This takes place not too long ago in the outskirts of Jerusalem. One of the supervisors of a local kitchen had a custom of gathering a quorum of men for the afternoon prayers. This one particular day, let’s call this fellow Jacob, encountered great difficulty finding his tenth man.
He left the kitchen and saw this older fellow sitting on a park bench reading a newspaper. Jacob, approached the fellow and asked him if he would be kind enough to participate in the prayers and complete the quorum. The fellow, lets call him Abraham asked, if he was truly the tenth person and all that was needed was him. Jacob reassured Abraham, that he was it, and if he came they would be able to proceed immediately, with their prayers.
The two proceeded towards the prayer hall and as they approached, someone inside yelled out that they already found a tenth person for the prayers and no one else was necessary. Although Jacob reassured Abraham that he was most welcome to participate in the prayers notwithstanding that he was not “needed”, Abraham indicated he would return back to the park.
A few months later, Jacob has a dream and Abraham comes to him, begging that he try and convince his son to say the special Kaddish prayer for the deceased, on his behalf. Jacob was surprised, and asked in his dream, why he was asking him, of all people, to do the job. Besides, since when do the souls of people get this very special opportunity to ask, anyone at all, to make sure the Kaddish is being recited on their behalf.
Abraham answered Jacob. “Because I agreed to make the quorum on that day you approached me, this intention alone to do a good deed, in heaven it was decided that I could make the effort to recruit someone on my own behalf, and the person I could go to, is the one through whom I received this merit”.
That morning, Jacob immediately contacted Abraham’s son, who confirmed that his dad had passed away a few months ago and that he was negligent in saying the Kaddish. However, after hearing this story, he immediately accepted to begin saying this special prayer on behalf of his Dad.
This story is so very powerful for many reasons, most significant is that it happened just recently, hot off the press.
Ladies and gentleman, many of you think that it only matters when we DO a good deed or G-d forbid the opposite. When it comes to thoughts, intentions and speech it’s a free ride.
The bible tells us that a thought can invalidate a sacrifice. The intention we have, or that we don’t have, is the difference between an act that will fly to G-d and connect with G-d, or an act that will be hollow and a dead. An empty shell.
The words we produce, can and will generate an energy that will strengthen and fortify, or G-d forbid bring about negative results.
The objects we bring into our homes and lives, have their own energy and aura and they will infuse our environment with either life generating positive and constructive energy, or the opposite.
Everything we think, speak, or do, have serious, eternal ramifications.
As we approach the New Year, when G-d judges the world, this is a most opportune and favorable time to reflect on the seriousness and powers, that each one of us is endowed with, as a partner with G-d to make the world around us, a better place for all of mankind.
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