Shira Smiles - Parshat Ki Tavo, Sep 9, 2025

Okay, good morning. I want to talk about today obviously we're going to touch on lol but I want to talk about today one word in this week's para and and again I emphasize that the beauty of learning is that every single word has import and and and and layers layers and layers of meaning. And you know, this is this is our blessing that we're able to as adults come back to what we've learned many many times and appreciate the nuances in expressions in words and that the Torah is replete with multiple levels of understanding. So here's the paravo. It shall be that if you hearken to the voice of Hashem, we have the bros and the clalos to observe to perform all of his commandments. I command you this day. Then Hashem, your God will make you supreme over all the nations of the earth. Halavai. This is what we need. All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you hearken to the voice of Hashem your God. Blessed shall be you in the city. Blessed shall be you in the field. Blessed shall be you of the fruit of your womb, the fruit of your ground. Vulle. And the word I want to speak about today is the Hebrew word is and will overtake you. And the obvious question is and this is source three by the way is also brought by the clolos and they will overtake you. I understand that curses will what could overtake us. But why do I need blessings to overtake us? Hello You want to send blessing my way, it doesn't have to chase after me. I am what? I'm ready. I'm I'm open. And it's interesting the source number four according says the word which is found both by the bro and the clos are written different with the clos. The siga is written with a v. When you have something with a v which is malle like amorah by beros kohanim it is it's quickly. So I understand. Sorry. By theos it says viga with um I was right by the braos it says missing and with the clolos it says it with a v which is thorly um slowly. The with is slowly. The clolos will come slowly upon you. First your house, then your clothing and then you. But the braos will come very quickly. The brahos will just come upon you. But again the question becomes why do we need the and it will overtake you by the braos. I don't need blessings to overtake me. I am ready and willing for them to what? To come to me. So my friends let us take a trip through the world of the gua on many levels and see how this is going to inform us about ll as well. The first idea and we'll come back to this full circle at the end of this year is source five. He calls for who says sometimes there's an abundance of goodness that comes from heaven. But you don't have the wherewithal to be able to accept them, hold them, be there for them. Not only will come, but you'll be able to appreciate, enjoy, and be able to access them to the fullest. And that's the same idea by the clos. When the clos come the bra in is you'll be able to learn the lesson of the clos so that they shouldn't just come and we are deaf to their meaning right and again I think all of us have uh a the katuim on our mind we have a on our mind and then this pigua yesterday in Ramlot that we clos are coming upon us and we have to be able to what? Wake up and do chuva. Yes, ma'am. >> Seek has a not exactly the same achieve something in order to get these >> right in order to get these you have to achieve something. They're not just going to come out of nowhere. I love it. It's an extra level. Not for today, but I love it. It's great. You're 100% correct. You're 100% correct. Okay, my friends, we're ready to start. And again, the journey itself, the learning itself, the process itself is just as exciting as the information. Are are you with me? Just to be able to take a word and and and Okay, I said it three times. I know. I know. I know. But I get excited, so I say it maybe four times. Okay, idea number one va we're going to have quite a few is based on the so the tua brings down and that is if a person I'm going to summarize seven and eight if a person is involved in kumra mitzvos and this is your mindset where your focus is doing the ritson of hashem so then the braha is that not Not only will come, but they're going to chase after you. Move to nine for a second. Here's the key. You see, can be there, but I'm going to have to work hard in order to be able to what? >> To access it. you know, I'm gonna have to go to the bank and I'm gonna have to fill out all these forms and stand online and and you know, it's a schlle. So therefore, elim. It's going to be handd delivered to your door. Not even a check, cash. It's going to be there. You know what do they say on delivery? Uh >> delivery on demand. >> Delivery on demand. I got that voice from somewhere. Thank you very much. You're not going to have to do anything. This is an awaking for awakening for us that we should do the will of when we are totally focused on doing they're going to come on their own. And he says perhaps this is what David had in mind when he says in the paraciml you're defi and are going to what they're going to chase after me my whole life um so that I'll be able to what I'll be able to sipe I want to develop this answer um a little bit that when we do a vote of sashem the braha is that bro will come upon us. Yes ma'am. >> 100% 100%. So I'm going to answer you that yes this is the biggest braha that you'll be able to what you'll be able to accept it you'll be able to hold it at the