REAL LIVING

Dear Family,

I hope everyone is well.

Mazal Tov to Chanie Davidoff whose birthday is on Shabbos. Wishing you a year of much achievement and settling down in California.

Mazal Tov to Shmuel (Levy) on your birthday next week. Hatzlochah Rabbah with everything Shmuel!

This week,s sedra is Vayechi - 'And he lived', referring to the 17 BEST YEARS OF YAAKOV'S LIFE IN EGYPT

It is interesting that this subject kept appearing this week in different forms:

1. An explanation from the Rebbe on why the 17 best years of Yaakovs life were in the most immoral country in the world at that time?
2. I got this forward from Mommy - see attached.
3. We watched another instalment of Rabbi Stein's course on Living in the Moment titled TOMORROW IS GOING TO BE GOOD. This course is really so essential and useful, and am therefore attaching the link again. - most interesting!

https://www.chabad.org/multimedia/media_cdo/aid/4181470/jewish/Tomorrow-Is-G oing-to-Be-Good.htm

4. An article on Faith - Reacting to Inconvenience from Kesser Shem Tov

In summary, the core of the above points is to home into the present, by shutting the door to all past difficulties, and current and future worries, and focus in fully on one's current task.

This is best understood directly from the course, by learning and practicing according to Rabbi Stein's teaching.

From this point of a deep relaxed and joyful feeling, we become open to FAITH, and a feeling of certainty that TOMORROW IS GOING TO BE GOOD, DEVOTING OUR LIVES TO GOOD DEEDS.

Of course this is no guarantee that life will be without difficulties, but now there is the potential of thriving with the difficulties.

As Rabbi Stein puts it, the function of the difficulties are really just tests of our Faith. Or put another way, a training ground for our Faith.

And this brings us back to why the best years of Yaakov's life were in Egypt?

The Rebbe explains that when Yaakov saw that his children were coping with the challenges of this immoral environment, and were holding on to the teachings of Torah, he knew that his Family had internalised his teachings and that the future of Klal Yisroel was secure.

And as was mentioned last week, he had set up a Yeshiva in the midst of this worldly life.

The last article described how Divine Providence applies to each one of us, regardless ie everything that happens to us, whether minor or major events, are all judgements relating to ourselves.

When we reflect on our situation and realise that our situation has resulted from our past deeds, and our current state has come from Hashem, we will be filled with remorse.

BUT AS A RESULT OF THIS TESHUVAH, OUR SINS ARE IMMEDIATELY FORGIVEN. - because we have turned our thoughts to reflect on G-d and His Ways

Wishing all of us success in really living, and a Gut Shabbos.