B"H

Tuesday, Menachem Av 12, 5776 / August 16, 2016 - Hakhel year

This Shabbat, which will be the first Shabbat after the fast of Tisha B'Av, we will read Parshat Va'etchanan, in the Book of Devarim (Deuteronomy). 

In this Parsha we find the "Shema" - "Hear O' Israel the L-rd is Our G-d the L-rd is one. And you shall love the L-rd your G-d with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might."

The Shema prayer is recited three times daily; In the morning and evening prayers and before going to sleep. With the Shema, we affirm our belief in G-d and proclaim our love for Him.

The words "B'chol M'odecha" - "with all your might," can also be translated, "with every measure."  Our sages explain this to mean that not only should we love G-d when things go good for us, but even if G-d acts with us in a measure that we may not deem as good, we must love Him just the same.

Indeed, our sages say that, "One must bless G-d for the bad just as for the good!"  For, whether experiencing good and happiness which shows G-d's kindness to us in a revealing way; or when one, G-d forbid, experiences suffering, one's love for G-d must not waiver.

Our sages explain that although we may not see the good in certain situations, it is only because we have limitedvision.  From G-d's perspective there is a reason for everything. In the end, whatever G-d does is for the good.

Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman (Nachmanides) was a great sage, scholar, Kabbalist and physician.  Once he visited one of his students who was very sick. Rabbi Moshe realized that the student's days were numbered.

He said to his student, "I have many questions as to the sufferings of our people. When your soul goes up to heaven I want you to go before the heavenly court and ask them where is justice? Why do such terrible thing happening to our people? Then you must come to me in a dream and reveal to me the answers to these questions." 

Rabbi Moshe wrote down the questions and instructed that the paper be placed in the coffin, which they did when the student passed away. A while later, the student appeared to him.

"Did you ask the questions from the heavenly court?  Did you bring me the answers to the questions?" Rabbi Moshe inquired from his student.

The student replied, "When my soul went up to heaven I went to ask the questions so that I can bring you the answer as promised. However, when I entered the heavenly court I suddenly realized that in the heavenly spheres there were no questions. Up there everything looked just and perfect!"

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY