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<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=2
face=Arial>From: "Prof. Levine via Avodah"
<avodah@lists.aishdas.org><BR><BR><BR>It is customary at this time of year
to wish others "A Gutte <BR>Yahr" (A good year) However,
aren't we supposed to believe that <BR>whatever Hashem does is for the
good, so no matter what will happen <BR>in the year to come, it will
be a good year. (We may not see it <BR>this way, but again whatever
Hashem does is good.)<BR><BR>Thus, I do not see any purpose in
wishing others a "Good year."<BR><BR>Any explanations and or comments will be
appreciated.<BR><BR>YL<BR></FONT></FONT></DIV>
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<DIV>>>>>></DIV>
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<DIV>When others wish you well you should wish them well too, mipnei darkei
shalom. A long philosophical treatise about how even illness, accidents
and financial losses are actually all good things will not endear you to
anyone.</DIV>
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<DIV>Another answer to your question is: we wish our friends (and
ourselves) brachos from the Ribono Shel Olam that are sweet and obvious even to
our limited human eyes, and not the other kind. Certainly we appreciate
that the dentist's drill or the surgeon's knife is doing us a favor and
repairing what needs repairing, but we prefer not to have the cavity and not to
need the surgery in the first place.</DIV>
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<DIV>However if you simply cannot bring yourself to utter a blessing that seems
philosophically dubious to you, I would suggest that you overcome that feeling,
bentsh your fellow Jews anyway, and may Hashem in turn overcome His
philosophical doubts and bless you and all of us in kind.</DIV>
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<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff></FONT><BR><FONT color=#0000ff><STRONG>--Toby
Katz<BR>t613k@aol.com</STRONG></FONT><FONT lang=0 color=#ffffff size=2
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