same time I'm going to touch on your question the last level so I'm going ask you to hold and while I'm asking you to hold so I appreciate your comment I'm going to ask everybody to take their phones and get rid of them so that I don't get um distracted did. Thank you. Was that not a nice way of saying it? Well, >> it was straightforward. Let's take this idea that it's going to chase after you a little bit further. And we'll begin with an idea the Moshe brings from based on the Ibanzraz. They're going to come on their own. What does this mean? Right. They're to come on their own. So he explains and this is the arrow in 10. This is the shelter. This is the essence the 10 arrow. The idea of reward and punishment is not something that's studi that's on the side like a reward for doing something good. No, the idea of doing mitzvah and a veros the doing itself brings one eats bread one is automatically satiated that's the result I throw up my keys they're going to what come down that is gravitational pull that is built into the system built into the system of Torah and mitzvah is that you do Torah and mitzvah, Hashem is going to reward you. That is what we have to understand. And and the reward is going to be the end of 10. You're going to be chased after brahos when you listen to the word of hashem. And the imagery that he gives in 12 is like a person who walks what we call bed on the king's high road which means that whatever he needs he's going to find. He needs places to sleep. He needs food to eat. He needs whatever it is he's going to find it. When you live a life of Torah and mitzvah that's the entirety of your life. It is going to be a life full of blessing. Now source 13 on notes and this is this is this is important. Kadon L is double squiggly and 13 midavon shalom is full of rahim. Right. Rabbi Kaplan brings down we use the term for Hashem in English as God. God is good. Right? So every time you say God, you're just accessing the goodness of Hashem. The essence of Hashem is fake. Anyone who knocks on the door of Hashem, Hashem is going to just he wants to Hashem's desire is just to do good. Now, here's the caveat. However, and this is obviously needs to be understood more in depth. I'm just mentioning this. However, as this goodness is ready to pour down, it gets blocked. It gets blocked by a court where the court angels say, "Whoa, you you deserve to have these things." And then suddenly this goodness which is coming from the sholo who just wants to give good is blocked. And this is the idea where that there will be no blockages, no nothing stopping this goodness from coming down. And he brings in the arrows. The the ultimate vision of the world is Hashem wants to give us good and we are able and desire and act in a way that we are able to receive this goodness. This is the caveat where it gets blocked and we see so much challenge. It's not coming from the reonosol. It's coming from >> us. >> Us. You know, so often when things happen, we turn a finger upward and we say, "God, how could that be?" And he says, "Whoa, I think you're looking in the wrong direction. Ask yourself, how this could be, why this is happening." Okay, my friends, again, we're you're right. I'm painting a very black and white picture and there's a lot of color. I grant you that. Let's move into Ell here in 15. So this is very nice that a person says that I keep Torah mitzvah and Hashem wants to do good for me. But reality is that it's very hard for us to be in a place of what? Of total dedication to Torah mitzvah. So here comes along Rav Desler and he gives us help and he says We have to do the best we can, but in order to be able to, you know, I I I know this sounds like a silly imagery. My my imagery that just came to my mind is Drano. >> Drano. Do any of you know what I'm talking about? >> Drano. How we can somehow create the unblockage to allow this shea this goodness to come down is that we have to create in our lives at least in one area a pak an opening where we say Hashem we are trying to really connect with you we're really trying we're trying in everything. But in one specific area, we are making ourselves an open clea for you to be able to bench us. And this opening has to be some type of cabala that we take upon ourselves. As Rabel Salanter says, you begin in the squiggly alino on the easy things. because we're held with greater responsibility for that which is easier in our lives. Now, I want to pause here for a moment and I want to talk and you'll see this in Torah tidbits in a week or two as well. We talk about at this time of year that in order to walk into yum kipper we need to have taken on some type of kabala starting an inl where we say hashem I'm really trying now there are two types of kabalas in Judaism there is one type of cabala which is called reaction to tragedy and challenges and you hear this often. You have something terrible happens October 7th piga and people say take something on. In those instances taking something on could be I'll take out an extra perk to I'll uh I'll light chabas candles 10 minutes early in in along those lines. The cabala that we're talking about in El and Yum Kipper is a cabala in an area where we are deficient and we need to do chuva. So let me explain this in English. English when one looks at oneself and makes a list and we've spoken about this before of all the different problems that we have. You know, I I put people down and I speak