this is part of a letter by Reb Mendel Vitebsker zy'a
some very important ideas to live by

the Heichal Habracha quotes this letter verbatim in parshas Bechukosai and elaborates on it as well

(Heichal Habracha pdf is from hebrewbooks.org)

The days of Bain Hamtzarim, Shofar blowing, Aseres Yemei Tshuvah, Yom Kippur, Sukkah, Lulav and Esrog; they are all in preparation for אתה הראת לדעת כי ה' הוא האלקים

Rebbe Moshe Kobriner zy'a in Toras Avos

Parshas Devarim

רב לכם שבת בהר הזה

Rav lachem sheves bahar hazeh, sometimes we feel like we are sitting in front of a huge immovable mountain.
Pnu u'se'u lachem uvoiu har ha'emori, the way to move past it is by har ha'emori, talk it out to a friend

Lekovod the yartzeit of the Arizal zy'a

A person should avoid praying in a state of sadness, and if he does, then his soul cannot receive the Elevated Light that is drawn down during prayer.

When a person confesses, and details his sins, then alone it is proper to feel sadness. During prayer it is very damaging to be sad. Rather show a feeling of humility, with respect and awareness of G-d, along with a profound joy as much as possible, like a servant who serves his master joyfully. If he serves with sadness, his service is rejected.

This is almost the entire determining factor and catalyst for any level of perfection and divine inpiration, in prayer as well as in the performance of mitzvos. Do not belittle this for it's reward is exceedingly great.

Shaar Hakavanos vol.1 pg.2 (quoted in Avodas Hasimcha pg.111)

this shabbos is the nesivos shaloms yahrtzait

thanks for the heads-up

Parshas Va'eschanan

שובו לכם לאהליכם ואתה פה עמוד עמדי

Shuvu lachem le'oholeichem, people who need to be addressed in third party, 'lachem',they can go, 've'ata', people who can be addressed directly, with no airs about themselves, amod imadi, stay with me.

Likutei Imrai Chaim

Parshas Va'eschanan

כי מי כל בשר אשר שמע קול אלקים מדבר מתוך האש ויחי

Even a great tzadik like Moshe Rabeinu should not seek great levels and inspirations rather he should serve with love and awe and good deeds and the revelations and lofty levels will come of their own accord. When Moshe asked to see the RBSO kevayachol and when klal yisrael said "retzonainu liros es malkainu" it showed a lack of humility. After klal yisrael reached a state of greater purity they reflected on their past actions and said "mi kol basar", who was as base and lowly as us and yet still had the audacity to ask to see HKB"H.

Vayechi, HKB"H miraculously caused them to survive, even though they were wrong in requesting the experience. After the yidden realized their mistake and said as much, the RBSO said "Haitivu asher dibayru", they were right and they should not have been so bold in expecting such a high level.

Ma'or Vashemesh

What a Day!
By S. Horowitz

Fundraising dinners and the holiday of Kabbalas HaTorah have a tendency to coincide, year after year. So it is not surprising when speakers take the opportunity time and again to talk about the giving of the Torah at Har Sinai. And although Shavuos is but a lingering memory now as we enjoy our summer vacation, the thought I would like to share will surely make every one of the coming days more meaningful.

This message has remained with me from one such closing-of- the-school-year occasion, both for its uplifting content and its timeless relevance not just to the day of Kabbalas HaTorah but to every day of the year. It has the same impact and is always apropos wherever I go, whatever I do.

The dignitary who took the podium wisely presented a familiar topic in an atypical way. He spoke of the morning of Kabbalas HaTorah, when the Jews overslept and had to be roused for the most significant event in all of history. Usually, it is the justification of the mishap that is emphasized, and rightfully so, for weren't they the loftiest generation in the history of our people, a generation that had witnessed the greatest of miracles and could point a finger in lucid recognition of the Divine Presence? Perhaps it was their sincere fear of the Alm-ghty, or maybe a semblance of prophecy (or a preparation for it) that delayed their awakening. The discussion can go on and on. And it should.

But on this particular occasion the undertaking discussion went something like this:

Can you picture oversleeping on the morning of your graduation, a major trip, or a school of the greatest performance? No, you can't. It would be a disgrace, unimaginable, maybe unforgivable! So  think of the day of Kabbalas HaTorah, the grandest day in all of history, the day when the greatest Torah, for which the entire universe was created, was transferred to earth from on High!

But on that day -the Jews overslept! All interpretations and justifications aside, valid they are, this was the dishonorable way in which the historic Sixth of Sivan 2448 began.

