Shira Smiles- Parshat Lech Lecha, Oct 28, 2025

Okay. Good morning. >> After the war, the four kings and the five kings. Source one. After these events, the word of Hashem came to Abraham in a vision saying, "Fear not Abraham. I am a shield for you. Your reward is very great." And Abraham said, "My Lord Hashem Elohim. What can you give me? I I am childless. Uh Dames Eleazar is is inheriting me." Suddenly, the word of Hashem came to him saying, "That one will not inherit you. Only him that shall come forth from within you shall inherit you." And he took him outside and said, "Right, haba, gaze now toward the heavens and count the stars if you're able to count them." And he said to him, "Co, so shall your offspring be." And we're the stars. We're We're the stars that he that he saw. Like each one of us is a star. We have to walk around shining. Okay? There's a lot to be said on all of this, but that's not where we're going today. Here was here's where we're going to try to go. And he trusted in Hashem and he reckoned to him as righteousness. He promises the land but he says how my know guarantee we'll get the land. But children, so if you take a look, and again I want to work with the Hebrew because the English anytime you explain, you translate. And I'm going to show you a case of this right here. Let's take a look at the Hebrew in five in the bold vehem. And he believed in Hashem. Clearly, who's that referring to? Good. That's what you think, but we'll get there later. And he believed in Hashem. Now, here's the operative phrase for today. loa and he considered it to him a righteousness. >> Who's the who are the pronouns here? >> Abraham and a and hashem and a and hashem considered Abraham's belief as righteousness. You take a look at Rabbi Artscroll and you see that's how he translates it. How do I know that? What does he do? >> He puts an uppercase H. >> And he reckoned it to him as righteousness by putting the uppercase H in he he's referring to as Hashem. Do you see how anytime you translate you're going to be what? >> Interpreting. And and that's the challenge. That's why it's best to learn it >> in the original. Right in the original this approach is the approach of Rashi. Rashi says this source number three. Rashi explains the verse is describing Hashem's appreciation of Abraham's faith. And he believed in Hashem. He did not ask for a sign that Hashem would fulfill his promise to give him some. and regarded it as righteousness for him who reckoned his faith. Ara placed in him in his merit as righteousness for him. On this we have the obvious question here. You're telling me that this is a big deal that Abrau believed he was going to have a child. This is the Ramban's question. Why should Abraham not believe in the trustworthy God when he is his prophet? Of course he believes. He's talking to him. And I have a little secret to tell you, says the Ramban. He threw himself into the orast, into the fiery furnace because he believed. You're telling me, ah, it's a wonderful thing that he believed. My language, not the ramban. Duh. Right. You know, he he is going on here. A graer thing that you believe. It doesn't seem to make sense. So what we're going to do is examine level one, how to answer this that no, it is a big deal that he believed. That'll be level one. Level number two will be the Ramban's approach himself, which will be a different approach. And then level number three is going to look at this from a whole different perspective because that's where my fun is in life to turn things in many different directions because that's really the complexity of Torah that you can understand it on what >> many different and and further what begs the question which is what the we're not giving his answer but I want to hear the question is he says um in five till now the Torah doesn't focus in on this level of what's going on here that we're focusing in on this aspect of of what what what's the dynamics in this in this story. So that's where we're going. Let's in order to answer these questions and as every shar this it's complexity on so many levels. What is amuna aboutm in order to appreciate that this is something that is so we need to step back and define our terms and um you know it's like this had nothing to do with anything. It's like I I had a class with girls yesterday and they were asking that classic question. If God knows what you're going to choose, then >> where's their free choice? Yeah, it's a classic question. And I once heard an answer which even these girls stopped from their, you know, like this was their stance and they said, "Oh, the way we use terminology cannot be the same in regard to God. I'm using the word knowledge in the way I understand it and this is the way Hashem Hashem's knowledge if Hashem knows then that takes away my free choice. But the word knowledge like