These days, it seems one can’t spend more than a few minutes reading any Jewish publication without coming across something about the shidduch “crisis”. There seems to be a plague of hysteria and fear surrounding the shidduch process in our society which further complicates the issue. At 10K Batay Yisroel (10KBatayYisroel.org), we would like to change that attitude with a more positive and optimistic approach.
Shidduchim, well they come from Hashem. PERIOD.
So what can we do???
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Klal Yisroel was touched and shaken by R’ Shaya Levin’s requests of the Ribbono Shel Olam at his son and daughter-in-law to be’s levaya. R’ Shaya understands that shidduchim can only come from Hashem. So he asked the source. Hashem is the mezaveig zivugim and R’ Shaya asked for an afikomen present of ten thousand shidduchim.
So what can we do??? Simple, REDT A SHIDDUCH! (or two!)
A successful shidduch is akin to winning the lottery. Hashem has infinite ways of bringing yeshua; however, He chooses to allow the world to run according to teva. In teva, one needs to buy a lottery ticket, will he win the lottery? Well that’s up to Hashem. In shidduchim, one needs to suggest a shidduch, will the suggestion be successful? Again, that’s up to Hashem.
If we want Hashem to send the afikomen present of ten thousand shidduchim, we must, as a klal, do our part and redt ten thousand shidduchim!!
Taking it a step further, R’ Shaya Levin firmly believes that our uniting in redting ten thousand shidduchim is actually incentivizing Hashem to bring the ten thousand successful shidduchim to fruition. When Hashem sees our achdus, how we care for one another, he will surely bring about the highly desired ten thousand shidduchim.
All we can do is make the suggestion, the rest is out of our hands.
The 10K project also truly recognizes that suggesting a shidduch is challenging at the very least. There are so many reasons to hold back. As Chazal say “im batalta min haTorah, yeish lecha beteilim harbay kenegdecha”, there are so many excuses not to get involved. It’s true.
The reasons to get involved; if you open your eyes to it, are actually much more appealing!
Chazal say that since Krias Yam Suf, Hashem spends his days being mezaveig zivugim. If one wants to emulate the ways of the Ribbono Shel Olam, there is nothing greater one can do than redt a shidduch! Asakta Bipirya Virivya? It’s no secret that we all will get asked this question in shamayim; redting a shidduch will allow you to answer a “yes!” (It does not mention success!). Still not convinced? Check out the resources page on our 10KBatayYisroel.org for more!
When we understand that shidduchim are up to Hashem; when we understand that an unsuccessful suggestion is as beautiful in Hashem’s eyes as the successful; only then can we truly let go of the fears surrounding shidduchim in our community and open our hearts to doing the most we can for the next person without getting “burnt out”, negative or just succumbed in fear.
If each person in Klal Yisroel threw up their hands and said shidduchim are all in Your hands but I want to redt one shidduch a week and do my hishtadlus— can you imagine how Hashem would react?
Imagine your child did that! Imagine seeing your children just wanting to be beachdus no matter their personal gain or the consequences involved. Imagine them just wanting to do what’s right despite their often lack in tangible success. Imagine how a father would react!
If each person in Klal Yisroel takes upon himself to do just that- to pick up the phone and redt a shidduch despite their personal discomfort and seemingly lack of tangible success– if we join together to make ten thousand shidduch suggestions as a Klal for Yisroel and Elisheva, a”h –if those ten thousand selfless suggestions were piled in front of the Holy Throne Up High–
I can only imagine one response: that is Hashem’s granting the afikomen present, and allowing us all to win the lottery and bear witness to the ten thousand binyanei adei ad.
“Ten thousand shidduchim for Klal Yisroel”; it CAN happen! But we all need to get involved!
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For reasons we can’t understand, Hashem decreed that Yisroel and Elisheva be taken as a couple before establishing a home in this world. Can we do our hishtadlus and show Hashem we want Yisroel and Elisheva to have ten thousand homes in this world to dwell in?
It’s up to you to make it happen!
Next time you have a shidduch idea… please, don’t hesitate, redt it!
And make sure to log it as part of the 10K Campaign!
Please log your suggestions at 10KBatayYisroel.org and help us reach the ten thousand shidduch suggestions in memory of Yisroel and Elisheva, a”h.