THE BURNING BUSH

Dear Family,

I hope that everyone is well.

Wishing a refuah shleimah to Yechezkiel ben Ester

BH Mommy and I returned home this week after participating in many simchos and visiting many members of the Family BH.

I want to personally thank everyone for the wonderful care you have all shown towards us in one way or another. May you all be blessed with long, healthy and happy lives BEH!

And may the whole and extended Family keep growing and making many simchos

Attached find the update Family Tree from Kevin, including Ariel Rachamim Alexander Davidoff !

This coming week is the yohrtzeit of the Alte Rebbe (24 Tevet), and I saw an interesting vort connected to him, and the incident of the 'Burning Bush' in this week's Sedra, Shmos.

In the times of the Alte Rebbe, there was much suspicion and opposition regarding the Chassidic approach to Judaism, and in the city of Minsk, the Alte Rebbe had been invited to a public debate to discuss this.

One of the questions addressed to him was 'why Chassidim and Chassidus give so much importance to simple Jews, because some argue that this undermines the honour to Torah'

The Alte Rebbe replied that the Baal Shem Tov's approach is based on the first Divine Revelation to Moshe through the Burning Bush while shepherding his father-in-law's flocks in Chorev (V3:1 and further) - and the bush was burning and was not being consumed.

One gets simple thornbushes, and one gets fruit trees

Fruit trees symbolise Torah Scholars, as explained in Gemarra on the verse 'For man is a tree of the field'

However the 'flame of fire', representing an endless yearning for G-d, appears specifically in the bush, and not a fruit tree.

This concluded the Alte Rebbe, was what was shown to Moshe, the leader of the Jewish People.

It was to show him the greatness of simple Jews, whose hearts are burning like a flaming fire, and the bush was not being consumed.

Gut Shabbos to all!