Wed Jun 27 '07 - 11 Tammuz 5767

• Verse (Posuk) of the day
  The hunger for the word of G-d
  Behold, the days will come, said the Lord G-d, And I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of G-d. (Amos 8:11)
  
  
• Gemara (Talmud or Midrash) of the day
  The Shechina at the Western Wall (Kotel HaMaaravi)
  "He stands behind our wall" [the Shechina, Song of songs 2:9] behind the western wall of the temple, which will never be destroyed. And it also says [Psalms 11:4]"And G-d is in his holy temple" if its destroyed or is not destroyed (it doesn't matter, the Shechina will always be there) (Yalkeit Shimoni C:2 C:986)
  "He stands behind our wall" behind the western wall of the temple, why? because Hashem made an oath to him that it will never be destroyed.(Midrash Raba Song of songs 2:26)
  Says R' Achai forever the Shechina will not move away from the western wall as it says "He stands behind our wall" [the Shechina, Song of songs 2:9] (Midrash Raba Exodus 2:2)
  (my 2 cents: This Midrash is got to strengthen your Emunah tremendously, since this is something no one could have guessed 1800 years ago, but yet here the wall is standing even after all the wars around it, see more: http://israel613.com/books/SHECHINA_KUNTRES_LEOLAM.pdf )
  
  
• Character Trait (Middah) of the day
  Being kind and friendly to all
  One should welcome every person with kindness & hospitably, how is it? If a person gives for his friends all kinds of great favors and his face is burried towards the ground, the passage looks at him as if he wouldn't have given anything, however if one welcomes his friend with kindness & hospitably even though he didn't give him anything, the passage looks at him as if he would have given him all of the greatest gifts in the world. (Avot de-Rabbi Nathan C:13 C:4)
  
  
• Quote of the day
  Kiddush or Havdalah
  "If a Jew doesn't make Kiddush (to sanctify himself by maintaining a distinctly Jewish lifestyle), then the non-Jew will make Havdalah for him (by making the Jew realize he is truly different)." (R' Chaim of Volozhin)
  
  
• Halacha (Jewish Law) of the day
  The holy lifestyle
  A man should accustom himself to increased holiness and pure thought and proper mindset, in order to prevent himself from stumbling in matters of illicit relations. And he should be warned against yichud (being alone with a forbidden relationship) because this is the major cause. And he should accustom himself to distance himself from levity (lack of appropriate seriousness, too much comedy) and drink (being a drunkard, too much alcohol) and words of lust (meaning, words of laughter and desire). And he should not remain without a wife, as this custom will lead to great purity. And more that all this, they said: He should turn himself and his thoughts to words of Torah, and broaden his mind with wisdom, so that thoughts of forbidden relations only overcome those who are empty of wisdom. (Shulchan Aruch Even HaEzer, 25:1)