DEVELOPING OUR INTELLECT

Dear Family,

I hope everyone is well.

Mazal Tov again to Esther Miriam on the beautiful Basmitzvah celebration she had this week. Wishing you much success in your new adult life Esther!

Mazal Tov for the Anniversary of Reuven and Chana Lieba. Wishing you many more Happy and Healthy years together with much nachas from all your Family

And another Anniversary - Mazal Tov to Hirshy and Mariasha later in the week. Wishing you also many more Happy and Healthy years together with continued growth and achievements with your whole Family.

Mazal Tov to Sara on her birthday tomorrow. Looks like yours and Aarons birthdays are 1 week apart. Anyway you should both have a wonderful year!

And Mazal Tov for all those who have Graduation parties!

Shavuos extends for 7 days after the Yom Tov (a bit like Chol Hamoed of Pesach and Sukkos), and today is the last of these days. As such we are still in the theme of receiving the Torah.

In connection with this I wanted to share an interesting concept I learnt about this week in the book Likutei Dibburim of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson (Vol 2 p256)

He has been discussing what he heard from his father about the heights that every Jew is capable of reaching with their OWN INTELLECTUAL LABOUR.

This may need considerable exertion, to concentrate one's mortal mind to try and grasp a G-dly concept in a mode of actual sense perception.

Following is one short extract:

"Businessmen think that that they know the meaning of exertion and distraction. If a businessman loses a nights sleep, he thinks that this is the ultimate in exertion and distraction.

But even a person of quite mediocre talents, realizes that toiling with ideas is incomparably more demanding than the other kind of toil.

But when, with G-d's help, one's labors yield a true and deep grasp of the concept at hand, the resultant delight and joy of one's knowledge, is incomparably greater than the delight and joy of the businessman.

When with G-d's help, one thoroughly grasps, and soundly integrates, an intellectual proposition in Chassidus, then even although the concept is SPIRITUAL, and the human mind is MATERIAL by comparison, that concept is nevertheless apprehended by SENSE PERCEPTION.

This means that one sees the G-dly concept that one has understood, like a person gazing upon a picture of unusual beauty.

As every little line (of the picture) sinks deep into his eye, he becomes utterly enchanted out of sheer delight....."

Gut Shabbos to all and wishing continued success and delight with Torah study.