Daily Emunah Podcast - Daily Emunah By Rabbi David Ashear

This week is Parashat Tzav as well as Shabbat HaGadol . On Shabbat HaGadol , the final Shabbat that the Jewish People were in Mitzrayim , Hashem commanded them to begin the process of offering the Korban Pesach . Why did Hashem command the Jews to take the sheep for the korban four days before they were going to offer it? The Midrash answers, the time of the Geula had arrived but the Jews did not have the merits to be redeemed so Hashem gave them an additional commandment regarding the korban to help them. Look how precious a mitzvah is! Even the preparation of the Korban Pesach was able to give the Jews the merit to be redeemed. The parshiot we are reading now are discussing the korbanot . The pasuk says when a Jew brought a korban, it was considered a ריח ניחוח לה' – it brought up a pleasing aroma to Hashem. What did Hashem love so much about a korban ? Perhaps we can explain from a question asked by the Acharonim : Why is it that the construction of the Mishkan did not override Shabbat while the offering of korbanot did? Seemingly, the building of a home for the Shechina to dwell in should be more important than offering sacrifices there. Rabbi Menashe Reizman quoted the sefer Nachat Yaakov who answered that the construction of the Mishkan was primarily done by Hashem. It was not humanly possible for a person to put it up, as the pasuk says הוקם המשכן. Many of the vessels as well were made by Hashem. The Menorah, for example, Hashem told Moshe to throw it into a fire and the Menorah came out. All the embroidery was miraculously made. Regarding the construction of the Second Beit HaMikdash, there were enormous stones, some 30 feet tall. How was it possible for a person to lift them so high upon a wall. The Yerushalmi says, when the people made the effort, Hashem miraculously lifted those stones for them. So therefore, since the Mishkan and the Beit HaMikdash were made by Hashem, although it was very important to Him, that did not override Shabbat. The korbanot , however, were performed exclusively by us. All of the difficult tasks involved in bringing a korban were done by the sweat of the people and Hashem loved their deeds so much. He loves when we put toil in to fulfill a mitzvah. That is what is so precious to Him and that even overrides Shabbat. Although today we cannot put in the same efforts of offering an actual korban , there's still a lot that we can do. The Midrash at the beginning of this week's parasha brings a mashal about a king who was traveling through the desert and his good friend came there to give him a basket of figs and a barrel of wine. The king told him, "You have honored me greatly by coming all the way here to give these thing to me." The friend replied, "My master, the King, this is just a small token of the honor that I want to give you. When you come back to your palace, you'll see there how much honor I'm really going to give you." That's the mashal. The nimshal is Hashem tells us, "זאת תורת העולה – You have honored Me by bringing a korban olah ." And we tell Hashem, "This is just a small token of the honor that we're capable of bringing You. When You come back to Your palace, there we're going to give You the real honor." This Midrash is obviously talking about today's time when we can't offer a real korban . So what temporary honor are we giving Hashem? Learning about the korbanot , drawing lessons from the korbanot . That in it of itself is so precious to Hashem and He considers it like we are honoring Him. But we tell Hashem, "Soon, when You bring back the Beit HaMikdash, there we're going to truly honor You, the way we're supposed to." As for today, we're still learning the lessons of korbanot , we're seeing how precious the nitty gritty involvement of a Jew in a mitzvah is to Hashem. We hope that just like Shabbat HaGadol was the last Shabbat for the Jews in Mitzrayim , so too it will be our last Shabbat in this long exile. B'ezrat Hashem, we should see the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash and be able to bring Hashem true glory inside of it. Shabbat Shalom.

The Sefer HaBatim writes regarding the mitzvah of Sippur Yetziat Mitzrayim on the night of the Seder, that in this mitzvah, number 150, we are commanded to speak about how Hashem took us out of Mitzrayim in order to strengthen our emunah in the hashgachah of Hashem upon us and in the wonders that He performs. This means that one of the primary messages we are meant to internalize on the night of the Seder is that Hashem runs the world and everything that takes place within it. On the night of the Seder, there is a special segulah for emunah that we can take with us for the rest of the year. The same divrei Torah that a person can say at any time during the year carries even greater value on the night of the Seder, when the matzah and maror are placed before us. It is certainly important to strengthen ourselves all year long in emunah in Hashem's hashgachah, but on the night of the Seder, we are able to receive the ultimate strength in it. It becomes so clear how much Hashem is involved in even the smallest details of our lives. Michael Cohen, the head of the Mitzvah Man organization, related that he received a phone call asking if he could help a woman who was living in a small apartment with three young children. She did not have a washer and dryer, and three times a week she had to take her children to a laundromat and wait there for an hour or two until the laundry was done. She needed a special washer-dryer unit that would fit into her small apartment. It was called a gas top-loaded dryer. The caller asked Michael if he happened to know anyone who had such a machine available for donation. He replied that he had never even heard of such a thing and did not know anyone who would have one. The very next day, he received an email from someone who owned an appliance store in the neighborhood that was going out of business. The man wrote that the only item left in the entire store was a gas top-loaded dryer, and he was wondering if Michael knew anyone who might need it. Michael could not believe what he was reading. Within a day, the machine was installed in the woman's apartment, and she had tears of joy as she thanked everyone involved, knowing she would no longer have to struggle to do her laundry. The hashgachah of Hashem is truly remarkable. Another woman related that she had received hand-me-down dining room chairs a couple of years earlier. One day, as she walked past them, she thought to herself that they could really use an update. She did not mention this thought to anyone. Three days later, someone texted her a picture of a set of gently used dining room chairs, asking if she would like them. She felt as if she had received a gift directly from Hashem, Who alone knows a person's thoughts and desires. Another woman said that she later realized she had not given proper kavod to a certain Rosh Yeshivah. Every time she thought about it, she felt a deep discomfort. After several months, she began praying to Hashem to give her an opportunity to ask forgiveness. Shortly afterward, she was with her sister, who asked her for a favor. Her sister had an important meeting that she could not reschedule, but at the same time she had a phone meeting with someone else who was supposed to help her with a certain matter. She asked her to answer the call on her behalf. Astonishingly, the call came in from that very Rosh Yeshivah from whom she had been hoping to ask forgiveness. She immediately took the opportunity and apologized. How could such a thing happen? How does a random woman get the chance to speak directly to a Rosh Yeshivah at just the right moment? The answer is clear — the hashgachah of Hashem is everywhere. The more we look for it, the more we will see it.

