DEVELOPING ENTHUSIASM

Dear Family,

I hope that everyone is well.

Mazal Tov to Mommy on her Hebrew birthday next week. Wishing you a wonderful year with many simchos and achievements in both gashmius and ruchnius, all in good health and happiness

Mazal Tov to Shmuly on his birthday this Shabbos. Wishing you a year of much nachas from your Family, Shmuly, success with business, and learning, and all the many activities that you do BEH.

Mazal to Reuven whose birthday is also on Shabbos. Wishing you a happy year Reuven with much continued achievements BEH.

And 1 day later is Perry's birthday. Mazal Tov Perry. I hope you will be having a combined Family party!

And last but not least, all the way in Melbourne, we wish Adrian a happy birthday for next week. So nice to be keeping in touch Ade. I hope all is going well and wishing you a wonderful year BEH.

In this week's Haftarah for Parsha Vayera there is a story about 'one woman' who came to Elishah with a bitter cry about her situation. She was a widow of one of his close followers, who were called 'the sons of the prophets'. Her husband died leaving heavy debts, and the creditor wants to take her two sons as slaves in recompense for the money owed. Elisha asked her if she has anything at all at home. She replied, just a flask of oil.

Elisha told her to borrow many empty vessels from her neighbors. Then she should pour the oil from her flask into the borrowed vessels. She did this, and miraculously the oil continued to flow until all the vessels were full. Elisha told her to sell the oil, pay off her debts, and use the rest to help her live.

The Alte Rebbe in a Maamer explains, that this story refers to the cry of our souls which senses it's lack of enthusiasm in serving Hashem. (And this is the link to the Sedra where Hashem was revealed to Avraham -Vayera elav Hashem, who came to visit him in his state of sickness after his bris) As follows:

• 'One woman' is the soul which is one with Hashem
• 'Her husband' is one of the 'sons of the prophets', refers to the ability of the soul to experience spiritual revelations.
• She calls out to Elishah - The Hebrew word Elishah also means 'turns towards Hashem' - hints at the soul crying out to Hashem.
• 'My husband is dead' (ishi mes) - Ishi also means fire in Hebrew, implying that my fire of inspiration and enthusiasm in serving Hashem is lacking.
• 'The creditors' - this is referring to our animal soul which tries to forget about our G-dly soul. The Hebrew word for creditors is nosheh and in Hebrew this also means to forget.

• How? By demanding 'her two children to be taken from her as slaves'. The 2 children symbolise our Love and Fear of Hashem ie The creditors want to block these emotions and force us instead, into the false loves and desires, and worries about materialism in making a living etc.
• But fortunately the woman still has 'one flask of oil' - the inner spark of the G-dly soul
• How does this become once again fired to fill our being with light and joy in the same way as 'the oil miraculously continued to flow until all the vessels were full'? This is through realising with contrition that we are far from Hashem, and then by overcoming our worldly challenges so that they are no longer obstacles, and by practicing Torah and Mitzvos with a sense of great delight. As it says in Tanya Chap 27, 'When the negative realm (Sitra Achra) is quelled, the glory of Hashem spreads through all the worlds BEH..

Wishing everyone a wonderful Shabbos with much delight!