Another Week Of Life

(Picture by J. Bollinger)

There is a minhag instituted by the Baal Shem Tov to recite Tehillim 107 every Erev Shabbos. Knowing that this chapter details the four categories of people whose lives were saved from death, a person may ask what connection do we have to the person released from imprisonment, the person who overcame a terrible sickness, the person who survived a journey through the desert, or the person who survey a voyage at sea.

While it is very possible that we have not experienced any of these miraculous salivations the past week, there is one miracle we often fail to consider - that Hashem gave us another seven days of life.

Each Friday afternoon before saying Tehillim 107, I take a few moments to recall all the blessings of the past week and to reflect on the steps I have taken in my avodas Hashem.

I thank Hashem for the past seven days and then hope that I see the next seven.

מִי-חָכָם וְיִשְׁמָר-אֵלֶּה; וְיִתְבּוֹנְנוּ, חַסְדֵי יְהוָה

He who is wise will keep these in mind, and they will contemplate Hashem's kind deeds.