linenhara and I'm critical and and I just list all of them. I then have to step back and ask myself what's the cause? What's the root? And I have to take a hard look at myself and be able to say, you know what, maybe I'm jealous. And because I am jealous, that's why I speak lush and har. That's why I put people down. Maybe it's not jealousy. Maybe it's a low self-esteem. Maybe it is I have uh an anger issue. I I don't know there. I'm I'm not giving you suggestions of negative quality traits. That That's not my goal here. Yes, ma'am. >> So, what you're saying is that we need moral inventory >> be the >> we need to write down the areas that we're deficient in. Well, first we have to be willing to God. We have to be willing. Before we can do anything, we have to be willing. >> 100%. >> The next thing we have to create a list of our resentments, deficiencies. >> Good. >> And then we have to look at the areas. Is it fear? Is it selfesteem? Is it monetary? >> Is it good? >> All these areas. >> Perfect. >> I don't read Hebrew, but >> yeah. So, you're doing great. >> Thanks. Now, let's take this one step further. Once I don't read Hebrew yet? >> Yes. >> Yes. You're young. >> I'm not young. >> You're very young. >> I love you. >> When you look at the world to 120, you have plenty of years to go. >> Amen. That's a braha. >> Then then, and here's the then. Then to take on let's say I have a jealousy issue. Let's say I'm not talking about me. Yeah. Let's say one has a jealousy issue. Then to take on a cabala small in an area which is easy for me to to succeed in that. And it may start with in the privacy of my home to take one person I'm jealous of and just at 9:00 every morning to give them a braha. Can I do that? That's easy. When I start on something small that I'm able to succeed, I have created that pa with the reon shalom. A and this is our challenge to be able to take something that's core in our personality and work on it and likewise to be able to do this in our bench in our relationship with Hashem. Take an area. Let's say I I I I fly through bras. Find a braha an area that's easy. My first shahak in the morning by the by 12:00 by 3:00 I am in La La Land. God, you're very nice, but I can't think about you. I'm just overwhelmed. But when I wake up in the morning, I'm still a little bit focused. Or if you're a night person, your last coffee of the night. I don't know why you're having coffee at night. Um, but to take something that is real, that is small, that is doable, that is creating that pet to allow Hashem to what to connect and for me to connect to him. It's making that conduit a question that when we take our food just We're stealing from God. >> Correct. >> Okay. Good. I hope it's been helpful that you don't steal from God and you say, not that you steal from God, but I'm just we're on the same page. This explains the idea that Hashem wants to give and that we have to create the conduit to receive explains a very interesting gam. The gamura, it's a very famous gamorra. 71 17 we'll come back to this kumar in just a minute hashem the garra is uh in auven where two and a half years um are arguing is it better that we were created or is it better we weren't created for two and a half years they're arguing this and they finally come to a conclusion and the conclusion is it's better. >> We weren't created better. We weren't created. But now that we're created or look into your deeds, work on yourself. If already you're here, do the best you can. So, he says the following. This is Raise Mash in tells Riverdale 17. He says, "Why is it Noah Adam Shalomra? Why is it better they wasn't created? Is because Hashem just wants to do good and we are blocking him from doing good. And the pain that we create by Hashem when he wants to give and he can't give. It's better we hadn't been created so we shouldn't put Hashem through this agony. We can appreciate this in our own lives. You have a family member, a child, let's say, who you really want to give to them, but they're not acting that they're worthy of being given, but you just want to give to them. And as a mother, that feeling of I just want to give you, but I can't. And and you're you're you're stopping me from giving you, it's painful. And and that Hashem has us. He has mercy on us. He wants to give. He wants to have a relationship. But if we're not there and that's why do introspection, do a chuva process so that what he can be able to give to you. Now our job is to do this chuva process. There's a beautiful piece from Rabbi Kelman in step by step on Chuva based on the writings of Wulby and he says the first step as we mentioned has to be selfnowledge and um the Gmorra tells us I'm in English in 19 one who tears his clothing out of anger or broker waste his money because of anger should be in your eyes like one who serves idolatry this is the profession of the terara today instructs someone to do this tomorrow tells him to do that eventually tells him to do a voter. What's the scriptural basis for this? Plus it says do not allow an elar a foreign god to dwell within you. Who is the elar who dwells in a person? The kazal teach us that anger is parallels to something called the verzar which literally means a zar service or a service of zarus. Zarus is arangement isolation alonement aloneeness or disconnection is a religious commitment to a life of arangement. Arangement from one's god from one's fellow man. And here's the key even for