I’m sitting in a classroom when I hear the shrill of a siren. Instinctively, I say a perek of tehillim.
“Shir hama’alos mima’amakim kir’asicha Hashem…”
I’ve been doing this since I was a kid. I think it was my second grade teacher who told our class about this idea and since then, it stuck. When an ambulance passes, it’s an opportune time to ask Hashem for the patient to be safe and everyone to be okay.
As I grow older, the lessons I’ve learned as a child get passed on to my own children.
The first time my kids saw me stop when I heard a siren, they questioned me. I explained that the sound I heard meant that there was an emergency. And if someone needs help, if there’s a fire or an accident, I stop and say a tefillah to ask Hashem to keep everyone safe.
My kids understood and went back to whatever playtime activity they were busy with.
Now, every time we hear a siren, my little boy yells out, “Mommy, you have to say a tefillah!”
And he checks to make sure I am whispering something quietly to myself.
And then the precious moment came...
After hearing a siren wailing outside, I stopped, said a perek of tehillim and noticed my little girl whispering quietly to herself.
I took a step closer and was able to make out the words she was saying.
What tefillah did she choose to say at that very moment?
Her words were those of elokai neshama.
How precious is that?
Showing posts with label Tehillim. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tehillim. Show all posts
Sunday, March 5, 2017
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Fwd: Fwd: Fwd:
We've all gotten one of them at some point. A text or email asking us to daven for someone who is sick.
What is your natural reaction to one of those forwards? Do you pass it on? Do you say tehillim first? Do you just delete the message?
There are some people who are quick to pass on tehillim names. The email or text comes in, they pass it on and feel satisfied that they did theirs. They may even forget to say the perek because they were busy figuring out which ten people (or more if they really want to feel righteous :)) they could pass the name on to.
I have a problem with tehillim forwards.
They have made us so callous. Unfortunately, they are sent around so often that it's hard to take heart. To see each name as an individual. As a person suffering who really needs our tefillos.
There are times that emails are sent around and around and around without verifying where they came from and if the person still needs those tefillos. It is sad. I personally have gotten tehillim names after a person passed away r"l or after the person was healed. I've gotten emails about the surgery that was going to be "TODAY" in big bold letters...and I've had to scroll down through names and email addresses, only to see that the surgery took place a week and a half before.
So I decided to do what I think makes sense. I don't forward tehillim names unless I know-firsthand-who the person is and what their condition is.
I'm not so rigid though. If a friend is passing on a name and she can speak to someone who knows the choleh firsthand, I'll pass it on too. The main thing is that the name shouldn't become another one on the list that is just mumbled without feeling. I don't need specific details of how the person is doing, I just need to get some kind of update so I know whether or not the person still needs those tefillos.
So what about all those forwards?
I don't pass them on.
Instead, I say one perek of tehillim for that person and pray to Hashem that he/she be healed.
Passing on the names without knowing anything about the person makes it so cheap. We don't value the person behind the tehillim name anymore. We don't feel with them.
Of course, there is something special about the way we can pass on a name within minutes and how people stop whatever they are doing to daven for someone who is sick.
But at what cost?
We have lost our hearts.
We have lost the feeling behind a name.
We have lost the personal touch.
When we were little girls in elementary or high school and someone came in and wrote their grandfather's name on the blackboard, we all davened with such fervor, with such intensity, begging Hashem to heal our fellow classmate's grandfather.
Now?
Names are passed around like old news.
And it's sad.
Sad that our hearts have become hardened. Sad that we don't take on each name we hear with the seriousness and emotion it deserves.
But what can we do?
We get too many names, too many forwards, r"l and the list keeps growing. And we have no idea who sent it and why we are saying tehillim for each specific choleh.
When we know what their situation is, it makes it so much more real to us...and we could daven with more feeling.
I don't know if there is a solution to this. Unfortunately, there are so many names, so many people who need our tefillos...and we are not capable of healing them.
But there is one thing we can try to do.
We can try to connect to the ones we do know. We can daven for the sick people we do feel connected to...and beg Hashem, the only One who can, to heal them.
As for the other names that are passed around, I think it is best to say a perek for them and ask the one who sent it if they can give you updates so you can know if you need to keep davening.
Please, let's try not to make these names just another name. Forwarding tehillim names non-stop takes away the heart. Say your perek. Don't forward just to feel good about yourself. It only cheapens the growing list of cholim. It chips away at the emotions in our hearts and holds us back from feeling along with those who are fighting to live.
May Hashem have rachmanus on all the sick children, parents, grandparents...on every single patient and may He heal each of them with a complete refuah shelaima.
May He listen to the heartfelt tefillos of those who are davening for these cholim and let them experience nissim-so they can show the doctors, nurses and medical staff who really runs the world and how powerful our tefillos are!
What is your natural reaction to one of those forwards? Do you pass it on? Do you say tehillim first? Do you just delete the message?
There are some people who are quick to pass on tehillim names. The email or text comes in, they pass it on and feel satisfied that they did theirs. They may even forget to say the perek because they were busy figuring out which ten people (or more if they really want to feel righteous :)) they could pass the name on to.
I have a problem with tehillim forwards.
They have made us so callous. Unfortunately, they are sent around so often that it's hard to take heart. To see each name as an individual. As a person suffering who really needs our tefillos.
There are times that emails are sent around and around and around without verifying where they came from and if the person still needs those tefillos. It is sad. I personally have gotten tehillim names after a person passed away r"l or after the person was healed. I've gotten emails about the surgery that was going to be "TODAY" in big bold letters...and I've had to scroll down through names and email addresses, only to see that the surgery took place a week and a half before.
So I decided to do what I think makes sense. I don't forward tehillim names unless I know-firsthand-who the person is and what their condition is.
I'm not so rigid though. If a friend is passing on a name and she can speak to someone who knows the choleh firsthand, I'll pass it on too. The main thing is that the name shouldn't become another one on the list that is just mumbled without feeling. I don't need specific details of how the person is doing, I just need to get some kind of update so I know whether or not the person still needs those tefillos.
So what about all those forwards?
I don't pass them on.
Instead, I say one perek of tehillim for that person and pray to Hashem that he/she be healed.
Passing on the names without knowing anything about the person makes it so cheap. We don't value the person behind the tehillim name anymore. We don't feel with them.
Of course, there is something special about the way we can pass on a name within minutes and how people stop whatever they are doing to daven for someone who is sick.
But at what cost?
We have lost our hearts.
We have lost the feeling behind a name.
We have lost the personal touch.
When we were little girls in elementary or high school and someone came in and wrote their grandfather's name on the blackboard, we all davened with such fervor, with such intensity, begging Hashem to heal our fellow classmate's grandfather.
Now?
Names are passed around like old news.
And it's sad.
Sad that our hearts have become hardened. Sad that we don't take on each name we hear with the seriousness and emotion it deserves.
But what can we do?
We get too many names, too many forwards, r"l and the list keeps growing. And we have no idea who sent it and why we are saying tehillim for each specific choleh.
When we know what their situation is, it makes it so much more real to us...and we could daven with more feeling.
I don't know if there is a solution to this. Unfortunately, there are so many names, so many people who need our tefillos...and we are not capable of healing them.
But there is one thing we can try to do.
We can try to connect to the ones we do know. We can daven for the sick people we do feel connected to...and beg Hashem, the only One who can, to heal them.
As for the other names that are passed around, I think it is best to say a perek for them and ask the one who sent it if they can give you updates so you can know if you need to keep davening.
Please, let's try not to make these names just another name. Forwarding tehillim names non-stop takes away the heart. Say your perek. Don't forward just to feel good about yourself. It only cheapens the growing list of cholim. It chips away at the emotions in our hearts and holds us back from feeling along with those who are fighting to live.
