Bill Gates Handed a Journalist a Blank Check

0:00This Torah class is brought to you by Torahanytime.com To the bush, shalna lechama al-raglechah Remove your shoes from your feet ke amokamash ato oymidhalaf Admas koide shoo For the place upon which you are standing is sacred ground. Tachhafatschahim offers a beautiful, allegorical interpretation on this PASIK. He explains, people generally want to grow spiritually, they want to grow entire Mitzfiz, they want to become more benevolent, give more Tsidaka, do more khasat, but they rationalize. They say, not now, not yet, and not here. People always have excuses.

1:01Now's not a good time to invite guests. When I move into a bigger house, then I'll host guests. Narin have time to learn or do khasat. Maybe when I start a new job, but when I open my own business, then I'll have much more time. Shalna lechama al-raglechahim The PASIK is telling us ke amokamash ato oymidhalaf The place and the circumstances in which you find yourself in right now in this small house, in this stressful job. Admas koide shoo Assham is saying, if you do Mitzfiz now with all the chaos and all the turmoil swirling around you, that Torah and those Mitzfiz are especially dear and precious to me. You come home at night after a difficult day at work, you're exhausted, you have a headache, and all you want to do is collapse on the couch and get lost in your phone. But if you summon up the resolve and the courage to go out to your nightly shear or you pick up the phone to do khasat, that moment is Admas koide shoo. Those few moments of Torah are more valuable in the eyes of Asham than someone learning all day and peace and tranquillity.

2:03Tikmar tells us, Imsekh the Shabbos and I'm out in Torah shakafa qadish burhwaleem harka giggis. Asham suspended the mountain over Klai Israel and gave them the ultimate ultimatum. If you accept the Torah, Muthuf all will be well. If not, Shom Tehiko Verazgham. There will be your burial place. And the question is, Shom Tehiko Verazgham over there will be your burial place. They're standing directly under the mountain. It should have said, Poi, over here will be your burial place. But with the inside of the Khafat's Khayim, we now understand. Asham was warning them of the inevitable consequence. If you accept the Torah now, despite all the challenges and all the difficulties, Muthuf, everything will turn out fine. Vimlav, but if you constantly make the excuses and you say not now, not yet and not here, but Shom only when I get to that place, Shom Tehiko Verazgham. The excuse of Shom later elsewhere, that will ultimately become a person's downfall.

3:06The story is told that a few years ago, a journalist interviewed Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, one of the wealthiest people in the world. And she asked them, Mr. Gates, what is the secret of your success? And instead of answering, Gates pulls out his checkbook. He signs the bottom of the blank check and he hands it to her. And he says, write whatever amount you want. And she refused. She handed him back the check. And she repeated the question. And again, Gates handed her a blank check and he said, fill in any amount. And once again, she refused. This time, she tore up the check and threw it on the floor. And Gates looked at her and he said, the secret of my success is that I don't miss any opportunities. Like the one that you just missed. If you had that mindset, you would have been the richest journalist in the world today. Every day, we are handed blank checks. Golden opportunities to grow and to elevate ourselves and to make a difference in people's lives.

4:07It is up to us to fill in the amount. There's a famous adage. Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning how to dance in the rain. Too many people wait for the perfect moment to begin living. But there will always be chaos. There will always be distractions. We cannot afford to wait for the perfect moment, a moment that might never come. We all face storms in our lives. It is up to us to determine how we respond to crisis and adversity. Will we tear up the check? Or fill in a large amount? Will we curl up and hide inside? Waiting for the storm to pass? Waiting for the shum? Or will we courageously go out and battle and persevere among the roughest of storms? And now we know. Have a wonderful day. You've just experienced another Torah class brought to you byarnetime.com.