Another prayer from our Rebbe, Rav Eliezer Berland shlit”a and his holy words on the value of gratitude and the great importance of this trait — from the book Toda v’Hoda’a.
When was Gehinnom created?
Seven things were created before the world was created… Torah, repentance, the Garden of Eden, Gehinnom, the Throne of Glory, the Holy Temple, and the spirit of Mashiach.
When was Gehinnom created? [In one] instance, it’s written that it was created on Friday. [In another] instance, it’s written that it was created on Monday. [In another] instance, it’s written that it was created Motza’ey Shabbos, after the sin of Adam HaRishon, when the hidden light departed.
The Gemara (Pesachim 54) says that the place and the fire of Gehinnom were already created on Friday.
The Tanya Rabbi Yossi says: Monday, and it’s never extinguished. This is a contradiction, since you say that Gehinnom was created on Monday, and until now its fire was never extinguished.
We don’t want to be below
On Monday, dispute came into existence. Hashem distinguished between the lower waters and the upper waters. The lower waters were outside and began to weep.
What is “weeping — BoKhYM”?
The initial letters of “Blessed is Hashem from His place — Baruch Kevod Hashem [Yud-Key-Vav-Key] Memkomo.” They wept, but they needed to rejoice, not to cry: So what if I’m the lower waters?
And since they cried, from the weeping Gehinnom was created.
A person doesn’t need to cry in any situation, because he is always with Hashem.
Stop whining. Start thanking for what you merit to, for every movement that you move, that you breathe [NoSheM]: “Every soul [NeSheMa] praise G-d, Halelu-ka”
Thank Hashem for every breath which you receive for free. Everything is a free gift.
Myself, and not an angel. Myself and not a fiery angel [Seraf]. I am Hashem. I am Him and not another. A person is found with Hashem.
(From the book Toda V’Hoda’a — Siyach Sarfey Kodesh)
A prayer to merit to say thanks forever, and to praise Hashem until the end of all generations.
Ribono Shel Olam — Master of the World — All-capable, let me merit to say thanks for every single thing, and [that] my mouth will always be full of songs and praises, thanks and gratitude, and I will always give over my soul to the saying of thanks, and I will never forget to say thanks.
And that I should merit to be encompassed in the Supernal Bride who encompasses all songs and praises, as it says, “Come and gaze from the peak of Amana.”
And that I should merit to include in my song and praise all thanks until the end of all generations, and especially that I should thank You with the songs and praises of Shabbos Kodesh, Melave Malka, because the entire purpose of Shabbos is only songs, praises, and gratitude, as it’s written in Likutey Halachos (Even HaEzer p. 11), that all Shabbos night just to sing, dance, and praise, and all days of mourning only in gratitude, songs, and praises.
Because it’s said by Devorah, that through song all their sins are forgiven, in the mystery of “When vengeances are inflicted on Israel, in the dedication of the people,” “Riders of white donkeys” — that through “I am for Hashem, I will sing,” all their sins are forgiven, and holiness descends, [along with] songs and praises even upon donkeys.
Because song is an aspect of Mashiach, that it draws holiness even on the vulgar body which is called the “skin of the serpent,” and also riders of white donkeys merited that all their sins were made white like snow, as it says “If your sins will be like scarlet, like snow they will be whitened,” in the mystery of “white donkeys,” that through song and thanks they merited to teshuva through love, and merited that their sins were whitened.
Like the daughters of Israel merited during the time of the Holy Temple, on every single Yom Kippur to dance the entire Yom Kippur, from morning until evening, and to dance in dresses white like new, which they received on loan, and through this is the downfall of the entire Other Side, as it’s said “The thousand are to you Shlomo,” the mystery of the downfall of the husks of Sichon and Og, whose numerical value is 1000. Sichon, King of the Emorites (Sichon, Melech HaEmori) = 566; Og, King of the Bashan (Og, Melech HaBashan) = 434, [together] = 1000. And through this, that we always thank Hashem day and night (=177), without interruption of a second or moment, we merit to enter with our bodies into the upper Garden of Eden, the place where all souls are hewn.
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