There is no time limit on gratitude. If you realize in the present that you hadn't expressed gratitude to someone for something that he did for you a long time ago, don't think that it's too late to express gratitude. Whenever you remember past kindnesses and favors done, express your thoughts and feelings of gratitude now.
Love Yehuda
This piece is from my friend Gil Lox. with some editing from me
"What Does the Kabbalah Say About This?"
A young, new student stopped me on the way to the Kotel. "Do you study Kabbalah?" he wanted to know.
"Why? What's the question?" I asked.
"It's not me, but a friend of mine. He has a question, and he needs to know what the Kabbalah says about it."
He called over his friend and told him to ask me his question.
The friend looked concerned as he spoke. He pointed to the area under his nose, and moving his finger right to left and back again, he said,. "My teeth have suddenly started to hurt me here. What does the Kabbalah say about this?"
I looked at him with a very serious look and said, "The Kabbalah says that you should go to a dentist."
They both laughed.
What is the point of this story?
A young religious couple, both of them are from very large families, so we were expecting good news (read: babies) right away. But thier hopes were not fulfilled; month after month went by, and no good news.
Finally after two years, the prayer call went out. They went to the Rebbe's Ohel (grave site) from which many miracles have been reported, but nothing happened. The months turned into long years. She wrote asking me to pray for them, and three times a day at the Kotel, I started asking G-d to send them this all important blessing. Many people were beseeching Heaven on their behalf, but still no good news. We began to wonder, "How severe of a test is this going to be?"
Then, after having apparently exhausted all spiritual means, she went to a fertility doctor. "Oh, I see by the lab reports that your cycle is out of line with the Jewish laws of permitted times. Here, take these pills and you will be in line with that schedule."
One year later we all celebrated the birth of a brand new baby girl. Mazal tov! Mazal tov!
What is the obvious point to this story? When your teeth hurt, of course you should pray, but don't forget to go to the dentist.
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