Emes v. Sheker

The Hebrew word for “truth – Emes” is composed of the three letters that are the first, middle, and last letters of the alphabet.  The three Hebrew letters that spell “falsehood – Sheker” stand next to one another.  This tells us that truth creates a firm foundation, like the three legs of a stool, while falsehood is unstable becuase it stands on a narrow base. ~ Alan Morinis

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Good and Bad Traits

“I will” is a bad trait.

“I want” is and is not a [good] trait.

“I am” is a good trait.

~ The Kotzker Rebbe zt”l

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Be Happy

It’s a great mitzvah to always be happy. ~ R’ Nachman of Breslov zt”l

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Thank You

A child that learns from the very beginning to say “thank you” to Mommy, Daddy and to Hashem, will grow up to be a well-adjusted and well-liked individual. ~ R’ Lazer Brody

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Even Once

It is worthwhile for a person to study mussar his entire life, if it will save him from speaking loshon hora even once. ~ R’ Yisroel Salanter zt”l

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Found Money – True Story

There is an elder lady that recently moved into the community that I had the pleasure of meeting. She told me an amazing story that happened to her just the other day, which I would like to share. For purposes of this blog, I will just focus on the end of the story.

This lady is very modest and not wealthy by any means, however, she ultimately decided to give a very substantial amount of money to a charitable organization in Israel and specifically dedicated it in memory of her late husband, who had passed away suddenly exactly 10 years ago.  Literally within a few hours of writing the check, she was in her home, putting things away from her recent move.  She was in middle of going through a shopping bag which she threw some loose items into before she moved.  One of the items in the bag was a large gauze pad, which was in one of those sterile paper bags that they come in.  Oddly, however, the package was neatly ripped open.  Her first reaction was to throw it in the garbage, as it looked a bit old and dirty.  However, she peaked inside and was shocked to see a wad of cash hidden inside.  Apparently, her late husband kept some money hidden in there, but because he died suddenly, he never had a chance to tell her about it. She immediately thought how wondrous Hashem is that right after donating money in her husband’s name, she found money from ten years earlier that he had left behind.  However, the true shock was when she counted the money and found that it was the exact amount that she had just donated.

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Music

Music has the unique ability to bring a person closer to Hashem.  Although Torah writings and sefarim are indeed very valuable, it is precisely because we are accustomed to them that they might not always arouse our emotions.  That is why we need music. ~ The Modzhitzer Rebbe as quoted in Torah Tavlin

Here is an oldie but a goody

https://youtu.be/_yCIxiDPic8

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Air

The body needs air.  What is the air of the soul? Faith ~ R’ Eliyahu Lopian zt”l

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Strange

People are strange.  They beg and plead that Hashem should give them yiras Shamayim, when this is something that is entirely in the individual’s control. Yet, when it comes to their livelihood, their business and their money, they imagine they are in charge! ~ R’ Chanoch Henoch of Aleksander zt”l as quoted in Torah Tavlin

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Before a Miracle

Before God performs a miracle for him, a person first falls upon bad times – the difficulty of which is determined by the greatness of the miracle [about to be performed on his behalf]. ~ R’ Nachman of Breslov zt”l

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