Thanks, Gad, for the Torah vort.
Often, when I feel afraid, I tell myself that we all have a chelek (part) of Hashem in us and we are empowered by that part to do the things that are hard for us. It helps.

Knowing that we have a part of G-d within us gives us the ability to do the impossible.

Because G-d can do the impossible. And we have a part of G-d within us.

Thanks

Rabbi Immanuel Schochet passed away a month ago. His shloshim is about now.

I once heard him tell a story about Rabbi Meir Perishlan

Rabbi Meir used to go to the mikva in all weather. The Mikva was on a hill, and in winter the hill was often a sheet of ice.
Still, he went up and down the hill, and people regarded it as miraculous.

Some teenagers scoffed at this, and they told everyone that they could also do it. They tried, but they fell and broke some bones.
As they were lying in bed recuperating, Rabbi Meir came to visit them. They asked him, how was he able to go up and down the ice without falling.
He answered, "Meir is tied to above. When one is attached to above, one doesn't fall below"

The rebbe rashab, the fifth Lubavitcher rebbe, was actually a patient of Freud.

He seemed to have depression, and Freud analyzed the problem, and gave advice.

This was recorded in the recent rebbe's notes. It details the analysis and the advice.

Researchers analyzed freud's writings, what he wrote before he saw the rebbe rashab, and what he wrote afterwards.
They found that freud's writings after he saw the rebbe were much more sympathetic to religious beliefs.
They conclude that the rebbe rashab was probably a good influence on Freud.

Maybe this was the reason, by Divine Providence, why Freud was destined to meet the rebbe rashab.

Very interesting to hear that the rebbe had a depression. Of course, I know thst Rebbes are "people". but it's still encouraging to read that they struggled with such things........

In this week's parsha, Moshe tells heaven and earth to hear his words.
And he connects it to acknowledging G-d's greatness.

Heaven can signify the sky. It can also mean spirituality. Spirituality in the general world, and also inside man.

Earth can refer to the physical world. And also the physicality in man.

Heaven and earth are two opposites. How do we bring harmony and unify them?
By bringing G-d into the picture.

Teshuva, return, means returning to G-d, and also returning to the G-dly soul within us.

Sometimes two people argue, and what's needed is to bring a moderator into the picture.
A moderator stands above the two arguers. He is given the authority and ability to decide and, sometimes, to find a way to make things work out, to bring harmony.

G-d is in the world, but also is above world. When we acknowledge and access Him, we bring holiness into the mundane, and we create harmony and synergy, so that the entire universe functions in an optimum and successful way, even better than before.

May all of klal yisroel be written and sealed for a good and sweet year, and a year of redemption, with "the happiness of the world on their heads."

This week's parsha is vizois habrocho (this is the blessing), when Moshe blessed the Jewish people.

The words of the Torah are eternal, and they apply in all times.

It is appropriate that, before Yom Kippur, we read in the Torah about Moshe blessing us.

It says 'Hashem oiz liamoi yitein, Hashem yivoreich es amoi besholom.' -- G-d gives His people strength, G-d will bless His people with peace.

It says that 'oiz' (strength) refers to the Torah.

So when we read and study Torah, especially the part where Moshe blesses us, this gives strength to bless us with peace.

And it says, 'if peace is here, then everything is here.'
And it says that peace is the vessel which holds blessing.

Vizois habrocho -- and this is the blessing.

Thanks

Gemar chasima toivo

Sometimes, we look at the world around us, whether it's nature, or people, and we learn.

The Baal Shem Tov says that everything happens by Divine Providence, and we can learn from everything that we see and hear.

When the geulah sheleima (the complete redemption) comes, then G-dliness will be revealed, we'll be 'at home' with G-d, like a marriage, and we'll be able to see Him in everything.

It's a custom to taste the Shabbos food before Shabbos. The geulah is compared to Shabbos. So we can taste the geulah even now.

When we see G-d in our everyday life, in Torah and mitzvos and all our actions, we are tasting redemption.

May we merit to see the geulah sheleima today, with 'the happiness of the world on our heads,' visimchas oilom al roishom.

Happiness can be felt when we know that G-d is everywhere, together with us.

Happiness can be felt when we know that our actions, our Torah and mitzvos, create a dwelling place for G-d, and that G-d rejoices with this dwelling place, as it says, 'yismach Hashem bimaasov,' -- G-d rejoices with His creations.