has many I know what you're talking about. I know has many different understandings of I know. So when I say God knows, it's not the same understanding of when I say what I know. So this is what we have to understand that when we're using we're talking about ideas that everyone believes in and trusted in Hashem. See Rabbi Arsold uses trusted right again you hear what I'm saying? Does it mean trust? Does it mean believe? Translations are interpretations. If you got nothing else from today, this is what you're walking away with. Handle with care because if you have questions on a puzuk, it very often is not the pusk but the translation. Does that make any sense? Yeah, it made sense to me. Okay. So, let's talk about mean. What does it mean to believe to trust? So, here hers raers is the best. Amuna is the essence I mean source seven is essence of Judaism. But to define amuna as belief is to empty the term of its true content. Belief is an act of the mind. Sometimes only an opinion. Every believer thinks his beliefs are true based on the reasoning and assurances of someone else. Nowadays religion is identified with belief and belief is thought to be the essence of religion. A religious person believes in principles that cannot be grasped by the intellect. Thus, religion has been divorced from life and converted into doctrines. And he goes on and he says, "However, to put one's faith in the words of another is never expressed as but rather be is not theoretical faith, the subordination of one's own mind to the mind of another." Here it goes. This is the key and for those who have highlighters, this is a highlightable line. I teach with highlighters for every girl rather means to rely upon God in theory [music] and in practice to take strength in him and to follow him. He mean bashm means and this is intense my friends and we have to hold it to put one's trust in God to be in God's hand like clay in the potter's hand a ming casts his burden on God is his fashioner educator supporter and guide all with capital letters in short a mman entrusts himself entirely to Hashem Now, we're not playing with linguistics here. We're playing with a very deep idea. If I'm just believing in Hashem, it means that yeah, now I know God exists. To really be a mine means I give myself over to Hashem when I understand it and when I don't. Let's take this a little bit further. It's heavy, so hold with me. The dorra he describes amuna. I'm in the bracket. It's the same thing as reverse just in a little bit of a different language. Amuna is of completely clinging to Hashem, completely giving myself over. And again, I love this imagery. We say it on night. Yeah. >> Do we all start singing it now? It's a It's one of the most moving parts of Yamipper. Would you all say that? >> We We are in his hands like uh and if any of you here have ever worked with pottery, we could have some very artistic people here, you know. Imagine being the clay just for a moment. Then we'll step out of being a clay. You're pounding me. You're banging me. Could you let go? And now you're putting me in this furnace. Oh my gosh, it is so hot. And now you're painting me with these fumes. I'm going to pass out. >> I have to say something. Sorry. One of those lines. like uh over the hands of a silver smith. >> And the imagery is that he holds it close to the fire and brings it away from the fire. >> Brings it close to the fire. And I was asked to repeat for zoomland. I mean for camera land. He brings it close to the fire and back for the fire. >> Um and there was a group of ladies who was seeking to understand this but they didn't understand it. So they went to a silver smith and they're watching him purify the silver and they said to him, "How do you know when it's the purity that you wanted?" >> Right? So this group of women watched the silver smith and wanted to know to the silver smith, "How do you know that moment that the impurities are taken out?" And he responds, >> he responds, "That's easy. When I can see my reflection, >> when I see my reflection in it, then I know it's purified. >> He's challenging you. But when he sees his image or brings out that divine image, >> yeah, that imagery. Yeah. >> Yeah. one of the mothers from I don't know if everybody heard it or not and uh so you know you're not enough pressure that and uh whatever happens to my son of God and you know whatever happens to us right >> so that right there right so again this kamas asked who called hostage's mother, why aren't you doing enough for your son? And her response is, he's in the hands of God and so are you. And it's so easy to what? Not easy, it's one level to say it and it's one level to >> it, >> live it, >> feel it. >> And feel it. >> Really on that kind of >> Yeah. Yeah. Now, yes. And the host a lot of hostages have said that during the worst times they connected