Yesterday we spoke about the feeling of rejection when it comes to relationships between people. Unfortunately, there are those who feel rejected by Hashem as well. They have been praying and improving for years, yet they have not seen the results they were hoping for. They begin to wonder if Hashem truly appreciates their efforts, and some even entertain thoughts of stopping. There are those who have already stopped praying altogether, thinking that Hashem is not interested in their tefillot. If they would only know how much they are accomplishing with their tefillot and good deeds, and how much Hashem cherishes everything they do, they would be running to continue. Not being answered is not an indication that Hashem does not love their tefillot — it is just the opposite. Sarah Imenu was not answered for decades, and Chazal teach that Hashem delayed because He desired her prayers so much. When Kayin felt rejected by Hashem, he committed a terrible aveirah. Yet Hashem Himself told him, " למה חרה לך ולמה נפלו פניך… אם תיטיב שאת " — why are you upset? I am not rejecting you. All you need to do is improve. Hashem never rejects anyone. At one point, a heavenly voice was heard regarding Elisha Acher, saying that everyone is welcome back except him. Acher had committed extremely grave sins. Yet the Reshit Chochmah writes that even that heavenly voice did not mean that Hashem did not want him back. In the end, he was accepted in the upper worlds, even without doing teshuvah — and certainly had he done teshuvah, he would have been accepted even more so. That heavenly voice was a test. He was meant to respond, "No — I still want to come back." As Chazal teach, כֹּל מַה שֶׁיֹּאמַר לְךָ בַּעַל הַבַּיִת עֲשֵׂה, חוּץ מִצֵּא , whatever the Baal HaBayit tells us to do, we must follow — except if he tells us to leave, then we do not go. Hashem is the ultimate Baal HaBayit, and even when it appears as if He is pushing us away, it is only a test. Hashem desires every Jew to be close to Him. His love for us is beyond comprehension. We may not understand His ways, but we know with certainty that He always wants us. If we would understand even a fraction of how much He desires our avodah, we would serve Him with far greater enthusiasm. Rabbi Ephraim Wachsman told a story about a man we will call Reuven, who hired a well-known singer to perform at his daughter's wedding. A few weeks later, another man, Yehuda, called that same singer to ask if he was available for his daughter's wedding — which happened to be scheduled for the very same night. The singer declined. Yehuda wanted this singer very badly and asked for Reuven's number. He called Reuven and offered to pay for another singer if he would be willing to give up his booking. Reuven politely declined. Yehuda then offered to pay part of the wedding expenses. Again, Reuven declined. Eventually, Yehuda even offered to pay for the entire wedding — and still, Reuven refused. Yehuda was astonished and asked him to explain. Reuven answered that when his father had been ill, his mother cared for him tirelessly, day and night. The entire family felt tremendous gratitude toward her. When she heard the name of this singer, she remarked how meaningful it would be if he could perform at the wedding. "For me," Reuven said, "having this singer at the wedding is kibbud em. There is no amount of money that would make me give that up." The singer later said that when he performed at that wedding, he sang with more heart and enthusiasm than ever before, because he understood how much they wanted him and what they were willing to give up for him to be there. When a person feels wanted, his performance is on an entirely different level. If we would only realize how much Hashem wants our avodah, we would serve Him with that same excitement. Hashem never rejects anyone — it may appear that way sometimes. In truth, He is waiting to see that even without the results we hope for, we continue striving to come closer. And when we do, our reward becomes infinitely greater, allowing us to merit closeness to Hashem for all eternity.

As I was speaking to different people about the various issues they were going through, it struck me that all of them, deep down, were suffering from the same kind of pain. One person was struggling with shidduchim, another was having difficulty finding a job, another was dealing with family issues, and the list goes on. Yet beneath all these different situations, there was one common thread — the pain of feeling rejected or excluded. The hurt of feeling unwanted was just as painful as not being married or not having an income. In fact, studies have shown that the same regions of the brain that become active when a person experiences physical pain also become active when someone experiences social rejection. Even a brief moment of rejection can sting — for example, when a phone call is declined or when someone passes by without acknowledging us. All the more so when friends gather and one person is not invited, when teams are formed and one individual is left out, or when a party is planned and someone is not included on the guest list. All of these experiences can cause deep emotional pain. The Gemara tells us that Rachel, the daughter of Kalba Savua, wanted to marry Akiva the shepherd because she recognized his great qualities, even though at that time he was unlearned. Tosafot ask that there is another Gemara in which Rabbi Akiva says about himself that before he became learned, he wanted to bite Torah scholars like a donkey bites — which seems to indicate that he did not have good character. Rabbeinu Tam answers that in truth he did possess good character, but he became angry at the Torah scholars because he felt that, since he was an am ha'aretz, they were distancing themselves from him. In other words, he felt rejected by them. In general, when a person feels rejected, it causes him pain, and naturally a person tends to dislike someone who causes him pain. People have a deep need to feel wanted, accepted, and included, and when that need is not fulfilled, it creates real suffering. How is a person supposed to deal with this pain? Fortunately, we know that every amount of pain a person experiences is precisely calculated and given by Hashem for his benefit. The Chovot HaLevavot teaches us that people are not truly capable of hurting us; they are merely messengers of Hashem. When a person experiences rejection, he should not think that there is something inherently wrong with him. Rather, he should believe that Hashem determined that he needed to be excluded at that moment for his own good. When someone is rejected in shidduchim, it is because those individuals are not the ones Hashem intended for him or her. When someone is turned down for a job, it is because Hashem knows that position is not good for him. It is true that a person does not necessarily need to experience rejection in order to get married or find employment, but if he does go through it, it is because that experience is necessary for his growth and benefit. The Reshit Chochmah writes that when it comes to kaparah, emotional pain can accomplish even more than physical pain, and if a person is embarrassed, it can erase countless sins. We do not fully understand all the benefits of suffering, especially emotional suffering, but when we trust that Hashem knows what is best for us, it becomes easier to bear. Moreover, when a person feels rejected, instead of remaining stuck in the pain, he should channel those feelings into heartfelt tefillah to Hashem. Leah Imenu felt tremendous pain when Yaakov chose Rachel over her. What did she do with that pain? She turned to Hashem and cried out for children and blessing. As a result, she merited to have six of the twelve shevatim. She became the mother of the bechor, the mother of the kohanim and levi'im, the mother of the kings, and the mother of Mashiach Tzidkeinu. Feeling excluded or rejected may be very painful, but we must remember that it is always for our ultimate good, and if we respond correctly, we can gain immeasurably from it.

