Gratitude to Gd

Hi,

“Rav Yosef taught: What does Isaiah 12 mean when it says, 'I will praise You, Gd, for You were angry at me, Your rage will settle and You will console me?'

“This passage speaks of two men who embark on a business trip, and one of them gets a thorn in his foot and is unable to continue; he begins to blaspheme Gd. Some days later the ship on which he would have traveled sinks in the sea, and he hears this and praises Gd...

“This is similar to Rabbi Elazar's statement: What does Tehillim 72 mean when it says, 'He performs miracles alone, and His glorious Name is praised forever?' Even the recipient of a miracle is unaware of the miracle he receives.”

(Talmud, Niddah 31a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Divine outrage at idolatry

Hi,

"A philosopher asked Rabban Gamliel: It is written in your Torah, 'For HaShem your Gd is a consuming flame, an outraged Gd.' Why is Gd outraged at the worshippers, but not at the idol itself?

"Rabban Gamliel responded: I will give you a comparison. Imagine a king who had a son. The son acquired a dog and called it by his father's name. When the son swore oaths, he swore 'In the name of my father the dog.' When the king hears of this, upon whom will his anger fall, on the dog or on his son?”

(Talmud, Avodah Zarah 54b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Mitzvot with reward here and in the next world

Hi,

"Four endeavors bring a person fruit in this world, while their essential reward is held over for the next world. Three are: Honoring one's parents, Performing acts of kindness and Bringing peace between people. Studying Torah is parallel to all of these."

(Avot deRabbi Natan 40:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Loving Gd

Hi,

"'Loving Gd' means that one should thirst, and truly desire, to be close to Gd. One should run after His holiness just as he would run after anything he strongly wanted, to such a point that even the mention of Gd's Name, or description of His glory, or involvement in His Torah will
itself be pleasant and enjoyable for him. It should be like love for the spouse of one's youth, or one's only child, a powerful love. Even speaking about it should be enjoyable to him."

(Mesilat Yesharim (Path of the Just), Chapter 19)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The most important concepts in the universe

Hi,

"Seven entities were created before the universe: Torah, Repentance, Gan
Eden (Heaven), Gehennom (Hell), the Divine Throne, the Temple, and the
name of the Messiah."

[As I understand it, the lesson is that these seven entities/concepts
are so fundamental to Gd's Creation that they had to exist in order to
enable the creation of the Universe.]

(Talmud, Pesachim 54a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The role of the chazan in Birkat Kohanim

Hi,

Regarding the blessing conveyed to the Jews by the kohanim:

"The chazan [who recites each word ahead of the kohanim] is the agent who draws influence in a 'pipeline' from the source of blessing first, pouring it as a blessing upon the heads of the kohanim.

"The chazan first says to the kohen, 'May Gd bless you,' so as to make the kohen a vessel full to overflowing with the blessing of Gd. Then, when the kohen says to the Jews, 'May Gd bless you,' he pours from this full vessel into an empty vessel.

"Were the kohen not blessed first, he would be pouring from one empty vessel into another."

(Kli Yakar to Bamidbar 6:23, expanding an idea expressed by Rabbeinu Bechayye)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Chesed and Din: Generosity and Justice

Hi,

"A person must have these two traits, Chesed [unlimited generosity] and Din [measured justice], meaning that for Divine matters he must use Chesed to ascend ever higher, without limit, and to be involved only in Torah and service, whereas for physical matters, for eating and other matters, he must use Din and not pursue fulfillment of his desires."

(Vilna Gaon, Aderet Eliyahu to Ruth 1:1)

Have a great day and Chag Sameach,
Mordechai