with Hashem >> right the hostages themselves felt that level of connection that was and they had never experienced this before 100%. Okay, my friend, let let's let let let's let's take this idea. I want to go one step further. And this piece I found to be obviously I cut and paste at the same time. This piece I found to be so super profound. Let it speak for itself. This is Golden Apples Lupansski from uh Greater Washington. Yeshiva Greater Silver Spring. You know what I'm talking about. Yeah. Okay. He says there are people who are challenged in belief. Do I believe? Do I not believe? That's one level. But let's talk about everyone sitting here. We're all mommy name. We're all believers. But people who are already I'm intent committed have a different challenge regarding amuna. The struggle of the person who's already a believer listen closely is a much deeper emotional struggle. A person listen to this. A person I mean you are listening but I mean like right to listen and to listen that's what we're talking about nuance is a word a person naturally and instinctively craves stability and shorty we are physical beings who are part of a natural order. Nature is first and foremost regular. The laws of nature are immutable. When I get home today, I want to see everything in its place that I left it earlier this morning. Do you know what I mean by that? I like predictability. I like my car starting when I get into the car. Predictability. I like my car to be there when I That's already a step. Yeah. Okay. Amuna demands that we live a life that is inherently irregular. Wow. >> Yeah. Amuna demands that we live a life that is inherently irregular. >> We are constantly measured and tested and Hashem responds to our deeds and misdeeds. We are challenged with events that may be difficult in order that we develop further. The ultimate test of amuna then here it goes my friends is to leave the comfort zone of nature and the natural. It requires sacrificing this primal instinct for a chance to grow out of that confinement. Isn't it gorgeous? It is beautiful. Yeah. [laughter] Amuna is the faculty that moves a person to look beyond the comfort zone of asis. It's dynamic. Our relationship with rebonal shalom is dynamic. And because our relationship with hashem is dynamic, our lives are dynamic. And that on the one hand is so [snorts] uncomfortable. I I just want everything to be regular. >> On the other hand, it moves us into an entirely different zone, noting that wherever I am and whatever I go through, I'm being held >> and I'm not going through this alone. He brings here in source 11 in the double bracket the beginning of the para it says goka to the land that I'm going to show you. The only problem is he what? He doesn't tell him the land. And Rashi tells us to give him rewards. For every step of the way, he gets reward. Rashi is an effect describing the true nature of amuna. This is the first. This is the first Jew. This is our lives. Go. Where are you going? Who knows? >> I don't know. You don't know yet. But you're going with >> we're going with Hashem. >> If a person at least knows where he's going, there's some sense of the comfortably known. All of us here, if we have this ability, use ways. Do you know what I mean? We want to know what's the best way to get here. You know, my >> what's the destination? >> And what's the destination? My kids, you know, in the old days when I my kids were growing up, if they had to take a bus to school, they went to the bus stop and they waited. Today, what do they do? They call Kov. And my kids say to me, I say, "You're going down to the bus. Kov says it's coming in three minutes. So, in two minutes, I'll run down to the bus." Okay, it saves some time. You want to argue it? That's not the point. The point is it's a little bit too >> predictable and there's a there's a challenge in that. Could you hear that? Because life my friends is what? But when every step carries a question mark of to where then only a person who senses that he's walking alongside Hashem can make the journey into that unknown. Yes ma'am. >> Is there an element of um of trust here that that is going to be discussed or how does that work into >> I think because I've had an experience. I really have and it uh transformed me to where I feel the words came out like 360 degrees of trust. It's 360 degrees of trust 100%. The question then is what do we do with that in our lives and that's the very first >> we keep listening. >> We keep listening for sure and follow that's it. We keep listening following directions. Yeah. Yeah. It's a different type of life. It is. It's not easy. And and and we're raising ideas here, but each one of these needs to be what? Explored and deepened on its own level. When Rabono Shalam meets Mosher Rabenu at the burning bush, he says to him, "What's your name?" Because