Elul On The Way | Shabbos In Sight | The Tenth Man | Take Action | Emuna Lost | Seeing Is Healing
So Ya Thought Ya Knew How To Bentch
Let’s check in with the Arizal!
1-If you’re three men, definitely bentch on a כוס
2-The one honored with the כוס rreceives it from another into both hands at chest level, then retracts his left hand
3-He rests his eyes on the wine the entire bentching
4- The others rest their left on their heart, right hand on left, eyes closed, כוונה גמורה
5-That includes simcha and generosity toward the shechina benefiting from the bentching
6-Every man bentching wears the special head covering he walks to davening with
7-Kavanos are described clearly in your מתוק מדבש
שבת שלום ומבורך
Thank God For The Land Of Israel
And it’s ten levels of kedusha – קדשים
Chutz la’aretz has none – חולין
The posuk of seven species has ten words
The brocho on bread does too
It’s said while holding bread with your ten fingers
שאו ידיכם קודש וברכו את השם
Any דבר שבקדושה requires ten Jewish men
Our world is built on nine
Only בני ישראל can provide the tenth inning
Make a קידוש השם out there fellas!
100 Daily Brochos Aren’t Enough
Dovid HaMelech instituted them to save lives
But Chazal add the need for 90 daily Amens
מה is read מאה
A drasha to support the King’s decree
Where does that א come from?
אמן = 91
Why do 90 (= מלך) Amens suffice?
Brochos are incomplete without Amens
The element of unity is lacking
Amen brings א to the brocho
Without that א
It’s called אמן חטופה
An aveirah instead of a mitzva
Brings death instead of life
Hashem Wants Your Attention
At least 100 times a day
Acknowledge it’s all Him
The Zohar says ברוך = ראש ומקור כל ברכות
The brocho of מודים is linked to the Baal Shem Tov
As is the word ויברך in ויכלו
מודים = 100
The Baal Shem Tov’s father was 100 years old when he was born
Before he died, he instructed young Yisroel
Have יראה for Hashem only
מה ה׳ שואל מעמך כי אם ליראה
אל תקרי מה אלא מאה
The Baal Shem Tov adds
מאה is not enough
מאה ואחד is necessary
Concentrate when you say Hashem’s name
At least 100 times a day
מאה ואחד = אדני
Chatzos Kollels have become popular in recent years. Only the Zohar emphasizes the importance of this practice. It’s repeated there dozens of times.
With the haskama of Rav Moshe Shapiro zt”l I encourage people to learn this way themselves whenever possible.
When we can’t, next best is to sponsor someone who can. The ideal subject of learning after chatzos is Kabbala.
$1500 will sponsor a talmid chochom learning kabbala in Yeshivas Rashbi for a month.
Twenty years ago a colleague in the Mir discovered a number of talmidei chachomim struggling financially who refused to receive tzedaka. He outsmarted them.
They were invited to join a Shabbos kollel paying them nicely for learning they were doing anyway wherever they want. Donors don’t know the recipients, and the recipients don’t even know they’re receiving tzedaka. This is the Stealth Kollel.
Stealthily supporting thirty world class talmidei chachomim learning in Yerushalayim. The most ideal form of tzedaka, as stipulated in Bava Basra 9a.
There are no expenses and no advertising. 100% tzedaka.
Sponsoring one avrech for a month is $1000. But donations of any size are warmly welcomed.