THE LION

Dear Family,

I hope that everyone is well.

Refuah shleimah for Yechezkiel ben Ester.

Mazal Tov to Janine Milner on her upcoming birthday. Wishing you a wonderful year Janine! So nice to have Darryl, Gavin and Mel on the Group with us now! There was a bit of confusion with the emails when I welcomed them a few weeks ago, and so I am re-attaching the Family Tree which Kevin made, to act as an introduction to all our Family members. Wishing you lots of nachas from all of your Family, and it is a great pleasure to have you all together with us BH!

This week I saw an interesting Midrash describing the destruction of the Bet HaMikdash and its eventual rebuilding, which I found interesting, and would like to share.

, in relation to Tisha BeAv which is this Sunday, as follows:

"A LION (ari) arose under the sign of Leo, and destroyed Ariel. (This refers to Nebuchadnezzar, who arose in the month of Av - ie Leo - and he destroyed Ariel, which refers to Yerushalayim - as it says 'Ariel, Ariel, the city where David camped - Yeshayah).

But this happened in order that a LION would arise under the sign of Leo and rebuild Ariel. (This refers to The Holy One Blessed be He - as it is written 'The lion has roared, and who will not fear? (Amos ) - who will arise at the time of mourning in Av to transform our mourning to joy (Yirmiyahu). And rebuild Ariel - Hashem is the builder of Yerushalayim. He will gather the outcasts of Israel."

This week has also been the Yohrtzeit of the Arizal, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria Ashkenazi, also know as the ARI HAKADOSH - THE HOLY LION, who passed away in 1572.

He was a Kabbalist, whose work has spread, and continues to spread, much light into the world.

Gut Shabbos to all