oneself and this is really the first step. Who are we? And I will tell you my friends, it's hard to look at oneself. I bring here the story that Ravulovva um would tell the students that before they would start learning they will uh take a walk, spend time with yourself and one there was one student who was really not into this and finally he went out and he came back right away and said what happened? Stop. No, I I took my walk. Did you did you meet something scary? No. Maybe there was someone scary you met. No, no, no, no, no. I just had my walk. No, you did meet someone scarier. You met >> You met yourself. The first step towards Chuva 21 is knowing who you are in reality and in potential. This first step requires more than just spending time alone. It requires watching oneself, noticing strengths and seeing weaknesses. It requires careful data gathering and precise analysis as sophisticated as that which we would use when we're trying to discover someone else's personality. And requires feel to exactly what you said. Bingo. And you know what? If we're honest with ourselves, we do this with other people all the time, whether we're aware of this or not. You know, they really need to work on. They have some very strong qualities, and I see that in them. But boy oh boy, let's move the mirror. A and and and use that judgmental critical element with ourselves. What are my strong points? And then where can I improve? And I say this to my students all the time. I say, you know, you get into your car and almost automatically your hand goes to the whatever device is there to make noise. I call music noise. Why? Because you can't be alone and you need to automatically distract yourself. >> Yes, ma'am. um tourists once told once told an amazing story that he had a back issue and he was told to go to Arizona and go to a special spa and um they told him you're going to be a half an hour in this water body of hot hot water and he brought like stuff with him to read and they said to him no uh you go in without anything he said well but I'm going to be in a half an hour I'm going to read I'm going to they said no no no music no anything the whole idea is to just with yourself for that half an hour. He said it was the most torturous half hour of his life. And this is like a gudle. One of the things that children do not >> we don't spend enough time with ourselves. No. CLS. >> Yes. Yes. You're right. You know, it's funny that you say that we don't have time to look at the clouds. I was It was just thinking about this this morning as I was in traffic on the one um and I was saying to myself with no nothing, no nothing, listening to nothing, just alone. I said, "Look at the mountains. Look at the trees. Look at the different color greens that there are and just appreciate the world that the bono shalom gave us. And just to be in that space is a very grounding uh experience. You know what I'm saying? Because there's so much beauty in this world. And I am not an artist, but yet I can appreciate that there are hues and colors and and it has so much so much for us to take in. Okay, let's leave my trip aside from that. Now, um I want to take this one step further. I want to take this one step further before we work on the second level. I'm going to be skipping a little bit here because I get lost and I over I overdo. I know I've done that before. Okay. um and he says the following where I'm in 22 23 24 25 and I'll be again doing in and out. He says when we talk about this Noah was it better we were created better we weren't created and this is the next step after the selfanalysis he says the gres this gamura in a completely different way and I found this absolutely fascinating everyone agrees that it was good God created us that's not what they're arguing about because after all God created the world and he created did it for us. So that's not the argument. So what is the argument better or created or not? Here goes. It's talking about reincarnation. Is it better that we come back a second or third time or not? And that helps us explain why the garra doesn't say if it's talking about round one. And the gar the grass says so then the garra should say is it better we created or not created now that we're created do Torah mitzvos but it doesn't say do Torah mitzvah it says you should introspect why because in round two and three it's not about just adding more Torah mitzvos. It's about making sure you understand why you're back here and to ensure that what >> you don't >> you don't come back again. And all of us are old souls. And he says, and here's the key in 23. Now we can appreciate the difference between there are two ways or many ways but two classic ways a person can know well why I hear again myself to introspect is to ask yourself what have I what am I falling in over and over again let's put this in English there are some people sitting here who never get angry there's some people sitting here who never are jealous do you know those type of people there are there are people like I'm married to somebody who only sees good in people. It drives me >> baddy. Everything is good. No one can do anything wrong. No, that's not true. And I'm such a dean person. It it it is it is uh opposites attract. This is like two worlds. We'll leave my personal life out. I said that already. But there are people who have a certain wiring. That's what I'm trying to say. And then there are people who are judgmental