BRINGING JOY TO BRIDE AND GROOM - A STORY

Dear Family,

I hope that everyone is well.

Wishing a refuah shleimah for Yechezkiel ben Ester.

Mazal Tov to Dovi and Rikki Levy on their beautiful wedding this week. Wishing you a life of much happiness together based on Torah and Mitzvos BEH

Mazal Tov to Avi and Penina on their wedding anniversary next week. Wishing you many more happy anniversaries together, achieving much good in both gashmius and ruchnius.

Mazal Tov to Mariasha on the engagement of her brother BH

There are 3 birthdays for Chanan and Naomi's Family - this varies each year because some birthdays are from the English calendar and some are from the Hebrew one)

Mazal Tov to Chanan (Ashley) for his birthday next week. Wishing you a happy and healthy year Chanan with much achievement and much blessings for you and your Family

Mazal Tov to Ariel Jacobs on his birthday next week. Wishing you a great year Ariel!

Mazal Tov to Daniella Jacobs on her birthday this coming week. Wishing you also a great year Daniella

Mazal Tov to Sasha Davidoff on her birthday on Shabbos. Wishing Perry and Mikayla much nachas from her.

I saw some interesting points from a story that I read this week which were related to joy, and the joy of bride and groom which is relevant to this week.

"Reb Zusha of Anipoli sat in his home immersed in his Torah learning, when sounds from outside caused him to glance out of his open window.

Passing in front of his house was a wedding procession leading bride and groom on their way.

Reb Zushiya immediately stood up and went out into the street, where abandoning restraint, he danced with unbounded joy.

He circled the young couple and the other celebrants for a few minutes with great joy, and then he returned to his home and study.

His family members watched his actions with great interest, and suggested to him that his dancing was not befitting a person of his stature

To their comments he replied: "Let me tell you a story"

..."When I emerged from the mikva I looked at Reb Yitzchak and saw that his face was

so radiant that I was unable to gaze upon it. I asked him where that light came from

and he replied: 'All my life I have carefully observed three things to which the Sage

Rabbi Nechunya ben HaKana attributed his long life: He never sought honor at the

expense of the degradation of his fellow; He never went to sleep without forgiving

anyone who might have offended or injured him that day; He was always generous

with his money. Reb Yitzchak then told me that the very same level which can be

achieved through these things can also be reached through joy.

"And that is why when I saw the wedding procession passing in front of our house,

I ran outside to partake of the festivities and to add to the simcha of the bride and

groom.........."

Gut Shabbos to all