Rejoicing with H-shem at the Geulah

I just saw this email from Praying with Passion - a beautiful series on the whole but these are such uplifting insights - and exactly focused on the topic of this blog that I had to share them:

PRAYING WITH PASSION- Issue #79
Tefillah Focus Of The Week:
הללוי-ה שירו לה'Rejoicing With Hashem

הללוי-ה, שירו לה' שיר חדש, תהלתו בקהל חסידים. ישמח ישראל בעשיו, בני ציון יגילו במלכם. יהללו שמו במחול...Meaning:(The simple translation of the prayer):
Hallelu-kah! Sing to Hashem a new song, let His praise be in the congregation of the devout. Let Israel exult in its Maker, let the children of Zion rejoice in their King. Let them praise His name with dancing...
Word to the Wise (Meaning within the word):
תהלתו בקהל חסידיםWho is the verse describing when it says, תהלתו בקהל חסידים, “Let his praise be in the congregation of the devout ones?” Sforno (Tehillim 50:5) explains that this refers to those who hold onto the Torah and mitzvos in exile. Upholding the Torah and mitzvos when we see Hashem’s open loving-kindness and compassion conforms to our sense of fairness and justice. However, in exile, Hashem’s loving “hand” is often times hidden. חסידים refers to those who preserve their bond with Hashem despite the hardship of exile, to those who have served Him and clung to Him for so long. To love Hashem in such a difficult situation is considered as going “above and beyond,” which is the definition of an act of piety.
One summer day in 1941, before the enemy took them all away to be killed, Rav Elchonon Wasserman addressed fellow townspeople in the courtyard of the home where he had been staying. Rav Elchonon spoke quietly and calmly as was his practice. Not even the sound of his voice was changed; on his face was his customary earnestness.
‘In Heaven it appears that they deem us to be righteous because our bodies have been chosen to atone for Jewry. Therefore, we must repent now, immediately. There is not much time. We must keep in mind that we will be better offerings if we repent. In this way, we will save the lives of our brothers and sisters in America. Let no thought enter our minds, G-d forbid, which is abominable and which renders a [sacrificial] offering unfit. We are now fulfilling the greatest mitzvah.’
Theme: (An essential concept of the prayer):
The Jewish people, who have been loyal to Hashem throughout the exile, will rejoice with Him when the times of Moshiach arrive.

Insight: (Deeper meanings of the theme):

In Hashem's PresenceThis mizmor, שירו לה’ שיר חדש refers to the future, when the final redemption comes. This is hinted with the word ישמח which contain the same letters as the word משיח (Siddur HaYavetz). As the verse testifies, when the final redemption is upon us, ישמח ישראל בעשיו, the Jewish people will rejoice with our Maker, just as a child delights with his father’s presence after a prolonged absence. The rejoicing will not come simply in response to the abundance and delicacies of the redeemed world, but rather, our joy will be in the revelation of Hashem’s presence and the establishment of His rule over the world.
Shlomo HaMelech (Koheles 7:2) teaches: “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting (for that is the end of man) and the living should take it to heart.” The simple meaning of this statement is that this brush with mortality motivates the visitor to examine his priorities. However, there is a deeper, core lesson in the prayer one says upon departing from the mourner, “May God comfort you among the rest of the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.”
In effect, one tells the mourner that his sadness is shared by the entire Jewish people. All Jews have lost the comfort and security of living in the presence of our Beloved One. From that loss, all other losses unfold. One who understands the deeper meaning of this prayer will indeed feel spurred to re-order his priorities, not only because life is so short, but more so because he will be motivated to do whatever is necessary to hasten the day when the Shechinah’s full presence is restored, the day when all sorrows will end, when we will rejoice with our Maker.

Visualize: (Images that bring the prayer to life):
Coming HomeA young father begins a new business that requires him to travel abroad for six weeks. Each day, the children ask their mother, “When is Daddy coming home?” She keeps assuring them that he will indeed return. They are too young to understand weeks and months, but she does her best to keep their hopes up.
Finally, the big day arrives. The children’s father walks through the door and his children leap into his arms. Soon, he is pulling a wide variety of fascinating gifts out of his bags – dolls, toys, candies and jewelry of every description. The children are nearly drunk with delight as they examine their new treasures. But when their father heads into the kitchen to get some refreshment, the children drop their toys and run after him. Now that they’ve got him back, there’s nothing they want more than to be near him.
In the same way, when the Jewish people are once again able to experience Hashem’s closeness, the physical bounty inherent in redemption will be only a side-benefit. Basking in Hashem’s presence will be our greatest joy. The peace and plenty we will enjoy will only exist to free us to expend all our energy in connecting to our Father in Heaven.

