there. Still looking for sponsors. Advertise your business. The proceeds go to a good cause so you will gain many merits and a boost in business we hope as well. Expecting a BIG CROWD IMY"H!!
