~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thoughts on the Parasha and Recovery 
R' Twerski's special weekly message for the GYE Community
 
Email #21 - Parshas Vayigash
Dec. 26, 2014 ~ 4 Tevet 5775


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

 "We Will Not Regret the Past..."  

 

After Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, he said, "Now, do not be angry with yourselves. This was Hashem's design"

 

These were comforting words, but although it was Hashem's design, they acted as free agents when they sold him into slavery. Hashem could have done it in other ways. There is no way they could escape their guilt. How could they not be angry at themselves?

 

The answer lies in the word "now." The Talmud says that the word "now"  denotes teshuvah. Appropriate repentance for the wrongs one has done, by resolving not to repeat them and by trying to eliminate from one's character those defective traits that made the wrong deeds possible, can lift the heavy burden of the past off one's shoulders and allow one to deal with the "now," with an unencumbered present.

 

If we do proper teshuvah, there is no need to be angry with ourselves for our mistakes. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Please help us help others 

Secure On-line Donations here 

(Anonymous recurring credit card donations possible)

To donate by phone, call (24 hours): 718-878-3075 


Checks can be made out to: "GYE Corp." and mailed to:

GYE Corp.

P.O. Box 32380 

Pikesville, MD 21282

U.S.A.

Donations are tax deductible.

Join Our Mailing List
If you have been forwarded this e-mail by a friend, click above to join the list!