The salvations of Hashem can always come in an instant. Our belief and hope in Hashem's ability to help us is a very important part of our service to Him. It never matters if it looks like we can or cannot be helped, and it never matters how long we have already waited. Hashem can always bring salvations in the simplest ways. A woman related that after twenty-one weeks of pregnancy, her doctor suddenly told her that she was at high risk of giving birth too early for the baby to survive. She reached out to Jewish organizations for help in finding a specialist, but they were unable to find anyone for her. The community organized a tehillim group on her behalf, and a couple of weeks later her doctor transferred her to a hospital closer to her home, which he believed had a better team of doctors to handle her specific issue. Once she was admitted, the first doctor she saw told her that she was in the middle of conducting a research study on the very condition she had. She explained that this woman was a perfect candidate to try a procedure that had never been done this late in pregnancy. No other hospital in the country would have offered her this procedure. Baruch Hashem, it was performed successfully, and the baby was born perfectly healthy after a full nine months and two days. The hospital, which was literally a five-minute drive from her house, was the one that Hashem brought her to in order to save her baby. A man related that he had a tenant living in his basement for five years. The first three years were good, but then one day the tenant became angry with them and stopped paying rent. For the last two years, they suffered a great deal of aggravation from him. He turned the basement into a disaster; it became completely unrecognizable. It was an illegal apartment, and since the tenant knew that in the laws of New York they often side with tenants, he took full advantage of the situation. On one occasion, he even called the police and had their twenty-year-old son arrested, claiming that he had scratched him — which was completely fabricated. The hot water tank was accessible only through the basement, and out of spite he repeatedly shut it off. The police told the family they were not allowed to enter because he was living there. This past year, from after Yom Kippur until after Sukkot, they had no hot water at all and had to go to neighbors to use their shower. No one was able to help them with this. All the lawyers they contacted said that the tenant had the upper hand and that they would have to comply with whatever he demanded. Recently, this man decided to strengthen his belief in Hashem's power to help him. He worked on his emunah, bitachon, and tefillah. The tenant, wanting to aggravate them even more, called HPD to complain that he was not getting hot water. The next day, inspectors came down to check the property, and when they saw that it was illegal, they told the tenant he had to vacate within two weeks. They posted a notice and left, but he tore it down. Two weeks later, they returned with the police and the Red Cross. It took three hours to remove him because he resisted, but in the end they succeeded in getting him out. Everyone told the man they had never heard of HPD removing a tenant like that. Here, Hashem used the tenant himself to bring about their salvation and remove him. Another man related that he had been without an income for a couple of years, and with a large family his situation had become very difficult. He had sent out his résumé to over twenty companies and received little to no response. Recently, he accepted upon himself to add a significant amount of hours to his Torah study. After that, the salvation came quickly. The very next day, he ran into a friend who had no connections at all in the business world. He was a rabbi in a yeshivah and certainly did not seem like a useful resource for finding a job. But the man said to himself, Hashem is the One who gives me parnassah — it does not matter whom I ask. He told this rabbi that he was looking for a job. The rabbi replied that he knew of a company that was desperately looking for someone, and he made the connection. Within a week, the man had the job. Salvation can always come in any form. It is up to us to believe it and to feel it in our hearts.

The pasuk says in this week's parasha Vayikra , אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן לה' מן הבהמה מן הבקר ומן הצאן" תקריבו את קרבנכם– when a man brings a korban from amongst you to Hashem, it should come from animals, either cattle or flock." The mefarshim are bothered by the placement of the word מכם – from you. Seemingly, it should have said "אדם מכם כי יקריב קרבן – a person from amongst you who brings a korban ." One explanation given is that Hashem is telling us, when we give a korban, He doesn't just want an animal, rather אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן – He wants us to sacrifice of ourselves as well. How so? מן הבהמה – we need to go against our animalistic natures. מן הבקר – refers to the animals who are bold, we need to go against our bold nature when it comes to avodat Hashem. And מן הצאן refers to animals who are bashful, we need to go against our bashful nature when it comes to avodat Hashem. For example, if someone has the opportunity to help the masses but he feels, "Who am I? It's not my place." That is when he needs to go against his bashful nature and say, "I'm doing the will of Hashem and this is what it calls for me to do." And if someone was wronged or shamed, and he could easily get back at that person who inflicted the harm, that is when he needs to sacrifice his brazen nature and instead act humbly, like Hashem wants, and keep quiet. Although we are not able to physically bring korbanot today in the Beit HaMikdash, we could offer korbanot of ourselves all the time by overcoming our nature to do the will of Hashem. If someone has been praying for something for a long time, and instead of his situation improving, it only got worse, his inclination will tell him, "Why bother? Prayer is not helping anyway." At that moment, he has an opportunity to offer a korban to Hashem and say to himself, " Tefila is what Hashem wants from me. Although I don't feel like doing it, I'm going to go against my inclination and I'm going to continue praying with all of my heart." If someone has been trying to get married for years without success, his inclination will tell him, "There's no point in continuing to try, nothing's working anyway." At that moment, he can offer a korban to Hashem and say, "It's the will of Hashem for me to get married, and therefore I'm never going to stop trying. If someone was having trouble conceiving and then, after a long difficult process, when she was about to give birth to a child, lo alenu , she lost it. Her inclination might tell her, "How can I ever go through that again? I have a few children already and Hashem is making it so hard for me to have more. I might as well just stop. Why do I need all this extra pain for nothing?" At that moment, she can go against her inclination and offer a korban to Hashem and say, "I was trying to do Hashem's will by bringing more children into the world. I know Hashem will reward me for every bit of pain that I went through in trying to do His will. Results are not in my control, but efforts are. Hashem always determines what's best for me. And therefore, I'm going to continue trying to do His will, no matter how difficult it is." Each person, in his or her own circumstances, can offer the greatest korbanot to Hashem all of the time. Shabbat Shalom.

The Gemara says, " בניסן נגאלו ובניסן עתידין להיגאל ." In Nisan we were redeemed from Mitzrayim, and in Nisan we will be redeemed again. Just as the אורות הגאולה shone at the time of Yetziat Mitzrayim, so too every year those same lights return, making the month of Nisan an especially auspicious time for geulah. Chazal also teach us that the geulah will come בזכות האמונה . It is through our emunah that we will ultimately merit redemption. We are living in historic times. So much is happening in the world, and especially in Eretz Yisrael. We hope and pray that this will be the month of the final geulah. Now is the time to strengthen ourselves in emunah — emunah that the geulah will come, and emunah that Hashem is controlling everything and doing everything for our good. People who invest time learning emunah and listening to emunah classes become transformed by it. They gain the ability to rise above their circumstances, and their words and attitudes bring tremendous kavod to Hashem. A woman recently described the many hardships she had endured over the past seven years. Naturally, one would expect such a person to break down in tears. Yet instead, she spoke about how much she loves Hashem and how she understands that all of her struggles are shaping her into the person Hashem wants her to be. Her words were incredibly precious. Such strength can only come from deeply internalized emunah. A man shared that last year he flew across the country for crucial business meetings at a time when it seemed his entire livelihood was on the verge of collapse. When he arrived, he was so overwhelmed with anxiety that he could not think clearly. Someone advised him to listen to emunah classes. He locked himself in his room for twenty-four hours, listening continuously. He barely ate or slept, stopping only to pray. By the end of that time, he said he felt emunah flowing through his veins. Strengthened and calm, he entered his meetings with complete trust in Hashem — and he witnessed open miracles. What began as a frightening trip turned into the most successful business experience of his career. A woman told me that a few years ago, her daughter had begun drifting away from her connection to Hashem. Then, on Rosh Chodesh Nisan, while riding an electric scooter to work, she was struck by a car. She was thrown off and lost consciousness. Hatzalah rushed her to the hospital, where doctors discovered five hematomas in her brain. One doctor told the mother that there was a strong chance her daughter would not survive. The mother responded with unwavering confidence: "I know she will live." She explained that she had previously received berachot from Gedolim assuring her that she would yet see nachat from this daughter. "I haven't seen that nachat yet," she said, "so I know she will live." Her Emunat Chachamim was steadfast. That very evening, the girl regained full consciousness. The attending specialist said that in such cases, most patients do not survive, and those who do usually suffer permanent damage. For her to be completely fine was nothing short of an open miracle. The experience awakened something deep within the girl. She chose to spend a year in Eretz Yisrael, where she reconnected and began to grow rapidly. Today, she brings her mother immense nachat — just as the Gedolim had promised. This is the power of emunah. It gives strength, clarity, and brings tremendous kavod to Hashem. Let us take advantage of these powerful days of Nisan and strengthen ourselves in emunah. And with Hashem's help, may we merit to see the complete and final geulah במהרה בימינו אמן .

