This Shabbos and Motza’ei Shabbos mark two very special yahrzeits that must be mentioned: 23 Tammuz is the yahrzeit of Benzion Grossman a’h; and the 24th is that of my beloved mother a’h.
Each one of them was unique and very great in their own right, and the fact that they are literally just fifty steps one from the other on Har HaMenuchos creates a very exclusive bond between our families. Each visit to one kever automatically means a visit to the other, and the zechusim of each are intertwined....
May we merit very soon to see the day of simchah and true nechamah together with al of Yisroel....
A number of years ago, baruch Hashem, I merited to be present at a Torah Umesorah Convention at which the Shaarei Aharon, Rav Aharon Yeshaya Rotter shlita spoke and asked the following powerful question: Every morning we make the berachah Asher Buchar Banu, thanking Hashem Yisbarach for choosing us from among all other nations. As we know, in recounting the giving of the Torah, the way Chazal teach it to us, Hashem went to all the nations of the world to ask them if they wanted the Torah; they all rejected it, but when He came to Klal Yisroel, they chose to accept it. If so, the obvious question is, how do we understand even the simple meaning in the words of the berachah we make daily?
Rav Rotenberg answered beautifully: HaKadosh Boruch Hu prepared His children in advance in such a way that when the question would be asked, we would answer in the affirmative....
This can be likened to a father who knows that his son is having a difficult test the very next day, and he stays up late with his son — preparing him good and well for the test; so that he can truly ace it!
Similarly, Hashem gave us our Avos and Imahos, all of whom had within them the middos tovos and exceptional qualities that were passed down to us, their children. Ma’alos that were passed into us allowed us the ability to answer correctly when Hashem asked us if we wanted the Torah. We were given within our DNA the special advantage that would help us make the very right choice when the auspicious time came.
