HEEELLLOOOOO SWWWWEEEETEST FRIENDS!!!!!
A huuuuuge mazel tov to Chani Ehrman on her engagement to Avraham Abba Zions!! A special mazel tov to her father, my beloved brother, HaGaon Hamefursam Rav Dovid Shlita [and the very special Rebbetzin Julie in whose zchus Rav Dovid reached the heights he has!], one of the prominent poskim in Yerushalayim, a man who learns day and night, taking breaks only to daven and do chesed with his family and others!! And of course I must mention the proud grandarents "Bubby and Grandpa" who should get much nachas from Chani and all their grandchildren!
An additional mazel tov to all of the other parents, grandparents, brothers sisters etc. etc.!!
A huuuuuuuuuuuuugeee mazel tov to Elana Ehrman on her upcoming wedding this week. And of course to her father, my beloved cousin HaRav Yisrael Shlita [Eric??], a tzadik in our times, a gentleman, a scholar, a man of rare qualities and so much that I can't mention here, Rebbetzin Ahava Shetichye, a famous holy Rebbetzin appreciated by all for her spiritual qualities and great culinary skills and much more, all of the siblings, the grandparents my Uncle Fred - a great baal tzdaka who finishes shas and writes novel thoughts on Torah in his spare time and Aunt Susan - who is beloved by all who know her for her great wisdom, insight, love and perspecacity. And of course the choson and entire Felsenthal and Goldsmith families.
A huuuuuuuuge mazel tov to Simcha Stein on his bar mitzvah!!! A special mazel tov to his father my most beloved friend R' Shmuel Shlita, a man FILLED with Torah, Yiras Shomayim, chesed, tzedaka and many other extremely admirable qualities. And all with a quiet simplicity. And of course to his Rebbetzin Shira, eishes chayil extraordinaire, who besides her countless other special qulaities was a very gracious hostess on those occasions that I had the unique zchus to be a guest in her home. May the R' Shmuel and Rebbetzin Shira, together with their parents, and the greater Stein and Heller families have limitless nachas and see ONLY BRAHCA for many years to come!!
A huuuuuge mazel tov to my EXTREMELY beloved friend R' Eitan Gavarin Shlita and his eishes chayil on the birth of Liana Nechama. She is a beautiful baby and may she grow up in good health, happiness and prosperity giving much nachas to her VERY special parents!!! May this be the first of numerous healthy children who will make our entire nation proud!! A special mazel tov to the grandparents and families!!
Well - PARSHAS NOACH!!!
So pleasant. ["Noach" means pleasant. That was a pun. Intended...]
We all know about those who built a tower with the intention to wage war against Hashem. BAAAAAD IDEA!!!
The pasuk [11/5] calls them בני האדם - sons of Man. Were they sons of camels or snails or monkeys? Of course they were sons of Man!! Who else??!! Explains Rashi - This is alluding to אדם הראשון who like them was an ingrate when he blamed the wife Hashem graciously gave him for him for his sin. These people as well, instead of being grateful for being alive [after everyone but a chosen few had perished in the mabul], expressed gross ingratitude when they rebelled against their Maker and Provider.
Gratitude - הכרת הטוב - is a VERY fundamental quality. The Chovos Halevavos says that we can base our entire service of Hashem on this LIMITLESS feeling of gratitude that we should all have for EVERY SECOND of blessed life we all enjoy. Not to mention food, eyes, ears, our ability to remove waste from our body [a complex yet painless operation done without pain or sedation], our ability to speak, think, walk talk etc. etc. We have TRILLIONS of cells with DNA that complex contains information that would fill millions of encyclopedias. So TRILLIONS OF REASONS to thank G-d EVERY SECOND!!!
Gratitude is also critical in our interpersonal relationships. Rav Hutner explained that when one does a favor for for his or her friend, chesed was planted in the world. This chesed MUST beget something positive in return. Otherwise, the recipient is ACTIVELY UPROOTING this sapling of chesed and not just passively refraining from repaying in kind. So ingratitude is not just an act of omission but an act of COMISSION!! Serious stuff!!
You want to have a good marriage ? Express endless gratitude. Do you want to have friends? Show others how much you appreciate what they do for you and others. Do you want to be happy? Think and express your constant feelings of gratitude to the many who deserve it [you can start with Mom and Dad]. It also separates those who are mentches from the opposite. The middah is so important it is already a central theme in both parshas Bereishis and Noach.
SWEEETEST FRIENDS!! Let this email not go ignored!!! Contact those you love express your love, gratitude and appreciation. Make it a daily habit and transform your lives!!!
With much love and gratitude to all,
ESPECIALLY TO HASHEM FOR GIVING ME 46 YEARS MINUS A WEEK. They have been awesome and I hope He gives me many years. So thank you HASHEM, thank you mom and dad, thank you teachers, rabbeim, friends, supporters, employers, people who fired me, people who insulted me, people who listen to my shiurim, read my blogs, laugh at my jokes, hug me, invite me to their simchas, answer the phone when I call, dance with me, share with me and make this earth such a great place to be and make it a pleasure to be a member of Klal Yisrael!!
Happy birthday to me and many more in good health and prosperity with a LOT OF TORAH and chesed too!!
Good shabbos,
Me 
