TESTS AND CHALLENGES

Dear Family,

I hope everyone is well. Wishing Reuven a refuah shleimah after his successful knee operation! BH

Mazal Tov to Joy Comarof, my cousin in SA whose birthday is tomorrow. Wishing you a wonderful and healthy year Joy!

Mazal Tov to Talya Davidoff whose birthday is this coming week. Hope all going well with you and wishing you a great year Talya!

And then on Rosh Hashanah itself is the birthday of Daniel Davidoff. Saw your football interview and saw your football playing Daniel. They were great! Wishing you a year of much success in both your secular and spiritual work!

Then we have 2 yohrtzeits:

Yesterday was our mother's, ie Chanan, Reuven and mine - see below.

And next week is Renee's. We have very fond memories of Renee and her active participation and devotion to all members of Family, and we wish Roy, Sid, Brian, Jody, Shelly, Gavin and Adam long life. Her neshamah should have an Aliyah! So happy to have you all on our Family group.

Today I went to the Beis Olam to visit the kever of my mother ah. Her neshamah should have an Aliyah.

One of the lessons she taught us was to NEVER SAY I CAN'T.

This connects with an article that I saw this week from the 'Word of the Week' in Chabad.org. the word being NISAYON - CHALLENGES OR TESTS.

The English language expresses the word test, as a means to determine what someone has achieved prior to taking the test

The Hebrew word for a test or challenge (nisayon) is rooted in the word nes and expresses a very different idea.

• Nes can mean 'to raise up' - The Zohar explains 'G-d tests the righteous only to elevate them to greatness.'
• Lanus means running away. - For such an elevation to occur, we must rise above our natural fear and aversion to challenges, and avoid running away from them. Judaism teaches us to lean in to our challenges, to help us unlock untapped energies and abilities.
• Nes can also mean 'a miracle' - Implying the elevation of the supernatural over the natural. Chassidus teaches us, that from the Divine point of view, every test in our lives provides the exact conditions that are conducive for us to surpass our own personal natural limitations, thus enacting a miracle in our own personal spheres.
• Nes also means 'a banner' - Each person's unique tests in life are like a badge of honour, that represents our own particular journey of personal growth and achievement

Life is full of tests and challenges. No one escapes this fact.

As daunting as our struggles often feel, we must never feel defeatist.

Hashem is never against us. In fact according to Jewish view, any test that we face is not an expression of His doubt in our capacity, but of His faith in our ability.

So as we approach Rosh Hashanah, and we look back at the challenges we faced in the past year, let us make resolutions on how we can improve in the New Year, and 'never say I can't!'

Thank you Mommy ah for all the care and guidance that you always gave us!

Wishing everyone a Gut Shabbos and a Shanah Tovah Umetukah!