One Hundred Words on the Parshah

~ One Hundred Words on Elul

The רמבם teaches that on ראש השנה, a city that is majority good will be granted a good year, while a city that is majority bad is slated for destruction. He uses the city of סדום as an example. The question arises. סדום would have been saved if there were 50 צדיקים living there. In fact,ה' was even willing to save the city if they found 10 צדיקים. Certainly, not a majority!

It is possible that ה' would have saved סדום if there were 10 צדיקים living there only in conjunction with the תפילות of אברהם אבינו. Under normal circumstances, the minority would not have been able to save the city. However, אברהם‘s תפילות accentuated the good and would have allowed the city to be saved.

The lesson for us is that תפילות are capable of accentuating our good deeds and overcoming our bad deeds.

Only B’Simcha Elul

It’s nice to see the good trumping the bad. The mayhem coming on heels of Coronavirus and lockdown, caused so many aimless young people to riot.

קהלת : והאלוקים עשה שיראו מלפניו

There seems to be a turnaround; the group which represents law and order and has a favorable attitude toward Jews and Israel is becoming the majority. The polls are changing. It gives us encouragement to stay with the good. Perfect timing in אלול with the ימים נוראים around the corner. רמח"ל talks about the bad being allowed to run its course but then ה' steps in to turn things around. Now what’s left for us to do is to shape up.

All learning should be a zechus for a refuah shelaimah for Yosef Ezriel Ben Chaya Michal