This week, the closing Shabbos of the year 5754, we will be reading two portions Nitzovim and Vayeilech. Both these portions are the strong lessons of Moshe for unity and Teshuvah, and how Torah can be studied and observed by all of us. Moshe discusses openly his passing on to the eternal world and prepares the nation and Yehoshua for the upcoming events.
The Torah states: (Devorim 30/6) umol Hashem elokekho es livovcho ... Hashem your G-d will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring to love Hashem, your G-d with all your heart and all your soul. We know, that fear of G-d is something that a person has to work on, it is not granted to anyone on a silver platter. It seems from the above verse, which we recite many times during the selichos prayers, that it is actually gifted to us ?
A resident of Kuzhmir, approached Reb Chatzkel, the Rebbe of Kuzhmir, seeking his advice, on how to improve his financial state. I can't help you, replied the Rebbe. This individual was very surprised and .expressed his amazement to the rebbe. "Last year the Rebbe gave my friend advice and he did very well, why can't the Rebbe help me, as well? I'll tell you a story, said the Rebbe. A man once walked in to a supermarket and said that his lantern ran out of oil, and he was in desperate need of oil to have some light in his house. The owner graciously handed him a canister full of oil to light up his lantern. A while later this man's neighbor approached the storekeeper for oil, the storekeeper replied negatively to his request. Why, asked the man, when my neighbor ran out of oil, you were so generous and handed him a full canister and to me, you responded so negatively? You see, said the storekeeper, your neighbor is a good customer of mine he comes in to my store and purchases everything he needs, when he runs out of oil, I am more than happy to hand it to him. However, you never shop here, you just came to me when you ran out of oil, I am not in the oil business. So too, said the Rebbe when you approach me for all your spiritual matters and you also need some advice regarding you finances, I am happy to provide that. However when you approach me only for financial issues and regarding spirituality you don't come, I can't help you.
So too, when a person decides that his whole life is going to be in the path of Torah and Mitzvohs, he will receive Divine Assistance for yiras shomayim as a bonus. However if a person lives his life without commitment, but expects G-d to grant him yiras shomayim (fear of G-d), that won't happen.
As this Shabbos is the final Shabbos of the year, let us make an effort to utilize the Shabbos properly, and bring blessings from the Shabbos for the new year approaching us. Shabbos is the source of all blessings, as we say in our Friday night prayers - kee hee mikor habrocho.
Gut Shabbos Kesiva vechasima Tova
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