A SWEET AND HAPPY LIFE

Dear Family,

I hope everyone is well.

Renee continues with her treatment and we wish her a speedy recovery. BH there has been some progress.

We also wish Brian a refuah shleimah from covid.

I saw an interesting interpretation from this week's Sedra Ekev, on how we can have a sweet and happy personal journey to our own 'promised land', which I would like to share.

It was from Sefer Hasichos 5752 Vol 1 p324-328, and was based on the verse 8:8 from our Sedra, which says, "G-d has given you a land of wheat, barley, grapevines, figs, and pomegranates; a land of oil producing olive, and (date) honey."

Wheat.

Primarily human food

Barley

Primarily animal food

These 2 foods represent our work with our two souls ie our Divine and animal souls, (which are BATTLING to take charge of 'the little city' - our body)

Wine (product of the grape)

Represents the JOY with which we should approach this work

Figs

Refers to the garments worn by Adam and Eve (fig leaves)

And represents our efforts to REFINE THE GARMENTS OF THE SOUL - Thought, Speech and Action

Pomegranate

The many seeds of the pomegranate symbolize the multitude of Mitzvot, through which we REFINE THE WORLD around us

Olives

Need significant exertion to squeeze out the oil

Dates

Date palm trees take a long time to grow

Both olives and dates therefore represent the EXERTION that we need to put in to our journey during our exile.

But both of these produce the added benefits of LIGHT (from the oil) and SWEETNESS, (from the honey of the dates) and allude to the revelation of the inner dimensions of Torah in the times of Mashiach

And for us personally, these efforts will enlighten and sweeten our relationship with Hashem and His Torah, on our journey to our own 'promised land'.

Gut Shabbos to all