The Gemara (Makos 17b, Rashi) states that a mother should daven that her children should be like Reb Shimon bar Yochai.
The Minchas Elazar (Shaar Yissaschar) says that the Gemara refers to one who is davening on Lag b’Omer.
On this day, anything is possible. On this day, one can ask for the most incredible things – even that one’s child be like Reb Shimon bar Yochai.
~ R’ Elimelech Biderman
The concept of bitachon (that Hashem will provide for all the needs of one who truly trusts and relies on Him) is not dependent on merit, for even if he is a person who does not act properly, since he strengthened his bitachon in Hashem, the power of bitachon protects him, and Hashem will act kindly towards him.
~ Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan, Sefer Shem Olam 2:8
Circumstances don’t determine whether a person will be happy, but rather how one reacts to the circumstances.
~ R’ Elimelech Biderman
When action is needed, the impossible is within our reach.
~ R’ Chaim Shmulevitz zt”l
Q. If I were to give you $1,000,000, how would you feel?
A. I would feel extremely grateful.
Q. Would anyone be able to put you in a bad mood for a little while?
A. Absolutely not.
Q. What if I were to give you $10,000,000, but you wouldn’t wake up tomorrow, would you take it?
A. Absolutely not.
Q. Ok, so what you are saying is, waking up tomorrow, just waking up, is worth more than $10,000,000?
A. Yes it is.
Q. So then why don’t you feel that way every time you wake up?!
We are all teachers by example.
~ R’ Moshe Feinstein zt”l
One of the lessons of Sefiras Ha’Omer is to focus only on today.
“Don’t think about your aveiros of the past [which will make you distressed and lose hope] and don’t think about what will be in the future [which will make you feel that it is impossible to maintain your teshuvah for a long time]. Think about this day alone. Today I can make a nachas ruach for Hashem with Torah and mitzvos.”
~ The Divrei Shmuel zt’l
The Bal Shem Tov says if you want to know whether you are really serving G-d, it is simple:
If my heart is filled with joy each time I put on tefillin, and each time I do something good my heart is filled with joy, then I am serving G-d.
If I am not on that level, then I am just doing mechanical things.
Even that is very holy, and I’ll be rewarded in Heaven for doing it, but it is heartbreaking.
~ R’ Shlomo Carlebach zt”l
If one is always joyful, his face will shine, his countenance will be radiant, his body will be healthy, and old age will not leap upon him, as it is written [in Proverbs 17:12], “A happy heart is healing as medicine ”
~ Orchot Tzaddikim
Faith is about seeing the miraculous in the everyday, not about waiting every day for the miraculous.
~ R” Lord Jonathan Sacks zt”l
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