Birkat HaGomel

This blog has had quite a history to it -- many posts, many thoughts, many ramblings, and many rants. I would imagine the casual reader stumbling onto this blog would think of me as anything ranging from a peculiar yeshiva guy with a lot of creative torah thoughts  to a twisted and embittered crotchety old man with  a lot of pessimism and negativity.

I remember once learning with an old friend -- i think it was yerushalmi bikurim but i could be wrong -- how the main function of ברכת הגומל is in expressing one's thanks in public forum thereby making a statement of declaration to the tzibur as to the particular goodness that שמים had bestowed upon him. I remember us asking at the time how then if that's the case could you ever be יוצא the חיוב of ברכת הגומל by answering אמן since there's no way to distinguish the amen of the בר-חיוב (who needs to demonstrate thanks for the kindness done to him) from the regular people in the crowd (who had not gone through any such experience for which they were obligated to be מברך on)... I never got an answer to that...

In any event, it behooves me to make my statement of thanks to all the goodness that הקב"ה has given to me. After all has been said and done, after all the bitter years of difficulty, frustation -- pain, after all the different lives i've lived, and after all the various rants I've given  ---- to be be given the opportunity to get married to a woman kind enough to be my wife and to be blessed with a daughter who brings such joy and hope to my heart -- It behooves me to tell the world my thanks to my Creator for the kindness he has bestowed upon me and blessed me with; it behooves me to let the world know -- to let all those going through their own personal dark years of hell know -- that there can be Hope, there can be an end to the suffering, an answering to their tears and wimpers.

When does it come -- I do not  know unfortunately. To whom does it come -- I also sadly do not know the answer to that. But I'm here to say that it does happen -- that atleast i know, and i'd like to think it would comfort the heart of those who might think otherwise, that it can equally someday happen for them.

I thereby call her אלי-ענה תקוה. May there be hope for us all in a brighter future ahead. Amen.