HOPE AND EFFORT

Dear Family,

I hope that everyone is well.

Mazal Tov to Penina on her birthday next week. Wishing you an amazing year Penina, with continued achievements and growth in both gashmius and ruchnius, and much nachas for you and Avi from all your Family BEH.

Mazal Tov to Elisha on his birthday next week. You should continue to give your parents much nachas Elisha, and wishing you a happy and successful year BEH.

I saw the following from an article by Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov this week: ( Vayera 21:9 – 21)

One of the great causes of anxiety and depression is when one finds oneself in an extreme situation *where it feels that there is no way out*

We see an example in this week’s Sedra Vayera, with the story of Hagar and her son Yishmael, fathered by Avraham.

Sarah instructs Avraham to send them away, because of her and Yishmael’s misbehaviour, and they set out into the desert.

The water of her canteen runs out, and Yishmael is on the verge of death.

She places the dying boy under a bush and moves away so as not to witness his death, and weeps out aloud in desparation.

An angel then calls out to her and tells her not to despair (“arise, lift up the boy, and hold him by the hand”), and that Hashem has heard the child’s cry, and He will make him into a great Nation.

Then Hashem opened her eyes and she saw a well of water.

She filled her canteen and gave the boy to drink…….

One of the lessons from the story is from the fact that Torah did not say that Hashem miraculously sent a water source. It says that Hagar’s eyes were opened by Hashem and thereafter, at some point, she saw a well of water that she had not seen before.

Why could she now see the well?

Because her attitude had changed and she was on the look-out to try and solve the problem, to search and find what is needed. Therefore she discovered the water that was always there.

We need to put in our maximum efforts. Hashem does not do for us what we could achieve ourselves.

Miracles only happen after we have exhausted our own resources, if needed.

The message is “Never give up if the goal is worthy. The effort depends on us, and the success depends on Hashem. There is far more that we can achieve on our own which we often don’t realize!”

Gut Shabbos to all!