The Talmud Yerushalmi (Shevi’is Perek 9 ) tells us that R’ Shimon Bar Yochai wanted to see what was taking place in the outside world. He emerged from the cave where he had been hiding for more than twelve years and observed a hunter spreading out a net in order to capture the bird that was flying overhead. A Heavenly Voice called out: “Dimus – mercy,” and the bird was saved. R’ Shimon Bar Yochai remarked, “Just as anything that happens to the bird must be decreed from Heaven, certainly any experience of the human being is controlled by the Word of Heaven.” And he left the cave.
The Talmud Yerushalmi (Shevi’is Perek 9 ) tells us that R’ Shimon Bar Yochai wanted to see what was taking place in the outside world. He emerged from the cave where he had been hiding for more than twelve years and observed a hunter spreading out a net in order to capture the bird that was flying overhead. A Heavenly Voice called out: “Dimus – mercy,” and the bird was saved. R’ Shimon Bar Yochai remarked, “Just as anything that happens to the bird must be decreed from Heaven, certainly any experience of the human being is controlled by the Word of Heaven.” And he left the cave.
The Medrash states, with regard to maaseh bereishis, (Bereishis Rabbah 10:7) that: "Even things which appear to you to be unnecessary in the world, such as flies, fleas and mosquitoes, are also part of the creation of the world. Each being and creature, even a snake, mosquito, or frog, was put on this earth to serve a unique function, which Hashem specifies in His administration of the world.” R’ Simon says further, “There isn’t a single blade of glass that does not have its own mazal in Heaven that strikes it and tells it to grow.” The Talmud, likewise (Avodah Zarah 3b), testifies that “every creature – from the mammoth animal, the re’eim, to the miniscule louse – is sustained by Hashem.”
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During Israel’s War for Independence, the Brisker Rov lived in Yerushalayim. The city was subjected to heavy shelling, and his children kept pleading with him to go down to the ground floor, where it was more secure. R’ Yitzchok Zev, however, continued to learn in his room which was located in the upper story of his house.
When the bombardment intensified, the people of the house feared for the Rov’s life. His son went up and insisted that, for the family’s sake, the Rov should go downstairs. Soon after he had vacated the room, a shell came through the outer wall of the house and landed right on the Brisker Rov’s bed.
The Brisker Rov turned to his son and said: “You, mazik. I am confident that if it is not decreed from Shamayim that a person should be harmed, then nothing whatsoever will happen to him. If I would have remained upstairs in my room, then in order to ensure my safety Divine Providence would have intervened that no gunfire should break the wall of the house. Now, because of your interference, the wall was damaged.”
88 comments:
I thought your not allowed to rely on Nissim especially those that are not Bederech hateva?
unreal story, always there for a spiritual lift Rabbi! Thank you-
IF THERE IS A BAS KOL E/D, HOW COME WE CANT HEAR IT? CAN IT BE THAT WE ARE NOT TUNED IN?
We can not say whatever we please when we are alone. Because it says: "The walls have ears."
It's not easy jumping out of bed and davening is the first thing on our list. But if we thought about all the nisim that HKBH does for us throughout the day, (the fact that we even have a day today!) in itself brings us to realize how much in debt we are to the Rebono Shel Olam.
The Zohar tells us that when Eisav realized that Yaakov had already recieved the berachos from Yitzchakhe began to cry bitter tears. Becuase of those tears HKBH blessed him with all the materialistic goods in the world.
The Zohar asks when will this Galus be over? It is when the children of Yaakov cry as SINCERELY as Eisav did.
Tomer Devorah (ch.II) states that humility is the key factor in achieving/ perfecting all other middos. Meaning that when one can truely have humility a part of them, then it is as if they open a pure pathway that allows Divine "energy" to flow through. When we make humility a part of our nature, we can filter out all Gaivadik (and other) feelings and be more attuned to the needs and desires of our Creator, the Ribbono Shel Olam.
The Shevet Mussar (ch.17) teaches us a few ways we can achieve humility:
Speaking gently- Always be in control of your emotions and speak in agentle tone of voice regardless of who you speak to.
Accepting praise- When one is undervingly praise, be quick to disagree. and when justifyiably praised and honored, one should be abashed; because there's always so much left for all of us to accomplish.
