18 Adar II, 5774 (3/20/14) – Sukkah#45 {Eliezer}

Today, 18 Adar II, is my brother Nachie’s Yartzeit.
Please learn this and other Torah in his memory: Menachem Tzvi ben Chaim Yitzchak. His Neshama should have an aliyah.

Mishna: R’ Yehudah [45a top]: During Sukkos festival the Kohanim would encircle the Altar and sing “Ani Vaho, bring salvation now!” Ani Vaho is a unit of G-d’s 72 part name and equals in gematria (numerical value) “Ana YKVK” = “Please Hashem” (…bring salvation now). Tosephos explain that these two parts of the 72 part name were chosen specifically because they allude to G-d’s attribute of sharing in the suffering of His nation (alluding to G-d being in “diaspora” and “bound in chains”). This is G-d’s promise that no matter what hardship the Jews may suffer, they will not be alone, for G-d Himself shares in their pain (quoted from Artscroll’s explanation of Tosephos). All the prayers about Jewish redemption address G-d’s own salvation as well.

E’s Lesson: We must never give up hope, nor ever feel completely abandoned or left alone. We always have our ultimate Creator and Father in Heaven holding our hand along the way. Not just is He always with us, but He is literally “pained” when we feel suffering. We are never alone. It should not be just knowledge, but inspiration to uplift and move forward in life knowing who we always have in our corner.