שבת Date: 4 Elul, 5774 (8/30/14) – MoedKatan#19 {Tani}

Put in a Little Effort

[19a middle] Abba Shaul: A festival cancels Shloshim (30-day) mourning after seven days [but the Mishna taught that Shloshim is canceled only if burial takes place at least eight days before the festival]. Part of the day is like the whole day, and the seventh day of mourning counts both ways, both as the last day of Shivah and the first day of Shloshim.

T’s Lesson: This brings to mind that idea that we just have to start a process of involving ourselves in an action and Hashem will allow us to complete it. For example, if one begins a Mitzvah, many times Hashem will give him the ability to complete it. If a person has in mind to build a shul but does not know how or where the funds will come from, many times Hashem will help the person find the wherewithal to complete this great Mitzvah. If a person wants to daven with a minyan, many times Hashem will allow the person to find a minyan, or even them to find him! “B’derech Sheadam Rotzeh Leilech, Bah Molichin Otoh” (in the way a person wishes to go, Hashem will bring him). Try to use this only to do good deeds, and not G-d forbid to a bad deed, because we want Hashem to bring us down a good path, and not the bad ones.