The message, dear friends, is never to give up! No matter how shlemazeldik, dishonorable, unsuccessful your day, week, or year has begun, it should not be a determining factor in where you go from here. Look at the Jews who slept late on the morning of6 Sivan; that was the day they received the treasured Torah, the day they heard the Voice and bore witness to Hashem's exclusive sovereignty.

A lazy morning, a botched-up undertaking, an embarrassment, a failure in any form whatever can be the forerunner of the greatest day or time in your life, the greatest success, the greatest achievement. Gone are the excuses for giving up because the morning, the beginning, the first try went awry. Just remember that late-morning snooze on 6 Sivan 2448; it turned out to be the most memorable and meaningful day in all of history.

How encouraging and uplifting, and what a great excuse-dispeller for those who get trapped by every blunder! On Shavuos, this idea is certainly applicable -but what makes it a message that I seem to remember practically every day?

Simple! We mention Kabbalas HaTorah daily in the Six Remembrances, following the morning prayers. And with that comes the morning punch line of the address that still rings clearly in my mind.

That is why we were commanded to inform our children about the DAY we stood at Mount Sinai. We could have been told to relay to our children the impact of the presentation of the Torah -the blazing mountain, the thunderbolts, the Divine Voice... There are numerous ways to depict how momentous an occasion it was. Yet we were told to recall and tell our children about the DAY it all happened, how it all began and what a day it became : .. in order to instill precisely this point.

No day and no beginning in anyone's life can be too bungled to turn out truly meaningful.



Inyan Magazine 3 Av 57711 p47

Shabbos Nachamu

נחמו נחמו עמי יאמר אלקיכם
There are two primary tragedies of exile. One is the persecution and suffering endured by Klal Yisrael. Another is the nagging doubt and worry about whether the RBSO still looks to us as His children and nation and whether He still wants us. In a sense this is even more troublesome as it causes yidden to feel sad and depressed constantly and wonder whether their efforts and exertions are appreciated.

This is the double consequence of our aveiros, and this is the double message of nechama, nachamu nachamu, ki laksah kiflaim bechol chatoi'seha. The RBSO is telling us that He is very much interested in us and is attached to us constantly, even in exile. And He will take us to Him and end the exile, בב"א.

Tiferes Shlomo

לא כל דיבור נקרא דיבור, כי דיבור שאינו נשמע ונתקבל אינו נקרא דיבור, בחי׳ (ההלים י״ט) אין אומר ואין דברים בלי נשמע קולם, ועיקר מה שנתקבל הדבור, הוא מחמת הטוב שיש בו כי טוב הכל חפצים, וע״כ כשיש טוב בהדיבור אזי הדיבור נשמע ונתקבל, אבל כשאין טוב בהדיבור אין נתקבל

ליקוטי מוהר"ן ח"א כט,א

וזה עיקר התקרבות ישראל לאביהם שבשמים. היינו ע״י תיקון הברית

ליקוטי מוהר"ן ח"א כט,ד

Parshas Aikev

כי יגורתי מפני האף והחמה

After the yidden made the Aigel, Moshe Rabeinu's primary concern was not so much the actual aveira, as he knew that the RBSO would forgive them, rather his concern was the 'af and cheimah', the feelings of hopelessness and depression that might prevent the yidden from doing teshuva.

Reb Moshe Kobriner zy"a in Toras Avos

לכו בנים שמעו לי יראת ה' אלמדכם

Why does the posuk start with the instruction to "go"? (lechu banim), wouldn't it be more accurate to say either "come" or to omit that part altogether?

When trying to influence or instruct another if you come to him and say: you are doing it all wrong, you will never be successful that way, you must change and do it this way, that type of statement arouses a natural defense mechanism within him and he will indignantly resist and not be open and receptive to your help. rather, emphasize his positive points, and his success and among those comments insert some advice and constructive criticism.

That's lechu banim, keep on going down your path, you are moving in the right direction, and to enhance and add greater value to your efforts you might consider doing things in the following way.

heard beshem Rav Shmuel Wosner Shlita

Parshas Aikev

ומלתם את ערלת לבבכם וערפכם לא תקשו עוד

Umaltem es arlas levavchem ve'arpechem, if u purify your heart and remove your stubbornness, then lo sakshu od, you won't be plagued by questions and doubts. Sometimes the questions which seem legitimate and honest to us are really stemming from our unwillingness to understand.

R' Yecheskel from Kuzmir in Siach Sarfei Kodesh