Subject: In Memory of Shmuel Leib ben Zvi (Lewis Berkin) & Baruch Yitzchak ben Yirmiyahu (Barry Pessin) 5784 VaYechi
From: Heath Berkin <heath.berkin@gmail.com>
Date: 12/29/2023, 7:11 AM
To: Heath Berkin <heath.berkin@gmail.com>
BCC: menachem@alonsystems.com

In this week's parsha we read about the end of Yaakov Avinu's days. As he prepares to depart this world he calls his children to his bedside. The Torah tells us that when Yosef came into to see his father, Yaakov strengthened himself and bowed at the head of the bed he was lying on. (This was a sign of respect to Yosef who was the viceroy of Egypt). 

Even though Yaakov wasn't able to get out of bed, he still made an effort to do what he could. Even just moving his position in bed the Torah tells us that it is strengthening himself overcoming his difficulties. There is an important lesson we can learn when we need to strengthen ourselves as well against our evil inclination. Sometimes we can't fix ourselves and improve all at once, but we need to put in the effort to make a small step at first, we need to strengthen ourselves even if it means just "adjusting our position". Hashem looks at even the small steps as a step to improve and draw closer to Him. We shouldn't be overwhelmed with the situation we may be in, we just need to take one step in the right direction and we are already on the path to improvement. 

Shabbat Shalom,

Heath