In this week's parsha Re'eh the Torah states, "see I have put before you the blessing and the curse". In our lives we are always quick to place "the fault" on G-d when things don't go our way. When we are in difficult times we turn to G-d in prayer for salvation. Of course we should turn in prayer, but we must realize that our success is just as much in the hands of Heaven as well. When things are going well and we see success, do we attribute the success to ourselves, do we turn to G-d in prayer of thanksgiving?

There was a young child that required complex and dangerous surgery. Before the surgery could proceed the surgeon asked the father to sign a waiver that if something goes wrong in the surgery G-d Forbid and the surgery isn't successful or even worse if the child dies that the surgeon and the hospital are absolved of any liability. The father turned to the surgeon and said he was willing to sign the waiver on one condition. The surgeon asked the father what the condition is. The father replied I need you to sign a waiver as well. In the waiver that you must sign you need to declare that if the surgery is G-d Willing a success and if it goes well that you are also not responsible for the success but that G-d is.

Shabbat Shalom,

Heath