(by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times)

There is an expression out in the world not to look at a cup as half empty, but rather to say that it is half full.

This is not the perspective of Rav Tzvi Myer Zilberberg, however, as written in his latest Sefer “Maamarei Chizuk.”

He writes: “Even if the cup looks half full, it is not. The cup is always full. We are so surrounded by Hashem’s Chessed – without limit that even if life, as represented by the cup, appears to be difficult or only half full – it is all for our eternal and ever-lasting good.

This is the reason why we only recite blessings on cups that are completely full – so that we realize that there is no such thing as a half full cup. (page 162).”
This is a typical inspirational thought of Rav Tzvi Myer.

Rav Tzvi Myer Zilberberg shlita, a grandson of Rav Gedaliah Schorr zt”l, is renowned for his remarkable ability to inspire his listeners with chizuk and achieving greater Dveikus Bashem. He is the Rebbe and Rosh Chaburah of Nachlas Yaakov. His Chassidim and talmidim are found throughout Eretz Yisroel and across the world.

The Sefer has seven maamarim – each of them comprising entire shiurim with many associated ideas.

The first Maamar explains the concept of kindling the holy flame within us – and that everything is from hashem – ain od milvado. The Maamar discusses how there is no room for kaas in this model and provides guidelines as to how to overcome it.

The second Maamar explains how the Avodah of Chanukah helps us for the entire year.

The third Maamar deals with the interplay of nissim and being above the teva. Klal Yisroel is always above and beyond teva – nature. We have to reach out above it and attain the natural nissim thata re part of what defines us as a nation.

The fourth Maamar is about the life of Yaakov Avinu. His life is divided in half. The first 77 years are the years of light. The last seventy years are the years of hester – that which is hidden. In the exact middle Hashem gave Yaakov Avinu the ability to withstand all through a unique fire.

The fifth Maamar explains that Chanukah contains its own Kedushas Beis HaMikdash. Just as the original Beis HaMikdash was built upon the prayers of Klal Yisroel – so too is the holiness of Klal Yisroel built upon the tefilos of Klal Yisroel.

The sixth Maamar explains that the Yom Tov of Chanukah encompasses three concepts – the victory over Yavan, the lighting of the candles of the Menorah, and the establishment of these days as days of prayer and thanks. All of them emanate from the power of “And You in Your abundant mercy.” The way to continue this abundance of Divine Mercy is through Tefilah.

The seventh Maamar deals with Zos Chanukah – the concept of finishing off the continuity of Chanukah toward the ultimate rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash. This is a unique power that we have gained from our ancestors – Bais Yaakov and Bais Yoseph.

Like all of Rav Tzvi Myer’s Torah – this latest Sefer is remarkably inspiring. We should never let a Yom Tov go by without a sefer such as this to inspire us to the greater heights that each of our Yomim Tovim can catapult us to achieve.

The reviewer can be reached at [email protected]