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Motek




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Mar 08 2005, 2:35 pm
I read a Siyum Ha'Shas related article in the Jewish Observer, in which a person writes about a former talmid of his who made a siyum on Shas which was an especially joyous occasion because nobody ever thought he would be able to complete one mesechta, let alone all of them.

He described his talmid as having some form of dyslexia in which letters on the page were transposed and he could not seem to properly reproduce sounds that he heard. Words on a page were a jumble to him.

the talmid said:

"Once I read the story of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein's rebbi, Rabbi Pesach Pruskin who, as the story goes, was so dense he couldn't understand anything. But he had a deep desire to learn and he davened to Hashem and his prayers were answered. Suddenly he was able to understand and he went on to become a great talmid chacham. I did the same, but nothing happened. What worked for him, did not work for me. I realized that the path to success would not be just davening, but hard work as well."

His rosh yeshiva's prescription was ameilus (hard work). He had reading exercises of short pieces in the Gemara which he simply repeated, not for comprehension but to absorb the sound and appearance of the words on the page. He estimates that over the course of 7 yrs. he devoted some 2200 hours to these drills.

Yes, he constantly felt like giving up, "But my wife and rebbeim were very supportive." His wife was aware of his learning problems from the beginning, but she was assured by his rebbeim that whatever he lacked in verbal fluency he made up for in drive and determination. "And," she added, "one should not underestimate the importance of a wife who believes in her husband."

His rebbi for many years also provided him with an emotional safety net. "He was always there to catch me, so I never fell too far or too hard."

Chazal say, "yogata u'matzasa taamin" - if someone claims to have toiled in Torah and found success, believe him. If he claims to have toiled and not found success, don't believe him.

As his wife pointed out, Chazal did not make conditions. "It doesn't say that if you toil and you're an ilui (genius) and you pronounce all the words correctly, you'll succeed. It just says, if you toil!"
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Tefila




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Mar 08 2005, 2:54 pm
Quote:
As his wife pointed out, Chazal did not make conditions. "It doesn't say that if you toil and you're an ilui (genius) and you pronounce all the words correctly, you'll succeed. It just says, if you toil!"


Yes but how much work is involved, and at what expense not so much talking about the perticular incident you quoted just more the idea! Wink
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Motek




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Mar 29 2005, 8:03 am
from the Ha’Yom Yom for 9 Elul

“When the matter has relevance, even those weak in knowledge display deep intellect"
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Tefila




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Mar 29 2005, 8:08 am
Quote:
“When the matter has relevance, even those weak in knowledge display deep intellect"


Oh Yes Exclamation
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Motek




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 10 2005, 1:40 pm
I read the following in Rabbi Pliskin's Growth Through Torah:

the Medrash (Vayikra Raba 12:1) warns against the harm of alcoholism: "If a person drinks too much wine, he will end up selling all that he owns to keep up his addiction to drinking."

the medrash then goes on to tell the story of a man who spent so much money on his habit of drinking, that his children were worried they soon would be penniless.

when he was drunk, they tied him up and took him out to the cemetery. They hoped that when he became sober, he would be shocked to find himself in the cemetery, and would become aware of the dangers of drinking to excess.

That day, a caravan carrying vats of wine passed near the cemetery. The caravan was attacked and traveled as fast as it could. One of the large barrels it was carrying fell off and landed right next to the head of the drunken man.

When he awoke from his drunken sleep, he was surprised to find the faucet of the barrel right next to his face, and kept drinking right there in the cemetery.

In a letter to his father, R' E.E. Dessler commented that we see from here the principle that Hashem leads a person in the way he wants to go. The events that led the person to find wine in the cemetery were so unusual that they were almost miraculous.

If this is so when a person wants to do something that is improper, all the more so is it true when a person has a strong will to do what is good. (Michtav M'Eliyahu, vol. 3, p. 319-320)
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Motek




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 12 2005, 9:50 am
I came across this thought which I think is true:

Quote:
Quite often our inability to do something is the product of a skewed picture of reality. Many of our limitations are only perceived limitations, fictitious barriers that many before us have overcome and others just like us will continue to surmount.
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Motek




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jun 04 2006, 2:07 pm
From Rabbi Pliskin's "Thank You" book:

A general principle of life on this planet is, "The way a person wants to go, he is led" (Makos 10b). You need to strongly, very strongly want something, to be led in that direction. If you just wish or hope, it isn't sufficient. When you have authentic, intense, determination, you will succeed."

wow!
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faigie




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jun 11 2006, 11:41 am
hey motek. in zohar ratzon is also a vessel.
so let me examine..
ain davar omed lifnay haratozon.
perhaps nothing can stand in front of a properly prepared vessel......becuase then the vessel is ready to receive.
on the other hand, its well known that one of the most important tools in kabbalah is INTENT, where ratzon would be a more direct translation......
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Motek




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 01 2007, 1:45 pm
The Steipler Gaon once told a grandson who was planning on traveling to the Kosel, "When you are standing there, please mention me in your prayers."

His grandchild was a bit shocked. "Do I need to mention my grandfather to Hashem? Your connection to Hashem is so strong!"

The Steipler's response was immediate and sharp. "Know that no prayer is sent back empty. That is the nature of Hashem in this world. Every word of prayer causes a reaction. If not today, then tomorrow, if not tomorrow, then the next day. It might even take 100 years but every word of prayer has its effect. Any prayer that you say on my behalf, will have a tremendous effect."
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