about everything. So if you find that there's one area that you continuously are challenged in, anger is an issue, jealousy is an issue, judgmentalism is an issue, uh stinginess is an issue, that's a sign this is what you need to work on. I'm not talking about it happens once every 32 years. You hear what I mean by this? It's something you meet a lot. And the second thing he says is when you see yourself drawn to certain things, certain people, certain aspect that no one else really cares about, but you're just drawn in these ways. You masturbation to myself. Feel it out. Why do you have an affinity toward? What does that mean for you? And he says here in 24 and this is crucial. He says many people fall into the habit. We do this introspection and we decide I don't need to worry about my challenges. You see, we like to make ourselves feel good, which is healthy. And we say, "Look, I give so much stuck up. I do so much. I dab three times a day. Do you know how much to I'm not talking about me obviously in all these cases." Yeah. Do you know how much to say? And do you know how much? So, I'm a little bit jealous. Okay, I have these issues. But we just sweep them under the carpet and just focus in on what? How great I am. And he says that's the problem. What chuva is about and and we're really where the work is every rashana yam kipper is to say you know what I'm working on this mita I am not ignoring it. So, I'm starting every morning at nine o'clock to wish this person well. And then I'll move to the next level, the next year that I'll actually maybe in front of them say something nice. And every year I'm going to work on a different aspect of my jealousy and I'm going to build and I'm not going to ignore those issues. And as Shalom says, and it's a little bit scary. He says, you can come up to the base in Shamal after 120 years and feel very good about yourself. That's all the Torah mitzvah. And Hashem's going to say, "But honey, that's not why I sent you down here just for that. I sent you down to work on. Did you work on this?" Well, God, that was really hard. I mean, come on. that you're pushing the limit here. No, no, no, no. But that's why I sent you. And this is really where the work is at. >> Yes, ma'am. >> It's really facing yourself. >> That's it. It is facing yourself, honest. >> Yeah. But I have a little secret to tell you. Can I tell you the secret? >> Can I tell anyone? >> It's just between us here. As scary as it is and as difficult as it is, it's freeing and it is liberating because I'm feeling like I'm really what? growing in a way that's real a a and and and and building and you feel like you are creating leot that that that conduit for godliness in my life okay my friends that is idea number uno for today I'm now moving to source 32 because I just have to move and idea number one vi is going to run after you. The nature of the way Hashem created the world is goodness will chase you if you keep a life of Torah mitzvah. At the very least, this will happen when you've made yourself a conduit to moving in some area of closeness to Hashem. How do you find this? Look at your day. Look at what continuously what happens for you. Okay, that's idea one. Idea number two, we'll see two different aspects. Very similar yet slightly different. of 32 kamo harida is from the word to critique the bros and clos will come upon you and they will be a critique on you. So I understand how the clolos can be a critique on us. Are you waking up and smelling the coffee or not? But how can brahos be used as a what? As a critique. So he gives as the example based on the tingote. How can you use the idea of nikama revenge with the yud vke of rakam of mercy? And he gives the example of a person who uh who a a simple person who rebelled against the king. So generally when you're a person who rebelss against the king, what happens to you? I don't know. It's it's a little bit gory. So you you figure it out. Then the um the the king instead of uh off of the head, he decides to make him a minister. >> Oh. >> Oh, thank you for judging everyone positively. You have joined my husband. I can't run away from it. >> We're all feeling guilty. So thank you everyone. Realize that these people are all good. Judge them favorably. It is the upper phone. >> Okay. So ma is asked from all of you in the corner. I hope it's given. >> That's it. You can't you got mamish. This is such a lesson isn't it? >> Okay. So let's focus my friends. Okay. >> Done its job. >> It's done its job. >> There we go. >> It rings the truth. Um, >> both sides focus. He he he he elevates him. He then gives him a raise. He then uh, you know, keeps on making him higher and higher and just doing goodness to him. How does this fellow feel? >> Yeah, he feels horrible. I could have done this against such a benevolent king. I could have acted in such way. It brings humility and it brings a feeling of remorse. When Hashem gives us all this goodness, the critique on us is are we going to be able to appreciate that we are undeserving of all this goodness? And nevertheless, Hashem gives us this goodness. And that should lead us to a feeling of humility and love and and and appreciation for the ribonosum. A and my friends, this is this is a call for us that to open ourselves up and to realize and double squiggly 33. it's going to lead to embarrassment and that's in the kama that's the revenge of the of Hashem. So this is the like there are many