NOT TO BE FOOLED
Dear Family,
I hope everyone is well. And wishing Renee a continued refuah shleimah.
We welcome Ariel Jacobs to our email Family group. Ariel recently got married to Daniella ne Davidoff. So happy to have you with us Ariel! Please feel free to contribute, and supply us with achievements and simchos!
BH this week has been so intense and rich from so many angles.
Parshas Balak is rich and full of deep meaning.
Then we celebrated the Chassidic Yom Tov of the release of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson (The Frierdike Rebbe) - Yud Beis Tammuz, where we had a Chassidishe Farbreng with Rabbi Chay Amar from Florida, which was also rich and intense, and stirred us out of our daily habitual lifestyles.
And then the Sicha that I learnt from the Rebbe was likewise linked to these themes.
I will try and share this in summary.
Farbreng (Chassidic get-together)
Rabbi Amar based his expert delivery, on the meeting that the Frierdike Rebbe had with his father, the Rebbe Rashab, on his Barmitzvah. His father told him amongst other things ..'DO NOT FOOL YOURSELF, DO NOT FOOL OTHERS, AND DO NOT LET OTHERS FOOL YOU...'
This drew attention to ourselves, where we are mostly caught up in habitual thinking, preoccupation with ourselves and our businesses, how we use our time, and what we give importance to.
(Traditionally, at a Chassidishe farbreng there is admonition done out of a spirit of deep love and affection, to improve our ways - Hayom Yom 24th Tishrei)
Balak
The Sedra is rich in the concept of Mashiach, (Bilam trying to curse the Jewish People and ending up giving us the greatest blessings), the battle between a lifestyle where all our needs were met by miracles in the desert, and the upcoming lifestyle of moving in to Eretz Yisrael where we would now need to work for a living, (we were on the verge of entering EY), and the battle of life's seductions and temptations (Midianite women) etc
Sicha (Parshas Balak Likkutei Sichos Vol 18)
(Of course it is very interesting and important for us to know if we are fooling ourselves and what to do about it, and I think that the sicha of this week, goes a way to helping us in this direction.)
- As mentioned above Bnei Yisrael were about to enter from exile in the desert to freedom in our Land
- Micha in this week's Haftorah also prophesizes our emergence from exile "The remnant of Yaakov will be in the midst of many Nations.. They will not hope from man, nor expect from a mortal...And the blessings will come like dew, directly sent by G-d, which comes like raindrops upon vegetation, which no one hopes for.. The remnant of Jacob will be like a lion among the beasts of the forest..'
- The Rebbe then discusses the conflict of how much one devotes of one's life to the worldly way in both the physical and spiritual, and how much to devote to trust and miracle. Both have recognition in Torah, but when one tries to balance between the two, one comes into the realm of 'Two Nations will contend for the upper hand', and the battle can be challenging and tricky, trying to decide who we listen to, to guide our decisions. Whereas the level of transcending worldliness and mortal reason, directed by humility and trust, leads to a different level of Service.
- This explains Micha's prophecy of the future Redemption, where we will be moving to a preparatory state of 'not placing our hope in man.' (and not giving primacy to physical concerns)
- This lesson is appropriate to ourselves, who are living in the last days of this bitter exile of a double and redoubled darkness. At this time, every individual's Service should have at least a foretaste of the level at which we will 'not place our hope in man.' Through such an approach, every individual will be redeemed from the worries and problems that disturb them. For when he engages in 'all that you do' only for the sake of fulfilling G-d's will, he will not be fazed or bothered by his worldly occupations..This individual redemption will also serve as the preparation for the all-encompassing Redemption led by Mashiach...
Wishing a Gut Shabbos to all!