a name is what? >> essence. What does he answer him? I will be that which I will be. That's that's the answer. The answer is that has the understanding in the end of 12 that Hashem has not defaulted to a regular natural order. I will be means that things to come are not a continuation of what is but rather something new and very possibly unanticipated. There's an ongoing hashkah whereby hashem keeps revealing himself and leading us a new each step of the way. The challenge is if we were to understand why is this happening. If we were to know well what's the larger picture here then I would get it but right now I don't get it. That's where, as you mentioned correctly, the trust comes from. And every one of us sitting in this room in different areas of our lives have felt this in a most profound way. The way I would describe it most poignantly, and I think we did this last year, but we're looking at it in a different context now. When Arabu the Medus says comes there to Israel right he has that vision of a of a palace that's burning and he says there must be a master of this palace you know palace doesn't burn by itself whatever that may mean doleus a bira that's lit up so the reman 13 the asterisk finds a deeper meaning in the medish doleus may be interpreted not only as burning but pursuing right you see it's by Jacob and Lava that he pursued him thus It means that Arainu saw a world that was in hot pursuit of the beyond. This is not a mere recognition of the facts in front of the person's nose, but rather an awareness that there is a beyond. And that's the Amuna Vanu who pursued God beyond the natural order of the world above what reality appeared to be through uncertainty and lack of clarity. And this is the amuna he has bequeathed to us. And the way the burkas morite says it and we'll just end with this part with this idea is where our knowledge ends where I can no longer see with clarity that's when amuna begins and it's hard for us rational people at the same time when we live our lives seeing the divine providence over and over again in our lives. It's a reminder to us that we are not walking >> alone >> alone and we need to put those experiences in our bank account. You had a question? >> No, I just wanted to comment that in some ways everything you're talking about for me is like the 12 days of the Iranian day. >> The 12 days of Iranian war, >> right? because a lot of people have and I live in the center of town and we had to go two floors to a bunker with like 300 people and babies and dogs and >> oh my gosh >> and girls that are like barely dressed and whatever. And and it seemed to me like we never knew what was going to happen. We never knew when it was going to happen. And yet we had to believe that we were going to be that Hashem was going to take us to the right place. We were going to be okay. every single day we would hear something happened after we came out, right? But but really everything that the potential to like blow us off the face of the map just didn't happen, >> right? >> And we had to believe every single time. >> So let me just echo what you're saying. Us living having this of living in Israel over and over again with Iran, not just that 12-day war. It was previous as well. is really living this idea of God, we don't know what the target is, when the target is, and where the target is. And and the potential that they have on paper at least is very scary. And the flip side is us holding on knowing that we are we are in his hands. We we've been living that on a global level very much 100% 100%. Now, let's get back to our para here. Let's not lose it because the time is running on me which it always does. Okay. So, Avarino is ready to live this level of beyondness. That's how I call amuna. That in my mind, maybe that should have been the title. Beyond the beyond. It's so hard to do a title. Um, beckoning beyond. That would have been a nice title. I like that. Doesn't matter. That's not your problem right now. Um, refocus. Shira, I'm refocused. Good. That's good. That's healthy. Um, why do we mention his amuna here? I mean, I would think that this puss should be by the aa. Yeah. Or or or in in similar types of levels. The promise that you're going to have a child that that's so I want to look at it on two levels. I hope you didn't knock this too bad. >> Yeah, it doesn't matter. So, I'm a little bit knock off centered. I don't I've been off-centered my whole life. Shouldn't say that. >> Okay. It's uh You need to have some Whoa. Okay. It's fine. I'm I don't care. I mean, I I guess I'll say that. Um I want to look at this on two different ways of looking at this. One is source 17. >> Source number one >> 17 otherwise known as tove. 17 is to [clears throat] here the Torah is is discussing a much greater level of amuna. Abraham believed in Hashem that he would bear