HaKoras HaTov

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  • February 5, 2009 4:20 pm at 4:20 pm #589323
    feivel
    Participant

    The Rosh Yeshiva who survived the Holocaust and eventually settled in

    Jerusalem had an interest activity that aroused the curiosity of his

    students. Each day he was seen carefully watering a bush growing in his

    yard.

    Pressed for an explanation he recalled how he managed to escape death

    when the Nazis rounded up all the Jews in his Lithuanian town for

    deportation to a death camp. Standing near the back door when the Nazis

    arrived he managed to run out and hide behind a huge bush. His flight

    was noticed and a frantic search was initiated which ended in failure

    because of the unusual thickness of the bush. After the Nazis left,

    taking with them all the members of his family, he fled into the forest

    and joined the Partisans until the end of the war.

    After the war he returned to his hometown and snipped a part of the

    bush that had saved his life, planted it in his yard and, as an act of

    gratitude, dedicated himself to daily giving it life by watering it as

    it had given him life by concealing him.

    February 6, 2009 5:47 am at 5:47 am #636574
    kapusta
    Participant

    nice feivel, and btw, I think that was the first one of your posts that I actually understood…

    February 6, 2009 6:34 am at 6:34 am #636576
    asdfghjkl
    Participant

    feivel: i actually read it, it seemed short enough!!! i liked it, thanx pal!!!

    February 6, 2009 1:00 pm at 1:00 pm #636577
    teen
    Member

    ok im gona be the one who asks the stupid question:

    so if i fall down a flight of staris and land on some towels which breaks my fall (and probably stops from breaking my neck) do i need to put them on a pedastel or something as a sign of hakoros hatov?

    February 6, 2009 1:19 pm at 1:19 pm #636578
    noitallmr
    Participant

    Nice one Feivel which reminds me of the famous question why couldn’t Moishe Rabeinu do the Makoh of Dam by hitting the water? The answer is because Moishe felt Hakoros Hatov that the water saved his life by carrying him away in his basket so he couldn’t do the Makoh on it.

    We see how far Hakoros Hatov goes…

    February 6, 2009 3:35 pm at 3:35 pm #636579
    kiruvwife
    Member

    Feivel thanks for a great story–I’m always looking for those.

    teen–(really enjoy your Q’s btw) you probably wouldn’t put the towels on a pedastal, but you’d remember that the towels did break your fall, and if you’d think into it further you’d realize that someone left the towels there, which would lead to an appreciation where Divine intervention comes into play, which would lead to an ultimate gratitude to Hashem who orchestrated your protection.

    February 6, 2009 4:10 pm at 4:10 pm #636580
    feivel
    Participant

    very often people will obtain mementos of a departed loved person.

    they will just look at say, the watch they remember their loved one always wore, it will bring back a clear, painful, and beautiful memory. they might remember, when they look at the watch, wonderful times they had, maybe the great kindnesses that person showed to them. they might come to look at the watch frequently, perhaps hold it lovingly, perhaps even kiss it as a particular warm memory surfaces. this is especially true if the watch was involved in a particularly important episode that touched his memory and deep emotions.

    if you want teen, you can compare the bush to the watch.

    in truth it is actually much deeper than this, but i have no words to express it.

    February 6, 2009 5:53 pm at 5:53 pm #636581
    teen
    Member

    kiruv wife and feivel: u werent supposed to come up with good answeres 😛 jk they both make sense

    February 6, 2009 6:20 pm at 6:20 pm #636582
    feivel
    Participant

    there are always good answers

    the problem is finding someone who knows them and knows how to explain them

    (not me usually)

    i get some very good questions and answers mailed to be by Rabbi Moss. i dont know who he is but he always has good answers

    maybe ill post a few

    February 6, 2009 6:26 pm at 6:26 pm #636583
    feivel
    Participant

    one example by R’Moss

    My cousin tragically died from a Taliban rocket attack while operating with the Australian special forces in Afghanistan. We were very close and losing him has been really hard to take. One thing that has been hard to comprehend was the complete randomness of the incident. He was walking on his base and without warning was hit by a rocket. The following day his unit went into battle and were outstandingly successful and did not take any casualties. It feels like a higher power just swooped down and took him. Could this be? Or was he just in the wrong place at the wrong time?

    Answer:

    My heart goes out to you and your family. What a tragedy.

    Our time in this world is only a small part of a big journey. Our souls began their journeys long before we were born and entered this world, and our souls continue the journey long after we die and leave this world. What happens to us in this short life cannot be looked at in isolation. You can’t read one chapter in the middle of a long book and from there figure out the plot.

    Some souls come into this world for a short time to fulfill a specific mission, and once their mission is completed they are taken back to where they came from. Some souls are taken early in order to be spared future pain and suffering. We can only guess. But we can be sure that the story is not over.

    The soul itself is only too happy to leave this world. The soul is alien to a world of cruelty and physicality, and would much rather be in the spiritual realm of goodness above. It is we down here who feel the loss and pain of a soul who leaves us behind. But even this pain is only temporary. There will come a time when all souls will be reunited. In the end, we all go back home.

    February 6, 2009 6:40 pm at 6:40 pm #636584
    asdfghjkl
    Participant

    feivel: wow that explaination was amazing!!!

    February 6, 2009 6:57 pm at 6:57 pm #636585
    oomis
    Participant

    Feivel, beautiful story and what an excellent lesson to be underscored by it.

    February 6, 2009 8:11 pm at 8:11 pm #636586
    Joseph
    Participant

    Feivel – Who is Rabbi Moss and what does he do? Also, how do you receive these mailings?

    February 6, 2009 8:19 pm at 8:19 pm #636587
    qwertyuiop
    Member

    feivel: thanx for your continuos additions to the CR, the ones i can understand(this one) are great.

    February 8, 2009 2:11 am at 2:11 am #636588
    beacon
    Participant

    Thanks for that feivel. Amazing

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