May Hashem have rachmanus on all the sick children, parents, grandparents...on every single patient and may He heal each of them with a complete refuah shelaima.
May He listen to the heartfelt tefillos of those who are davening for these cholim and let them experience nissim-so they can show the doctors, nurses and medical staff who really runs the world and how powerful our tefillos are!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Getting a Ticket
I got this email and wanted to share it with all of you.
I don't know what I was thinking.
Yesterday I drove three friends down to Baltimore for my roommates wedding and we drove back up to Jersey after the wedding. Six hours of driving, five hours of dancing and eleven hours of being with the same three people. B"H we got there and back safely, even in the crazy rain.
The ride felt like forever because I had to be extra careful not to speed. Usually I'll speed a little, just a little, but on this road, there were so many police pulling people over that it just wasn't worth the few minutes I'd save driving fast.
Every time I saw someone pulled over (as an aside, if you see someone pulled over, don't look at them, they are embarrassed as it is), my heart sped up, my stomach dropped, and my grip on the wheel tightened.
With every car pulled over, I glanced at my speedometer and slowed down. Although I wasn't the one being pulled over, by other people being pulled over, I was reminded that I too should make sure I'm not speeding.
No one has a perfect life.
Everyone has tzaros in some form of another. How many times do you hear a story of something that happened to someone, get an email or text telling you to say tehillm for someone, and your heart speeds up, your stomach drops, and you go on with your life?
When things happen to others-whether they are Jewish or not, they are meant as a lesson to you too.
Before Hashem does anything, He takes into account who will hear about it and who will be affected. If it reached your ears, it was meant for you too. If you see someone being "pulled over", if you see someone going through something or "getting a ticket", it's meant for you.
It's meant for you to look at your own life speedometer and to slow down. When bad things happen to others, look at yourself, look at what Hashem could be telling YOU.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Chanukah - What is Bitachon?
HaRav Mattisyahu Salomon Shlita, recently provided fundamental introductory words to the Yom Tov of Chanukah. Chanukah teaches us yesodos, basics, in bitachon. With the mighty falling into the hands of the weak, the many losing battle after battle to the few, a little bit of oil lasting eight days, we learn that natural law, statistics and probability are not relevant to the Ba’al bitachon. What happened in the past is by no means determinative that the same will happen again in the future. On the other hand, bitachon in Hashem does not mean that we are confident that whatever we want to happen will happen. What is bitachon?
The Rabbeinu Yonah teaches that bitachon is hope. When statistics say that something is impossible, K’lal Yisroel still has hope, for Hashem can do anything. What we simply do not know is if Hashem, as the HaTov and HaMaitiv wants it to happen. We don’t know and often cannot see the Tov in events that occur. This is where the next step in bitachon comes in. We believe that notwithstanding our subjective hope, what really happens is all good. One may have davened for what he thought was good for him, but when the opposite occurred, Hashem indicated that in reality what he davened for was not the best for him. When we properly exercise our bitachon, we do not know what the outcome will be, for it depends on the Cheshbonos of the Ribbono Shel Olam.
Chanukah teaches that “Ain Od Melvado-there is nothing but His Will” is really the metziyus, the reality. In everyday life, this is hidden by nature, but in special moments (such as Chanukah and Purim, and perhaps other special times in a person’s life), Hashem makes it visible. It was a clear statistical impossibility for thirteen people (no matter how able bodied they were) to defeat tens of thousands. Hashem willed otherwise-and the rest is history that we celebrate -which reignites the flame of bitachon within us every year.
HaRav Salomon continues with a beautiful teaching of HaRav Chaim Volozhiner, Z’tl (in Sefer Ruach Chaim to Avos 2:4). There, HaRav Chaim brings the famous Kepital in Tehillim (23)--”Hashem Roii Lo Echsar-Hashem is my shepherd-I will lack nothing.” Dovid HaMelech compares himself to a sheep whose whole existence depends on the shepherd. He leads them in a way that they won’t be injured-all is for their benefit even if they have no understanding. Dovid HaMelech teaches us all to follow the shepherd and feel secure, for even if one may be tired and harassed, he can have full confidence that the shepherd is leading him in the path that is really best. Sometimes we see the good, but often it is not visible. Knowing this, the Shivtecha-the stick that hits me, and Mishantecha-the stick that I lean upon, are really the same stick. Thus, Heimah Yenachamuni-they together assuage me because I have bitachon that everything is LeTova-for the good-for it all comes from the One who is All Good.
At the end of this week's Parsha, Parshas Vayeisheiv, Yosef HaTzaddik places some eminently justifiable reliance on the Sar Hamashkim-after all that he did for him. However, the end was, as the last word of the Parsha testifies-Vayishkacheihu-and he forgot him. [On the other hand, Dovid Hamelech exclaims-V’shavti Bevais Hashem L’Orech Yomim-I look to nothing else and to no one else, other than dwelling together with Hashem for length of days.] With this, Yosef learned that our hallmark for survival in galus among all those around us who in fact do us a favor if they only ‘forget us’-is looking to Hashem for anything and everything. The lesson learned is quickly brought into practice in next week’s Parsha as Yosef starkly and clearly advises Paroah, Biladai-it is not me, it is Hashem who makes all determinations and all decisions, and it is to Him that we must turn-in all dreams, and in all realities!
(Taken from a recent Hakhel post.)
The Rabbeinu Yonah teaches that bitachon is hope. When statistics say that something is impossible, K’lal Yisroel still has hope, for Hashem can do anything. What we simply do not know is if Hashem, as the HaTov and HaMaitiv wants it to happen. We don’t know and often cannot see the Tov in events that occur. This is where the next step in bitachon comes in. We believe that notwithstanding our subjective hope, what really happens is all good. One may have davened for what he thought was good for him, but when the opposite occurred, Hashem indicated that in reality what he davened for was not the best for him. When we properly exercise our bitachon, we do not know what the outcome will be, for it depends on the Cheshbonos of the Ribbono Shel Olam.
Chanukah teaches that “Ain Od Melvado-there is nothing but His Will” is really the metziyus, the reality. In everyday life, this is hidden by nature, but in special moments (such as Chanukah and Purim, and perhaps other special times in a person’s life), Hashem makes it visible. It was a clear statistical impossibility for thirteen people (no matter how able bodied they were) to defeat tens of thousands. Hashem willed otherwise-and the rest is history that we celebrate -which reignites the flame of bitachon within us every year.
HaRav Salomon continues with a beautiful teaching of HaRav Chaim Volozhiner, Z’tl (in Sefer Ruach Chaim to Avos 2:4). There, HaRav Chaim brings the famous Kepital in Tehillim (23)--”Hashem Roii Lo Echsar-Hashem is my shepherd-I will lack nothing.” Dovid HaMelech compares himself to a sheep whose whole existence depends on the shepherd. He leads them in a way that they won’t be injured-all is for their benefit even if they have no understanding. Dovid HaMelech teaches us all to follow the shepherd and feel secure, for even if one may be tired and harassed, he can have full confidence that the shepherd is leading him in the path that is really best. Sometimes we see the good, but often it is not visible. Knowing this, the Shivtecha-the stick that hits me, and Mishantecha-the stick that I lean upon, are really the same stick. Thus, Heimah Yenachamuni-they together assuage me because I have bitachon that everything is LeTova-for the good-for it all comes from the One who is All Good.
At the end of this week's Parsha, Parshas Vayeisheiv, Yosef HaTzaddik places some eminently justifiable reliance on the Sar Hamashkim-after all that he did for him. However, the end was, as the last word of the Parsha testifies-Vayishkacheihu-and he forgot him. [On the other hand, Dovid Hamelech exclaims-V’shavti Bevais Hashem L’Orech Yomim-I look to nothing else and to no one else, other than dwelling together with Hashem for length of days.] With this, Yosef learned that our hallmark for survival in galus among all those around us who in fact do us a favor if they only ‘forget us’-is looking to Hashem for anything and everything. The lesson learned is quickly brought into practice in next week’s Parsha as Yosef starkly and clearly advises Paroah, Biladai-it is not me, it is Hashem who makes all determinations and all decisions, and it is to Him that we must turn-in all dreams, and in all realities!