children when all of nature belied such a possibility. He and his wife were well past their childbearing years. And moreover, Kazelle tell us that Sarah was physically lacking the organs necessary to build children to bear children. The scientific impossibility of Hashem's promise did not have room in the least from a completely believing what he was told. Why here? What was the greatness that Hashem said? If somebody is telling you something that is naturally impossible and you say okay great you don't say the statistics are the reality is no what his wife can't have a child okay great thank you the greatness of he wasn't stuck in the natural If you're not stuck in the natural, so then you can be able to have the amuna in Hashem when life is not natural. I want to go further than this. The hikayon vav in source number 20 points out, I mean the double underline, he points out two things. Let's do the bracket first. We're not just talking about this moment. The promise was brought to fruition. We're talking about the overall approach Arainu had to the childbearing. Did you just check the camera? Cuz it just got shifted a little bit accidentally just for the fun of it. I love when they move cameras. You know, when you're watching, you feel like you're on a ship. It works. Okay, great. Okay, that's cool. Um, Hashem tells him at the age of 75, first resp. Well, if God would come to me and say, you're going to have a child, then I'm going to start counting nine months. 25 years later, the promise happens. M says here it's not a just a one moment aspect of belief. It's holding on to that belief even when you're seeing day by day that it's what? Not happening. If after 25 years something doesn't happen, I don't know about you my friends, but most people would what? >> Give up. They mean by Hashem is a description of Arainu's steadfastness in this belief and he says this is our challenge at the end of 16. It's not a one moment amuna. It's a it's a process. It might not happen right here and now. It might be a process. We have to hold on. And I want to take this one step further. And this is 18. D is I'm going to do it outside. Au is told finally this child appears on planet earth. However many years, you want to say 13 years. He was 37. Whenever the happened says, "You know that child that I promised you, I want you to kill him. I want you to slaughter him." Wakes up in the morning and goes to do what Hashem says. Ah, hold on a second. It doesn't make sense. He's going to be the future. He's not yet married, has no children, and now I'm taking him from this world. He doesn't blink. You gave me a promise for children. I don't know how it's going to work itself out, but it's not my >> It's not mine. >> It's not my issue. >> Yeah, you're in charge. Robosai to be able to give up control. The clay in the hands of the potter is the world of the beyond. Anything can happen. And again, I'm just going to say this one more time, and I know I've said it over and over again. You said it. I know. It's hard for us. It's hard for us because we like to be what? >> In control. Is that what you said? >> Yeah. >> And we have to be in control. >> And we have to be in control to the best of our what? Ability. That's what we have to do. We have to reestablish. We go out to work and at the same time to realize that what >> I'm not in control. Let's take this practically for a few minutes and then I want to do two other aspects on this and then we'll get to two other levels quoting the lovenstein that's 22 our job in this world is to recognize Hashem at every moment our job in this world and again in my language where's Waldo Where's Waldo? You know that >> three people here know where's Where's Waldo? You do. >> You've never heard of Where's Waldo? >> You're not missing much. It's being >> Oh, okay. that >> it's being able to find a figure among many figures. That that's the idea. You're not missing much. The idea is aldelos obviously is to find the rebonus every single situation in our lives that clarity that awareness that he's here. I flipped the page and that's why we have mitzvos. He says the point of mitzvot is to connect us is in the asterisk the mitzvot to believe in hashem to give thanks to him and and this is why we're on planet earth that we're here to be able to recognize hashem and everything that happens and the challenge is not to at the age of 12 or 13 to say I'm a barabach mitzvah I believe but at every moment moment of our lives to to rejuvenate toes this feeling of belief this feeling of connection with reon shalom and and every time I see it again it brings me deeper it brings me closer you know just to give you a no example of silly or simple but to give you a silly and simple example I saw this and this is our lives I'm just sharing this with you it's on my head for whatever reason I decided I