There are many weeks where Shabbos is the only time I get to look at something more then Rashi’s Commentary on the weekly parsha (not that there is anything wrong with Rashi’s commentary of course.) One of my personal favourite seforim is called the “Oneg Shabbos.” It contains letters written by Rabbi Ephraim of Pshedbarz who was one of the outstanding Breslover tzaddikim and scholars of Polish descent, who survived the Holocaust and resettled in Eretz Yisrael. I was thinking why not do a series based on the Oneg Shabbos? If for no other reason, at least I will be forced to spend some more time studying something I truly enjoy! So here goes, I hope to put out at least one piece per week. If you are like me and truly enjoy the insights, you can purchase this Sefer from Moshe Rosen in Monsey, NY. He can be reached at 845-425-7464. Enjoy!
A person who possesses true trust and faith in G-d does not worry at all. Instead he hopes and waits for G-d’s salvation to arrive. He feels G-d helping him and he experiences Gan Eden (the Garden of Eden) down here on Earth. The numerical value of the hebrew words Emunah (faith) and Bitachon (trust) equal that of Gan Eden! With our Emunah and Bitachon we merit the next world but we can even get a taste in this world. We can transfer over our heavy burdens to G-d and live a worry free lifestyle.
We pray in the Amidah, “And give good reward to all those who truthfully believe in Your name.” Now we know that G-d grants us reward for every thing we do in His honour, even the smallest things. So what is this prayer all about? The answer is that when we live a lifestyle based on Emunah and Bitachon we actually taste Gan Eden now. One may think that since I am already tasting it, perhaps when I get to the next world I will find a chunk missing. May we all merit to live with an Emunah where we are concerned and feel the need to pray that we have not “tasted” too much of our reward already.
A Gut Shabbos,
Yossi Katz
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