Hi Kids,                                                                                                                                With so many in the world and some of us in particular going through some difficult economic times, and knowing as we do that obama is NOT moshiach, it is appropriate to turn to the Torah to find a way to cope. This week's parsha tells of the Mann with which Hashem fed the Jewish people for 40 years. I must be brief but suffice it to say that the mann and the laws surrounding it are the greatest lesson of bitachon that we ever had. This lesson was drilled into our hearts and minds for all those years, and especially started before we received the Torah because it is so important. In a nutshell - we see from this phenomenon that Hashem can and does sustain us completely and absolutely - more than that ( and this is something to really think carefully about ) EVERYTHING that happens to us is planned and carried out by Hashem. This idea not only helps us cope with the daily trials of our sustenance, but actually opens up the entire Torah to us, especially those mitzvos between man and man ( where we are not only commanded to DO things for others but also to FEEL good towards others.                                                        Two illustrations: R' Elimelech of Lizhensk ZT"L was married to a rather 'difficult' woman. Once, when he was sitting in his house learning with his closest students, she barged into the room and proceeded to rant and rave at him for who knows what. The students were so embarassed for their rebbe and for themselves that they wanted to just escape. She went on and on as the rebbe just sat there and absorbed it all silently, and finally finished and stormed out of the room. The rebbe, as if nothing happenned, resumed teaching. The students, amazed, stopped him and asked him how he could reach such a level of calm and patience to absorb that kind of abuse. He explained that in fact he was grateful for what occurred. As far as her actions, that was her business, but from his perspective, this was all planned out by the heavenly court on Rosh Hashanah. He explained that on Rosh Hashanah it was decided that he would have to suffer public embarassment in the coming year ( whether as a punishment for some ongoing misdeed of his or as a test of his spirit ). In deciding though how to mete out this sentence, the court concluded mercifully that he would not have to endure this in shul or in the public square but rather at home amongst only his closest students and his wife was sent as the 'executioner' of the sentence. There was no reason to 'shoot the messenger' and he was thankful that this was all it was.                                                                                                    A man came rushing to R' Chaim of Sanz ZT"L. He told the rebbe that he owned a fairly successful store in a nearby town, but recently another Jew opened a store across the street directly competing with his. Could the rebbe please do something - pray for the other store to fail or curse the other guy or… The rebbe, not in the business of cursing people, asked the man, "how did you get to Sanz"? The man replied that he came by way of his horse and wagon. The rebbe asked, "and what did you feed the horse on the way"? The man said that he had brought some hay along for the trip. "And what did the horse drink on the way"?, asked the rebbe. There are numerous rivers and lakes along the road and when the animal was thirsty, he pulled over to one of these and the horse drank, the man replied wondering why the rebbe was asking such strange questions. The rebbe said, "did you ever notice that when the horse bends down to drink, he first kicks at the water before he starts drinking"? "Not really," the man said, "but now that the rebbe mentions it, that's true, but why is it so"? The rebbe explained," when the horse bends down to the water, he sees a reflection of himself but he thinks that it is another horse. He thinks to himself - just my luck just when I get a chance to drink, another horse comes by and competes with me for the water. The horse gets angry as he sees this 'other' horse as a threat to him so he tries to kick the 'other' horse and when he does, the water becomes muddy and the reflection disappears. Then he is calmed, thinking that he has chased the horse away and feels comfortable enough to drink. But the horse is just a silly horse because 1) there is no other horse and 2) even if there was one, there is enough water to quench the thirsts of 1000 horses. If we as smart humans would only realize that all that is coming to us, comes from Hashem, and when it is decided on Rosh Hashanah what we are supposed to receive, no one else can take that away from us, we would realize that NO ONE is any kind of threat to us. The stronger this notion is etched into our beings, the more free we become to love everyone and just concentrate on what we have to do to live a good life - no one can take that away from us."                                                                        Think about this and if you want, discuss it with me or someone more knowledgeable, for it is a great gift that can help you through many hard times whether they concern finances, human relations and especially relations between spouses and siblings. May we ALL and all Jews grow in this mitzvah of bitachon and reap the great benefits that come from it.                              Have a wonderful Shabbos kids. I love you all, 'd'