The shelter of the Divine Succah

Hi,

"It is written, “Any ezrach in Yisrael shall dwell in succot.” Anyone who is of the sacred Jewish root and stem shall dwell in succot, beneath the shade of Hashem."

(Zohar to Parshat Emor)

Chag sameach,
Mordechai

Passion and Purity

Hi,

"Pure thought depends upon awakening and passion, and passion depends upon pure thought. Were a person capable of softening his heart and being continually passionate, his thoughts would be more pure. Were a person possessed of pure thought, he would be able to be increasingly passionate and awakened whenever he prepared himself.

"Therefore, a Jew needs both of these: To work and to elevate his thoughts as well as the awakening of his passion."

(Rav Klonymus Kalman Shapira, Bnei Macshavah Tovah, Seder Emtza'ei v'Yesod haChevra 8)

Gmar chatimah tovah,
Mordechai

Forgiveness pays off

Hi,

"If a person declines to exercise his own rights, Gd declines to notice his sins."

(Talmud, Rosh haShanah 17a)

Gmar tov,
Mordechai

Forgive even if you can't forgive

Hi,

"Even if one declines to forgive in order to help the penitent, he must remove the hatred from his heart, since the penitent has sincerely asked for forgiveness."

(R' Yisrael Meir Kagan, Mishneh Berurah 606:9)

Gmar tov,
Mordechai

Persistence in seeking forgiveness

Hi,

"One who sins against another, and requests forgiveness and is rejected, should assemble a line of people to appease his former victim… Regarding one who does this, the verse says, ‘He redeems his soul from passing into destruction.’"

(Talmud Yerushalmi, Bava Kama 8:7)

Gmar tov,
Mordechai

Tough love for the arrogant

Hi,

"When one sees that this trait [of arrogance] dominates his nature, he must think about great matters which frighten and confuse a person's thoughts, regarding the beginning of creatures and their end, how existence began and its ruin and end. When he recognizes that all that exists changes and passes, and that certainly his own existence will change and his body will be destroyed, the spirit that was arrogant in his life will become low and regretful at the time of his death."

(R' Shlomo ibn Gabirol, Tikkun Middot haNefesh 1)

Gmar chatimah tovah,
Mordechai

Tzom Gedalyah (nidcheh)

Hi,

We fast on the day after Rosh haShanah; this is called "Tzom Gedalyah," "The Fast of Gedalyah."

The Meaning of the Fast: After the Babylonians destroyed the Temple, they appointed Gedalyah as governor of Israel's Jews. A group of Jews, supported by another nation, wanted the Jews to rebel against the Babylonians, and they accused Gedalyah of sympathizing with the Babylonians. They ambushed him and killed him, and in the aftermath, the remaining Jewish community in Israel went into exile.

This day is commemorated as a public fast from first light to the emergence of the stars.

This year, the day after Rosh HaShanah is Shabbat. Therefore, the fast is pushed off (nidcheh) to Sunday.

Have an easy and meaningful fast,
Mordechai