BOUNDLESS KINDNESS

Dear Family,

I hope that everyone is well, and have had a happy Sukkos and Simchas Torah.

Refuah shleimah to Yechezkiel ben Ester.

Mazal Tov to Avi on his birthday next week. Wishing you a wonderful year with much success in both gashmius and ruchnius Avi, and with much nachas from all of your Family. So nice to have you here with all your Family (and all the other Family members who were with us in London for Sukkos!)

Mazal Tov to Sara and Aron Glick on the birthday of their daughter Chava Nava. And of course Mazal Tov also to grandparents Reuven and Chana Lieba!

I saw an interesting sicha from the Rebbe on this week's Sedra, Bereishis, about the creation of the fish and birds on the fifth day of creation. (V 1:20)

The character of the 5th day of Creation is one of BOUNDLESS KINDNESS, and Gemorra Shabbos p156a points out that people born on a Thursday (the 5th day of the week) also have this character trait.

However every Jew has the ability to tap into the formula for this abundant kindness, as follows:

The uniqueness of the 5th day is that the KINDNESS of Hashem was revealed, and this kindness was of an Infinite nature.

Rashi points out that fish and birds which were created on that day, do not toil for their sustenance. Rather they are sustained by the kindness of The Holy One Blessed Be He.

We also see the Infinite nature of this kindness in fish, which exhibit maximum proliferation, or boundless increase

Kindness is an inherent quality in all Jews (Tractate Yevamos)

However this has a nature which is limited by our feelings of self and identity, and therefore this kindness to others cannot be without limit.

The kindness of someone born on a Thursday however, when the kindness of Hashem shines, is one that transcends all limitations.

It is an unbounded kindness, extending even to self-sacrifice for the sake of helping another, without measure or limitation.

We learn how to reach this level of boundless kindness from the qualities of the fish (created on the 5th day):

• Fish are completely submerged in the water, and as such, their individual existence is not seen from the outside. ( self nullification).
• Fish are also intimately bound up and united with their life source, the water. They are nullified and unified to their life source.
• And they receive the boundless blessing of proliferation

Ie in a like manner

• We need to reduce our feelings of "I" and self
• We need to work on recognising our true life source and cleaving to Him with genuine unity - through Torah and Mitzvos ( which further reduces our feelings of separateness).

This gives us the capability to do kindness without measure.

• And this makes us a vessel to receive Hashem's boundless kindness.

Gut Shabbos and a wonderful New Year for all!