B"H

Friday, Menachem Av 19, 5784 / August 23, 2024

This week’s Parsha, Eikev, as the entire Book of Devarim (Deuteronomy), the last book of the Torah, records Moshe's words of guidance to the people of Israel before his passing. 

Moshe reminds the Jewish people, as they are about to enter the Promised Land, that if they will keep G-d’s commandments, G-d will fulfill His promises to them; "And He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will bless the fruit of your body [children] and the fruit of your land... And you shall know in your heart that just as a man reproaches his son, so your G-d chastised you.”

Moshe compares G-d’s dealing with the Jewish people to a father dealing with his son.  When a father reprimands his child, it is not to cause him pain and suffering.  When the child strays, the father will punish him in order to direct him on the right path.  So too, the trials that the Jewish people endured during their journeys in the desert were to lead them in the right path.

“As a man reproaches his son, so the L-rd your G-d chastised you.”  Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Barditchev was once traveling and stayed overnight in an inn.  A number of Jewish merchants traveling to the fair to buy and sell their goods were also in the inn.

In the morning, they rose very early to pray and continue to their destination.  Being in a hurry, the merchants prayed very fast, mumbling their words hurriedly.  Rabbi Levi Yitzchak was bothered by their rushing through the prayers.

When they finished, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak went over to one of the merchants and said, “ma, ba, na, ta...”  The man looked at Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, puzzled.  “I cannot understand a word you’re saying.”

Again, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak repeated the sentence, even faster than before.  The merchant shrugged his shoulders, “How can I understand a word you’re saying when you speak so fast?”

“Isn’t this exactly the way you just recited your prayers?” asked Rabbi Levi Yitzchak.  “How do you expect G-d to understand your prayers when you spoke to Him exactly as I have spoken to you?”

The merchant replied: “An infant chatters and blabbers and no one understands what the child is saying.  Yet, the child’s parents know exactly what the child wants.  We are G-d’s children. He understands exactly what we want, what we need and what we are praying for; although no one else may understand what we are saying!” Rabbi Levi Yitzchak was very impressed with the reply and would repeat this story time and again!

Indeed G-d listens and understands our prayers. May they ALL be answered NOW.

SHABBAT  SHALOM

Montreal candle lighting time: 7:29 / Shabbat ends: 8:32

UNITED WE STAND AND PRAY FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY TO BE RELEASED NOW.