GOOD RESOLUTIONS

Dear Family,

I hope that everyone is well.

Mazal Tov to Gareth Sacks on his marriage to Liraz Elbaz in Eretz Yisrael last week! And Mazal Tov to mother Froma and sister Kerry Lee and Families! BH this is such wonderful news. Wishing the couple a very happy life together and to build a binyan adei ad!

We also wish the Stein Family from Uncle Henry ah side, long life for Aunty Maisy ah, whose yohrtzeit is tonight. We remember Aunty Maisy so well. She always had a smile and ready giggle, and was a deep thinker who enjoyed searching for the truth, which we sometimes discussed together.

Also in the Stein Family, Gavin Milner and his son Creed have upcoming birthdays close to each other coming up. Mazal Tov to both and wishing you a year of much success and happiness with many new good developments BEH.

Mazal Tov to Leslie Hyman on her upcoming birthday next week. Wishing you a wonderful year Leslie. I hope that all is going well!

Mazal Tov to Menachem Mendel Levy for his birthday tonight. Wishing you a happy and successful year Mendel in both your continued Yeshiva studies and gashmius activities!

We want to wish Shlomo Levy much success with his move to Melbourne to further his Yeshiva education, and to assist with communal Jewish activities there. We are all proud of you BH!

And again in the spirit of Elul I found a few interesting points this week:

Teshuvah – Tanya Chap 7

Teshuvah out of love arises from the depths of the heart, with great love, desire, and a craving soul to cleave to G-d. The soul thirsts for G-d like a parched and barren soil, because, up until now, it was in a barren wilderness and in the shadow of death... very distant from the face of G-d... It is regarding repentance out of such great love that it has been said that premeditated sins become, for him, like virtues, since through them he attained this great love...

Making resolutions

Someone was speaking to the Rebbe in a private audience and he mentioned that he had made a resolution but was not confident about his sincerity and if he would be able to fulfil it.

The Rebbe answered by quoting from Rambam’s Mishneh Torah as follows:

Deep down, every Jew sincerely wishes to follow the Torah, even although at times a person can be compelled by their own inclination to do the wrong thing.

So when a person resolves to follow the Torah, even if it may seem that it is not whole-hearted, or with all the right motivations, *ultimately this decision is considered by Jewish Law to be sincere!*

This coming week we reach the 18th of Elul which is known as Chai Elul (the life of Elul)

Which means that there are 12 days to go to Rosh Hashanah thereafter.

It has been recommended to use these 12 days, referring to the past 12 months, to take account of how our year went, to consider what improvements we could make, and to thereafter implement NEW RESOLUTIONS.

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