Avoiding revenge- when one has the midda of humility, he does not take revenge. A humble person is slow to anger and offend and can slowly with time, erase the insult from his memory.
Acceptance- A humble person can accept Tzaros with continuous love for HKBH.
A humble person is Zocheh for special HAshgacha Pratis, as Dovid Hamelech said: "He leads the humble with justice and will teach the humble His way." -Tehilim-25:9
Sefer HaMiddos tells us: As soon as the world begin to devoloe a humble trait in all its people, then we can all expect the coming of Moshiach!(Sanhedrin 98a)
Menoras HaMeor adds that the most humble men that lived, will be honored as heroes in the times of Moshiach- "When Hash-m shows favor to His nation, He will glorify the humble at the time of Salvation"- Tehilim (149:4)
Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser's Elul book is being reprinted and available at Jewish book stores throughout the world.
In honor of Elul I am going to post one of the foundations of Teshuva from the Ohrchos Tzaddikim everyday.
Charata- One must have regret and understand what they have done. Included in this foundation is also, removing any positive "feeling" the person might have had while committing a sin.
For example, if one ate non-kosher food, they shouldn't, "say I regret eating that food, but wow it was delicious!"
We learn from the Talmud in Shabbos, where our Chazal tell us, that any Mitzva that was accepted with Simcha, we still do it with Simcha. from this we learn that the amount of enthusiasm for Torah that a child will have in life, is dependant to a large extent on the way which Torah learning was presented to him as a child.(Successful Chinuch, wagschal)
concerning the article "The Importance of Torah" by Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser, I think this concept is very important and every teacher and parent should be aware that children need constant guidence and the only source should be from the Torah; especially in today's generation!
How can one make children ensure their children's spiritual safety?
Concerning the article "the destruction of the bais Hamikdash" by RAbbi Dovid Goldwasser, How is it that in that generation, when things were SO clear, they had Nevuah, and were able to have Hash-m communicate with them, that the love for Torah became dull and they were less enthusiastic?
What should we say when we feel this way today, when we have lost the BHMK and we face Apikorsim everyday and live in a land with so much Zenus???
if we dont treat Torah with the proper respect and Kedusha, if we don't learn out of love for hash-m and as our obligation as Yidden, then it becomes, Chas Ve'Shalom, like a regular subject that one learns out of curiousity and interest!!!!!!!!!
How can we infuse Kedusha in our lives today? On a PRACTICAL, SIMPLE LEVEL?!!
where is a good area one should consider REALLY doing Teshuva in especially in the upcoming days, the month of Elul??
Or what should be an areaone should be more careful in or be more stringent in?????
Chazal tell us we should not worry about our own needs first. If we would put the needs of the king before our own, we would surely be answered.
The first step of doing Teshuva is Charata- regret. In short, on must feel bad about commiting the sin, but more importantly, feel bad for having forsaken Hash-m.
The next step is to admit you did it(Vidoy)and daven to Hash-m. Pour out your heart and say exactly how you feel, what you think and what you need and daven to be answered.
The 3rd step is to just leave the sin-Azivas hachet. (some say this is the 1st step b/c if one is still in the same environment or around what provokes them to sin, their Teshuva is Batul b/c they can still commit the sin afterwards.)Leave the purpose behind your sin somewhere else. don't place yourself in an area in which you feel like you are testing yourself and that you will like fail. (EVERYONE has a weakness, and discover yours and build it to a stregnth)
and the last step is to make amends and say to yourself and Hash-m you will not do it again- Kabalas al ha'usid. (this is a difficult "promise" to make b/c we never know what the future holds, but we must do everything in OUR power to make sure we don't fall back into the Yetzer's trap and sin [make gedarim for ourselves]. The biggest way to accomplish these steps are to DAVEN wholeheartedly to Hash-m Yisbarach, our father in heaven.)
We learn in Sha'arei Teshuva that one must realize that even Tzaddikim fall sometimes. We learn that there is NO ONE in the world that lives without ever sinning!
it has been recorded that R' Yisroel salanter, ZTL, used to hear Rosh Chodesh Bentching for elul, you could see a visible change in him from Shachris to Musaf.
During elul, we increase our Yiras Shamayim. One of the things Amalek wanted to do to us was to cool us off so that we would no longer have any Yiras shamayim. In fact this is one of the things the Torah tells us about Amalek.
what should one do if they still feel guilty and nervous even after having done teshuva?