Somebody recently asked me how it's possible that there are so many stories of hashgachah peratit. I told him, there are millions of stories happening to people every single day. If all those people would relate their stories, there wouldn't be enough paper in the world to contain them. Just the other day, I was walking in a neighborhood that I normally do not frequent, and while there, two people approached me to tell me stories that had happened to them over the past couple of days. If I hadn't been there, they wouldn't have thought to share their stories. They, like millions of others, would have remained unknown. Stories are happening constantly because Hashem is involved in everyone's lives at every moment. The first person told me he is an accountant, and during tax season he often stays late at work. When he stays late, he orders dinner from a nearby restaurant. He enjoys having a Coke with ice with his dinner, so he ordered one with his meal. When the food arrived, he went to the ice machine in his office, but saw that it was broken. It looked like he would have to miss out on the ice that night. However, when he opened the bag from the restaurant, he saw that they had sent him a separate cup filled with ice along with the Coke. He said that in his entire life he had never once received a cup of ice from a restaurant delivery. It felt like a small but personal gesture from Hashem, as if He was saying, "I know you like your drink with ice—I want you to enjoy it tonight." The second person told me that he had learned last year the concept that money spent on Shabbat is not included in the yearly allotment that is determined on Rosh Hashanah, and whatever is spent on Shabbat is always returned. Inspired by this, he decided to host many guests each week and serve the finest foods. From then on, he began spending between two and three thousand dollars every Shabbat. After six months, he began wondering how Hashem would pay him back all that money. Last week, he received a phone call from the homeowner from whom he rents a summer house. He had a four-year agreement and had only used it for two years so far. The homeowner said he wanted to terminate the contract. The man replied that his family loved the house and were looking forward to returning. The homeowner then offered him ten thousand dollars to cancel. He declined. The offer went up to twenty, then thirty, then forty thousand dollars, and he still refused. Finally, the homeowner offered fifty thousand dollars. At that point, his wife told him to accept, and he did. Afterward, he went back and calculated all the extra money he had spent on Shabbat food over the past six months. The total came out to just under fifty thousand dollars. In one moment, he saw clearly how every dollar he spent on Shabbat had been returned to him in a way he never could have imagined. Hashem is involved in everyone's life every minute of the day. When we share these stories, we give others chizuk and help them come closer to Hashem by seeing how much He is involved in every detail. If anyone would like to share their stories, they can email them to livingemunah123@gmail.com If we would only open our eyes, we would see that our lives are filled with endless stories of Hashem's loving Hand.

One of our responsibilities in this world is to care about our fellow Jew and to do whatever we can to help bring them closer to Hashem. Hashem yearns for a relationship with all of His children, and there are so many who do not even know who He is. At times, a person may feel disheartened. He may have tried again and again to influence others in a positive way and yet has not seen any results. The yetzer hara whispers that perhaps his efforts are accomplishing nothing. But the truth is exactly the opposite. The Mishnah in Pirkei Avot teaches: לא עליך המלאכה לגמור ולא אתה בן חורין להיבטל ממנה . It is not upon you to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it. Our responsibility is not to produce results. Our responsibility is to make the effort. Results are never in our control, but effort always is. And in the eyes of Hashem, it is the effort that matters most. If a person is fortunate enough to see the fruits of his labor, that is a gift. But very often, those fruits are not seen until much later—sometimes even generations later. The Gemara tells us that in the zechut of the forty-two korbanot that Balak brought, he merited to have Ruth as a descendant. Although his intentions were not pure, he still performed an act that had value, and that act bore fruit years later in a way he could never have imagined. A person's actions always accomplish something, even if he never sees the results. Every effort to bring another Jew closer to Hashem is infinitely precious. When those efforts are done לשם שמים , there is even greater blessing placed upon them. The Gerrer Rebbe had an extraordinary love for Shabbat and worked tirelessly to inspire others to observe it. One of his initiatives was to have women in the community distribute Shabbat candles with matches on Fridays to anyone willing to take them. One day, a completely non-observant couple passed by, and a woman offered them candles for Shabbat. Not wanting to offend her, they took four candles, implying they would use them for two weeks, although in truth they had no intention of lighting them even once. They placed the candles in the backseat of their car and drove away. The husband worked as a tour guide. A few days later, he was leading a group of wealthy tourists to explore a large cave. As they approached the cave, he turned on his flashlight—only to discover that the battery had died. Panic began to set in. He feared the group would be upset and that it would cost him financially. Then he suddenly remembered the candles in his car. He ran back, retrieved them, and divided the group into smaller sections, giving each group a candle to hold. The experience turned out to be far more beautiful than anyone had expected. The soft glow of the candles created an atmosphere that was far more powerful than a simple flashlight. The group was so impressed that they gave him a very generous tip and spoke enthusiastically about the experience. That night, the man began thinking about those candles. He felt that they had brought him unexpected blessing and wanted to understand more about them. He approached a religious Jew and asked about the significance of Shabbat candles. He was told that they bring peace into the home, as light allows a person to function calmly and pleasantly. The man responded that he already had electricity and did not need candles. The other Jew explained that Shabbat candles are not just about light—they create a special atmosphere that honors the sanctity of Shabbat. He invited the man and his wife to join him for a Shabbat meal. They accepted. Experiencing the beauty of Shabbat—the warmth, the singing, the divrei Torah—made a deep impression on them. That single experience became the beginning of a journey that eventually led them to become fully observant. All of this came from a simple act—handing out a few Shabbat candles. That one small effort ultimately brought back not only a couple, but generations that would come from them. We never know the impact of even the smallest action. A word of encouragement, a smile, an invitation, a simple act of care—each one has the potential to change a life. It is not our role to see the results. It is our role to act. Hashem takes those actions and brings them to fruition in ways far beyond what we can imagine.

