Subject: In Memory of Baruch Yitzchak ben Yirmiyahu (Barry Pessin)
From: Heath Berkin <heath.berkin@gmail.com>
Date: 4/28/2016, 9:22 AM
To: Heath Berkin <heath.berkin@gmail.com>
BCC: menachem@alonsystems.com
The Mishna in Avos (3;13) says "dear are you (the Jewish People) that you are called the children of Hashem."
The Jewish Nation has a special connection with Hashem as only we are considered the children of Hashem. What is the difference between a child and a servant? The great R'Akiva had an encounter with Turnusrufus in which Turnusrufus questions R'Akiva about the existence of poor people in the world. He asks R'Akiva if Hashem is all powerful why are there Jewish People who are poor and require financial support from their brothers? Why doesn't Hashem provide them with what they need?
R'Akiva responded that this is in order to give merit to those people who help their destitute brothers. Turnusrufus responds by saying that these people who give charity to their brothers are in fact going against the wishes of Hashem, because if He wants them to be poor who are they to support them?
He gives a parable of a king who gets angry at one of his servants places him in jail and decrees that he should not be given food and drink. Then someone goes and sneaks food and drink into this servant which helps sustain him. Won't this person be liable for death for going against the will of the king?
R'Akiva responded with the following parable, of a king who gets angry at one of his sons and places him in
jail and decrees that he should not be given food and drink. Then
someone goes and sneaks food and drink into this son which helps
sustain him. Won't this person be given great reward for protecting the son of the king?
We must realized that we are Hashem's Children and no matter what we may do or no matter how far we may stray, Hashem will always be our Father and is waiting for us to "return home".
On Pesach Hashem took us to be his Nation from among the other Nations. Over three thousand years ago tonight, Hashem performed one of the greatest miracles ever by splitting the sea and saving His Chosen People while destroying all of our enemies.
May we all witness these great miracles and the destruction of all the enemies of the Jewish Nation in our day as well!