Happy post-Chanukah pre-Purim time!
As I write this email, a few beautiful souls are partaking in a community melava malka, just outside the Old City gates, exactly where knife-wielding terrorists killed 2 Jews and severely injured 1 more less than 3 weeks ago. Only Am Yisroel, victims of constant onslaught from all sides, still perseveres to make light where there is darkness. How could Hashem not have nachat from us?
It is said that in the times before Mashiach, Hashem will shake a rope, and it will be up to each of us to grab onto that rope as it swings, if we want to make it. We grab onto this rope with Emunah.
So too with our personal tests. The first step is to know that it is a test tailor-made for us and not just random suffering. If we want to pass, we should focus on first accepting our circumstances. Then we beg Hashem to help us, knowing that it was brought in order to bring out untapped inner strength and beauty. Then comes patience. We have to be patient with Hashem, but impatient with ourselves. To look inside and see in what way we can grow from the hardship, while at the same time pray and pray for help. If we do it right, at some point we may not even perceive that we have the hardship anymore.
And on a lighter note, we have a gift for you. You may remember that there is a Shidduch Segula to hang your name around an almond tree for the whole of Tu Bi’shvat. After Tu Bi’shvat, the name is taken down and kept by the person at all times (either under their pillow or in their purse/wallet). Hamodia wrote about this Segula a few years ago here.
If you’d like us to do this for you or a friend in the Holy Land, it would be our pleasure. This year, rather than mailing an envelope, you can just fill in your details and prepay the postage online and we’ll mail you the almond-tree wrapped paper directly. Tu Bi’shvat falls on January 25th this year. Just click here to sign up and feel free to post/send to friends.
With blessings that we all tap into our potential and grab onto the Geula rope,
Batya