The hardest mitzvah to do after Purim is the mitzvah of getting rid of the chometz before Pesach. Especially with all the tasty food you received. Not good for the diet (or peace in the home when you take something she was saving)... but, who am I to question the Will of The L-rd?
Please continue to daven for Dovid ben Liba Sorah who is still in a difficult fight against cancer.
"And Hashem passed before him [Moshe] and proclaimed, 'Hashem, Hashem, a God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness…" (Shemos 34: 6).
The Gemara (Rosh Hashana 17b) states that "Hashem wrapped Himself like a Shliach Tzibbur (one who leads the congregation in prayer) and showed Moshe the order of prayer. And He said to him, 'Anytime Israel sins, do this order of prayer, and I will forgive them.'"
An interesting Gemara. And considering how many people "accidently" come late to shul on days where we recite Slichos (which contains this order of prayer), we have to give a tad more respect to it.
Rav Meir Aurbach M'Kalish noted something which should change how we view Slichos. The Gemara states that before Hashem taught Moshe this prayer, He wrapped Himself up (in a tallis) and THEN taught him this prayer. Being the main part, is that each individual, when reciting this prayer should "wrap himself as a Shliach Tzibbur does" and like a proper Shliach Tzibbur, should daven for the tzibbur (congregation), and not just himself!
Many times, people daven for themselves (as they should), but they are not always answered. There could be several good reasons for this, however, a more powerful prayer is when one davens for others and not just for themselves. It's easy to feel your own pain, but when you feel the pain of others, you "trigger" a similar feeling in Hashem.
I remember many years ago when we were living in Yerushaliyim, renting an apartment from somebody. When the contract came up for renewal, he wanted to raise the rent at a much higher percentage than usual. Obviously, I called him to discuss the situation. He was a real mentch, and apologized, but he explained that he's in a tough financial situation right now, and he's trying to get whatever income he can to relieve the pressure. I understood where he was coming from, however, I was not exactly swimming in money myself. At the end of the conversation, he said, "Listen, let me look into things and get back to you. In the meantime, how about you daven for me, and I'll daven for you, and we'll see what comes up." So, we gave over our names, and we davened that each one should get the financial relief that he needed. In the end, he was able to work out a price increase which was fair to him and to me, and we were able to continue for a few more years.
While davening for our own plight is proper and praiseworthy, there is even a higher level of prayer, and that's when you pray for the relief of others. In a way, you're saying to Hashem, "If I, a mere human, can truly feel somebody else's pain, for sure You can!"
With that, I wish you all a wonderful Shabbos!