(Taken from a recent Hakhel post.)
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Tehillim
The following question was submitted anonymously.
Q: Can you please explain why we say tehillim when we want to ask Hashem for something. What is special about tehillim? Why not say any other part of tanach? Thank you.
A: One reason why tehillim is the place we turn to is because of the one who wrote it and all that went into writing this special sefer. If you look at the life of Dovid Hamelech you will see that he went through so many different things and through it all, he channeled his emotions to Hashem. When he went through pain (and he went through a lot of that), he turned to Hashem and cried out with words that expressed his deepest feelings. And when things were good, he thanked Hashem. He carried Hashem in his heart wherever he went and never forgot about him.
Dovid Hamelech writes in tehillim "Tzarah v'yagon emtzah u'vesheim Hashem ekra" and "Kos yeshuos esa u'vesheim Hashem ekra". What does this mean?
When things were hard, when he was going through incredible amounts of pain, he turned to Hashem and called out His name. And when things were going great and his cup was overflowing with goodness, he had the same reaction - he called out to Hashem to thank Him.
It's not that difficult to remember who to call out to when things are hard for us. Obviously, we'd call out to Hashem - because He is the One who made us go through it all and He and only He can get us out of it.
But...when things go well and we are experiencing happy, joyous times - THAT is when we have to remember to also call out to Him and thank Him.
You got a good mark on your test? You did well on your term paper? You had a good day at school/work? You heard good news - that someone got engaged/married/had a baby/made a simcha? Don't just let the moment pass. Say thank you to Hashem!
This is just one important lesson to take from Dovid and the sefer tehillim that he wrote. Any point in time can be used to turn to Hashem. Whether it's something difficult you are going through or some sort of happiness you are experiencing. You can always turn to Him and you should always talk to Him.
So why is this the sefer we use at all times? Because look at the author. Dovid Hamelech went through all sorts of pain and he used it all to connect to Hashem and get closer to Him. Any time you are going through something difficult, you can take out a tehillim and start saying a few words. Try to take out one with English translation (unless you understand the Hebrew easily). You'll find the words written there so comforting...sometimes it's amazing how a specific perek can talk straight to you and express just what you are trying to say so perfectly.
Dovid Hamelech also experienced happy times in his life and he used that as a means to connect to Hashem. He didn't forget about Him when things were good.
This is the sefer that has all emotions wrapped up inside it. At any point in time you can take it out and start reading...and use it as a tool to connect to Hashem.
Some people are able to talk to Hashem in their own words when they are going through something difficult or when they are feeling thankful. But some people find it hard to do that. The tehillim can be that bridge. It can help you put your feelings into words and use your emotions to connect to Hashem.
Try it. You'll feel so good after.
Please let me know if this answers your question or if there's anything else you still want to know.
Q: Can you please explain why we say tehillim when we want to ask Hashem for something. What is special about tehillim? Why not say any other part of tanach? Thank you.
A: One reason why tehillim is the place we turn to is because of the one who wrote it and all that went into writing this special sefer. If you look at the life of Dovid Hamelech you will see that he went through so many different things and through it all, he channeled his emotions to Hashem. When he went through pain (and he went through a lot of that), he turned to Hashem and cried out with words that expressed his deepest feelings. And when things were good, he thanked Hashem. He carried Hashem in his heart wherever he went and never forgot about him.
Dovid Hamelech writes in tehillim "Tzarah v'yagon emtzah u'vesheim Hashem ekra" and "Kos yeshuos esa u'vesheim Hashem ekra". What does this mean?
When things were hard, when he was going through incredible amounts of pain, he turned to Hashem and called out His name. And when things were going great and his cup was overflowing with goodness, he had the same reaction - he called out to Hashem to thank Him.
It's not that difficult to remember who to call out to when things are hard for us. Obviously, we'd call out to Hashem - because He is the One who made us go through it all and He and only He can get us out of it.
But...when things go well and we are experiencing happy, joyous times - THAT is when we have to remember to also call out to Him and thank Him.
You got a good mark on your test? You did well on your term paper? You had a good day at school/work? You heard good news - that someone got engaged/married/had a baby/made a simcha? Don't just let the moment pass. Say thank you to Hashem!
This is just one important lesson to take from Dovid and the sefer tehillim that he wrote. Any point in time can be used to turn to Hashem. Whether it's something difficult you are going through or some sort of happiness you are experiencing. You can always turn to Him and you should always talk to Him.
So why is this the sefer we use at all times? Because look at the author. Dovid Hamelech went through all sorts of pain and he used it all to connect to Hashem and get closer to Him. Any time you are going through something difficult, you can take out a tehillim and start saying a few words. Try to take out one with English translation (unless you understand the Hebrew easily). You'll find the words written there so comforting...sometimes it's amazing how a specific perek can talk straight to you and express just what you are trying to say so perfectly.
Dovid Hamelech also experienced happy times in his life and he used that as a means to connect to Hashem. He didn't forget about Him when things were good.
This is the sefer that has all emotions wrapped up inside it. At any point in time you can take it out and start reading...and use it as a tool to connect to Hashem.
Some people are able to talk to Hashem in their own words when they are going through something difficult or when they are feeling thankful. But some people find it hard to do that. The tehillim can be that bridge. It can help you put your feelings into words and use your emotions to connect to Hashem.
Try it. You'll feel so good after.
Please let me know if this answers your question or if there's anything else you still want to know.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
On My Birthday
Today, Vav Shevat is my hebrew birthday. There is so much to think about on my birthday and so much to be thankful for. I look back at how much has happened this past year and I'm amazed and in awe at how much can change in a person's life.I was blessed with another daughter who is so precious. I can look at her for hours and see the Hashem through her - how such a tiny human being has a perfectly working body, a heart pumping blood through her veins, a digestive system that works just right, eyes that blink every few seconds. It is so incredible how something so little has a body that works the same way as an adult!
A birthday is a time for me to notice how much I have and thank Hashem for it. It is also a time to try to commit myself to become better, to change in one area so that next year I can look back and be happy with what I see.
When I was in seminary in Eretz Yisroel, my birthday came out on shabbos. I made sure to stay somewhere within walking distance to the Kosel and was able to say the whole tehillim. Now I'm not able to even think about such a huge feat because baruch Hashem I am busy with my children. But I know that this is my job right now - this is my tehillim and thanks to Hashem! Taking care of them and watching over my children, Hashem's children - that's my priority. My job is not to lock myself in a room and daven for an hour. Hashem gives each person a role and right now I am meant to be taking care of my children. Iy"h when I become a grandmother and have free time during the day, I will once again be able to daven and say tehillim on my birthday.
The role of a mother is so important - she will raise her children to be the next generation of people to follow the torah and do the mitzvos. What can be more crucial than that?! She has to fill her childrens' hearts with love for Hashem and love for Judaism. Davening then becomes a conversation with Hashem throughout the day, instead of taking out a siddur at a specific time each day.
I know that many people give brachos on their birthday. I don't know if I can say it better than I did last year - the bracha was so overflowing that when I reread it just a few minutes ago I thought I cannot redo it because there's so much in there. So here's a link to last year's bracha and may it come true for all of you!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
When You Hear Good News
How should you react when you hear good news?
I know what we do when we hear that someone is sick. We quickly take out our tehillim and start davening, begging Hashem for a yeshuah, for a salvation. But what about when we hear that someone got engaged? Shouldn't that cause us to do the same? Shouldn't that make us run to our tehillim and start thanking Hashem for such an exciting simcha?!