wanted to buy a book. So I went Thursday night. I went. So I told my daughter, I want to buy one. She said, you know, Ima there's a new store open in Ram Chemish that uh would probably have what you're looking for because I didn't want aluminum, you know. So I go to the store. I go with her Thursday night. I was exhausted, but I said, "Okay, I'm going to go." I wanted to cook something for Shabas. I go into the store and it was an opening of a 60% sale. And instead of getting a walk, I got a deep frying pan with the cover. No, no, but I got a deep fried bread with the cover. It was 450 shekels. I paid 100 shekels. >> And the sale was over the next day. >> Wow. Now, okay, that is a silly story that I saved 350 shekels. But you know what, my friends? And this is the book. If you haven't gotten it, you're this is it. Hashem leads us in every way of our lives. And we know that when things are challenging, we're like, where are you, God? When things are good, we have to be able to embrace this reality. Notes the TV, I have to move a little bit faster. Revlio in source 26 he says a Jew can know all of of the Gurula all of Torah and be the most you know scrupulous double underline [clears throat] amuna and he's missing completely or she amuna Ah if you ask them do you believe what will they answer? Of course do you see this translated in one's life? Whoa. And the example that he gives in 27 person goes to work and really believes that the work is what is giving him or her their prasa. A person lolen who is sick and believes that the doctor is the one healing them. Now you're right, Rebbitson. Do you need to go to work? Yes. Do you need to go to a doctor? >> Absolutely. >> Can you ask Hashem to show you the way to get now? Can you >> and you must at the same time say, "Hashem, this is the work I'm doing." At the same time, I know the perna that I need is going to come from you. I don't know. I think it's coming from what? Work. I think the rafua is coming from the doctor. But a real may knows. Don't be fooled. Few questions. First, >> another question. Can you imagine If you get to this point or incorporate this in your life and >> right excellent. So when a person is able to really integrate this it's a complete calm knowing I'm in the hands of Hashem. So Sarah we learned she dies when she >> ah >> so then puts into question she have lack of >> good excellent question so yes so when Siri may dies the med says when she hears why that uh that almost had a was almost killed so now you have to understand well what does it mean that Sarah Emo died at that moment Is it about lack of amuna or is it a whole it's an excellent question a whole different story going on there of uh I think it's a safer if I'm not mistaken who says that would not really reflect that's not really what are saying rather what she said was I wish I too could reach such a level of connection to Hashem and Hashem responded to her by taking her soul. So you're right, it's a it's a good question and that's why that story has to be has to be understood because Sar Mayu is kulam shvy mtova. All her life was good even at the last moment. So it needs to be understood. Go ahead. >> So I just wanted to go back to the prior comment. Um my husband practice critical care medicine and when he would go to the ICU to see his patients he would stop and patient and say may God give me the ability to heal. Wow. Let me just repeat that for the the camera because that was that was special. >> And the impact on the patients was unbelievable. >> So, as a critical care uh doctor before seeing each patient, he died. May Hashem give me the ability to uh >> say to the patient >> to the patient >> to be able to to heal you. That that that's it. That's living. That's living what we're talking about. That's exactly it. That's exactly it. Um, and he says, "This is something we have to work on at all times." And even the way we talk, this is what I'm doing. This is how I've accomplished this. Whoa. The hashem with the help of Hashem, it's mamish. It's it's the ABCs of our lives. Just to end this first level, part one of this first level [clears throat] um raisita in Haratila in verse 29 points out we begin our davining with the phrase the the name of Hashem we use is alfall adem. So he brings down every name of Hashem has different meanings. The marisha points out that v is about hashem exists. The adnote is bracket wrote that hashem can change things in this world that things aren't static. Why do I begin to remind me before I davin know you're talking to a being that anything is possible anything can change and and the example that I I've given over and over again and and and it's an example because it's so real to my life is is and and it's you know one of those moments that are etched in your mind you know that you don't forget of being told by a top doctor