WORK ON FAITH

Dear Family,

I hope everyone is well.

Mazal Tov to Pesach and Chanie on their Anniversary on Shabbos. Wishing you much happiness together and nachas from the children.

Mazal Tov to Mendel Davidoff on his birthday, also this Shabbos. We love you Mendel. Keep growing in all areas!

It is also the Anniversary of Mommy and I, next week.

Then there are some Yohrtzeits:

The Rebbe

Our dear father Pesach ben Zalman

And Rosalie Fisher. We wish long life to all.

The order of events in this week's Sedra Vayishlach teaches us many lessons.

Bnei Yisrael have just come out of Mitzrayim, and have had a first-hand view of all the miracles that Hashem has done for them inside Mitzrayim, the splitting of the sea allowing them through on dry land, and then the miracles in the desert with a cloud leading them by day, a pillar of fire by night, manna falling down as food, water coming out of the rock etc

And now Hashem promises them that He is going to take them into Eretz Yisrael, and He says to Mosheh 'If you wish, send spies into the Land to explore it before entering.' And Rashi says that the People had requested this from Mosheh..

And the spies found giants in the Land, and said, 'We viewed ourselves as locusts, and so did they indeed view us.'

Then, on returning to the encampment after 40 days, 10 of the 12 spies stirred up a huge revolution of the entire community to turn them against going to Eretz Yisrael, and to return to Egypt. This was a very severe transgression.

Why did they lose faith!?

The other 2 spies Yehoshuah and Calev tried to calm and and reassure the people, but to no avail.

Hashem becomes extremely angry, and the result is that 10 of the spies die, Yehoshuah and Calev get rewarded, and all of Bnei Yisrael have to wander in the desert for 40 years. During this time all men currently over 20 will gradually die every Tisha Beav and will not enter EY.

Then the men regret their lack of faith and want to push ahead and go straight into EY to correct their mistake, against the instruction of Mosheh. Hashem is not with them and they are slaughtered by the Amaleki and Cnaani.

And straight after this , in the midst of the ongoing punishments, Hashem is already saying, 'When you come into your Homeland (in 40 years time)... This is what you should do..

The lessons :

1. Even when everything around one looks difficult, and even 'impossible', we should know that everything is still possible, and Hashem can and will help.

Rabeinu Bachaye in Chovev Levavos writes that BITACHON (FAITH), is complete peace of mind, in which a person knows that he can rely on Hashem and trust in Him. When a person contemplates how Hashem loves him, cares for him, is able to fulfil his needs, and knows what is best for him. And how Hashem alone monitors his life and does good even to those who are undeserving. Then he will feel FULL BITACHON IN HIM.

The Rebbe said that this needs toil to strengthen this belief in our everyday lives.

2. How we see ourselves is how others will see us. If we see ourselves as 'grasshoppers', that is how we will be perceived.

And similarly, if we have a positive view of ourselves, this will generate a positive response

3. Stand up for what is right even when the masses are doing the opposite.
4. Obeying Hashems instructions offers us protection
5. Hashem will never abandon us, even with all of our mistakes and rebellion.

Wishing everyone a Gut Shabbos!