The secrets of Torah

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.