A Joke With A Lesson
The Baal Hatanya, Rav Shneur Zalman, was upstairs in his study when he heard a baby crying. He went downstairs and saw his son-in-law, Rav Dov Ber, learning so deeply he didn't even hear the baby crying.
The Baal Hatanya told him that even when a person is learning deeply, he should still be able to hear when someone needs help.
That's the lesson! Learn, daven, but don't forget that helping others is part of serving Hashem.
This Connects to This Week's Parsha:
Moshe didn't want to hit the water to turn it into blood, so Aharon did it.
Question: Why didn't Moshe want to hit the water?
Answer: Because the water once saved Moshe's life. Hitting it now would show he was not grateful for what had saved him.
In life, we shouldn't “hit” ourselves. Some hit themselves with negative thoughts. But just like the Torah teaches us not to hit others, you also can't hit yourself with negative thoughts about yourself.
The Yetzer Hara wants you to think you are bad. The Yetzer Hara wants the sadness that comes after a sin—that's what stops you from growing. Rav Gamliel Rabinowitz shlita said, even if you fail many times, get back up and start fresh.
How can one hit themselves with negative thoughts when they must be grateful to Hashem for keeping them alive, since that means that Hashem still believes in you and didn't give up on you? Every day Hashem keeps us alive means He wants our davening, our learning, and most importantly to help other Yidden.
Stay strong and keep going.
Rav Zechariah Wallerstein zt"l said, “I have never met a person who doesn't believe in Hashem who is truly happy. How could they be happy if everything is random? Meaning, why does your neighbor have more money, a nicer house, or better health than you?”
If you don't believe in Hashem, and some people just have good luck and some bad luck, that makes life very depressing. Because then life “isn't fair.”
But someone with real emunah remembers everything is from Hashem. What I have now is for my best, and even what I don't have yet is also for my best.
That's the lesson! A life where one works on emunah is a different life; not because there are no ups and downs and surprises in life, but because you always know (and work on remembering) that Hashem has a plan, Hashem loves us, and even when we don't understand, but He does know; trust Him.
This Connects to This Week's Parsha:
Yossi was driving on the highway and got very hungry.
He tried grabbing a bag of pretzels from the floor while barely keeping one hand on the wheel.
Yanky screamed, “YOSSI, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”
The car is zigzagging in and out of the lane.
“Relax, I just want a pretzel,” Yossi said.
“Pretzel?!” Yanky asked nervously, “Keep your hands on the wheel and drive normally; if not, you will turn us both into a twisted pretzel...”
That's the lesson! In life, we really have to keep our hands on the wheel to drive safely.
In spiritual life, we need to learn Hashem's Torah every day to live safely as well.
Good luck!
Helping Others is Part of Serving Hashem
Shaya told his brother, “Sruli, my son's yeshiva really needs money.”
“Every yeshiva needs!” Sruli said with a smile.
“No, this yeshiva is different,” Shaya said.
“Why is that?” Sruli asked.
“Well,” Shaya said, “I put in two dollars to get a Danish in their vending machine, and nothing came out, and it just said, Thank you for your donation...”
That's the lesson! Life is full of surprises. Hashem can help you get what you need in the blink of an eye.
When it was time to leave Mitzrayim, they left super quick.
May Hashem send “super quick” to everyone what they need, and there should be better surprises than this vending machine...
One of the reasons Hashem gave the ten makkos in such an open miracle way was that Hashem was proving to Pharaoh and the whole world that there is a Creator and that He is involved in every person's personal life. Hashem controls everything and gives everyone what they deserve and need.
It's all under control, just not yours.