R' Yosef became ill and passed on,but later his neshama came back to him. His father, R' Yehoshua asked him what he saw in the Olam haemes? R' Yosef answered that everything was upside down. the high people were at the bottom pits and the lowest people were at the highest heights.
R' Yehoshua said, "you saw a clear world."
where is a good area one should consider REALLY doing Teshuva in especially in the upcoming days, the month of Elul??
Or what should be an areaone should be more careful in or be more stringent in?????
it is important to concentrate on both areas, teshuva and perfecting a midda. It is good general overhaul of everything but also pick one particular midda or mitzva and try to perfect it. Specifically, in the area one finds to be the weakest in and has a downfall in.
healthy guilt is good; unhealthy guilt is not. Healthy guilt brings us to Charata- regret which is a part of Teshuva process. Therefore one must utilize their guilt to bring them closer to Hash-m and a higher level of Teshuva, and not be nervous and feel bad about themselves. One must have a positive self-image.
There are no sins that are beyond Teshuva. Welearn in Sha'arei Teshuva that even Hir Hurei Teshuva-thoughts of repentence already lift one to a higher level.
there are 3 stages of doing Teshuva:
the first is to have just thoughts of Teshuva- regret
the second is to do Teshuva on a simplistic level- out of fera of punishment.
the third and highest level is to do Teshuva is out of love for HAsh-m. By davening wholeheartedly and turning ourselves into a new person, we can all achieve this level.
the vilna Gaon said that all the pleasures of Olam Haba comes to a person who controls his mouth.
Teshuva is cumulative. For every moment one does teshuva, it is added to a sumtotal to add Kaparos.
Lashon Hara is forbidden to everyone- even to one's relatives, including one's husband or wife.
-Chafetz chaim
a person who regularly speaks Lashon Hara is considereda Ba'al Lashon hara.
-Chofetz Chaim
if someone wants to judge his friend favorably, the Chofetz Chaim says he will always find a way to do it.
Rosh chodesh Elul is sund. aug 31 and mon sept 1. we begin saying Ledovid Hash-m and prepare for the Yomim Nearaim
when it comes to doing Teshuva, one should not put off for tomorrow what he can do today. We must act upon our actions quickly for 3 reasons:
if we don't do Teshvuva right away, we might keep pushing it off and eventually forget we ever committed a sin.
when we quickly run to do Teshuva, we protect ourselves from ANY punishment that is inevitable.
lastly, if we dont do Teshuva right away, one may fall into the Yetzer's trap and sin more severely- chazal teach us "aveiro goreres aveiro". we need to take advantage of these days bc Hash-m is closer and is waiting for us to return.
we are told that when we do Teshuva meYirah on an aveiro the action thatwe is erased and becomes but when we take Teshuva a step further and do it MeAhava, that action becomes a MITZVA!!!! how wonderous is HAsh-m's judgment and council!
we learn "let the person who davens cast his eyes downward but his heart upward"- (yevamos 105). RAbbeinu Yona explains that when a person is davening, they should imagine that they are standing in heaven and must forget about all the worldly pleasures and material enjoyment.
the sound of the blowing of the Shofar should wake us all up to do Teshuva.
even a talmud Chocham is not allowed to seclude himself from the Tzibubur when they say Selichos.
LAshon HAra is forbidden whether its a verbal expression or a nonverbal gesture. it is also forbidden to write Lashon HAra.
the chofetz chaim sites a pasuk in devarim that says there is a particular prohibition against speaking about others behind their backs, trying to strike them in secret. this carries to gether with it the punishment of a curse.
durin the Yomim Nearaim we should be extra careful with Tefilla and tzedaka. we should take this time to ask for mechila from our friends and family.
we need to go over those things which are not novel and new ideas. rather to review the foundations of our faith that we already know.
-Mesilas Yesharim
R’ Nachman said, “he who adds to the truth, decreases it.”
R’ Nachman said, “where there is no truth, there’s no kindness.”
R’ Nachman of Breslov said, “he who is far from the truth is far from charity.”
R’ Baruch of Mezhbuzh said, “as one thinks of Hash-m in his heart, so does Hash-m think of him.”
R’ Nachman said, “when a person learns Torah, it draws down the Hashgacha on the person”.