Hashem wants us to turn to Him. He wants us to acknowledge Him. There are plenty of ways to get us to remember that He exists and He's the One running the show. If we open our tehillim as soon as we hear about a simcha, maybe, just maybe, He will not have to give us tzaros, hardships, painful moments to get us to turn to Him.
When you hear that someone had a baby, someone got engaged, someone is getting married, someone is having an upsherin/bar mitzvah or reaching any other exciting milestone in their life, take a moment to thank Hashem for that! Say a perek of tehillim to thank Hashem for the simchos and exciting things happening in your life! Because if good things remind you that Hashem is in charge of everything that happens and that's what gets you to open up your tehillim, perhaps Hashem will not have to give you names of people who are sick to get you to say tehillim!
You can say Mizmor L'sodah or any other chapter that talks about praising or thanking Hashem. This way, you will turn your thoughts to Him whenever you hear good news and always remember that He is the One behind everything that happens!
Hopefully, when you turn to Hashem to thank Him for all the good things that happen to you, He will continue to send more good things your way - because that is the easiest way for Him to get you to acknowledge Him! Hashem wants to give you good, He wants to fill your life with happiness. But He also wants you to remember Him at all times. So if you keep thanking Him every time something good comes your way, He will continue to shower you with brachos!!
May you always find things to thank Hashem for and may He continue to give you things to be grateful for!
Baruch Hashem, a very close friend of mine just got engaged last night. Training myself to react to a simcha with a perek of tehillim on my lips took time, but by now it's (almost) second nature. After saying, "Mazel tov" (and getting the details of course), it's an automatic response to say "Mizmor L'soda" - thank you Hashem for such wonderful news!!
I know what we do when we hear that someone is sick. We quickly take out our tehillim and start davening, begging Hashem for a yeshuah, for a salvation. But what about when we hear that someone got engaged? Shouldn't that cause us to do the same? Shouldn't that make us run to our tehillim and start thanking Hashem for such an exciting simcha?!
Hashem wants us to turn to Him. He wants us to acknowledge Him. There are plenty of ways to get us to remember that He exists and He's the One running the show. If we open our tehillim as soon as we hear about a simcha, maybe, just maybe, He will not have to give us tzaros, hardships, painful moments to get us to turn to Him.
When you hear that someone had a baby, someone got engaged, someone is getting married, someone is having an upsherin/bar mitzvah or reaching any other exciting milestone in their life, take a moment to thank Hashem for that! Say a perek of tehillim to thank Hashem for the simchos and exciting things happening in your life! Because if good things remind you that Hashem is in charge of everything that happens and that's what gets you to open up your tehillim, perhaps Hashem will not have to give you names of people who are sick to get you to say tehillim!
You can say Mizmor L'sodah or any other chapter that talks about praising or thanking Hashem. This way, you will turn your thoughts to Him whenever you hear good news and always remember that He is the One behind everything that happens!
Hopefully, when you turn to Hashem to thank Him for all the good things that happen to you, He will continue to send more good things your way - because that is the easiest way for Him to get you to acknowledge Him! Hashem wants to give you good, He wants to fill your life with happiness. But He also wants you to remember Him at all times. So if you keep thanking Him every time something good comes your way, He will continue to shower you with brachos!!
May you always find things to thank Hashem for and may He continue to give you things to be grateful for!
Baruch Hashem, a very close friend of mine just got engaged last night. Training myself to react to a simcha with a perek of tehillim on my lips took time, but by now it's (almost) second nature. After saying, "Mazel tov" (and getting the details of course), it's an automatic response to say "Mizmor L'soda" - thank you Hashem for such wonderful news!!
Labels:
Appreciation,
Happiness,
Tehillim
Monday, November 29, 2010
Chanukah - What is Bitachon?
HaRav Mattisyahu Salomon Shlita, recently provided fundamental introductory words to the Yom Tov of Chanukah. Chanukah teaches us yesodos, basics, in bitachon. With the mighty falling into the hands of the weak, the many losing battle after battle to the few, a little bit of oil lasting eight days, we learn that natural law, statistics and probability are not relevant to the Ba’al bitachon. What happened in the past is by no means determinative that the same will happen again in the future. On the other hand, bitachon in Hashem does not mean that we are confident that whatever we want to happen will happen. What is bitachon?
The Rabbeinu Yonah teaches that bitachon is hope. When statistics say that something is impossible, K’lal Yisroel still has hope, for Hashem can do anything. What we simply do not know is if Hashem, as the HaTov and HaMaitiv wants it to happen. We don’t know and often cannot see the Tov in events that occur. This is where the next step in bitachon comes in. We believe that notwithstanding our subjective hope, what really happens is all good. One may have davened for what he thought was good for him, but when the opposite occurred, Hashem indicated that in reality what he davened for was not the best for him. When we properly exercise our bitachon, we do not know what the outcome will be, for it depends on the Cheshbonos of the Ribbono Shel Olam.
Chanukah teaches that “Ain Od Melvado-there is nothing but His Will” is really the metziyus, the reality. In everyday life, this is hidden by nature, but in special moments (such as Chanukah and Purim, and perhaps other special times in a person’s life), Hashem makes it visible. It was a clear statistical impossibility for thirteen people (no matter how able bodied they were) to defeat tens of thousands. Hashem willed otherwise-and the rest is history that we celebrate -which reignites the flame of bitachon within us every year.
HaRav Salomon continues with a beautiful teaching of HaRav Chaim Volozhiner, Z’tl (in Sefer Ruach Chaim to Avos 2:4). There, HaRav Chaim brings the famous Kepital in Tehillim (23)--”Hashem Roii Lo Echsar-Hashem is my shepherd-I will lack nothing.” Dovid HaMelech compares himself to a sheep whose whole existence depends on the shepherd. He leads them in a way that they won’t be injured-all is for their benefit even if they have no understanding. Dovid HaMelech teaches us all to follow the shepherd and feel secure, for even if one may be tired and harassed, he can have full confidence that the shepherd is leading him in the path that is really best. Sometimes we see the good, but often it is not visible. Knowing this, the Shivtecha-the stick that hits me, and Mishantecha-the stick that I lean upon, are really the same stick. Thus, Heimah Yenachamuni-they together assuage me because I have bitachon that everything is LeTova-for the good-for it all comes from the One who is All Good.
At the end of this week's Parsha, Parshas Vayeisheiv, Yosef HaTzaddik places some eminently justifiable reliance on the Sar Hamashkim-after all that he did for him. However, the end was, as the last word of the Parsha testifies-Vayishkacheihu-and he forgot him. [On the other hand, Dovid Hamelech exclaims-V’shavti Bevais Hashem L’Orech Yomim-I look to nothing else and to no one else, other than dwelling together with Hashem for length of days.] With this, Yosef learned that our hallmark for survival in galus among all those around us who in fact do us a favor if they only ‘forget us’-is looking to Hashem for anything and everything. The lesson learned is quickly brought into practice in next week’s Parsha as Yosef starkly and clearly advises Paroah, Biladai-it is not me, it is Hashem who makes all determinations and all decisions, and it is to Him that we must turn-in all dreams, and in all realities!
(Taken from a recent Hakhel post.)
The Rabbeinu Yonah teaches that bitachon is hope. When statistics say that something is impossible, K’lal Yisroel still has hope, for Hashem can do anything. What we simply do not know is if Hashem, as the HaTov and HaMaitiv wants it to happen. We don’t know and often cannot see the Tov in events that occur. This is where the next step in bitachon comes in. We believe that notwithstanding our subjective hope, what really happens is all good. One may have davened for what he thought was good for him, but when the opposite occurred, Hashem indicated that in reality what he davened for was not the best for him. When we properly exercise our bitachon, we do not know what the outcome will be, for it depends on the Cheshbonos of the Ribbono Shel Olam.
