Dear Friends,
There are days when you wake up and are really happy, and then there are days where you seem to wake up feeling just a bit gloomy (A Kosher Mocha with whipped cream is needed ASAP). Ever feel that way? On the Jewish calendar there are some days like Purim ( the most joyous holiday) that are happy days and then there is a day like 9th of Av, the day we mourn the destruction of both Holy Temples, which this year falls on Tuesday, that are sad days. To be quite honest, let’s just say I am usually more into the Purim Holiday mode!
But there is also a time for reflection and introspection, especially when some days like Tisha B'Av simply call for it. There are many insights and themes to discuss about this day: to learn more click here. But I will go for one which I think is pretty powerful.
Briefly stated, this sad day came about because the Jews complained and kvetched when there was no need. And G-d said, “Because you are crying when there is no reason to, I will give you a reason to cry.”
Pretty harsh. But I don’t want to dwell on the harsh side of it, so I will go with the opposite: it says that if G-d deals any way with the negative then he acts accordingly with the positive and even more. So this is how it goes with the positive: “If you are happy and thankful, even when there is no reason to be, I will find a good reason to make you happy.”
Practically speaking, sometimes when we look at ourselves and our lives we tend to focus on what we don’t have and we start kvetching. The result is that one kvetch leads to another and the boomerang effect kicks in. So this date on the Jewish calendar reminds us: “Hey, take one aspect of your life to be thankful for and you will see that happiness and goodness will bounce back -- it's contagious."
This is the meaning of the famous statement that one good deed LEADS to another. When you do it, you get into the groove of being healthy; being thankful and happy and those good things in life find you. And the reverse -- but I don’t want to talk about that -- because by now you know I'm more into the Purim Holiday mode.
CHAYA SAID IT AND IN 17 SECONDS! CLICK HERE FOR HER MESSAGE!
After hearing it from her today I was inspired to write this message. Thank you Chaya!
Wishing you all a good Shabbas,
Rabbi Fishel & Ettie Zaklos
P.S.
A Kvetch
An elderly Jewish man was riding on a train. He begins to kvetch, to complain, "Oy, am I thirsty; Oy, am I thirsty."
Finally, the person sitting next to him can't stand it anymore, and goes to get the man a bottle of water. The traveler drinks it all in a few gulps and wipes his lips with satisfaction. Everything is fine, until a few minutes later he begins to kvetch again:
"Oy, vas I thirsty. Oy, vas I thirsty."