Try This:
Imagine that everything you need for your physical well-being and happiness is right at your fingertips, and that you do not take it for granted. Each and every gift is a constant source of delight and gratitude to Hashem. Imagine that full, contented feeling – the feeling of living in a redeemed world – when you say the words: ישמח ישראל בעשיו.

H-shem, You owe me, big time! by the Shmuz

Please note: This week's article is a bit long. I feel it deals with a major issue that many of us face and requires a perspective change, however it took me a bit to get to that. I think it's well worth the few minutes it will take.

Have a good Shabbos,
R' Shafier
HASHEM, You Owe Me - and You Owe Me Big Time

HASHEM, I don't mean to complain, but you owe me. I mean, just look at everything I do for you. I daven. I put on tefilin. I eat only kosher. It's not easy, you know. When I'm on the road, there are times when I can barely find a snack. But more than that, I never miss a day of the daf. Each morning at 6:25 AM, there I am in shul, Starbucks cup in hand, sitting back ready to listen.

And, what do I gain from all of this? Nothing. It's not about me. These are simply things that I do for you. They make you happy, so I do them. So naturally, after all the things that I do for you, in return, I expect a few things, minor things, like health, food, clothing, money, a house, a car, and a vacation each year - just the bare necessities of life.

What's wrong with this picture? To answer this, we need to step away from our limited perspective.
Life is Like a Dream
Imagine you are aboard a large ship, set out on a beautiful ocean voyage. Not a care in the world, you relax to enjoy a well-earned break. On the second day of the journey, towards evening, the weather turns bad. Pelting rain. Howling winds. The vessel, once looming and enormous, seems to shrink as it is tossed and thrown by the ocean. You go down to your room and lie down to a fitful sleep. In the middle of the night, you awake with a jolt. The floor is bucking. The walls are shaking. You get out of bed and stumble, almost falling. You catch yourself and lurch to the door of your cabin.

Holding onto anything you can grab, you fight your way up to the deck and emerge to see nothing - a night as dark as pitch. The ship itself seems to be tearing apart with every roll and surge of the ocean. "This is bad," you think to yourself. But you don't realize how bad it is until you see the captain's face as he addresses the crew. Abject terror grips him as he cries out, "We're going down! Women and children first! Then every man for himself!"

Lifeboats fly overboard. People run. Jump. Almost as if in a dream, you move forward. You don't know how, you don't know why, but you find yourself in the ocean. The water is freezing. You can't see. You're so numb, you almost can't feel. The blackness is everywhere. Somehow, you climb into an empty lifeboat - and pass out.
On the Island
Much later, you wake up, look around, and slowly come to your senses. "What? Huh? Where am I?" Slowly, you realize that you are shipwrecked on a deserted island. How much time has passed, you can't tell. Where you are, you have no idea. The one thing you do know is that you are famished, and parched. A long row of trees stands in front of you. You enter, stumbling, hoping against hope that someone, anyone is there. After a while, you notice a path. At first, it's just a break in the undergrowth; then slowly it becomes smoother and more defined. It leads you on to an opening. And you look out. In the distance stands a castle - moat and all - majestically set against a breathtaking backdrop of lush gardens and orchards. Almost trancelike, you walk towards it.

As you get closer, you notice that the long drawbridge covering the moat is down, and the gate to the castle is wide open. You cross the bridge and enter. Before you stretches a long and stately hallway with an enormous regal ceiling. Suddenly, you are overcome by the sweet aromas wafting in the air. You almost forgot how hungry you were, but now it all comes back to you in a flash.


The smells draw you into a magnificent dining room. In the center sits an ornately-carved, mahogany table, twenty feet long-laden with fresh food. You look around. No one is there. Not a sound can be heard. You don't know what to do. Your wonder doesn't last long, though, as the grumbling in your stomach pulls at you. You sit down into a plush armchair at the head of the table, and begin wolfing down everything within reach.

After a while, your appetite subsides a bit, and you look at the different foods on the table. You are amazed-astonished would be a better word. Every delicacy, every gourmet dish you have ever heard of and many that you don't even recognize, is set out on the table. It looks like it was all just prepared, waiting for someone. You continue eating until you are stuffed.

Slowly, you get up and wander about the room. Regal portraits adorn the walls. Gilded moldings trim the ceiling. You have never seen a room decorated with such care and attention to detail. "This is magnificent," you think to yourself.

You walk out into the hallway, and the plush carpeting almost melts under your step. You pass a sitting room and then a library, as you walk around the most striking, elegant mansion you have ever seen. In the center is a grand, circular staircase. You climb up to see a string of rooms. . . and one door is ajar. You enter. In front of you is a bed, beautifully made with satin sheets, a ruffled pillowcase, and the bed sheets turned down invitingly. Your sense of wonder is overcome by sheer exhaustion. You lie down to sleep.

