Final Preparations

Hi !
I hope everyone's Pesach was able to be a catalyst to help us realize how close to Hashem we need to be and how much we need to realize His closeness to us and how much He cares about us. If we grabbed hold of the Kedusha of the holiday, it was a quick elevator. If not, we are on the escalator to Shavuot now, so jump right on.

Baruch Hashem, we managed to say Birkat HaChama this Erev Pesach. As the Meir Enei Chachamim says, we should be expecting the Geula shortly (even though Mashiach has not come yet...). We should definitely not despair, as Hashem has provided us with enough reasons to realize that the final preparations for our Redemption are actually heavily under-way.

It's definitely not me alone anymore. I am sure that everyone is realizing that several key "chess" moves on the world stage have taken place over the past few weeks. It doesn't take a genius to realize the rapid rate of descent the world is spiraling down. Whether it's one crazed leader or another, they each have had their share of airtime in the past several weeks. I definitely don't need to summarize the news -- I'm sure everyone is aware of the major events that have taken place.

I strongly feel that we are at the threshold of THE major event. I truly hope and pray that we all feel this seriously and take it to heart. There will probably be no second chances. Things have not been so hot in the world in a long time. Hashem is giving us the warnings in His secret ways. Anyone can clearly see that, but what we do about it is key.

We need to get to safe ground. Just as the animals run to higher ground preceding a tsunami, it's time for us to do the same. That means physically and spiritually. Physically, clearly means Eretz Yisrael, where the prophet Yoel (3:5) promises that it will be safe. Spiritually (which is required regardless of location) will require MASSIVE faith in Hashem beyond any normal capacity (probably along the lines of Yam Suf). We need to be prepared to have "Egyptians" (the most powerful army in the world) chasing after us, as we stand like sheep before a mighty ocean, with nowhere to turn physically, yet still rely Hashem.

We are guaranteed to be tested in our faith. The economy is just tryouts, maybe even a practice run. We need to hold on - TIGHT. It is my fervent prayer that it all happens quick without the need for any "bad" -- and we all realize quickly where to direct our "missiles" (prayers). May it happen very, very soon. Amen!

Rosh Chodesh Nisan 5769

...reprinted from email

AS HEARD FROM RABBI AVIGDOR MILLER ZT’L

“You shall observe the month of Springtime (aviv) and perform the Pesach offering for Hashem, your

G-d, for in the month of Springtime Hashem your G-d, took you out of Egypt at night” (Devarim 16:1)

Now I am going to tell you what the Alter of Slabodka, R’ Noson Zvi Finkel, said on this pasuk.

The Alter asked, “why does the Torah tell us that we left Egypt in the spring?” It is true that in springtime the land is beautiful as all of nature begins to bloom. But wouldn’t we have been just as happy if it were pouring rain or even hailing when we left Egypt? After being enslaved there for 210 years we would have been overjoyed to leave in any kind of weather.

The spring month of grain ripening was chosen by Hashem in order to enhance the happiness of the occasion. Thus, even in a mountain –heap of joy of liberation when we were loaded with the wealth of Egypt, yet we were expected not to overlook the fact that the spring season was a time of happiness and the weather was enjoyable.

Therefore, just as we must thank Hashem for all the Hesed He does for us, so also we must thank Him for

every extra detail of that Hesed. Hashem wanted to shower kindness upon us so He made it a beautiful spring day when He redeemed us from Egypt. It was the time of splendor (ziv). Therefore , our gratitude to Him was even more emotional and exhuberant that it would otherwise have been.

When someone does us a kindness we should also examine all the details of that Hesed.

This will bring us to a further and deeper appreciation of that person. Which will bring out strong

emotions of love for this person.

This should all lead to our profuse and boundless Gratitude/Hakarat Hatob. Which is one of the

most important reasons why Hashem has sent us any good fortune, in order to afford us the glorious

opportunity to show our Gratitude, which is our perfection.

Adapted from "A Nation Is Born" by Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT’L