From The Maggid's Table
Rav
Elimelech Biderman once explained that the Heavenly manner of running
affairs is comparable to the earthly deeds in this world. For example, any physical
pleasures that a person willingly forfeits and refrains from can be “deposited”
and accrue in the Heavenly bank. Afterward, a person can make a “withdrawal”
and pull out yeshuos refuos, health and salvation and all manner of
abundant blessings, like children, health and wealth.
Rav
Aharon of Belz was once about to enter a car to travel. Because of his height
and the size of the car door, it was necessary for Rav Aharon to bend his head to
get in. As the Belzer Rebbe bent down, he said to the Chassidim, “See – wants
to get anywhere in life and move forward, he needs to learn to bend down and
lower his head a bit. If he refuses to bend or yield and insists on staying
erect, he will never get anywhere in life; he won’t even be able to begin the
journey!”
Rav
Elimelech Biderman explained that the Ba’alei Mussar lesson with a parable:
There was once a deer who entered the thickets of the fore He
tried to get out, but with every step his antlers got more and more entangled
in the growth and underbrush. He tried to free his antlers with all his might the
more he struggled, the more entangled he became. If he succeeded in freeing
them from one group of branches, they immediately became entangled in another. Finally,
another animal passed by and offered his opinion, “Foolish deer, there are more
trees and branches and shrubs than you have years of your life to struggle and untangle
– you will never free yourself and get out! Let me offer you my advice: trim your
antlers so that you can walk the forest paths unhindered!”
Selected
Teachings of Rav Kook on Eretz Yisrael:
''Only
by learning the secrets of Torah can a person experience the highest levels of holiness
and the transcendental uniqueness of Eretz Yisrael.'' ''Rooted in Kabbalistic literature
is the understanding that Hebrew letters are the atoms and building blocks of
the soul.
When
a Jew comes to live in Israel, his small individual letters expand to become
the gigantic letters of the whole Jewish nation.'' ''Because the soul of a Jew
is connected to all of the souls of the nation, the yearning of even one individual
for the Land of Israel has a profound, multiple effect on all of the Jewish
People. The mercy of G-d is aroused, and slowly, the nation begins to return to
its homeland.''
By: R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Taken from: Me’oros Ha’Tzaddikim.
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim Publishing.
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim Publishing.