Chazal tell us that when Mashiach arrives there will be a magnificent seudah known as the Seudat HaLeviathan. At that great meal will be present all the righteous who ever lived—Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, Moshe and Aharon, together with the great leaders and tzaddikim of all generations. At that seudah, David HaMelech will rise and lead Birkat HaMazon. Afterward, the Ramami Pano writes that Mashiach Tzidkeinu will come out and distribute dessert to everyone present. Those desserts will consist of the fruits that have been growing in Gan Eden since the creation of the world. Originally, Hashem commanded Adam HaRishon to eat from the fruits of Gan Eden, but he was banished before he had the opportunity to do so. Since that time, fruits have been growing in the lower Gan Eden that exists in this world, and they will be distributed to all of Klal Yisrael after Birkat HaMazon at that seudah. Then Mashiach will take out almonds that had been growing on the staff of Aharon HaKohen in the Kodesh HaKodashim and he will make the berachah of boreh peri ha'etz upon them. It is known that almonds have the ability to calm a person from anger. At that moment, all the tension and pain that accumulated during the long exile will instantly disappear. Then Moshe Rabbeinu will appear holding the original Luchot that we were meant to receive. In their merit the knowledge of Torah will reach an unprecedented level. Torah will never again be forgotten. The yetzer hara will be nullified and the malach hamavet will be driven away forever. Those will be the most glorious days in the history of the world. After a period of time living in the era of Mashiach, the next stage—Olam Haba—will begin. The Gemara in Masechet Berachot teaches that in that world there will be no eating and no drinking. Rather, the tzaddikim will sit and derive pleasure from the radiance of the Shechinah. The Or HaChayim writes in Shemot that there is no pleasure in this world that can compare to the pleasure of seeing the Shechinah in the next world. Every Jew longs to merit that experience. Our rabbis explain that just as in order to enjoy food in this world our mouth and throat must function properly, so too in order to experience the spiritual pleasure of the Shechinah, the part of the body through which that pleasure is received must also be spiritually refined. That part of the body is the eyes—the windows to the neshamah. The pasuk in Yeshayahu says: עֹצֵם עֵינָיו מֵרְאוֹת בְּרָע מֶלֶךְ בְּיָפְיוֹ תֶּחֱזֶינָה עֵינֶיךָ "One who closes his eyes from seeing evil—his eyes will behold the King in His beauty." The Midrash explains that this pasuk means that whoever guards his eyes from looking at improper things will merit to see the beauty of the Shechinah. The Gemara in Masechet Kallah teaches that someone who turns away from such aveirot—even if he is an ordinary Yisrael—becomes worthy like a Kohen Gadol offering a korban olah on the mizbeach, and he will merit to benefit from the radiance of the Shechinah like the malachei hasharet. One of the ways of Hashem is that when He wishes to elevate a person to an especially high level, He first gives him a very great test to overcome. For nearly two thousand years the world has been waiting for the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash. For generations we have waited for the coming of Mashiach. Now, as we approach the month of Nisan—the time most auspicious for redemption—we are being tested with our eyes more than ever before. Perhaps this is Hashem's call for us to elevate ourselves to greatness and to make our eyes worthy of receiving the ultimate pleasure of basking in the radiance of the Shechinah. Now is our opportunity to shine. If we can guard our own eyes and guide our children away from seeing things they should not see, we can become elevated to the level of the Kohen Gadol. With Hashem's help we will then merit the ultimate reward—our eyes beholding the radiance of the Shechinah for all eternity.

The pasuk says at the beginning of this week's parshiot , ויקהל משה את כל עדת בני ישראל – Moshe gathered the entire nation, men women and children, and repeated the commandments that Hashem gave him regarding the building of the mishkan . The Ramban explains, this gathering took place after they got the second set of luchot and Hashem made a new covenant with them that He would rest His presence amongst them and His love for them returned like it was before they did the sin of the egel . The sefer Imrei Yitzchak asked, if all that took place was that everything was going to go back to the way it was before they did the egel , why did they need a new gathering just to repeat all the details of the commandments again? Why couldn't Moshe just tell the Jewish People we're continuing with the project as originally planned. The Rabbi answered based on the Gemara in Masechet Shabbat which says, when the Jewish People sinned with the egel , it was like a bride being unfaithful to her husband at their own wedding ceremony. In such a situation, it would be impossible for this husband to ever view that bride the same as he did before. Hashem, on the other hand, did something beyond nature. Even after the treacherous sin that His nation committed, once they had made teshuva , He loved them the same, just like he loved them before they committed that sin. And for that, Hashem wanted everyone gathered to publicize that He was going to reside amongst them just like He was going to before. As well,every single detail needed to be reaffirmed that it was going to take place with the same love. It is true that sin distances a person from Hashem, but fortunately for us, Hashem gives us ways to return to Him and have an even greater relationship with Him than we had before the sin. But we have to believe in Hashem's mercy to take us back and we have to believe in our potential to get close to Him, despite our past deeds. Rabbi Nachman Seltzer related a story that Rabbi Roseman told him about himself. Rabbi Roseman was walking home one night from the yeshiva in which he taught and came across two boys standing on the sidewalk talking to each other. One of them, whose name was Shmuli, he knew, but as for the other one, who had long hair and was wearing clothing designed to draw attention, as were the assorted accessories that were on him, he did not know. Shmuli called the Rabbi to come over, mentioning that they were involved in a very important conversation regarding reward and punishment and free will. The Rabbi came and added whatever insights he could on that topic for the next 20 minutes. And then, as he was about to leave, he recalled how a few years earlier he gave a boy off the derech some encouraging words that made a huge impact on his life. And so, he did not want to let this opportunity go by without trying the same. He said to that other boy, Jake, "Before I go, could you please do me a favor?" Jake looked surprised and asked what the Rabbi needed. The Rabbi said, "Can you give me a beracha ? I see that you are going through a challenging time in your life and yet, you are still working very hard to figure out the proper direction to take. The value of this is tremendous. I really want a beracha from you." Jake then rested his hands gently on the Rabbi's head and gave him whatever beracha he could think of, and then they parted ways. Two years later, Shmuli got engaged and invited Rabbi Roseman to the engagement party. At that party, Shmuli was so excited to show Rabbi Roseman a good friend of his. He pointed to Jake, who was then wearing a crisp, white shirt and nice pants and a velvet kippah on his head. Shmuli told the Rabbi, the time that he asked Jake to give him a beracha changed his life. He was able to tap into the holiness of his neshama afterward and he made a complete turn around. Every Jew has endless potential for greatness. Hashem is yearning for everyone to get close to Him. Even if people have fallen in the past, they can still reach levels that are even higher than they could have had they not fallen in the first place. And therefore, everyone is encouraged, no matter what they have done, to come back and be close to Hashem. Shabbat Shalom.

