Brimming with Blessing

“If I had a sword in my hand I would have killed you now.” (Bamidbar 22:29) 

The donkey said to Bilaam “If you can’t kill me without a sword in your hand how do you expect to uproot an entire nation with your tongue?” Bilaam was silent and couldn’t find an answer. (Midrash Tanchuma) 

Blessings and curses are dependent on the fulfillment and transgression of the mitzvos as it says in Devarim (11:26-27): “See I set before you this day a blessing and a curse. The blessing if you shall listen…” If so how can the blessing of a tzaddik help and the curse of a rasha harm? (Rav Z. Sorotzkin Oznayim l’Torah) 

This past Pesach I was in Bnei Brak visiting friends. The kids and I wandered around and found a pretty park to play in. The park was full of children dressed in new Chol Hamoed clothing and I settled myself on a bench while the little ones ran off to the slides. Next to me on the bench was an old woman with a knotted kerchief smiling as she watched the children play.

I wished her a “gutten moed” and asked if I was disturbing her. Her smile widened as she answered “Of course not!” She asked me to show her my children and when I pointed them out she began to shower blessings on me for their future life of happiness. She bentshed them with health good spouses children of their own and nachas.