Chanukah teaches that “Ain Od Melvado-there is nothing but His Will” is really the metziyus, the reality. In everyday life, this is hidden by nature, but in special moments (such as Chanukah and Purim, and perhaps other special times in a person’s life), Hashem makes it visible. It was a clear statistical impossibility for thirteen people (no matter how able bodied they were) to defeat tens of thousands. Hashem willed otherwise-and the rest is history that we celebrate -which reignites the flame of bitachon within us every year.
HaRav Salomon continues with a beautiful teaching of HaRav Chaim Volozhiner, Z’tl (in Sefer Ruach Chaim to Avos 2:4). There, HaRav Chaim brings the famous Kepital in Tehillim (23)--”Hashem Roii Lo Echsar-Hashem is my shepherd-I will lack nothing.” Dovid HaMelech compares himself to a sheep whose whole existence depends on the shepherd. He leads them in a way that they won’t be injured-all is for their benefit even if they have no understanding. Dovid HaMelech teaches us all to follow the shepherd and feel secure, for even if one may be tired and harassed, he can have full confidence that the shepherd is leading him in the path that is really best. Sometimes we see the good, but often it is not visible. Knowing this, the Shivtecha-the stick that hits me, and Mishantecha-the stick that I lean upon, are really the same stick. Thus, Heimah Yenachamuni-they together assuage me because I have bitachon that everything is LeTova-for the good-for it all comes from the One who is All Good.
At the end of this week's Parsha, Parshas Vayeisheiv, Yosef HaTzaddik places some eminently justifiable reliance on the Sar Hamashkim-after all that he did for him. However, the end was, as the last word of the Parsha testifies-Vayishkacheihu-and he forgot him. [On the other hand, Dovid Hamelech exclaims-V’shavti Bevais Hashem L’Orech Yomim-I look to nothing else and to no one else, other than dwelling together with Hashem for length of days.] With this, Yosef learned that our hallmark for survival in galus among all those around us who in fact do us a favor if they only ‘forget us’-is looking to Hashem for anything and everything. The lesson learned is quickly brought into practice in next week’s Parsha as Yosef starkly and clearly advises Paroah, Biladai-it is not me, it is Hashem who makes all determinations and all decisions, and it is to Him that we must turn-in all dreams, and in all realities!
(Taken from a recent Hakhel post.)
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
I'm a Millionaire!!
No, I didn't win the lottery! It's just that I wanted to share an incredible thought with you. And once you come to this realization, you can also be a millionaire!
I once heard this from a speech from R' Shimshon Pincus. It was so amazing and I wanted to tell it to you because I think you can all gain from it! I'm not sure if it's exactly what he said or if some of my own thoughts are mixed in while I'm writing it, but either way, it's good to hear...
I once heard this from a speech from R' Shimshon Pincus. It was so amazing and I wanted to tell it to you because I think you can all gain from it! I'm not sure if it's exactly what he said or if some of my own thoughts are mixed in while I'm writing it, but either way, it's good to hear...
He was talking about bitachon and trusting in Hashem and that everything comes from Him. So he was saying that what's the difference between me and the millionaire? The millionaire has tonz of money in the bank. He doesn't even use it all every single day. The fact that his money is sitting in the bank is what makes him a millionaire. But can he depend on his money? From one minute to the next, Hashem can do anything that will make him lose his money. But me, I'm even richer than the millionaire because I have Hashem! And Hashem has all the money in the world! I don't have the worries that the millionaire has, what if this happens, what if that happens, because I know that as soon as I need the money, Hashem will provide me with it! And if I do not need it, I wont have it!! It's that simple!! (Halevei it should be that simple for us, but for R' Pincus, it was so clear!)
It's such an amazing thing, to be able to live with this level of emunah!
Also, the difference between me and the millionaire is the money that's in the bank. It's not that he needs the money that minute so it's really all in the head because as long as the guy knows his money is in his bank account, he's happy, he knows he has it. But if someone would tell him that he lost all his money, even if he had no need for it, he would get so upset!! Why? Because his money isn't in his account anymore! Did he need that money? Not that minute! He just needed to know that the money was there!! He might want it for the future but if he worked on his trust in Hashem, he would know that as soon as he needs the money, He will get it in a way that only Hashem knows!! And so we should remind ourselves that Hashem knows exactly how much money we need at all times! He has more money than all the million & billionaires!! And as soon as you need the money, as soon as Hashem feels you need the money, you will have it!
I remember learning in seminary about the passuk in tehillim, "mizmor l'dovid, Hashem ro'ee lo echsar" - Hashem is my shephard, I am not missing out on anything. This means that: whatever I have I need and whatever I don't have, I don't need. A person should tell themselves this all the time because we need this reminder. If I have it, I need it and if I don't have it right now, I don't need it!!
It's such an important thing to keep reminding ourselves! Tell it to yourself again and again!! You have whatever you need! Hashem knows you best, He knows your needs and wants and as soon as you need it, you will have it!
(This is talking about things that you cannot change, for example, the family you were born into and thing like that. Many things can be changed through tefillah.)
This is not only with money, it's with many other things and we can use this lesson for everything and anything. Hashem knows what you need and He has reasons for each thing He puts you through!!
May you be able to live every day of your life with the knowledge and realization that everything comes from Hashem, He can do anything and may you be able to strengthen your faith in Him more and more each day!
Labels:
Emunah,
Millionaire,
Money,
Pincus,
Tehillim
Monday, May 24, 2010
Rejection - Strengthen Your Emunah
Question: How do you take a rejection as something positive?
Is one to think that I am a no gooder, if someone does not want them?
How is one to channel their emotions in the right direction?
(This question was emailed to me a while ago, but I'm posting it now because I think many of you can gain from it. And to the person who originally asked this question, I edited the answer a bit so it's a drop different from when I responded to your email - so you can go ahead and reread it now.)
First of all, it is a very hard thing to be rejected, whether it is rejection from a school or seminary of your choice, a job or college, or a boy you were dating. I have no way of knowing what type of rejection you are talking about, but rejection in any form is hurtful and painful. So don't feel bad if you feel you need to cry and let out the painful emotions in whatever way works for you (writing, music, art, tears).
The first thing to remember is that if you were stronger in your emunah, you would firmly believe that this rejection is the best thing for you right now. Even if you don't understand how it is best for you, you would believe it and it wouldn't hurt you as much. So a good step to do is to work on strengthening your emunah. Remind yourself that Hashem loves you like a parent loves their child and like a friend loves a friend and like a husband and wife love each other. (There are many comparisons of Hashem's love towards us in Shir Hashirim - we are called Hashem's child, sister, friend, beloved...) Tell yourself again and again that whatever is happening to you is for your ultimate good and for the good of your neshama. The reason you were rejected - you don't know why it happened but you do know and should tell yourself that it is for a good reason, for your ultimate benefit. And when you do get to that point of reaching where you wanted to get to (again, I don't know what brought this question but it can be anything - getting into the right school/seminary, job/college or chosson(!) that you were waiting so long for), you will be able to look back and realize why whatever it is that you had wanted so badly was not good for you in the end!
I recommend reading a book on the topic of Emunah which will help you fill your heart with more emunah and trust in Hashem. It is important to remember that He loves you, cares about you and does everything for your good. He can do anything and wants to help you - you just need to turn to Him, talk to Him, tell Him how you feel and connect to Him in a more real and deep way.