Very often we find ourselves in need of assistance from other people. Sometimes we need to get a meeting with someone. Sometimes we need to find favor in another person's eyes. And sometimes we need someone to help us even though we know that we do not find favor in his eyes. At those moments, we must remember that the main hishtadlut is always with Hashem. He is the only One who determines whether we will receive what we need. He can arrange a meeting. He can place favor in other people's eyes toward us. And He can cause someone to help us even when, naturally speaking, we would not find favor in that person's eyes. A man told me that he had been trying for the longest time to get a meeting with a world-famous company. He felt that if he could obtain their licensing rights, it would completely transform the scope of his business. However, despite all of his efforts, he could not even get a single response from them. Recently, he was visiting a friend's office in Manhattan. While he was there, he received a phone call that seemed as though it would take some time. As he spoke, he began walking around the building aimlessly. A few minutes later, he found himself standing near an elevator. Suddenly the doors opened and a group of people stepped out. They asked him if he knew where a certain office was located. Since he knew the building, he told them it was one floor above. At that moment, he realized that this group represented the very company he had been trying to contact. They had flown in from across the country for a meeting with someone else, but had accidentally gone to the wrong floor. And he happened to be standing there the moment the elevator opened. Among the group he recognized someone he had once known who now worked for the company. He immediately told him how much he had been trying to arrange a meeting. The man replied that he would be happy to help him. Hashem can arrange a meeting even with people who seem completely unreachable. Another man, whom we will call Solomon, told me about a business meeting he recently had with a new buyer from a very large chain store. As they were speaking before the meeting began, they suddenly realized that the gardener who had recently done work at Solomon's home was the buyer's brother. This was not Solomon's usual gardener. He had needed a major job done quickly, and his regular gardener was unable to handle it. The new gardener completed the job, but afterward charged Solomon more than he had originally quoted, explaining that the work had turned out to be much more difficult than expected. Solomon could easily have argued with him about the price. Instead, he simply paid him with a smile. The gardener later told his brother, the buyer, about this incident and how impressed he was that Solomon had paid without complaint. As a result, even before Solomon had begun discussing the product he hoped to sell, he had already found tremendous favor in the buyer's eyes. I read a story about Rabbi Meir Schickman, who spent three years in a ghetto during the Holocaust and was later transferred to a labor camp. Each day the prisoners received only one piece of bread. Usually, people would eat the bread immediately, because if they waited it might be stolen, and going even one day without bread could endanger their lives. Rabbi Schickman had a different practice. Each Friday he would save his bread so that he could use it on Friday night to fulfill the mitzvah of Seudat Shabbat. One Friday, however, his bread was stolen. What pained him most was not his hunger, but the thought that he would not be able to fulfill the mitzvah of the Shabbat meal. In the camp there was a self-hating Jew who served as a police officer overseeing the prisoners' work. He was often even harsher toward the Jews than the Nazis themselves, and everyone was afraid of him. Rabbi Schickman desperately wanted bread for the Shabbat meal, and so he decided that he would ask this officer for bread. The other prisoners warned him not to do so, fearing he might be beaten simply for making the request. Nevertheless, the Rabbi approached him and asked. Amazingly, the officer gave him not just a little bread, but two large loaves—enough for everyone in his bunker to eat the Shabbat meals. Hashem can arrange a meeting. Hashem can place favor in someone's eyes. And Hashem can cause a person to give—even when, according to nature, there is no reason he should.

In this week's Be'er Haparashah, there is a remarkable anecdote about a speaker who was delivering a shiur to a group of men. In the middle of his speech, a community leader approached him and handed him a small note. The note explained that a substantial sum of money had been given anonymously, to be distributed among everyone present. For the sake of order, the speaker instructed all the men to pair up, and each pair would arm wrestle. Every victory would earn five dollars. The men quickly paired off, creating a total of fifty pairs, and began the arm wrestling. After ten minutes, the speaker announced that time was up and he would divide the money according to the number of victories. The first pair counted their wins: one person had won three times and would receive fifteen dollars, while the other had won twice and received ten dollars. The same pattern continued with the other pairs. When they reached the last pair, to everyone's astonishment, both individuals reported three hundred victories each, entitling them to fifteen hundred dollars each. When asked how this had happened, they explained that while everyone else had tried to defeat their partner, their efforts had been mostly spent resisting each other, which limited their actual successes. This pair, however, had a different strategy. Rather than competing, each helped the other succeed. They alternated willingly, supporting each other in every round. As a result, they completed hundreds of repetitions peacefully, accumulating far more victories than anyone else. The speaker explained to the assembly: those who struggled with excessive effort and competition did not gain. Their labor was wasted and even caused loss. Those who acted with peace, cooperation, and mutual support earned many times more. This lesson applies to life and hishtadlut . When a person exerts effort out of anxiety, competitiveness, or self-interest, it often blocks the gates of blessing and exhausts the body and soul for nothing. But a calm, peaceful effort, performed with Emunah in Hashem and concern for others, finds success easily and abundantly. The story also teaches that those who focus solely on themselves, on winning or personal gain, toil endlessly and often fail, whereas those who act with consideration for others bring great blessing upon themselves. A woman recently told me she was desperately trying to bring her two sons home from Israel during the war. She had tried every possible way but kept failing. A few days ago, she received a call from someone offering help. He could secure two spots on a plane and asked for the names of her sons. She explained that she was working together with another mother who was trying to get her son home. She insisted that she needed three spots, refusing to abandon the other mother's son. The man explained it could only be two or nothing, which was extremely difficult for her. She felt strongly that it was only right to include the other mother's child, despite the challenge. And so she turned it down. The next day, the man called back and reported that he had been able to secure three spots—and it was a much better option in every way. Baruch Hashem, all three boys returned home safely just yesterday. This story demonstrates that those who care for others do not lose. On the contrary, Hashem provides extra assistance from Heaven to those who act with Emunah, empathy, and consideration for others.

The Zohar HaKadosh writes in Parashat Vayakhel that people do not realize how powerful tefillah really is. Tefillah has the ability to pierce through the heavens and open gates that previously could not be opened. Rabbeinu Bachya writes in Parashat Ekev that tefillah has the ability to change nature, to save a person from danger, and to nullify harsh decrees. The Maharsha writes in Masechet Shabbat ( דף קנ״א ע״ב ) that even though Chazal say a person's lifespan, number of children, and parnasah depend on mazal, tefillah has the power to change mazal. When a person prays during an et ratzon, a time of divine favor, the tefillah becomes even more powerful. David HaMelech asked Hashem that his prayers should reach Him during such a time, as it says: ואני תפילתי לך ה׳ עת רצון . The Midrash asks regarding the pasuk that says Eliezer ran toward Rivka: why was he running so quickly? It answers that once Eliezer realized he was experiencing an et ratzon, because Hashem had already performed a miracle for him by shortening the journey, he hurried to take advantage of that special moment and seek even more heavenly assistance. Rashi writes in Parashat Ki Tisa that when Moshe Rabbeinu saw that his requests were being answered, he understood that it was an et ratzon. He therefore continued asking for more in order to gain the greatest benefit from that special time. The Bnei Yissaschar writes that there are angels appointed in Shamayim to bring our tefillot upward, and they examine the prayers to determine if they are worthy. However, during an et ratzon the tefillot do not require their assistance. They ascend directly without scrutiny. The Mashgiach, Rav Yechezkel Levenstein, said that there is no greater et ratzon in Shamayim than when a person overcomes his yetzer hara. This means a person can actually create his own et ratzon and then use it to ask Hashem for whatever he needs. For example, if a person feels a strong yetzer hara to look at something inappropriate and overcomes it, he should realize that at that moment he has created an et ratzon. We have heard many stories about people who were publicly humiliated but chose not to respond and instead gave a blessing to a person in need of salvation. And those blessings brought about salvations. Why does this work? One explanation is that when a person is humiliated, the yetzer hara strongly pushes him to respond with anger. If he overcomes that impulse, he creates such a powerful et ratzon that his tefillot and blessings become especially potent. People are constantly tested—through anger, jealousy, and many other challenges. If we can motivate ourselves to overcome those tests, we can create moments of divine favor that we can then use to pray for what we need. The Keter Shem Tov brings from the Baal Shem Tov that when a person truly feels pain for another person's suffering, that creates an et ratzon. Even greater than that is when a person can genuinely feel happy when another person experiences success. And even greater still is when two people both need a salvation and one receives it while the other does not. If instead of complaining and asking why he was not helped, the person can feel sincere happiness for the other's simchah, that creates an extremely powerful et ratzon. At that moment he can pour out his heart to Hashem and ask for what he needs. Tefillah is always powerful, but during an et ratzon it becomes even more powerful.

