An A for Effort
The more difficult it is to perform a good deed, the greater the merit of that act. This also applies to the mitzvah of feeling joy in fulfilling commandments. For example:
If a person is sad, and nevertheless works hard to banish those sad thoughts and to feel the joy of doing mitzvahs, his merit is greater than that of someone who was in a good mood to begin with!
Love Yehuda Lave
The OU Team finishes the tour at
Pictures and video from the funeral of the seven Brooklyn Children killed in the fire..bodies were buried in Israel.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/193008#.VRDcDeEj_Rs
The finish of the funeral in Jerusalem
Children Killed in Tragic Brooklyn Fire Buried in Jerusalem
"Each one is a flower in God's garden" - Chief Rabbi David Lau.Published: March 23rd, 2015
Where to buy smoke detectors in Jerusalem
Since the fire in Flatbush on shabbat that killed seven, more people have been talking about about putting smoke detectors in their homes. Most Israelis don't have smoke detectors, but they are easy and cheap and save lives.
The family that was killed in Flatbush didn't have smoke detectors, and it seems that in most incidents where people die in fires, a smoke detector wasn't present.
A friend of ours lost a baby during Chanukah 2012 when a fire broke out in their apartment shabbat night. If they'd had smoke detectors, things would have been a lot different. They started a Facebook page called Lets Put a Smoke Detector in every home, but abandoned it when they moved back to the US shortly after.
Its true that smoke detectors often go off for no reason, and they can be annoying, but the tradeoff of that annoyance for the lives of your family is worth it.
From what we've seen, smoke detectors can be purchased at the Ace chain, Olam HaBayit in Ramat Eshkol, and a safety supply store in Talpiot. You can also get delivery within a day here. Unfortunately, they are often much more expensive in Israel than the US.
Here's a $4 model on eBay that ships to Israel. And there are many others.
Fresh milk in China…
Could you think of any country in the world that can beat this fresh milk delivery???
Fresh milk in China:
Just think how different life could be if we would view failure as a badge of honor. What goals have you abandoned due to your fear of failure? Tackle your fear and undertake one of those goals. The only real failure in life is not trying.
So what if you were born that way? God gives each of us weaknesses and imperfections, not to use as an excuse for our less than noble behavior, but as a challenge to grow. Our negative habits are our chin up bar to greatness.
This is the flip side of the previous quote. So what if you were born good-looking and smart. What matters is how much you strive to utilize your strengths to bring out your inner potential and attain greatness. Your raw talent is a freebie. Now earn it.
We all have dreams of achieving greatness, and we wish we can get there overnight without having to lift a finger. Don't confuse comfort with pleasure. Comfort is an escape from pain, feet up on the desk, sleep. Real pleasure and meaning require effort and struggle. No pain, no gain.
As the Mishna says, "Who is the rich person? The one who is happy with his lot" (Ethics of the Fathers, 4:1). Happiness is an attitude. Being ungrateful is toxic. Appreciating what you have is the key to living with happiness.
--
