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Geshmack Dvar Torah of the Week: Start your day...

Thursday, 11 March 2010

Start your day...

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"נְדָבָה בַּבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר....gifts every morning" (36:6)

The Sfas Emes (biography here) explains that sharing and giving has to be our first instinct, at the beginning of every day.

The Vilna Gaon (biography here) expounded further on this point. The final bracha in Tfilas HaShachar is Hamaavir Sheina - Who removes sleep from our eyes - and what follows is the Yehi Ratzon - May it be Your Will - that lists various mitzvos we would like to be able to do. We do not pause between them to say Amen. The Vilna Gaon explains that we must start as we mean to continue - we thank Him for removing sleep from our eyes, and immediately pray for opportunities to do mitzvos.

There is a story about R' Meir Schapiro (biography here), who was fundrasing for his yeshiva in pre-war Europe. He had made his way through a new town, and heard stories about a man who lived there, who was fabulously wealthy. He knocked on the door, and requested to meet with the gentleman. He was informed that the gentleman was asleep, so R' Meir requested to come inside and learn, until the owner arose. When he finally did wake up, he flatly refused to donate to the yeshiva, and R' Meir gave a sad smile, and said "You shouldn't have woken up then. I understand this pasuk now".

The emphasis on every morning is a clear piece of mussar and a lesson for us that we must strive to help, share and give at every opportunity, even (especially?) at times that are inconvenient.

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