BS’D
Today, 22nd of Shvat, is the yahrtzeit of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk, Poland (1787-1859), the great chassidic leader known as the Kotzker Rebbe, ztk’l. He was said to be completely uncompromising in the quest for faith, honesty and truth. He abhorred rote piety, and taught his followers that they must renew their quest for self-knowledge and truth on a daily basis. He is known for his sharp wit and catchy phrases, for example: “Where is God? Wherever you let Him in”. May he serve as an advocate for Klal Yisrael up on high, Amen!
Perek Tzadek-Bet of tehillim is commonly recited on Shabbat. Thanking Hashem is good for us; emotionally as well as spiritually. Uttering words of thanks to Hashem is but a small return for the great compassion that He showers upon us daily. Saying ‘thank you’ is always ‘fashionable’ and ‘in style’; it never ceases being ‘in’.
The birds sing songs of tehillim to Borei Olam – nature teaches us that mankind must practice the same. Silent gratitude is wonderful… however vocally expressing words of thanks is sweeter! When we deprive our tongue of speaking words of appreciation we practice something unnatural. Our tongues crave to sing inspiring words of praise to Hashem – we act foolishly if we ‘stop’ them from doing so. Shabbat particularly lends itself to singing words of praise for all the good that goes noticed and unnoticed in our lives.
All days should begin with words of gratitude; no hour is too early. The mornings begin with the giving of the daily manna to Klal Yisrael; how appropriate it is to sing to HaKadosh Baruch Hu then. In the evening our minds settle with an accounting of the day, a review of Hashems personal intervention in all of our dealings. It is also certainly an ideal time to feel His presence, declare our emuna (faithfulness) and pour out words of appreciation.
Our lives are full of hardships and challenges that defy logic on how they could possibly serve any good for us. Yet, Hashem choose Ahm Yisrael and proclaimed, ‘You are above nature’. Thus, we have the ability individually and collectively to see and think above our natural ‘intellectual, rationale’ minds and believe in the holy truthful words of the Torah, even if they ‘logically’ and ‘emotionally’ don’t feel good.
Hashem loves us. Every day, in particular on Shabbat, let us show how much we love Him too.
Today’s Dose of Emuna is dedicated to the refuah shleimah of two beautiful children who are in critical condition still as a result of extermination poisoning that occurred in their home in Yerushalayim yesterday. Their two sisters have r”l passed away from it. Their names are Raphael Yitzchok Isaac ben Michal and Shlomo ben Michal. May HaKadosh Baruch Hu shower the Gross family with koach and emuna to see them through this extreme time of difficulty and may the two boys merit an immediate complete healing b’riut hanefesh v’b’riut haguf amongst all those in Klal Yisrael who are sick and suffering b’karov, b’rachamim, Amen!
