Parshas Matos-Masei: From the Tunnels to the Chuppah — Chizuk for Chodesh Menachem Av

An Erev Shabbos chizuk shmuess for Parshas Matos-Masei, Shabbos Mevorchim Chodesh Menachem Av. Rabbi Liff begins with the wedding this week of two October 7th captives, Sasha Trufanov and Sapir Cohen — a story of emunah in which what looked like a tragedy became a simcha — and draws out the meaning of Menachem Av: the Father who instructs is also the source of the greatest comfort. Along the way he shares a shmuess on anava from the Mesillas Yesharim, the lesson of hakoras hatov and ayin tova from Matos, and the 42 journeys and Aharon HaKohen's yahrzeit from Masei, with divrei zikaron for Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, zt"l, and Reb Gedalia Elfenbein, zt"l. In this episode: The wedding this week of two October 7th captives — Sasha Trufanov and Sapir Cohen — and the child's drawing of their wedding smuggled out of Gaza as a sign of hope. A shmuess on anava from the Mesillas Yesharim: everything is a matana from HaKadosh Baruch Hu, and “lomeid mechaveirai.” Rav Ruderman and the Alter of Slabodka on submitting to a rebbe's mesirah. Reb Gedalia Elfenbein, zt"l, who lived his tefillah and gave chiyus to his talmidim. Matos: hakoras hatov and Yehoshua's semicha b'ayin tova. Masei: Aharon HaKohen's yahrzeit on Rosh Chodesh Av, and the 42 journeys of golus and geula. In memory of Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, zt"l, whose yahrzeit falls this week, and Reb Gedalia Elfenbein, zt"l.