It Continues
Twelve hours later, much refreshed, you awaken to the smell of freshly brewed coffee. Heading back down those elegant stairs you climbed last night, you again see the dining room table filled with food, but this time with breakfast fare: eggs, pancakes, waffles, toast, and freshly-squeezed orange juice. The armchair is pulled out, and in front of it is a plate of your favorite food: pancakes with maple syrup. You sit down to a grand repast. After having your fill, you get up and go out for a walk to the back veranda.

In front of you stretches a beautifully-tended garden, with rosebushes and daffodils - all trimmed back, all arranged with great precision. You go for a long walk. When you return, you again find the dining room table set, but this time with lunch meats, fried potatoes, and Caesar salad. Again your chair is pulled out. It is becoming clear that something is going on.

That evening, as you climb back up the staircase and find the door to your room door open again, this time with a fire lit in the fireplace, the sheets turned down, and the shades drawn, it hits you, "Someone is here. Someone is watching. Someone is taking care of me. But I don't see a soul. I don't hear a sound."

The next day as you walk into the gardens, you discover a trail, heading into the woods. You follow it, and it leads you to a brook - crystal clear water gently flowing over a bed of rocks. "I always read about babbling brooks, but I never knew they actually made that sound," you think to yourself. "It is so peaceful. Serene." You reach down, cup your hands, scoop up some water, bring it to your lips for a nice cool drink - when you suddenly see a large yellow sign. Please! Please, do not drink from this brook. The water is poison." You drop your hands; the water falls through your fingers. "Hmmmm...The sign. Who put it here? And the paint is fresh. It looks like it was just placed there today. Strange."

You continue your walk, following the brook as it leads you to the other side of the island. You emerge into a clearing, and your breath leaves you as you see-a lagoon! Magnificent white sand surrounds a small lake of placid, warm water. "It looks so tempting. I think I'll go in for dip."

As you walk closer, you see another sign: "Please! Please do not swim here. This lagoon is infested with man eating piranhas."

You look into the water, and there they are large, innocent looking fish - with the sharpest teeth you have ever seen. "Who put the sign there? What is going on?!"

The Secret Discovered
And this continues. Day after day, week after week, your every need is taken care of, your every requirement met, your every desire catered to. After an entire year of living in the castle, one morning as you come down the grand staircase, there is a rustling in the kitchen. Dishes clatter, frying pans clang, and a spoon scrapes against metal - someone is there!

You call out in a booming voice that you almost don't recognize. "I don't know who you are, I don't know why you are doing this-but you make a mean roast beef. And those waffles. I mean, they are great. Thank you."

Suddenly, the kitchen door flies open, and a parade of cooks, chefs, and wait staff pours out. Behind them walks the master of the manor. He motions for quiet. Everyone listens in revered silence as he speaks. "You have recognized me. You realized that I have been caring for you. Not only that, but you have thanked me. And even more, you obeyed my warnings. Not once did you drink the poisonous water. For all this, I am deeply, deeply appreciative. I don't even have words to express how happy you have made me! And so, I feel that I must reward you. Because of what you have done, this mansion, its servants, its lands and holdings all belong to you - as a small token of my appreciation for this great service that you done for me. "
What This Means
This is a parable to life. We are that guest and HASHEM is the master of the manor. From the time that we arrive on this planet, our every need is taken care of, and every requirement has been anticipated and planned for. We enjoy luxuries, pleasures, sights, sounds, flavors, aromas and tastes, each carefully designed and crafted for our enjoyment. We were given, health, well-being, food, clothing, a home, and our very existence. And HASHEM has given us a very exact game plan. Do this and don't do that. This will help you grow and accomplish. This will damage you.

What does HASHEM ask in return? That we recognize Him. That we cut through the darkness and realize that there is a master to this home. Someone sets the table and cooks the food. If we recognize this, we are richly rewarded. If we manage to actually perceive our Creator, we acquire our World to Come, which is so magnificent that it defies description.

One of the hallmarks of maturity is understanding, and one of the understandings of a mature person is that HASHEM doesn't need us. HASHEM lacks nothing and needs nothing. HASHEM created us to give to us, expecting nothing in return. He gave us all of the tools we need and the opportunity to spend a lifetime growing and accomplishing. And He gave us a system of self-perfection. The mitzvahs are the vehicles that allow us to grow.