The Sefer HaChinuch writes in Mitzvah תלג , that goodness and blessing come upon a person according to his deeds and thoughts, and our Creator, who wants our good, has taught us about the precious mitzvot through which we can merit the greatest blessings. As well, He taught us a way in which we could have all of our wants for the good, and that is by asking Him, the One who has the wherewithal and ability to provide us with everything we could possibly need.He will answer anyone who calls out to Him with sincerity. The Chinuch continues, besides informing us of the precious gift of tefillah, He also commanded us to utilize it and ask from Him constantly for every single thing we need. If we do that, besides for getting what we want, we will also be ingraining in ourselves the emunah, that He is involved in every little detail of our lives and that nothing can stop Him from giving us everything we could want. That is the end of the quote of the Sefer HaChinuch. We know how precious tefillah is, but sometimes we forget to take advantage of it. A man told me he had two issues in his home that were bothering him for months. One was an electrical issue with something installed in his home, and one was a plumbing issue. For some reason, he was having an extremely hard time getting both of them resolved. The electrician kept telling him he was too busy to come, and when he tried calling different electricians, they would all say, the one who installed it has to be the one to fix it, as it was a special unit. As well, the plumber was unresponsive. This past Friday morning, as the man was making his regular requests in the Amidah, he thought to himself, he never once asked Hashem for help with those quote-unquote petty issues. He decided to pray to Hashem to get them fixed. After shul, he called the electrician, and this time he answered right away. The electrician gave him his ear, and when he was once again informed of the problem, the electrician told him he could guide him on the phone, step by step, what to do to fix the issue. When the man got home, the electrician guided him, and sure enough, the problem was finally fixed. Right after that, he called the plumber, and this time, the plumber answered and finally agreed to come. Two days later, and Baruch Hashem, he came and fixed the issue. There is nothing that is too small to pray for. Sometimes, we just forget to utilize the awesome gift of tefillah that Hashem has given us. I once read a story about a man who was rushing out of his house for an important meeting. As he went to his car, he suddenly realized he didn't have his car keys with him, so he ran back to the house to get them, but couldn't find them anywhere. He began to panic because the meeting was very important, and he was already running late. He started searching faster and faster, opening drawers, moving around papers, and then he stopped for a minute and said to himself, Hashem knows exactly where my keys are. Why don't I make a tefillah and ask Him for help? He then closed his eyes and asked Hashem to please show him where the keys were so he could make the meeting on time. Less than a minute later, he found the keys lying under a magazine in the kitchen. Tefillah is always great, and we must never forget to utilize it at all times.

Parnassah comes only from Hashem, and therefore it does not have to operate according to normal human calculations. If somebody needed more money, it would seem illogical for him to give away what he already has. Yet Chazal tell us: עשר בשביל שתתעשר — give away ten percent so that you will become wealthy. The very actions that appear illogical according to our reasoning often become the very source of blessing that brings a person more parnassah. When we show that we truly believe our parnassah comes only from Hashem — by, so to speak, putting our money where our mouths are — those actions activate even more blessing. A woman we will call Rachel, who runs her own business, recently received a call from a customer who usually places large orders with her twice a year. The customer told her she planned to make her regular order again and would soon get back to her with the details about colors and styles. A few days later the customer called back. She explained that another woman she had recently become close with was asking her to give her the order instead. She said she really wanted to switch and help this other woman, but because she had already told Rachel that she would be ordering from her, she planned to ask a rabbi if it was permitted to back out. Rachel, who firmly believes that all of her parnassah comes from Hashem, told her, "It makes no difference to me which customer my parnassah comes through. If you truly want to switch, you have my blessing." The woman was very impressed with Rachel's emunah and thanked her for allowing her to switch. Practically speaking, this probably meant Rachel would permanently lose a steady customer. Just a few minutes later, Rachel received a phone call from someone who had never ordered from her before. The order this person wanted to place was more than double the one she had just given up. Later that night Rachel called the first customer back and told her not to feel guilty at all for switching, because Hashem had already replaced the loss and even given her more. The woman then told her she had just discovered that the other seller's prices were not as good as Rachel's, and she felt bad for having switched. With Hashem's help, Rachel would now likely have that customer returning in the future — in addition to the new one she had just gained. She demonstrated her emunah, and immediately saw blessing from it. A man we will call Daniel related another story. One day he received a phone call from the rabbi of his brother's shul. The rabbi asked Daniel if he could help resolve a difficult situation involving his brother. His brother owed someone money and had not paid it back, and the matter had created significant tension. The rabbi said, "For the sake of shalom, this issue must be resolved. If it continues like this, I may have to start paying the debt myself." Daniel was not a wealthy man, but he said to the rabbi, "For the sake of shalom, I will pay." He gave the rabbi his credit card and told him he would cover the amount in installments. Just like that, the issue was resolved. Less than ten minutes later, a neighbor called Daniel and asked if he remembered helping him many years earlier. Daniel had forgotten, but the neighbor reminded him of the favor he had done for him twenty years before. The neighbor then told him that he had recently made some money and wanted to repay Daniel for the kindness he had shown him back then. The amount he gave him was far greater than the amount Daniel had just committed to pay for his brother. Hashem can provide a person with parnassah in unlimited ways. Very often, when a person performs righteous acts that involve giving up money, Hashem blesses him with even more in return.

