Don’t Deprive Your Eyes of Holiness

R’ Moshe Meir Weiss writes that Rav Shach who lived to 102 attributed his longevity to always bentching with a bentcher.    Another reason he suggests to always bentch with a bentcher is so “one’s eyes should also have a part in this wonderful mitzvah.  If one bentches by heart, the eyes aren’t taking an active role, and thus miss out on the holiness acquired from the lofty activity.”

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Your Next Meal

“People who trust Hashem aren’t worried where their next meal is coming from; they know that He who has fed them in the past will continue to do so in the future.” ~ R. Lazer Brody

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Letter from the Yetzer Hora

[This is Amazing!  I found this on http://www.divreichizuk.com – Please read]

To my star pupil,

   I am writing this letter to let you know what I think of you. Up here in heaven things are not like they are down on Earth. Over there, people only know what they can see. If they see a person is “successful”, they think that he is the greatest guy. When they see somebody struggling, they think he might be one of the weaker elements.

  Let me tell you something. Hashem gives every person certain abilities that nobody knows about down where you live. Some people are capable of tremendous things, while others were put there for much smaller purposes. Only Hashem in His infinite wisdom is able to give every person exactly what he needs, to reach his potential.

   I am very misunderstood. Most people hate me, and I don’t really blame them. Most people think that my job is to make sure that they fail in all aspects of Mitzvos, and that I rejoice every time they sin. This is the furthest thing from the truth. Did you ever watch a boxing coach train his student? It is really a funny sight. The coach will put on gloves, and fight against his student. At first, he won’t hit him so hard, or throw his best punches. But, as the student gets better and better, the coach will start to fight him harder and harder. He does this so that the student will improve his skills, and become the best boxer he can be. This is where it gets strange. Every time the coach knocks down the student, the student gets yelled at!! But finally, when the coach threw everything he has at his student, and not only does he withstand the beating, but he knocks the coach down, there is nobody in the world happier then the coach himself!

   This is exactly how I feel. If you fail right away, and don’t even try to fight back, I see that there is not much talent to work with, and so I take it easy on you. But if you get back up swinging, I realize that I may have a real winner here, and so I start to intensify the beating. With every level that you go up, I increase the intensity of the fight. If you finally deal me a blow that knocks me out, I will get up and embrace you and rejoice with your success.

  Sometimes my job is very disappointing I see a person with a lot of potential and I start right in on him. He fights back for a while, but when the fight gets too tough, he quits and just remains on whatever level he was on. (And he usually ends up going down!) I feel like yelling at him, “Get up you fool! Do you have any idea how much more you could be accomplishing?!” But I am not allowed to do so. I just leave him alone, and go try to find another promising candidate.

   If I have chosen you to be the target of my more fierce battles, it was not for no reason! You have tremendous ability! You were born into a very special family, you have Rabbeim who really care about you, and parents who would help you grow in Torah and Mitzvos. You are a very respectful and kind person.

     I am writing to you now, because I have a very serious request to ask of you. Please don’t stop fighting! Don’t give up! I have been beating too many people lately, and I am losing patience.  Believe in yourself, because I would not be involved with you as much as I am if I didn’t think you could beat me. Know what your strengths are! A great Rabbi once said: “Woe is to he who doesn’t know his weaknesses. But, ‘Oy Vavoy’ to him who doesn’t know his strengths – for he will not have anything with which to fight.”

    Always remember one thing: you have a secret weapon at your disposal. I shouldn’t really be telling you – but I will anyway. Hashem himself is watching our “training” sessions very closely. I’m pleased to inform you that He’s rooting for you! If things should ever get tough, almost too tough to bear, just call out to Him with a prayer, and He will immediately come to your aid. I wish you the best of luck, and I hope that after 120 years when your time is up in that world of falsehood, you will come up here to the world of truth, where I will be waiting for you with open arms, to congratulate you on your victory, and personally escort you to your place next to the Kisey HaKavod.

Sincerely, and with great admiration I remain,

Your Yetzer Hara

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Rejected!

“It is Satan’s desire that we speak loshon hora so that our prayers will be rejected Above.” ~ Chofetz Chaim

Tomorrow’s post is a little longer than usual, but as I have said before, if I choose to post something a bit lengthy, you can be certain that it is worthwhile to read.

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How to Fall and Get Up

“If you are falling, don’t be sad; you know G-d is teaching you how to get up.  If you don’t fall, how can the One, the Only One, teach you to get up?  So when you’re falling, let your heart be filled with joy, because the Only One, who knows and can teach you, is showing you how to get up.” ~ R’ Shlomo Carlebach zt”l

 

 

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You Can’t Just Talk a Big Game

“A person should know and realize that the Creator, may He be exalted, is watching him, and nothing is hidden from Him; neither his outer nor his inner life, neither his outer appearances nor his inner convictions.  And He knows whether a person’s trust in Him is sincere or not.  As it says in Scripture: ‘G-d knows the thoughts of man, that they are in vain’ (Tehillim 94:11); ‘Will not He, Who appraises the heart, discern?’ (Mishlei 24:12); ‘For You alone know the hearts of all men’ (Melachim I, 8:39).

When this is clear to a person, it is improper for him to profess in his speech that he trusts in G-d if he does not trust in Him in his heart and inner self.  For then he would be on the level of those of whom it is said: ‘With their mouth and with their lips they honor Me, while their heart they keep far from Me.’ (Yeshayahu)” ~ Chovos Halevos

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The System

“The common conception of how the system works is faulty.

They see a career as “making a living.” A career doesn’t make anything.

What you receive is generated above, in a spiritual realm. Your business is to set up a channel to allow that spiritual reservoir to flow into the material world.” R’ Tzvi Freeman

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Heavy of Mouth

“Moshe Rabbeinu described himself as ‘Heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue.’  Were it not for the fact that Moshe was not an accomplished speaker, nor a gifted orator, Bnei Yisrael would have likely remained in Egypt without being redeemed as quickly as they were, since all the days would have gone by with lectures, speeches and debates.” ~ R’ Yaakov Yeshaya Maza zt”l (Rov of Moscow) from Torah Tavlin

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Quality over Quantity

“The important thing is not how many separate commandments we obey, but the spirit in which we obey them.” ~ Baal Shem Tov

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Good Company

“Young children who cannot absorb Torah knowledge can still attain fear of G-d by being around those who study Torah and just hearing their words.  The same thing goes for adults, too, who can’t learn Torah in depth.  They should try to keep company with Torah scholars – it might rub off on them.” ~ R’ Moshe Sternbuch shlit”a from Torah Tavlin

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