ways to make a person improve it. It it sounds like almost counterintuitive but the more Hashem is nice to us the more it makes us realize whoa are we in any way deserving of all the things that Hashem does. Now I want to pause here for a moment and add a parentheses but in a certain way this parentheses is um it is so important particularly after what happened yesterday in the remote junction. So this is a parenthesis but it connects the ramal 34 explains before Mashiach says the Ram there will be tremendous amount of challenges soros in um in in our time and he explains that we know when Hashem gives us goodness he wants us to feel like we deserve this goodness and that's what we call the kisufa the bread of shame he doesn't want us to feel like we don't deserve it and that's why whenever things happen to us we have to ask ourselves am I acting in a way deserving of all these blessings so the Ram says the following listen closely when Mashiach comes we're going to have a time of total goodness it's going to be an overwhelming aspect of just shea of just abundance of goodness but there will be no way that we could possibly do anything when Mashiach comes to deserve this pitch of goodness it's going to be beyond. So what does the rebon shalom do? He has created a situation that before mashiach we are going to hold firm in amuna and bet and not lose our faith in Hashem. And that will be theos the merits that we will need in order to be able to accept and be worthy of the blessings at the time of Mashiach. And he says this so clearly. He says uh I'm at the end of 34 and the wise one at this time will be silent. to be able to accept Hashem's ways withimos would be without complaint but it's not the right translation or and that's what's make us worthy for this great light. So in that context, you see October 7th, you see the hostages, you see what's going on around us and we just want to scream and part of us is screaming and part of us has to say we are so limited in our vision and the holding tight is the greatest gift we could have. I'm going to add here a parentheses on this parentheses. I feel like back in trig or geometry, you know, they had the brackets and the other bracket. I never understood this, but I'm going to add a bracket in the bracket. So, let me just make sure we're all on the same page. Hashem gives us goodness. The critique is, are we able to hold this goodness? We have to understand that the ways of Hashem are beyond us and our challenge is to be able to say, "Hashem, we accept whatever you do." Being able to have that timos, that acceptance, that is the conduit to be able to bring down braha in our life. That's what I've said so far in English. Now, here's the parenthesis I want to add. I just saw this idea yesterday and I taught it yesterday and I've been on fire ever since I saw this idea. So I just want to share this with you and it fits into this nikuda. We say in arashana davening over and over again in in the word and therefore we use the word you'll take a look in the m you'll see soar zberberg in his safer says that one of the meanings of is he came it should be so he came it should be so means that Hashem whatever you do I accept as this being the best in this situation and that is when I'm able to say this is the best that is the uh the sanctification of Hashem's name. That's malios malios and rashash shana is our ability to say rightashana isn't about I need this I need that and I need this yesterday and this by tomorrow hashem the latest no rashashana is about hashem I am limited and I recognize that you are the king and I recognize as part of mio that whatever you do ye this is what is supposed to be I accept it. Now again, that doesn't mean I can't d it. And that's the dialectic. I understand this is where it's at right now. This person needs rafu. They need a they need children. That's where it is right now. I would like to don that things should should shift. But at the moment where things are at this is where you want it to be. That's the humility that we need. That's the conduit to bring down Braha. With this in mind, let's take a look at a second idea of the asaga. This is 35. The Vinska Rebby Zat the Katska Rebi said that the word visa 35 can be understood as a critique or challenge as in the on the Ramba. When someone receives brahas from Hashem there are on him they present him with a challenge. How will he react? Will the bras be a boon for his service of Hashem? his hashem propelling him to even greater heights in a service of his creator or will he merely take them for granted and he quotes here an idea I never seen before that's not saying much I know from Rav Hersel on Yose Fatadik who when he has uh his eldest son he calls him manasha any of you have a manasha in your family not such a popular name okay Elohim Hashem has made me forget Nashani all my hardships. So Ra says that's Yoseik. Hashem has made me forget everything. No Nashani is from the word no a creditor double squiggly. Yoseadic was saying that Hashem became his creditor by showering him with so much good. All the braha that he received made him indebted to Hashem and required him to find ways to pay back the debt. This my friends connects the idea of hodah to give thanks with viji to admit. Yehuda is a son of lea emanu leu is the ability to give thanks and he is the one who admits many she's more righteous than me. Part of my chuva is to admit and to acknowledge. I