Don't think of yourself as a "no gooder"! Every person has positive qualities and I'm sure you do to! If you were rejected, this is Hashem's way of telling you: This (school/seminary/job/college/boy) is not best for you! I have something much better in mind for you! This is a very big step but try to think of this rejection as a gift from Hashem. It is a beautifully wrapped package - and it is Hashem's way of telling you, "I love you!" because He is saving you from something that would not be good for you!! If it would be good for you, He would give it to you! And since it is NOT good, He doesn't want you to have it! It doesn't in any way mean you are no good - just the opposite! It shows that you are special and this place/person is just not for you! You are special, you are a treasure, you are Hashem's child and He loves you and only has the best things for you in mind!! By reminding yourself that the reason why you were rejected is because Hashem has something much better in store for you, you will be able to accept this test with love and realize that He is doing this only because He loves you more than anyone in the world!!!
We mention this concept in tehillim, perek chaf gimmel (23) when we say, Hashem Ro'ee - Hashem is my shephard. This means that Hashem takes care of us like a shephard watches over his sheep, making sure they have enough food and drink and constantly taking care of them. Then we go on to say, Lo Echsar, I lack nothing. This means that you have whatever you need. And the most important thing to keep in mind is: IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT, YOU DON'T NEED IT. Hashem knows you best and knows exactly what you need. So if He thinks something is good for you, He will give it to you. And if He thinks it is not good for you, He will make sure to hold it back from you. But remember, everything that Hashem does is for your ultimate good. So even if you don't understand it right now, the situation you are in is best for you!
It is normal and okay to have emotions after experiencing rejection of any sort. It's okay to cry. It's okay to feel down and upset. It's normal to be hurt. But don't let these emotions overtake you. Instead, use these emotions to turn to Hashem and beg Him for your own personal yeshuah. Tell Him how much it hurts you. Talk to Him like a friend and let everything spill out. Hashem understands you better than anyone in the world because He created you and He knows how you work!! Try to channel your emotions towards your loving Father and use your feelings to come closer to Him. You will feel so much better after you speak your heart out to Him.
One other thing to keep in mind is that you are not alone. There are other people experiencing similar feelings of rejection. Daven for them too. Keep them in mind when you tell Hashem how you feel and beg Him to bring an end to the pain these other people are feeling too! And in the zechus of davening for others, may Hashem answer your tefillos and may He bring a yeshuah to all those who need it!!
Hatzlacha!
Is one to think that I am a no gooder, if someone does not want them?
How is one to channel their emotions in the right direction?
(This question was emailed to me a while ago, but I'm posting it now because I think many of you can gain from it. And to the person who originally asked this question, I edited the answer a bit so it's a drop different from when I responded to your email - so you can go ahead and reread it now.)
First of all, it is a very hard thing to be rejected, whether it is rejection from a school or seminary of your choice, a job or college, or a boy you were dating. I have no way of knowing what type of rejection you are talking about, but rejection in any form is hurtful and painful. So don't feel bad if you feel you need to cry and let out the painful emotions in whatever way works for you (writing, music, art, tears).
The first thing to remember is that if you were stronger in your emunah, you would firmly believe that this rejection is the best thing for you right now. Even if you don't understand how it is best for you, you would believe it and it wouldn't hurt you as much. So a good step to do is to work on strengthening your emunah. Remind yourself that Hashem loves you like a parent loves their child and like a friend loves a friend and like a husband and wife love each other. (There are many comparisons of Hashem's love towards us in Shir Hashirim - we are called Hashem's child, sister, friend, beloved...) Tell yourself again and again that whatever is happening to you is for your ultimate good and for the good of your neshama. The reason you were rejected - you don't know why it happened but you do know and should tell yourself that it is for a good reason, for your ultimate benefit. And when you do get to that point of reaching where you wanted to get to (again, I don't know what brought this question but it can be anything - getting into the right school/seminary, job/college or chosson(!) that you were waiting so long for), you will be able to look back and realize why whatever it is that you had wanted so badly was not good for you in the end!
I recommend reading a book on the topic of Emunah which will help you fill your heart with more emunah and trust in Hashem. It is important to remember that He loves you, cares about you and does everything for your good. He can do anything and wants to help you - you just need to turn to Him, talk to Him, tell Him how you feel and connect to Him in a more real and deep way.
Don't think of yourself as a "no gooder"! Every person has positive qualities and I'm sure you do to! If you were rejected, this is Hashem's way of telling you: This (school/seminary/job/college/boy) is not best for you! I have something much better in mind for you! This is a very big step but try to think of this rejection as a gift from Hashem. It is a beautifully wrapped package - and it is Hashem's way of telling you, "I love you!" because He is saving you from something that would not be good for you!! If it would be good for you, He would give it to you! And since it is NOT good, He doesn't want you to have it! It doesn't in any way mean you are no good - just the opposite! It shows that you are special and this place/person is just not for you! You are special, you are a treasure, you are Hashem's child and He loves you and only has the best things for you in mind!! By reminding yourself that the reason why you were rejected is because Hashem has something much better in store for you, you will be able to accept this test with love and realize that He is doing this only because He loves you more than anyone in the world!!!
We mention this concept in tehillim, perek chaf gimmel (23) when we say, Hashem Ro'ee - Hashem is my shephard. This means that Hashem takes care of us like a shephard watches over his sheep, making sure they have enough food and drink and constantly taking care of them. Then we go on to say, Lo Echsar, I lack nothing. This means that you have whatever you need. And the most important thing to keep in mind is: IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT, YOU DON'T NEED IT. Hashem knows you best and knows exactly what you need. So if He thinks something is good for you, He will give it to you. And if He thinks it is not good for you, He will make sure to hold it back from you. But remember, everything that Hashem does is for your ultimate good. So even if you don't understand it right now, the situation you are in is best for you!
It is normal and okay to have emotions after experiencing rejection of any sort. It's okay to cry. It's okay to feel down and upset. It's normal to be hurt. But don't let these emotions overtake you. Instead, use these emotions to turn to Hashem and beg Him for your own personal yeshuah. Tell Him how much it hurts you. Talk to Him like a friend and let everything spill out. Hashem understands you better than anyone in the world because He created you and He knows how you work!! Try to channel your emotions towards your loving Father and use your feelings to come closer to Him. You will feel so much better after you speak your heart out to Him.
One other thing to keep in mind is that you are not alone. There are other people experiencing similar feelings of rejection. Daven for them too. Keep them in mind when you tell Hashem how you feel and beg Him to bring an end to the pain these other people are feeling too! And in the zechus of davening for others, may Hashem answer your tefillos and may He bring a yeshuah to all those who need it!!
Hatzlacha!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Do you want to know how to bring more goodness to the world???
I dreamt that I went to Shamayim and a malach was showing me around.We walked side-by-side inside a large work room filled with malachim.My malach, stopped in front of the first section and said, "This isthe Receiving Section. Here, all the bakashos to Hashem said during davening are received."I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many malachim sorting out all the requests that were written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world. Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section.The malach then said to me, "This is the Packaging and Delivery Section.Here, the brachos and yeshuos the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them."I noticed again how busy it was there.There were many malachim working hard at that station, since so many brachos had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth.
Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station.To my great surprise, only one malach was seated there, idly doing nothing."This is the Acknowledgment Section," my malach quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed."How is it that? There's no work going on here?" I asked."So sad," the malach sighed. "After people receive the brachos that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments."How does one acknowledge HaShem's blessings?" I asked."Simple," the malach answered. "Just say, "Thank you, Hashem.""What brachos should they acknowledge?" I asked. You can say thank you Hashem for anything,"If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep ... you are richer than 75%of this world."If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are really so lucky ."If you woke up this morning in a good mood ready to use all your energy to make others happy. Then you are def. richer than a millionare! "If you have never experienced the pangs of starvation ... you are ahead of 700 million people in the world.If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you are unique to all those in doubt and despair."Ok, what now? How can I start?send a thank you to the acknowledge dept. Attn: Acknowledge Dept.: Thank You Hashem!"Thank you Hashem, for giving me the ability to share this message and for giving me so many wonderful people to share it with."
may you use your time here in this world to become closer to hashem and thank him for every time something good happens, i got through to my friend i was trying for soo long... thank you Hashem, I went to an inspiring class thank you Hashem, I had a great time talking to my friend she put me into such a good mood.... Thank you Hashem! Then Hashem will give us more and more reasons to thank him!!
when your friend says thank you to you for being so helpful, im sure it makes you want to do more for her, bec. she appriciates you!
