B"H
Friday, Iyar 26, 5782 (41st day of the Omer)/ May 27, 2022
This Shabbat (in the Diaspora) we read the last Parsha of the Book of Vayikra (Leviticus), Parshat B’Chukotei. In Israel, the first Parsha of the fourth book of the Torah, Bamidbar, is read.
The Parsha begins, "If in My statutes you will walk, and My commandments you will keep, then I will give you rain in the right time, the Land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will produce fruit... you shall eat your bread with satiety and dwell in safety in your land. And I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down and no one shall make you afraid... I will place My dwelling in your midst… I will walk among you. I will be your G-d and you will be My people!”
G-d promises the Jewish people that if they observe the commandments, they will merit His many blessings. Later the Parsha details the many sufferings which the Jewish people will experience if, G-d forbid, they do not obey the commandments.
The blessings are contained in 10 verses and the punishments in over 25 verses. Yet in reality, the blessings outnumber the curses because they are general blessings in which many additional blessings are included. Also, the curses will be transformed into blessings when we obey G-d’s commandments.
G-d says, "And I will walk among you, and I will be your G-d and you shall be My people." This is indeed a special blessing to recognize that G-d walks among us at all times.
The following tale explains it beautifully and is worthwhile giving some thought when we go through difficult periods in life, which we all go through one time or another.
A person, who through his lifetime experienced very difficult periods, returned his soul to its maker. In heaven he was shown a replay of his entire life. He was shown all the steps he took throughout his life; where he went and what he did. To his amazement he saw four footsteps, instead of only two.
“But I have only two feet? Why do I see four footsteps?” he asked the angel.
“Two are yours and the other two are G-d’s. He walked with you wherever you went!” replied the angel.
“But why, as I watch the difficult times in my life and the difficult steps I went through, I see only two footsteps? Where was G-d then?
The angel looked at him and smiled, “You’re mistaken. The two footsteps you see during your difficult journeys through life are not yours! They are G-d’s footsteps! During those times G-d carried you…!”
This Shabbat we bless the new month, Sivan. Rosh Chodesh is one day - Monday night & Tuesday.
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montreal candle lighting time: 8:13 / Shabbat ends: 9:28