like the word acknowledge. All the things that Hashem gives me. And that my friends is also our work in Elling. Trust me. Well, more or less. But do I appreciate what I have? Do you appreciate that? You know, you watch a birth right two weeks ago. Like that is a God's gift to this world to to to be able to see a a person being born to watch a baby like oh my gosh grow up it's peling it it it's it's like there's so much to appreciate you know every time you know Loenu there's a kid who's sick for every kid who's sick there are millions of kids who are what who are healthy who are functioning ing or smiling or developing. Listen to this piece by Rabbi Kelman. He wrote the book. I'm in the middle of 35. Permission to Believe, Permission to Receive. I don't know if you've ever read these books. They're about amuna. So, um, shortly after I wrote permission to believe, Ravuli asked me how many people I thought needed to read my book. I understood that the sage was trying to teach me something. So, I responded, I don't know. How many people does Rebe think need to read my book? Listen to this. Only one, Ravula responded, and that is you. Everyone else needs to write their own. The sage was telling me that one cannot passive passively achieve recognition of one's creator. Reading someone else's book or being exposed to someone else's growth process might inspire me, but it won't change me. If I want to acquire the mid of chuva, I must do the work. On chabas morning just before we conclude suk zimra we chant in nishmas for this is the obligation of all creations before you hashem our god and god of our forefathers to thank Lord praise glorify adore bless raise high good akdoll are conveying the same message each of us must write our own safer must think about our own personal history and our world in order to get to know the god who is mashk who watches over us in our lives just as mel did and then we must personally declare our findings with our mouths and with our actions Number one, they're going to chase after you. Number two, it's a challenge. It's a challenge that we able to grow from it. It's a challenge to be able to accept it. It's a challenge to be able to become a different person because of it. So far, so good. Now, I want to do idea number three. I am skipping one idea because I ran out of time. So I'm moving to the final idea in 48 and 49 and that's okay. Life goes on. Yes ma'am. Question. last level. Revit, you hit it. Thank you. Let's take a look. 48. I flipped to the last page. Sometimes a person is in a situation and I don't see that this is for my good. You hit it perfect. Don't put me in the situation. God, I don't want it. And then in retrospect you say, "Oh, the are going to chase you even if you don't want them. They're going to chase after you because Hashem knows that they are what? >> Good for you." And he says this is the praise all the nations because Hashem's kindness has overtaken us. What a strange expression overtaken us. It should be Hashem has you know given us or because sometimes Hashem wants to give us things and we don't want them and we don't think they're good for us. So, Hashem has to create situations to say, "No, no, no. I want you to be here because it's exactly where you need to be in order to be able to." And the example of the m dash of homers that sa gives is he says um he said there was a baker in his yeshiva who desperately wanted to get into another yeshiva thinking that this was going to be what better for them and they tried all sorts of ways to get in and what they weren't able to and they had to stay in the same yeshiva he said this boy grew so incredibly in this yeshiva that he could never have done had he been in a much larger place in that other yeshiva. So this is this is the vehic sometimes we don't have the kalin to accept it. Sometimes we run away from goodness and we fight it. And why is this happening? Why is that happening? And this is the idea of the when you're able to let go and say look I don't know what's right or not. I don't know. So I have to do the best I can. And at a certain point, I'm often times stuck in a certain situation and I say, "God, where are you?" And it's as if Hashem is saying, "I'm here. Things are good. Things need to happen this way. I just need you to have that to hold on." And when you're able to hold on, then he can chase after you. And that is why I named this year bountiful. I can't even pronounce it. Beneficence. That wasn't pretty good. Is that Hashem is here to give. We have to come from that. We have to come from that perspective. And when I understand that he wants to give, then I can take a hard look at myself. Am I open to receiving? Where am I in this picture? And to have that trust wherever I am is exactly where I need to be and I open myself up. Hashem, I'm ready. Please just pour down the what down the shea question. >> I think it's a mindset. >> Yes. >> Right. Right? I'm going to just repeat this because it's it's it's impactful. You can have the mindset of negativity and then negativity breeds negativity or you can have the mindset of positivity and when you have that mindset you will see that there are so many blessings in your life and those blessings just breed greater blessings. Hashem my friends next week we'll take it privately. Okay. Next week we will be doing an Arab shair because the following week is Ara Shana. And again, if anyone has not yet, you can turn me off.