Hashem works the same way, when you say thank you to Hashem it only makes Hashem want to do more for us!
In chumash devarim parshas ki savo pasuk mem zayin it talks abt how hashem will send us enemies... it goes into sept. 11 and one of the reasons why it happened!
you will be shocked to know that in the pasuk it says;
tachas asher lo avadita es hashem elokecha bisimcha....
bec. we did not serve Hashem with simcha/ joy and excitement....We were'nt happy, we did not realize how much good we had. Therefore Hashem will send an enemy to you....who will destroy your tall buildings.... to really wake us up...(my birthday is sept. 11 so it makes me feel that i have a message to share with all of you!)
so hashem woke us up already... lets show Hashem that we dont need any more wakeup calls!!
my idea:
lets try when we hear abt a simcha, a healthy baby, or someone gets engaged, or we walk into a simcha lets say one short perek of tehillim to thank Hashem that we are going to a house of simcha, and not chas veshalom....
then hopefully the tehillim list will get shorter bec. we wont need pain to turn to Hashem we will have simchos and exciting things to thank Hashem!
At my sisters vort we had the Sefer Tehillim divided up so whoever came said a short booklet to thank Hashem that we are coming to a house of simcha!! Ofcourse we finished the tehillim a few times! whoever came thought it was such a great idea to open up the gates for hashem to send us more brachos!!
then Hashem will see how we really do want to be close to him in good times and beezras Hashem he will send us many more brachos!!
I'm already waiting to hear the good news.....
Then we will be zoche to go to yerushalayim with too much thanks on our lips!!!AMEN!!
Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station.To my great surprise, only one malach was seated there, idly doing nothing."This is the Acknowledgment Section," my malach quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed."How is it that? There's no work going on here?" I asked."So sad," the malach sighed. "After people receive the brachos that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments."How does one acknowledge HaShem's blessings?" I asked."Simple," the malach answered. "Just say, "Thank you, Hashem.""What brachos should they acknowledge?" I asked. You can say thank you Hashem for anything,"If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep ... you are richer than 75%of this world."If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are really so lucky ."If you woke up this morning in a good mood ready to use all your energy to make others happy. Then you are def. richer than a millionare! "If you have never experienced the pangs of starvation ... you are ahead of 700 million people in the world.If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you are unique to all those in doubt and despair."Ok, what now? How can I start?send a thank you to the acknowledge dept. Attn: Acknowledge Dept.: Thank You Hashem!"Thank you Hashem, for giving me the ability to share this message and for giving me so many wonderful people to share it with."
may you use your time here in this world to become closer to hashem and thank him for every time something good happens, i got through to my friend i was trying for soo long... thank you Hashem, I went to an inspiring class thank you Hashem, I had a great time talking to my friend she put me into such a good mood.... Thank you Hashem! Then Hashem will give us more and more reasons to thank him!!
when your friend says thank you to you for being so helpful, im sure it makes you want to do more for her, bec. she appriciates you!
Hashem works the same way, when you say thank you to Hashem it only makes Hashem want to do more for us!
In chumash devarim parshas ki savo pasuk mem zayin it talks abt how hashem will send us enemies... it goes into sept. 11 and one of the reasons why it happened!
you will be shocked to know that in the pasuk it says;
tachas asher lo avadita es hashem elokecha bisimcha....
bec. we did not serve Hashem with simcha/ joy and excitement....We were'nt happy, we did not realize how much good we had. Therefore Hashem will send an enemy to you....who will destroy your tall buildings.... to really wake us up...(my birthday is sept. 11 so it makes me feel that i have a message to share with all of you!)
so hashem woke us up already... lets show Hashem that we dont need any more wakeup calls!!
my idea:
lets try when we hear abt a simcha, a healthy baby, or someone gets engaged, or we walk into a simcha lets say one short perek of tehillim to thank Hashem that we are going to a house of simcha, and not chas veshalom....
then hopefully the tehillim list will get shorter bec. we wont need pain to turn to Hashem we will have simchos and exciting things to thank Hashem!
At my sisters vort we had the Sefer Tehillim divided up so whoever came said a short booklet to thank Hashem that we are coming to a house of simcha!! Ofcourse we finished the tehillim a few times! whoever came thought it was such a great idea to open up the gates for hashem to send us more brachos!!
then Hashem will see how we really do want to be close to him in good times and beezras Hashem he will send us many more brachos!!
I'm already waiting to hear the good news.....
Then we will be zoche to go to yerushalayim with too much thanks on our lips!!!AMEN!!
Labels:
Appreciation,
Dream,
Tehillim
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Hashem is holding my hand
Hi there! I’m a teenager, just like a lot of you guys. Most of you probably don’t know me- I live out here in Columbus, Ohio. But I recently had a crazy, life altering experience that Chaya Sara asked me to share with all of you, so here goes!
You know those moments in your life that are frozen in your memory forever? Sometimes you have a terrifying experience just a few seconds long and it keeps replaying over and over in your mind for days. Well, as I’m sitting here I can see the entire incident playing out before me in slow motion, each detail excruciatingly clear. I can still taste the fear and my stomach is churning at the memory. I don’t want to overburden you with background details so suffice it to say that my older sister is has just gone through a very stormy and turbulent divorce. She came home to us together with her daughter, a perfectly scrumptious 2 year old. This adorable child is the light of her life. I hate to play favorites, but somehow she managed to steal my heart like none of my other nieces can. Anyway, down to the story, it was a regular Sunday afternoon. I was outside in front of the house, when I suddenly heard terrified screaming. I turned to look and my blood ran cold. My X-brother-in-law was speeding down the street with my sister hanging on to the side of his car for dear life. It took me only a split second to realize that my dearly beloved, heavenly adorable niece was in the car BEING KIDNAPPED!!! I couldn’t scream, I couldn’t move. I could only stare in sheer horror as my sister was shoved to the side, almost being run over in the process, and the car disappeared down the street. My sister was shrieking hysterically, as you can imagine. My father had the presence of mind to jump into his car with her to chase after her X husband. My mother was screaming and crying in shock. And me? I was just about too traumatized to do anything but stare numbly at the empty spot on the street where my niece had stood just a minute ago.
And then suddenly, amidst the terrifying chaos I made a dive for the only secure thing in the world that still existed for me. My siddur. I yanked it open to perek chaf. Sobbing I repeated the words over and over again without stopping. “Yaancha Hashem biyom tzarah.” The minutes that followed were absolutely the scariest ones of my life. But I wouldn’t stop saying tehillim, not even for a second. I somehow had the feeling that my words were going to save us. My legs quivered like jelly but deep inside I was calm with the knowledge that Hashem was taking care of us. In those horrible moments of sheer desperation, I somehow felt him closer to me than ever before in my life. After what seemed like an eternity but could only have been a few minutes, the phone rang. I grabbed it instantly. “Sara Miriam”, my sister sobbed, “we have the baby!” I can’t describe to you the relief that those four words brought to us. It was like having a rush of cool water poured on me in the midst of a fiery heat. My family screamed with joy but I just whispered “Thank you Hashem. Thank you for listening to me.”
I’m sure you can imagine why I’m so traumatized every time I recall this experience. Even now, I am shaking. Yet at the same time a feel a reassuring squeeze on my hand. It is the hand of my father in heaven who will never ever let go. And I want you to know, that no matter what kind of crazy things are happening in your life, Hashem is right there beside you. Just reach out to him, let him take your hand, and you will see his miracles unfolding before your eyes.
