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Rabbi Yehuda (Leonard) Blank MS, BCC
Vice President of Professional Development and External Affairs
Rabbinical Alliance of America/Igud HaRabbonim
917-446-2126 rablenblank@gmail.com
** Thursday January 19 ,2033 Teves 26, 5783 **
“MOMENTS OF INSPIRATION”
DEDICATED TO YOSSI HECHT,

What would seem the impossible, became the possible- with the help of H.

“Al ’tistakel bacancan ela b’ma she yesh bo.”
“Don’t look at the vessel but look at what is inside.”

Tremendous Simchas Hachayim

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Mazel Tov to one of the most influential members of Klal Yisrael- an inspiration of immense emunah and bitachon in H, Yossi Hecht on his engagement to a wonderful kallah Sasha Frankel . May they build a bayis ne’eman b’Yisroel. May all of the wonderful maysim tovim Yossi has been doing including the inspiration of the Asher to the Yatzar be a zechus for his mother’s neshama Devorah Leah A”H bas Rav Yeshaya Dovid Siff shlita. May she be a melitza yeshara for her husband ,family and for Klal Yisrael.

Below is the fabulous website of a remarkable human being, Yossi Hecht who is a role model for Klal Yisrael of all ages. His love of the Ribono shel Olam, his emunah and most of all his bitachon- trust in H- is truly phenomenal. Yossi’s strengths are beyond comprehension. There was no room in his development for self-pity nor did he want in any way to be pitied but rather to give to others his immense desire to succeed in life which is exactly what he has done and continues to do. Rather than having looked at himself as what he cannot do, he found tremendous inner strength to go on with life and accept all the gifts of life Hakadosh Baruch Hu has given him. There is an old expression, “If there is a will, there is a way”. Also,” H helps those who helps themselves.” Yossi has shown us his unwavering simchas hachayim with his beaming smile and how he conveys joy and happiness in life regardless of any of the challenges he has met with immense courage and fortitude.

From Veahavta Lereiecha Kamocha Love Your Neighbor by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin Aish HaTorah Publications Page 127. “The Talmud (Ksuvos 111b) states that the verse” his teeth white with milk” can be read (in the Hebrew) as “When one shows his teeth (in a smile) to his fellow man, it is better than giving him milk to drink.” How highly we would consider a man who gave drinks of milk to a passerby everyday. What a benefactor of mankind! A drink of milk provides essential nourishment and becomes part of all that the recipient does thereafter. Yet this man does less than one who smiles at his fellow man. The smile enters the recipient’s mind and body, and stimulates all the glands to produce their secretions in the most beneficial proportions. Every one of the thousands of intricate processes of physical function is optimally motivated. ( Rabbi Avigdor Miller in Sing, You Righteous, P 294).”

Yossi’s smile is not a façade, but truly sincere and that is what Yossi is all about. He conveys sincerity with true simchas hachayim even in the most trying and challenging of times. That is because of his love of H. Whenever he speaks at any event, those who are present leave with determination to meet their own challenges in life that they might encounter. Yossi is able to leave an indelible mark on those of many ages, young and older. His enthusiasm is infectious with a bright smile. Most of all, with renewed determination never to give up when the going ever get tough.

To all of my readers, rabbis, rebbetzins, chaplains, and other professionals, it was an honor to have written about Yossi Hecht. His brand new website is truly remarkable. I hope he will be an inspiration to you as he is to me.

I would like to share how this magnificent individual is an inspiration to me. I am older but not old. I am grateful to the Ribono shel Olam for all of my achievements and accomplishments through the years, or should I say the decades with my own challenges, trials and tribulations in life. Yet, there are still many goals I have personal and professionally. With those goals, there are always challenges. I have written often about the importance of having emunah and especially bitachon in H. Still, being only human, the Yetzer Harah throws in a curve ball now and then of doubts. Reading, listening and watching the podcast and the videos has given me that extra boost of inspiration not to succumb to those Yetzer Harah doubts and continue to give it all that I can with continued love and trust in H. No one ever said life is easy. There is a famous saying “ Life is not a bowl of cherries.” Those cherries can be delicious and wholesome, but there are those pits to contend with. I am grateful to my Rebbe Rav Dovid zt”l, to my wife Keila Lutza A”H, my parents A”H to my dear and wonderful children, family members and wonderful friends for their encouragements through the years. However, Yossi Hecht has been another layer of immense inspiration through being who he is especially his simchas hachayim. Most of all, my hakaros hatov to HaKadosh Baruch Hu.

May we be zoche to receive and to appreciate all that the Ribono shel Olam does for us and all that He gives to us every day of our lives. May we be able to have much simchas hachayim in our lives and meet the challenges whatever they may be.

From The Gentle Weapon
Prayers for Everyday and Not-So-Everyday Moments
Rebbe Nachman of Breslov
Jewish Lights Publishing

“IN THANKS”
“ Loving, caring G,
all the happiness and fulfillment
in my life
come only from You.
Knowing how absolute
is my dependence on You,
I find peace of mind.
Your presence
suffuses my life,
caressing me with,
hope, joy and love.
I’ve tasted Your love,
I’ve known Your compassion,
I’ve experienced Your patience,
and I am filled with
gratefulness.”

Thank you. Sincerely, Rabbi Yehuda Blank

CLICK HERE FOR THE LINK TO YOSSI HECHT’S WEBSITE
INCLUDING VIDEOS AND PODCAST INTERVIEW