Subject: In Memory of Baruch Yitzchak ben Yirmiyahu (Barry Pessin)
From: Heath Berkin <heath.berkin@gmail.com>
Date: 6/10/2016, 5:12 AM
To: Heath Berkin <heath.berkin@gmail.com>
BCC: menachem@alonsystems.com
The Mishna in Avos says (4;1) : "Who is strong? He who overcomes his desires"
R'Shimshon Raphael Hirsch explains that we would normally assume the warrior who is capable of beating all of his enemies is the strongest man. If nobody can over power him, this must mean he is the strongest. R'Hirsch explains though, that even this strong warrior can be overcome by his own desires and internal struggles. If that is so then a person who is capable of overcoming his natural desires and struggles he is truly the strongest man.
The Meiri as well explains that there is a king of an entire land, a king of an entire city, a king over an entire village and a person who is a king over his own mind and body. The strongest king of them all is the one who is a king over his own body as the internal struggles a person must cope with and overcome in life are much more difficult than any other external struggles that he may be faced with.
As we approach the Yom Tov of Shavuos when Bnei Yisroel said with one heart at Mount Sinai we "will do and we will listen", our nation made a commitment to subjugate our desires and will to Hashem and His Torah. May we all have the strength to overcome any external and even more importantly, internal struggles that we may be faced with.
I thought to share this incredible story which happened after the Terror Attack in TA the other day. It just goes to show us how much Hashem is watching over us and if he wants someone to live he will live no matter what.