in Mount Sinai Hospital, top fertility specialist. He said, he looked at me and my husband and said, "I give you a 3% chance of ever having kids and 3% is high." >> Wow. And this little granddaughter just flipped over at two months yesterday. You know, you can give me all the percentages you want in the world. Hashem, anything can change. It's the world of the beyond. It's putting ourselves completely in Hashem's hands. Now, I just want to make mention make mention I'm not doing an inside because I've ran out of time before I've even started. That should be the name of my next book. Running out of time before I've started. Only you guys would buy the book though because no one else really would appreciate that. Um the Roshiva Sam flips it around in source 30 and he says not that it was something impossible and that was the greatness of the belief. He says to believe when something is difficult is different than when you believe in good news. If someone is going to tell me good news, what do I say? Great. to have a to go into the whoo a whoo the here and this is what he says and I want I was very impacted by this this is why I'm stretching myself to share this he says this is the forant I want us to listen to this for life if a person works on a mida I work on my anger I work on my patience I work on whatever it is on my aat It doesn't matter what I'm working on and I really work hard and the filaragra my reward is according to the effort I put in I get a lot of reward now what happens when it becomes a no-brainer in my life I'm no longer angry I'm no my ashar is flows do I now get less reward the original reward for all the effort I put in stays with me throughout my experience with this aspect. That's the mean when here again different than we just saw didn't take that much. He still gets the same amount of I call it brownie points or my language as when he had to struggle to reach this level. Wow. And I'll just make one more point then we'll get to the rambatan and I'm doing this point because I want to share this email that someone from this sent me [clears throat] the siftat brings 31 and 32 and uh he says the following said to hashem hashem I'll tell you what my issue I don't have a child who all of my hard work will be a model for them in serving you. And Hashem responds to him. This is really intense. Everything that you're doing is really not can't use the word important. In my mind, it's the peel of the orange. I know this idea may not be so appealing, but aren't you happy I mentioned it? No, I guess you're not. Um, what really is about your life is when you have a brisma and you have a child. That's really where the impact is going to be. So, Avarino, I want you to have the same mysterious nefish and all of your hard work, but no, it's really not what really counts, but I want you to go on doing it anyway. Well, if someone told me that, what would I say? Wake me up. And au says no even though this is not be the real impactful aspect of my life it's still going to build me and I'm still going to go ahead and what we see from the sift is that [snorts] is not just about what you transmit to your children it's about what you live for your children and I and and I just want to mention mentioned this email that again you may have seen this email. I was blown away by it. So let me just share this with you and then we'll quickly do the last two levels. There was a Rabbi Mosha Dove Hebber from Yeshiva Tana of Waterterbury. >> You've all seen this not everyone. So I'm going to share it. He had 11 year old boys Shivaktana and he asked them what was your favorite moment of Yantiff >> of sukus. So great flags playing with my husband with my husband that was wrong playing with my cousins eating in the suka and one boy wrote seeing the hostages come home. So he calls over Yehuda and he says, "You really mean that?" He said, "Yes." He says, "This is something you talk about a lot at home." He said, "Um, my mother hasn't worn one of her rings in two years." Later he calls the mother and uh she says, "That's correct. It's a small silent reminder that part of our nation is missing. >> A reminder to feel the pain of another." On the refrigerator is a handwritten sign that reads, "What did you do today to bring them home?" And beneath it, a careful count of the days since the hostages were taken. There's also a picture of one particular hostage someone their family feels connected to, someone they've been dabbbiting for by name. When the videos began to circulate of the hostages being freed, Yehuda's mother gathered their children and said swiftly, "Watch. These are your tilos." Not words, not speeches. It's a home that breathes file. It's a mother who turns pain into prayer. It's a child whose favorite junctive memory of seeing another Yid return home. Because in the end, the most powerful lessons