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Some Advice For the Last Shabbos
This is the last Shabbos of the year. It is, according to many, the most important Shabbos of the year.
It is not by accident that the Parsha speaks about Teshuvah. In about 445 BCE the great leader Ezra brought the Jews back to Israel. He re-taught them the Torah; he founded the Anshei Kneset HaGedolah; and designed the calendar. When designing the Jewish calendar he organized it so that this Parsha will always be read before Rosh Hashanah.
Being that this is a time to introspect and think about teshuvah, I collected some very practical and useful segulos from the Talmud for creating some Shalom Bayit between us and G-d.
1. Anyone who swallows their pride and lets someone be right even if they’re wrong will be forgiven for all their sins! G-d will forgive you even if you’re wrong. (Rosh Hashanah 17)
2. We all sin. How do we feel after we have done wrong? Do we rationalize and try to make ourselves feel better? If one sins and then is genuinely ashamed of what they did (boshet) that sin is forgiven! (Brachos 12)
3. One who answers Yehai shmay Rabba with all their strength any evil decree will be annulled. (Shabbos 119) If the Yehai shmay Rabba is said at the Kadish following a shiur than all sins are forgiven. (Koheles Rabba 9)
4. If one keeps Shabbos carefully even idol worship will be forgiven. (Shabbos 118)
5. Golus (having to leave our place of comfort) atones all sins. (Sanhedrin 37) We all have our little exiles. If one has Golus in mind while walking to Shul during inclement weather or even if while being deposed from ones regular seat in the synagogue ones sins are forgiven. (Pele Yoetz)
6. “With kindness and truth sins are forgiven” (Mishlei 15; 6) Truth refers to the study of Torah (Brachos 5) There is no better way to strengthen our relationship with Hashem than by studying His Torah daily. Even just a commitment to attend a class or to study a bit more. A day should not go by that we don’t take at least a few minutes to learn a bit of Torah. (I am anxious to help you with that commitment)
7. Sometimes G-d wants to really help us but He needs us to do a mitzvah in order to open the pipelines from Heaven. He gives us a tzedakah opportunity. If we grab the chance to help someone in trouble G-d’s help comes pouring in.
Yesterday, I appealed to the readership of this Dvar Torah to help me help the poor of Jerusalem. Every dollar goes to pay the grocery bills of struggling families before the New Year. I was moved when within minutes tens of contributions came pouring in. Thank you!
Besides for the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping someone feed their children, it is clear to me that by “grabbing” this opportunity you are opening up the Heavens for a new year of blessing for you and your family.
If you haven’t contributed yet please visit http://www.torahlab.org/haberblog/i_need_help/ and go to our special secure Tzedaka page.
I’d like to wish everyone a Ksiva Vachasima Tova. Please join me in my prayer for a year of peace in Israel and the world as we usher in the New Year 5768 with happiness and health.
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