HUMILITY IN ENDURANCE

Dear Family,

Hope everyone is well.

BH lots to report this week.

Mazal Tov to Avi and Penina on the birth of a beautiful baby boy! Wishing you both much joy and the bris and pidyan haben BEH should be beshaah tovah umatzlachas. Mazal Tov to Shmuel and Rivky on the upcoming Barmitzvah of Dovi on Sunday and the Family Shabbos this week, which they have arranged together with the Shalom zachar for Avi and Penina's baby, with the coming together of many Families BH! Yasher koach! Mazal Tov to Mendel for his birthday today. It was nice to celebrate this last night together with you in LA BH. Mazal Tov again to Mendel for passing his exam for Interior Decorating. This new work should be with much success. Mazal Tov to Mariasha for becoming certified in Estate Agency. Michayil el chayil. I believe that also Devorah Leah passed her exams for Teaching. Mazal Tov Devorah Leah Good luck for all those currently studying and writing exams. We are thinking about you!

BH so much to be GRATEFUL for, and wishing all those in need of brochos, to have all their needs fulfilled very soon!

Just to remind the Family of the great opportunity that exists for Blessings on Lag Baomer this Sunday, where Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai is there with us at all his gatherings, and where it is a most favourable time to request ones needs.

Every day of the sefira between Pesach and Shavuos involves the refinement of different aspects of our character traits, and these are expressed by combinations of the 7 Emotional Attributes - *sefirot*.

It is interesting that many members of the Family and extended Family have birthdays in the sefira period, and many have the aspect of *NETZACH - *ENDURANCE (one of the translations)

What is relevant to this week, and I think is relevant for the whole Family, is that Avi and Penina's new baby was born on the day of the sefira *HOD* in *NETZACH - *HUMILITY IN ENDURANCE. Dovi the Barmitzvah boy's real birthday was about a week ago and he is also an aspect of *NETZACH, ie gvurah shebenetzach.*

What we can learn this week is as follows: (From a book by Rabbi Simon Jacobson)

HUMILITY means yielding.
The reed which yields to the wind does not get uprooted, and it survives. But do we yield out of strength or fear? And why are we often afraid of yielding?

ENDURANCE is fuelled by inner strength.

HUMILITY IN ENDURANCE is that we do not only attribute our strengths and determination to ourselves, but we recognise that it also comes from our Soul which Hashem has given to each one of us. This does not reduce from our drive as it may appear. Rather it strengthens it, because our own efforts are limited, and the Divine Soul is limitless.

Wishing everyone a beautiful Shabbos and many simchos, WITH GRATITUDE