R’ Baruch of Mezhbuzh said, “we don’t have to bow down to Hash-m with our body, we have to bow down with our hearts.”
R’ Rafael of Bershad said, “if you want people to love you, you should love them first.”
The Kutzker once said, “Every mitzvah has to be done with a proper intention, except for humility.”
The Vetepsker once said, “Before Hash-m, the highest Tzadik and the lowest commoner are equal.”
the fourth foundation of doing Teshuva is Yagun- feeling distress for forsaking Hash-m. -Orchos Tzdikim.
its so easy to get overwhelmed when we think of all the Aveiros we did this year. But we should only worry about doing Teshuva and returning to Hash-m, being shomer Torah and Mitzvos, careful with certain areas we know we have great difficulty in. That's all HKBH wants from us, we are only human and prone to make mistakes, we need to look past them, learn from them and grow!
The Rambam said, “ those who consider something printed to be proof are fools.”
Yehuda HaLevy says, “my pen is my harp and my lyre, and my library is my garden and orchard.’
In Mishlei it says, “the borrower is the servant of the lender.”
He who lengthens the life of a poor man through Tzedaka will lengthen his own life.
R’ Yosef Cairo said, “no man is ever impoverished by giving Tzeddaka, nor is there any harm caused by it.
R’ Shmelke of Nicklesberg once said, “ don’t use the Chutzpa of a begger as an excuse to not help him.”
In Talmud Avoda Zara it is written, “we learn best what our hearts prepare to learn.”
In Beitza it says, “if one has compassion for others, Then Hash-m has compassion on him.”
In Berachos it says, “a dream not interpreted is like a letter unread.”
“with faith there are no questions; without faith there are no answers.” –Chofetz Chaim
R’ Pinchas of Koretz said, “Flattery is permissible only to promote peace.”
The Ibin Gabriel says, “a man’s ear belongs to himself, but his tongue belongs to others.”
The Talmud in Megilah says, “Talk is a shekel, silence is two.”
“What’s the sign of a foolish man? He talks too much!”
“When people quarrel, even Hash-m’s anger doesn’t scare them.”
“there are three possessions a person should deem precious: a field, a friend, and a book.”
"one who lends money (to the poor) is greater than one who just gives it. And one who forms a partnership is the greatest of all." -Shabbat 63a
Rabbi Eliezer says: Let other people's dignity be as precious to you as your own.-- Perkei avos, 2:15
Rabbi Yossi says: "it's not the place that honors the person, but the person that honors the place."- Ta'anis 21b
R' Huna said: "anyone who involved in Torah-study, but does not also perform Deeds of Lovingkindness- that person is like someone without a G-D,--- Avoda Zara 17b
Rabbi Akiva says, "those who attach themselves to Mitzva-doers- eventhough he did not do as much as they did- still recieves a reward similar to theirs" -Avot de Rabbi Natan A:30
Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser once said: " We can offer invaluable support and chizuk for all of Klal Yisroel with our effectiveness in three major areas: tefillah, learning, and maasim tovim."
The Talmud tells that if someone blows a Shofar into a pit and if it blows, its Kosher. If it echos, its not kosher and the person had not fulfilled the Mitzva. This comes to show us that a person must hear a Mitzva from an authentic source and not an imitation like a echo.
What thoughts should on ehave when they hear the blow of the Shofar?
ANSWER TO QUESTION OF THOUGHTS DURING BLOW OF SHOFAR PART II---
a person should remember that this inspires the rememberence of Yitzchak's Shofar....
ANSWE TO QUESTION OF SHOFAR BLOWING PART III-- A person should also remember that they are being mekayim a mitzva deoreisa!!
does anyone know where I can find articles on chinuch by Rabbi dovid goldwasser?
where can I read more articles on teshuva and tefilla that rabbi dovid goldwasser has written? i really enjoy his style of writting and method of teaching.... its soo down to earth and practical.
I saw a great article by rabbi dovid goldwasser_ if anyone is interested, on http://www.rabbi-dovid-goldwasser.org/
i hope this helps!!!
Like an ornamental garment on a cold day, so is one who sings songs to a sorrowful heart
Hear, my son, the reprimands of your father, and do not forsake the teachings of your mother
One who is incarcerated cannot free himself from jail (Berachos 5b)
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