Li-ilui Nismas two of my BELOVED Rabbeim [לשמם ולזכרם תאות כל נפש] from whom I have learned soooooo much B"H: HaGaon HaTzadik Rav Yaakov Moshe Charlap זצוק"ל whose yahrtzeit is ז כסלו. He was an incredible Tzadik and Baal Ruach Hakodesh. Neshamos would come to him for tikkunim. He explained that he is not worthy based but the Neshamos come to him b/c they see the potential of his soul. I HIGHLY recommend the book שירת הי"ם about his life. WOWOWOWOWOW!!
And HaGaon HaTzadik Rav Nosson Geshtetner זצוק"ל who VERY QUIETLY ["shtill-a-heit" in French] was one of the Gedolei Ha-dor. He knew EVERYTHING, as Rav Chaim Knievsky Shlita testified. He started being מחדש in Torah when he was six years old [!!!] and never stopped. He authored DOZENS AND DOZENS [maybe over 100] of INCREDIBLE sfarim [I
them!!!!], many of which are still in manuscript and are being published. [I am friendly with his grandson so those who want a chelek can contribute. He promised in writing that he will daven for anyone who helps fund the publication of his sfarim after his passing]. He was also a sweet, gentle man filled with Kedusha and humility [I was zocheh to go to his house a few times]. And li-rifuas חיה יוכבד פייגע בת מיכל יהודית בתיה my young niece who really needs a refuah בתוך שאר חולי ישראל!!
Shaaaaaaaaaalom sweeeetest friends!!!!!!!
In this week's parsha we read about Yaakov's long, trying stay at the house of לבן. [I would surmise that in this house they served the Israel "Leben" for breakfast. In addition there was the ice cream as Yaakov says that when he worked at night וקרח בלילה - which Unkelos translates as גלידא . I am not making this up. Too good to make up. I am also too good looking so I don't need to wear makeup. OK - I am not THAT good looking
. I once went to the doctor and he told me I have the flu. I told him that I want a second opinion. He said "Ok - you're ugly"
]. So Yaakov calls Leah and Rochel and tells them how much he has been mistreated [despite the attractive menu] by Lavan and that Hashem has told him to go back home. To Israel. Nefesh Bi-Nefesh. Yaakov Bi-Yaakov. Aliyah. The Zionist dream. Back home. Yerushalayim Shel Zahav. Od lo avda tikvateinu. In the Young Israel of Padan Aram they certainly said the Tfillah Li-shlom HaMedinah. Exciting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ramat Beit Shemesh - Here We Come!!! And his granddaughters will have no trouble getting into the Beis Yaakov since the school is named after their Zeide.
The pasuk then says [31-14] ותען רחל ולאה. Rochel and Leah answered and they said, basically, you are RIGHT!!! SPOT ON HUSBAND RAV JAKE SHLITA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our dad treats us baaaaaaaaaadd. Letssssssssssssss gooooooo!!!All good. Except.... that Rochel spoke first. Leah, being the older sister and first of the wives felt slighted. That little pain you feel inside when you are offended even by a little thing you don't want to admit. Well, Hashem felt the pain and b/c of that Rochel died first!!!! So says the Medrash. I add the pasuk and the drasha of Chazal in a different but related context וסביביו נשערה מאד - הקב"ה מדקדק עם סביביו כחוט השערה. Hashem is VERY exacting with His Tzadikim. Like to a hairsbreadth!!!! WOAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I mean Rochel WAS the chosen wife. Rochel WAS the more beloved wife. Rochel IS the wife who gets all the songs written for her. Kooooool bi-raaammaaaaa nishmaaaa
. Rochel meant NO harm or insult. But to no avail. She had to pay the price. WHY?So [among other things] we learn the lesson!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [Exclamation points are free which would explain my liberal usage of them even though politically I am far from a liberal. When I visit Tel Aviv, I find myself close to a liberal. Actually, lots of them. And I go to Tel Aviv often. Like, I haven't been there in maybe 16 plus years. But I digress. Digressing is ALSO free which is why I do it so much. Why are Jews so enamored w/ the ideal of Bechirah Chofshis? B/c it's free...].
BELOVED FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! People are SENSITIVOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! We are ALLLLLLL carrying scars from childhood [and possibly from previous lives as well but Gilgulim is not our topic]. We are ALLLLLLLLLLLLL suffering from various things in life that aren't going our way. We ALLLLLLLLLL miss people dearly who are no longer with us. Life is TUFFFFFFF [especially when you don't know how to spell and are writing emails at 4:30am]. So when someone's feelings are hurt it only exacerbates already existing pain. And it is sooooooooooooooooo easy to hurt someone's feelings. How do we know this? B/c we see how easily our own feelings are hurt. And that line people say "You're being too sensitive" JUST MAKES PEOPLE FEEL WORSE!!! First they are hurt. Then they get criticized for being hurt. We may tell OURSELVES that we are overreacting and not to take it to heart but it is USUALLY not helpful to tell that to other people [unless they are receptive to such a message].
On the positive side - it is also not too difficult to make a person feel great. Here is how you do it. Observe the person. Notice a positive trait they possess. Then point it out to them. Bingo!! [My favorite game in my previous life as a bubby from Miami Beach. There I Gilgul again..... I wish I could google my Gilgul]. They feel great. Then - to quote the shampoo bottle - wash, rinse, REPEAT!!! When some calls you a "stupid fool" you feel badly. When they repeat it you feel worse. When we are complimented we feel good. When it is repeated - we feel better. So say it again. Then find other things to compliment. Maybe you can't do this for a living - but you can do it for a life!!!!
The Holy Zohar says that just like we will be taken to task for all the negative things we have said - we will also be taken to task for all the positive things we COULD have said but didn't.
When is the best time to start? NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! You have a mouth. You have a phone. Use them both well. You can spread SO MUCH positivity!!! It is great for the soul, defeats feelings of depression and melancholy and changes the entire culture around you. You can use this at home, in the office and anywhere [except for the "asher yatzar room" and during chazaras hashatz].
May we all use our mouths for the good and elevate ourselves and others in the most profound and meaningful ways!!!!!
AMENNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SHABBAT-SHALLLOMMMMMMMMMMMMM-GUUUUUUUUUTTT-SHABBBOSSS !!!!!!!!!!!
Some recent shiurim on the Parsha - here here and here.