While it is true that if we follow the Torah system, we will be rewarded for eternity - it isn't because we deserve it. It is because our Creator is giving, loving and kindly. Everything that we do doesn't help HASHEM. Torah, mitzvahs, emunah, bitachon - HASHEM doesn't gain from them. We do. We improve; we grow. For eternity, we will be what we shaped ourselves into: great or mediocre, accomplished or impoverished. The greatest gift that HASHEM gave us is the gift of life. He also gave us health, well-being, and our very existence - all for our good, all for our benefit.

"HASHEM you owe me. You owe me big time."

Ah... somehow, I just don't think so.

Galut Winding Down...:)

Nice Inspirational Words from Today's Hakhel Email:

Special Note Six: In last week’s Parsha, the Torah records that “Elef LeMateh, Elef LeMateh--or "1,000 soldiers, 1,000 soldiers" were to be taken from each Shevet to do battle with Midyan. Why does the Torah phrase it as “1,000 soldiers, 1,000soldiers”--and not simply as “2,000 soldiers”? It is because 1,000 soldiers actually went to war, and the other 1,000 were enlisted to daven for victory. HaRav Yechezkel Levenstein, Z’tl, teaches that the 1,000 who were davening did not stay behind--but actually accompanied the fighting soldiers to battle, so that the soldiers would understand that it was not their military prowess ('Kochi VeOtzem Yadi') that was the basis of their victory--but rather it was Hashem who was the Source of victory through our Tefillos. Hakhel Note: During these times, as we wind down the Jewish People’s career in Galus, we may add that it is not only the soldiers who should be aware of the singular power of our Tefillos, but it is we ourselves who must know and understand that when we pray such tefillos as“VeLeYerushalayim Ircha", "Es Tzemach", "Shema Koleinu", and the like, with sincerity of heart, we are fighting--and defeating-- those who mean us harm from Teheran to Turkey, and from Moscow to Washington D.C. There may be spies and counter spies, politicians and statesmen, military analysts and advisors and the most advanced of weaponry, but the battles are won in Hashem's Court, and Hashem's Court only. Incredibly, Chazal teach that Nevuchadnezzar did not allow the Jewish people to rest upon exiling them, until they got to “Al Naharos Bavel” because he was fearful of their ability to wholly reverse the entire earth-shattering decree against them by simply turning and returning to Hashem. Let us not lose the opportunities that the soldiers in battle were made aware of, that Nevuchadnezzar knew about, and that has been a recurrent theme of our existence since the days of Yetzias Mitzrayim. Let us take out the time in these days to cry out to Hashem, as HaRav Leib Chasmin, Z’tl, teaches “KeShekoeiv Zoakim--when one is in pain, he cries out.” Together we can turn this period from a time of nuclear armament to nuclear disarmament, from a time of swords into a time of plowshares, and from a time of terror to a time of love and peace. This is Hashem's World and no one else's--we all know it--now is the time to feel it--and to meaningfully express it!

How Should we Respond to Flotilla Events?

This is noteworthy from today's Hakhel Email:


Special Note One: The travesty and tragedy of yesterday’s events in the waters outside Eretz Yisroel (which according to one opinion is part of Eretz Yisoel itself) brings us a step closer to the important reality of the times that we live in. An earthquake in Haiti, volcanic eruptions in Iceland which affect millions in Europe, or even last week’s carpeting of millions of frogs over a Greek highway that caused its temporary closure may not have drawn our complete focus and attention. They too, of course, represent Hashem’s reminder of His ruling hand over the world. However, now that we have been attacked personally, the sting feels greater. To analogize, the recent other events may be viewed as Tzora’as on the house, and yesterday’s seaboard and worldwide attacks against us are more like the feeling of Tzora’as on one’s clothing. One thing is certain, we must react. To some, it may be with more Tefillah (either qualitatively or quantitatively), others will respond to the call with some additional Torah learning, and yet others will respond with a Chesed or Chasadim that go beyond the ordinary. But react we must, if we truly have Emunah--that nothing is happenstance, nothing is mere ‘news’, and that nothing is simply El Quada ploys to hurt Israel’s image in the international community. As we move toward the last quarter of the year of Tammuz-Av-Elul, let us take stock, and let us demonstrate to Hashem our Emunah in him by showing that we received the message--and that we are really and truly acting upon it immediately!



Additional Note One: Today, in the aftershock of the event, it may be a wise idea to give some additional Tzedaka, for if Hashem sees that we act charitably with others, he will act charitably with us. Additionally, as we come ever closer to our final redemption, we remember that “Veshaveha Betzedaka”… those who return, will return with the righteousness of their charitable acts.



Additional Note Two: Today is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Shlomo Yisroel Gelber, Z’tl. He always taught that Hashem expects of the person that he use the Sechel that was given to him personally. Especially in the circumstances we are in, each person must apply his own Sechel to what he can do and how he can do it--for his sake, and for the sake of K’lal Yisroel.