You know those moments in your life that are frozen in your memory forever? Sometimes you have a terrifying experience just a few seconds long and it keeps replaying over and over in your mind for days. Well, as I’m sitting here I can see the entire incident playing out before me in slow motion, each detail excruciatingly clear. I can still taste the fear and my stomach is churning at the memory. I don’t want to overburden you with background details so suffice it to say that my older sister is has just gone through a very stormy and turbulent divorce. She came home to us together with her daughter, a perfectly scrumptious 2 year old. This adorable child is the light of her life. I hate to play favorites, but somehow she managed to steal my heart like none of my other nieces can. Anyway, down to the story, it was a regular Sunday afternoon. I was outside in front of the house, when I suddenly heard terrified screaming. I turned to look and my blood ran cold. My X-brother-in-law was speeding down the street with my sister hanging on to the side of his car for dear life. It took me only a split second to realize that my dearly beloved, heavenly adorable niece was in the car BEING KIDNAPPED!!! I couldn’t scream, I couldn’t move. I could only stare in sheer horror as my sister was shoved to the side, almost being run over in the process, and the car disappeared down the street. My sister was shrieking hysterically, as you can imagine. My father had the presence of mind to jump into his car with her to chase after her X husband. My mother was screaming and crying in shock. And me? I was just about too traumatized to do anything but stare numbly at the empty spot on the street where my niece had stood just a minute ago.
And then suddenly, amidst the terrifying chaos I made a dive for the only secure thing in the world that still existed for me. My siddur. I yanked it open to perek chaf. Sobbing I repeated the words over and over again without stopping. “Yaancha Hashem biyom tzarah.” The minutes that followed were absolutely the scariest ones of my life. But I wouldn’t stop saying tehillim, not even for a second. I somehow had the feeling that my words were going to save us. My legs quivered like jelly but deep inside I was calm with the knowledge that Hashem was taking care of us. In those horrible moments of sheer desperation, I somehow felt him closer to me than ever before in my life. After what seemed like an eternity but could only have been a few minutes, the phone rang. I grabbed it instantly. “Sara Miriam”, my sister sobbed, “we have the baby!” I can’t describe to you the relief that those four words brought to us. It was like having a rush of cool water poured on me in the midst of a fiery heat. My family screamed with joy but I just whispered “Thank you Hashem. Thank you for listening to me.”
I’m sure you can imagine why I’m so traumatized every time I recall this experience. Even now, I am shaking. Yet at the same time a feel a reassuring squeeze on my hand. It is the hand of my father in heaven who will never ever let go. And I want you to know, that no matter what kind of crazy things are happening in your life, Hashem is right there beside you. Just reach out to him, let him take your hand, and you will see his miracles unfolding before your eyes.
Labels:
Inspiration,
Miracle,
Story,
Tehillim
Sunday, May 10, 2009
How to Serve Hashem Out of Love
How can I serve Hashem out of love?
hey everyone i am excited about you coming on line and checking this out!!
MI KEAMCHA YISROEL!! WE ARE THE COOLEST PPL EVER!! All we really want to do is grow and become closer to hashem.
My goal for this web site is to have a new approach on how to serve hashem in the most happy and beautiful way.
I read this week in orchos tzaddikim that the highest level to serve hashem is through love for all that he does for you. when we serve hashem out of love that is when we feel the best about ourselves.
What does it mean to serve hashem out of love?
well lets first take a look at how much he does for us, and it does not cost any money, its all gifts for free!!
1.When we wake up in the morning, the sun is shining , and the day is so full of warmth you just feel hashem smiling at you ooowww!!! what a delicious feeling it is:) this is a free gift for you cuz he loves you!!
Think about this, you have one million taste buds to enjoy the food that you eat every day! Just to add to the pleasure every time you eat something its as if you are tasting it for the first time!! why do we go and buy the same food over and over again like ice cream? cuz we love the taste of it and every time we eat it we get a new delicious taste in our mouth!! How awesome is hashem??
Even if we talk loshon hara or just rush to make a bracha hashem does not take away our taste buds!! pretty cool!!
Taste buds are free, our eye sight is free, our legs to run are all free, we get to hear music for free THIS IS ALL BECAUSE HASHEM LOVES YOU!!!
SO ALL HASHEM WANTS FROM US IS START TO NOTICE ALL THE GOOD HE GIVES YOU AND SAY THANK YOU! WHENEVER YOU SAY THANK YOU TO A FRIEND THEY JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU MORE SO TO WITH HASHEM EVERY TIME YOU SAY THANK YOU HASHEM WILL GIVE YOU MORE!!
lets try to look out for every time hashem does something good for you and say thank you hashem even with a perek of tehillim mizmor lesoda and then hashem will give you more and more reasons to thank him!! maybe then we wont need hatzala calls to make us say tehillim instead well have simchas where we call out to hashem with tons of simcha!!
just to put this into perspective whoever knows me I am 28yrs old NOT MARRIED and i have the ability to be sooo broken... instead I focus on every good thing hashem gives me and i am sooo happy with every passing day!!
ITS ALL ABOUT YOUR ATTITUDE THAT WILL HELP YOU REACH YOUR ALTITUDE IN LIFE!!
May you feel hashems treasures wherever you go. Life Is a Treasure box Waiting to be opened and admired!!
hey everyone i am excited about you coming on line and checking this out!!
MI KEAMCHA YISROEL!! WE ARE THE COOLEST PPL EVER!! All we really want to do is grow and become closer to hashem.
My goal for this web site is to have a new approach on how to serve hashem in the most happy and beautiful way.
I read this week in orchos tzaddikim that the highest level to serve hashem is through love for all that he does for you. when we serve hashem out of love that is when we feel the best about ourselves.
What does it mean to serve hashem out of love?
well lets first take a look at how much he does for us, and it does not cost any money, its all gifts for free!!
1.When we wake up in the morning, the sun is shining , and the day is so full of warmth you just feel hashem smiling at you ooowww!!! what a delicious feeling it is:) this is a free gift for you cuz he loves you!!
Think about this, you have one million taste buds to enjoy the food that you eat every day! Just to add to the pleasure every time you eat something its as if you are tasting it for the first time!! why do we go and buy the same food over and over again like ice cream? cuz we love the taste of it and every time we eat it we get a new delicious taste in our mouth!! How awesome is hashem??
Even if we talk loshon hara or just rush to make a bracha hashem does not take away our taste buds!! pretty cool!!
Taste buds are free, our eye sight is free, our legs to run are all free, we get to hear music for free THIS IS ALL BECAUSE HASHEM LOVES YOU!!!
SO ALL HASHEM WANTS FROM US IS START TO NOTICE ALL THE GOOD HE GIVES YOU AND SAY THANK YOU! WHENEVER YOU SAY THANK YOU TO A FRIEND THEY JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU MORE SO TO WITH HASHEM EVERY TIME YOU SAY THANK YOU HASHEM WILL GIVE YOU MORE!!
lets try to look out for every time hashem does something good for you and say thank you hashem even with a perek of tehillim mizmor lesoda and then hashem will give you more and more reasons to thank him!! maybe then we wont need hatzala calls to make us say tehillim instead well have simchas where we call out to hashem with tons of simcha!!
just to put this into perspective whoever knows me I am 28yrs old NOT MARRIED and i have the ability to be sooo broken... instead I focus on every good thing hashem gives me and i am sooo happy with every passing day!!
ITS ALL ABOUT YOUR ATTITUDE THAT WILL HELP YOU REACH YOUR ALTITUDE IN LIFE!!
May you feel hashems treasures wherever you go. Life Is a Treasure box Waiting to be opened and admired!!
Labels:
Appreciation,
Tefillah,
Tehillim
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