BELOVED

Dear Family,

Hope everyone is well.

Mazal Tov to Talya on her Basmitzva on Sunday. It sounds like such a beautiful event is being prepared! It should be a beautiful simcha, and the preparation for a beautiful life based on Torah and mitzvos, Talya. Also enjoy Bobba and Rivky who are travelling to be there with you BEH. And Mazal Tov also to Baty and Shmueli, and wishing you lots of nachas from Talya and all your children.

Mazal Tov to Devorah Leah, who is also travelling to the wedding of her sister next week. Wishing you many simchos in your Family!

Mazal Tov Renee on your upcoming birthday, on Shabbos I believe. Be well and have a wonderful year Renee.

Welcome back Pesach who has just returned from New York where he attended the phenomenal event of Kinus Hashluchim with 6000 other people.

The Kinus Hashluchim is an annual event where thousands of the Lubavitch Shluchim get together for a few days, and the highlight of this gathering is the Banquet.

I really have never ever heard of any such banquet, consisting of 6000 people all housed and catered for in 1 venue, and it is really a most amazing event.

Mommy and I watched some of it, and I am attaching the link, if anyone would at least like to get a glimpse of what took place.

<http://www.collive.com/show_news.rtx?id=48211&alias=kinus-hashluchim-banque t-5778> http://www.collive.com/show_news.rtx?id=48211&alias=kinus-hashluchim-banquet -5778

This week we have been learning in Rambam's Mishneh Torah, the Laws of TESHUVAH.

I found this very interesting and will try and share some of the points that came up.

• A Baal Teshuvah should not consider himself distant from the level of the righteous....He is BELOVED and desirable before the Creator as if he never sinned.
• Furthermore, he has a great reward, for he has tasted sin, and yet has separated himself from it, conquering his evil inclination.
• Teshuvah is great because it draws a man close to the Shechinah. Previously he was hated by Hashem, disgusting, far removed, and abominable. Now he is BELOVED and desirable, close and dear,....clinging to the Shechinah.
• If fools shame the Baal Teshuvah, pointing to their previous life-style, they will pay no attention. On the contrary they will rejoice.
• We are promised by the Torah, that if we fulfil its service with joy and good spirit, and meditate on its wisdom, Hashem will remove all the obstacles which prevent us from fulfilling its service ie sickness, war, famine etc. Similarly He will grant us all good, which will help us reinforce our performance of Torah ie plenty, peace, wealth etc., so that we are not totally involved throughout our days in matters required by the body. Rather he will sit unburdened, able to study wisdom, and perform mitzvot, in order that he will also merit the life of the World-to-Come
• However, one who serves Hashem out of LOVE occupies himself in the Torah and mitzvot, and walks in the Paths of Wisdom, for no ulterior motive - Not because of fear that evil will occur, nor in order to acquire benefit. Rather he does what is true, because it is true, and ultimately, good will come because of it.
• Nevertheless, our Sages declared that a person should always occupy himself with the Torah even when it is not at this high level, because eventually it will lead to this high level. (no efforts will be lost).
• Freewill is granted to all men (of course including women). If one desires to turn to the Path of good and be righteous, the choice is his. Should he desire to turn to the Path of evil and be wicked, the choice is his.
• In the World-to-Come there is no body or physical form. Only the souls of the righteous. There is no way in this world to grasp and comprehend the ultimate good which the soul will experience in the World-to-Come. The Prophets only prophesied about th Messianic age, but not what the World-to-Come looks like.

Gut Shabbos to all and a beautiful BASMITZVAH.