B"H

One Sunday afternoon, I was feeding lunch to my family and looked up to see a man in our dining room. I didn’t hear him walk in (our front door is usually unlocked, and people often walk in). The man was barefoot, very skinny, and looked like someone who had just escaped from prison. He desperately needed help from my husband. Usually, when someone enters my home, I offer food and drink, but for some reason I forgot to offer him anything. As the man left, I felt so guilty for not offering him anything to eat or drink that I chased after him. Unfortunately, I was unable to catch him. That experience caused me to make a hachlata (commitment) from that day on. Now, when someone walks into my house, the first thing I do is to offer food and drink. Not only do I extend the offer, but I actually bring food and drink to them in case they are too shy to ask.

We have to chap arein (grab the opportunity) to do a mitzvah, be it our husbands who need us, or our children who need us, or any person. Grab the chance because we might not have the opportunity again

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Hashem created his world with a system of ‘quid pro quo’. Our actions here in this world, beget and create a corresponding (albeit infinitely more powerful and elevated) result in the upper worlds, which then radiates back down into this world. This means that we have the chance to change our destiny by leaving our static state and acting in a way that generates G-d’s blessings.

Which is why for example we give Tzedaka before praying. Prayer is about asking G-d for life.

Before we as Hashem to give us life, first GIVE life to someone in need. (Money that can buy life preserving needs, or give someone an emotional lift etc.. click here for more). This is what Tzedaka is about, giving life to others. Then you can indeed pray to G-d much more effectively to give you life. For you will have already created the corresponding ‘G-dly energies’ of life that will be bestowed upon you.