12/11/11                                                                                                                                                           בס"ד

Visiting the Shiva House of the late Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Nosson Tzvi זצוקללה"ה

At the Shiva House of the venerable Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel זצו"ל, his illustrious brother, Rav Gedalya Finkel שליט"א told me that he saw in a sefer by Rav Yehonasan Eyebeschuetz that when a tzadik is nifter, all of his middos tovos become hefker, and anybody who wants is able to take them.

I asked what the best midda of the Rosh Yeshiva was, “Perhaps mesiras nefesh was the Rosh Yeshiva’s strongest midda?” I suggested, saying over what everyone had always said.  Of course, no one can fault the Rosh Yeshiva’s mesiras nefesh, but his best midda was his ayin tova, said Rav Gedalya.  He was able to see the best in people and he made everyone feel so good about themselves.  “He only had good to say” added Rav Gedalya.  The eyes of the Rosh Yeshiva saw something that others could

I wondered why Hashem had showed me this strikingly artistic apple and this might be why:

The other day, I saw a beautiful apple, one so lucious, that it literally looked like Hashem (the Painter) had used watercolor paints to impose the colors on the 'canvas': the apple itself.

I was highly reluctant to eat the apple, for I loved to stare at it and enjoy the artistic qualities that it has-but, is that the purpose of an apple, or any piece of food for that matter? If we think about the purpose of food, it is to provide nutrients and sustenance to those who eat it. What happens when a fruit or vegetable is left around, without serving its purpose? It begins to decay, to rot. We are all like this

Ever walk along the beach... Looking down the sand, the shells, the rocks. How has this rock become so smooth. A rock seems it would have rough edges so how did this happen. When water drips on a rock it effects it. When the rock is in the water, the water smooths out the rough edges. Same to us we can change just as the rock. However that doesn't happen over night. One drip at a time. One thing a day, a week.. Whatever each person can take upon themselves. The hard work pays off but its not something we see instant results in. When you get discouraged or feel like giving up think of the smooth rock you saw at the beach and remember its a process.

May we all be zoche to smooth out our "rough edges" and the "rough edges" of the world to bring moshiach beme'heyra veya'meynu amen