aren't taught, they're caught. Wow. Is that >> beautiful? That's absolutely stunning. You could read this over and over again and never tire of hearing this. Okay, my friends, we have 10 minutes. Nine on the clock. You ready to put your seat belts on? Fasten them. Here we go. says again we'll do a lot outside 34. How do you read this? Going back to the original he believed in and the continuation of theu v Shave and Arau attributed the ability to have amuna and the ability that he will be blessed to have a child. He attributed it to Hashem and not to his good deeds. You're telling me I'm going to have a child? I could pat myself on the back and say, "What?" I'm I'm I'm summarizing the next page. I could pat myself on the back and say what? Yeah. You know, or costume and this of course I'm worthy of a child. No. 37 double squiggly person needs to understand whatever we receive. None of us can walk around saying I deserve everything that we have is a >> and as not only is having a child from Hashem, the ability to believe in Hashem is a gift from Hashem. You know, we say this in Modim in the Modim Daban, the fact that I'm able to give thanks to you is from you. I can't do anything myself. It's all a gift from Hashem. And that Yes, ma'am. >> The older that I personally get, the more I thank Hashem for the home that he put me in and for making it easier for me. It's not for >> nothing should be taken for granted. That's it. And you see really the two levels are really interconnected because it's the reonus leading us at every step of the way and it's living in awareness. It's living a pitch that's all about Hashem and that I can't take any obviously I have to feel good for what I've accomplished but realize that it's a lot. >> It's gifted. It's gifted. As my kids know, and I've said this over and over again, every time I finish a year, it's a miracle. I say hu continue to bless me because it's not about me and I d to be a conduit to be able to give over because I can't put this together. I'm not capable. It's a gift. Okay, my friends, let's do the final idea. Are we ready? I'm ready. Are you ready? Okay. So, if we summarize what we've seen, everyone believed in Hashem. What was so great about that? Because it went against nature. It wasn't even a 3% chance. It was a negative% chance. You believe in me? Because there is no natural rules of this way or that way. You know, it's only the ribbon. That was the greatest of you know, it's ability to hold his hand knowing that we're living in a world of the beyond. And I'll tell you, and again, the hostages in Iran and everything we're living through, we're living through the mashia. Nothing in the Jewish people individually or collectively makes sense. Now, here's the final idea. We're flipping it on its head. Israel and the all Mosha the Zorados that says this will be your children 43 arrow. Let's read the differently. The puk previously says these will be your children. Is not about it's a reference to whom? >> The children. Hashem not only promises that you will have children, but he also promises that the Jewish people will be believers, childrens of believers. That promise is what a rau attributed to Hashem as a what? As a kindness. to be given that promise that your children will be able to hold on despite everything that happens around them. Despite a holocaust, despite an October 7th, despite despite we know you're here, Hashem, thank you, Hashem. This is a gift. Let's end with one final idea, my friends. In 48, He says sometimes wants to do goodness for us and the goodness is already there. Sometimes Hashem just wants to give us, but if I don't have a receptacle to receive, you know, it's like the ice cream in IKEA. You could put the money in, but unless you have the cup or the cone, forget it. Forget where's Waldo? Forget the ice cream in IKEA. You need to have a what? A receptacle. What's the receptacle? The bracket. Hashem says, "You know what? This clue is you hold on to me. You realize it's not about you. You realize it's coming from me." You're able to step back and not have that assurance. Well, of course this will happen. You recognize it's all a gift. And that is what Hashem tells. You believe in me which means I've given you a braha. Why? Because you've created the cle your amuna is what has created my ability to bless you. Then says to rau, thank you for doing this favor for me. I so wanted to give to you but I needed you to create the faith [clears throat] now that you've created it I can give you thank you so much and my friends that's my braha to all of us that we should create this clea of amuna being able to step beyond ourselves into the beyond and that's the cons considerable conviction we need to have in order to be able to be a conduit to Hashem's ad for today. And again, anyone who has yet to purchase this lifealtering