By the Grace of G-d
Dear Friend,
I never cease to be inspired when I hear a story like this.
K. S. is a successful businessman with a fantastic reputation. He shared with me how he started his flourishing business.
He was a young man just starting off, working for his father in a modest business. His father asked him to accompany him to visit a philanthropic magnate in order to seek a job for a former salesman of theirs who was currently jobless.
The magnate engaged K. S. in discussion. By the end of the conversation, the magnate offered K. S. seed money to open a new company in which the magnate would invest significant funds. And the jobless former employee would also be a partner.
K.S. had not come to the meeting looking to help himself. His intention was to help a hapless friend. He got catapulted into an unexpected amazing opportunity.
That was more than forty years ago. The rest is history. Successful history.
What a special and inspiring story. One goes to help someone else and is helped themselves.
The Talmud teaches this rule.
‘He who prays for his friend for something they need, and he needs that very same thing, he will be answered first’.
To put it into simple language. Pray for someone else. Have no fear that your prayers will somehow get put on the back burner. G-d will not overlook you. On the contrary, when you pray on someone else’s behalf, your own prayers get answered more effectively.
Now that you know this rule it’s a no brainer. You should try it.
The day of Lag Baomer is a day of great blessing.
It is the day of passing of the great Sage and Tzadik Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai who asked that the Jewish community participate in his day of passing and treat it as a day of joy. Just as he rejoiced in his soul’s imminent reunion with G‑d .
Rather than just praying for yourself, pray for someone else. Ask for blessings for a fellow rather than for yourself.
The result will be twofold. They will be blessed and so will you.
Even if you do it with the subconscious intention of helping yourself.
Do you know why?
Because praying for someone else or helping someone else, is always a great gift to that second person. Even if you didn’t do it totally altruistically. It is nonetheless still a great gift to the one you are praying for.
G-d loves seeing us acting lovingly to others.
He therefore makes sure to bless those who bless others.
He answers the prayers of those who pray for others.
Try it. It’s a win win situation. Two blessings for the ‘price’ of one!!!
May we all be blessed with all things good.
May sickness be eradicated and good HEALTH pervade the world!!!
And MAY MASHIACH COME TO WIPE AWAY THE TEARS FROM ALL FACES!!!
Happy Lag Ba’omer and Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Yosef Kantor