E.L reached this milestone yesterday on the 20th of Av, which is spelled Ke'Av. The word "Ke'Av" has a double meaning In Lashon Hakodesh. It can mean "pain" and it can also mean "like a father". E.L. has taken the "pain" of his past - the pain of the addiction, and used it as a spring board to developing a true "Father/Son" relationship with his Father in Heaven! (After all, isn't that what "Efshar Litaken" is all about?)
The only place in Tanach where the word "ke'Av" appears, is in Iyov 31:18, in the very chapter that starts with the words: "I have made a treaty with my eyes"... The Pesukim there discuss how a person is a "Chelek Eloka Mi'ma'al" and speak about how we should not follow after our eyes and hearts, not after women and not after promiscuity... And then Pasuk 18 says:
"From my youth (Hashem) has raised me ke'Av - as a father"....
Coincidence?
I think NOT :-)
I want to quote a few excerpts from Efshar Litaken's first inspiring post on our forum over here, where he described his situation and how he found our website:
I'm new here, just a few days old on this site & in my new life. I too thought that I was from the few & numbered Yidden out there that are struggling in this area. (I'm not talking about people that don't care or are totally off, unfortunately there are too many. I mean Yiden that are Erlich in all other fields of Yidishkeit)
I begged & cried to Hashem so many times in the last few years to help me find my way out of it, but it was short lived progress.
I even spoke (hinted) to my Rav that I'm struggling with my eyes & all I got was to Pray "V'Taher Libeini". He is a Holy Yid, but his Gadlus is stuck in the 1800's.
So I Thank Hashem for making me stumble upon this website while checking out the news on Israel on the Jpost.
I Hope & feel that with all the Helpful tips & Amazing Yiden Mevakshei Hashem "B'Emes" (for this is anonymous, so we are doing this Koloi L'Shmo just because we want to be close to you Hashem) that I will finally get over this Klipeh that the world has never seen before.
Like my Rav Says, the Satan know that his end is near, so he is fighting with all his tools & weapons. We just have to "Hold On A Little Bit Longer" & the fight will be Won.
Chazal Say "Tzorois Ramim, Chotzi Nechomo!" It's a lot easier to deal with this knowing that others unfortunately have the same problems & are successfully dealing with it.
Yidden! Hashem looks at this website & is Shtultz Proud with us. He calls out "Mi K'Amcho Yisroel!" look at my chosen nation, they have not Sold Out! there is no other nation like us, Period!
Ashrecha Yisroel
Hashem Is Proud Of Us
We Will Never Give Up
Here is a special song in honor of Efshar Litaken's milestone!
(Right click and press "Save Target/Link as")
"If you believe you can destroy, believe you can fix!" ... Rebbe Nachman.