OUR HERITAGE AND CAPABILITY

Dear Family,

I hope that everyone is well.

Wishing a refuah shleimah for Yechezkiel ben Ester.

Mazal Tov to Freida on her upcoming birthday next week. Wishing you a wonderful year Freida with much continued achievement with all the work that you do. I would like to make mention here that Freida is running a very successful Mothers and Babies Group in Longbeach with mothers from all backgrounds. Michayil el Chayil Freida!

Mazal Tov to Talya Davidoff on her birthday next week. I hope that all is going well with you Talya, and wishing you a very successful year BEH!

Today is Chai Elul (18th of Elul), and we are in the Sedra of Ki Savo.

In today's Hayom Yom there is a link between these 2 subjects which I would like to share.

Chai Elul is a very important day, and 2 of the main events that occurred on this day, are the birth of the Baal Shem Tov in 1698, and the birth of the Alte Rebbe in 1745.

The following explanation was heard from the Baal Shem Tov on the passage in Ki Savo:

"When you will come into the Land..and you will dwell in it.... you shall take the first of your fruits...and place it in a basket... Then you will go to the place which your G-d will choose... To cause his Name to dwell there"

The simple meaning of this verse is that when you come to Eretz Yisrael you will take your first fruits to the Temple in Yerushalayim in praise of Hashem.

But the Baal Shem Tov gives a deeper explanation as follows:

• "When you will come into the land (eretz) which G-d gives you as an INHERITANCE"

The Midrash explains the Hebrew word eretz is linked to running (merutzah) and desire/ will (ratzon) ie every Jew has the INHERITED capability to attain the level of desiring Hashem and fulfilling His will. And so, when one reaches to the level of desiring Hashem and His Will..

• "You will dwell in it"

You will bring down into oneself, this love of Hashem, in an internalised and settled way

• "You shall take... and place it into a basket"

And then we take this inspiration and light, and bring it to a practical level ie doing the practical Mitzvos

• "You shall go to the place which the Eternal your G-d will choose"

Wherever we find ourselves, is not by accident. Hashem is with us there, and is guiding us along our journeys. These are our destined places. And the purpose of this is....

• "To cause His Name to dwell there"

To make G-d known in his (that Jew's) locale.

Later the Baal Shem Tov clarified that the way to reach this level of will and desire, is with the saying of a bracha (blessing) and a verse of Tehillim.

He was referring here to the fact that this INHERITED will and desire for Hashem within every Jew can be hidden, and the way to wake it up and reveal it, is to say, with sincerity, brochos and Tehillim .

It is not difficult!

Gut Shabbos, and wishing everyone a kesivah vechasimah tovah for a Good and Sweet New Year