It’s a good feeling to make someone happy. Would you like to have that feeling often? Very simple. Just wish somebody well and verbalize it. If you are talking directly to the person all you need to do is just bless him(her). And even if you are distant from the person and he or she may not even know of your blessing if you say their name aloud and verbalize the blessing it will still take effect. If you want it to come true just say it with all your heart. That significantly increases the chances of it actually being realized.
Sometimes those kind words are just the thing the person needed. Put yourself in their position. You just had a disappointment, maybe a major one. Your weren’t hired or you “had it out” with someone close to you. You are really feeling down. How grateful you would be if someone came along and wished you well. It would certainly give you a lift. Well why not do the same for others. You don’t have to know that he is down or in real need of your blessing. You can wish him well just because you want give him something special because of your feelings for him(her). If you really mean it , the blessing has power to really affect the recipient.
We should also know that blessings or curses , the Torah teaches , have a boomerang effect. Namely, those who bless others , will themselves be blessed and those who curse others will be the victim of curse. So it really pays doubly, to have nice thing to say to others- but we should not expect and wait for the blessing to actualize . The time ,and place are decided by God. We just had the privilege of beginning the process.
On a very wintry night in Lithuania, before WW2, , Rav Shlomo Zalman Dulinsky Z”L was travelling with his young son.As they approached the town of their destination. They noticed a heavily laden wagon leaving the town coming toward them. A man trudged in the snow beside it. Suddenly Rav Dulinsky turned and walked behind the man, whispering something in his ear. Not understanding what he saw, the young boy asked his father what he had said to the man.
His father answered, “the man is a merchant starting his journey in the dark and in bad weather. His wife and family are surely concerned about him. I wanted to give a warm blessing that he arrive home without any harm to him or his merchandise” (from tnuas hamusar)
For the more mystical among us, please read the following: We learn from our great teacher Moshe in this week’s parsha. . see the verse (1:10,11) “Hashem your God has multiplied you and behold: you are like the stars in heaven in abundance. May Hashem , the God of you fathers, add to you a thousand times over and bless you..”
These two verses teach us another subtle angle regarding blessings. If you will note the first verse is not a blessing. It is simply a statement and description of fact. Namely , the Jews are abundant like the stars of the heavens. Only the second verse is the actual blessing. What’s behind it all is the following important principle. If you highlight a person’s virtues or accomplishments, or belongings , always follow it immediately with a blessing. Why? Because the blessing can disqualify any influence of an evil eye. We may not even be aware of our envy because it is often very subtle, but just in case there was something in our subconscious thoughts, the blessing voids that negative influence.(Zohar , parshas bamidbar)
This dvar torah comes to you from Machon Ahavat Emet based in Jerusalem. For any comments , question, donations, please call 972 2 5671912,in Israel. Can leave message. Shabbat shalom
