I hope you are all well and it's fun to see all the chit chat about our summer plans I"YH. I am actually writing this on Tuesday because of Chaya Binah's wedding this Thursday BSH'Tova. Another good lesson from R' Vallach:                         

 

About 200 years ago,  a reknowned community leader passed away in Vienna - R' Shimshon Wortheimer Z"L. He was a wealthy banker, a great supporter of Torah learning and activist and donor to all kinds of charity. He was greatly missed in the Jewish world after his passing.                                                                                                       

 

Not long after, R' Chaim of Sanz sat with his chassidim and said, " Let me tell you what happenned in the heavenly court when R' Shimshon was judged."                                                                                         

 

 " The first thing the court asked him was to describe his normal daily schedule. R' Shimshon narrated to them his routine. ' I got up in the morning and went to shul to daven after which I returned home to eat breakfast. After eating, I had a hot cup of coffee with a cigar and read the paper - being so heavily involved in the financial world, it was important for me to know what was going on in the world. When I finished, I benched and went to the bank where I worked until lunchtime. I came home for lunch, ate, benched and took a nap or rest. I awoke refreshed and would be greeted by those in charge of charity and others who would come for help of all kinds. I would be listening to their needs and writing cheques for a few hours. It would then be time for Mincha when I would go to shul to daven Mincha, participate in a shiur and daven Maariv. I attended another shiur after Maariv before returning home to eat dinner and play a game of chess to clear my mind before saying Shma and going to bed.' The court heard this and decided to award R' Shimshon a ticket to Gan Eden. Two angels were then assigned to escort him there."                                       

The Rebbe continued. " There was another man waiting to be judged that day. He too was a rich banker who had died that day. Initially upon entering the awesome court of ultimate truth, he trembled in fear because in his lifetime he had not kept the mitzvos at all and now he saw was payback time. However as he witnessed the trial of R' Shimshon, he calmed down a bit - he thought he might have a defense. The court asked him to describe his daily routine. ' My routine was very similar to the man whom you just sent to Gan Eden - in fact about three quarters of his day was identical to mine. I too awoke in the morning; granted I didn't daven but I did eat breakfast and then enjoyed my coffee, cigar and newspaper. Granted too that I did not bench afterward, but I too went to the bank to work until going home for lunch, albeit without benching, and then I took a nap. I did not entertain charity requests but did after my nap go to my favorite social club to be with my friends. I did not go to shul to daven or learn like my predecessor but like him I came home for dinner, a game of chess and finally to go to bed.' The court did not take long to decide - gehenom. The man was incredulous. ' Do you mean to tell me that the man before me got into Gan Eden ONLY because of the davening, Torah and mitzvos that he did - doesn't spending a wholesome hardworking day count for anything ?' The court spokesman answered ' no, in fact he is getting rewarded for the full 24 hours of his day.' The man asked, ' so why then don't I get credit for at least the part of my day that was identical to his - probably about three quarters ?' The spokesman answered him with a mashal : If someone buys grain from a farmer, he is willing to but even the residue, the chaff, that comes along with it because that is how grain is sold - it is all part of the package as long as he is getting the grain. But if someone would try to sell him the chaff only, without the grain he most certainly would not buy it. If a person goes about his daily mundane affairs SO THAT he can maintain a good Torah lifestyle, raise his children properly in the ways of Torah and reserve time for learning Torah and doing as much chesed as he is capable of, then all of the hours that he puts into his work and eating and sleeping etc. are considered part of the good package - but working and eating and resting without the nucleus and purpose being Torah, does not deserve any reward.' " The Rebbe knew that he had struck a cord with his chassidim.                                                                                                          R' Vallach relates this story to the description in the parsha of the Menorah which was made out of solid gold from top to bottom - ALL of its elements even the base was one sight of pure gold - even that which is generally considered the lower, less 'holy' part, is also part of the one holy unit of man when connected to the top - the Torah. I think this message can also be related to the short description of how the people got their daily manna and prepared it in various ways. They too had the opportunity, as we do, to do the mundane things humans do, but to do them in the context of their holy activities thus elevating them to be counted as holy too.                                                                                                           

 

May we all approach our lives in this way and thus merit entrance into Gan Eden after 120 years.                                Have a wonderful Shabbos. We can't wait to see you all soon I"YH. I love you all, 'd'