Hashem's Name is not mentioned even once in the Megillah, yet He is involved in every last detail of it. Hashem, who has the past, present, and future revealed before Him at all times, orchestrates events long before they are needed so that His plan can ultimately come to fruition. The fact that the palace of Achashverosh was relocated to a small city called Shushan Habirah was itself a tremendous hidden miracle. That is where Mordechai lived, and that is where the salvation of the Jewish people was destined to unfold. The Vilna Gaon writes that the fact that Vashti decided to make her own party — seemingly for no reason — was only because Hashem was setting the stage for her to be summoned and ultimately removed from her position as queen. Hashem was arranging events years in advance, preparing the path for the moment when salvation would be needed. Haman suggested that Achashverosh grant himself the authority to act independently in any matter that concerned him personally, without consulting his advisors. Haman's intention was clear. He planned to later tell Achashverosh that the Jewish people were not following the king's directives. That would be seen as a personal affront to the king, giving him full power to decree annihilation upon them. But this, too, was the Yad Hashem. For later, when Esther would reveal that Haman sought to harm her, Achashverosh would now possess full independent authority to decree death upon Haman without consulting anyone else. The very mechanism Haman built for destruction became the instrument of his own downfall. The Megillah teaches us how to connect events in our own lives and recognize the Yad Hashem within them. When we step back, it becomes obvious how intimately Hashem is involved in each and every one of our lives. Someone recently sent me a story that was told by Sruli Shain on Stories to Inspire. He heard it firsthand from Shuli Rosenblum, who works at Bagel Hole in Brooklyn. One Friday afternoon, Shuli Rosenblum decided to bring home some leftover chocolate chip muffins from the bagel store for his family. On his way home, he stopped by his parents' house to visit his father, who had injured his leg and was resting with it elevated. He wished his parents Shabbat Shalom and left the muffins there so they could give them to the grandchildren if they came to visit. Mr. Rosenblum had his leg elevated on a special motorized footrest attached to his recliner, controlled by a lever on the side of the chair. Early Shabbat morning, at around 5:00 a.m., he woke up and began learning Chumash while sitting in that chair. He dozed off. His sefer slipped from his hands and struck the lever on the side of the chair, causing the entire chair to reposition forward. Not only could he no longer elevate his leg, he could not sit in the chair properly at all. Since he needed his leg elevated to recover, he went outside to see if anyone was walking by who could help him. He saw a man and tried to explain what had happened. The man responded, "Don't worry. I'm a Shabbos goy. I know exactly what to do." He came inside and fixed the chair. Before the man left, Mr. Rosenblum wanted to give him something in appreciation. He offered him one of the kosher chocolate chip muffins that his son had brought over the day before. The man suddenly turned pale. "I can't believe this," he said. "G-d really watches over His people." He explained that he works as a caretaker. Every Saturday morning, he visits an elderly Jew in his nineties, Mr. Fried. He helps him get ready for shul, gives him something to eat, and then accompanies him there. Usually, Mr. Fried's wife buys him a muffin for breakfast. But that Friday, she arrived at the bakery too late, and they were already closed. The caretaker assumed they would not know the difference and bought a chocolate chip muffin from a non-kosher grocery store. He was on his way to give it to Mr. Fried when he was unexpectedly stopped at 5:30 in the morning and offered a kosher chocolate chip muffin instead. Both men stood there in awe at how perfectly timed their encounter had been. After Shabbat, Mr. Rosenblum called the Fried family to tell them what had happened. They were even more moved. They explained that their father would often tell them that during the Holocaust, there were times he did not eat for days because he refused to eat anything non-kosher. Now, decades later, Hashem protected him once again, ensuring that his lifelong commitment to kashrut remained intact, even though he had no idea what was unfolding behind the scenes. Hashem is involved in every moment of every person's life.

The pasuk says that Amalek attacked the Jewish People when they were in רפידים and Chazal tell us the reason Amalek was able to attack was because רפו ידיהם מן התורה – the Jewish People became weakened in Torah. Rabbi Menashe Reizman quoted from the Shem M'Shmuel who said in the name of his father the Avnei Nezer that Amelek attacked around the 29 th day of Iyar, just about a week before the Jewish People received the Torah on Har Sinai. At that time, they were counting Sefirat HaOmer , they knew they were rising each day out of the 49 th level of tuma they had been in and they knew they were going to reach the highest levels of kedusha , so how were they able to become weakened in Torah at a time like that? The answer is because they didn't feel any tangible change inside of them. They weren't feeling more spiritual. More than 40 days of the counting had passed and yet they still felt the same as they did before. That caused them to become weak and that was how Amalek was able to attack. The Tiferet Shlomo writes the same thing is happening during this long galut . Without a question we are at the doorstep of Mashiach and when he comes, the Navi tells us, ישפוך ה' רוחו על כל בשר ונבאו בניכם ובנותיכם – Hashem is going to bestow His spirit upon us and our children are going to be nevi'im. We would think that at this time we should feel 99% of the way there, we should feel imbued with the spirit of Hashem, ready to receive prophecy. Yet, in reality, we don't feel that way. The reason, he says, Hashem did it this way is because if we felt like the level we were actually on, it would take away our free will. The enjoyment from those feelings would make it too easy for us to choose good over evil. We are always going to have the Amalek inside of us saying, You're not accomplishing anything. See, you don't feel it. This attitude has caused so many people to become weak in their avodat Hashem. The Jewish People didn't feel the growth that they had a week before Matan Torah , but how great were they in actuality? The following week they received the ultimate level of prophecy, they reached the ultimate level a person could possibly be on, hearing the voice, kavayachol , of HaKadosh Baruch Hu . They had a misunderstanding, they really were on a high level, it's just that Hashem didn't allow them to feel that way, so He could balance their free will. The same applies to us today. A person who is learning and growing might say to himself, I don't feel any change. The Amalek inside of him is saying, you're not growing, the Torah's not affecting you. And because in reality the person doesn't have the feeling he is looking for, he believes Amalek. We must strengthen ourselves and realize, every avodah we do is making us so great. We are rising higher and higher in anticipation of greeting the Mashiach . Specifically because we live in such a depraved world, it makes our avodah that much more valuable. If we stay the course, we will see how much of an effect Torah and mitzvot really is having on us. B'ezrat Hashem, we should merit that glorious day when the Mashiach will come and Hashem will rest His spirit upon us.

There is a fundamental difference between the miracle of Purim and the miracles of the other holidays. On the other holidays, the salvation came through open miracles. The rules of nature were overturned for all to see — the sea split, enemies fell, and the hand of Hashem was revealed in a way no one could deny. Purim, however, was very different. Everything unfolded through what appeared to be the natural course of events. Only someone who studies the entire chain of occurrences over those nine years can see how every detail was being guided and arranged by Hashem to bring salvation to Am Yisrael. This is the greatness of Megillat Esther, where the hashgachah of Hashem is highlighted, teaching us how to recognize Hashem in our own lives the very same way. We do not see open miracles today, but we can certainly see the guiding hand of Hashem in everything that happens to us each and every day. The hashgachah of Hashem is upon everything. Every last detail of every single event is being carefully planned and orchestrated by Hashem for our good. Nothing is random and nothing is overlooked. The more we train ourselves to notice this, the more clearly we will begin to see Hashem's presence in our lives. Megillat Esther was written not merely to tell us what happened then, but to teach us how to view what is happening now. Just as Hashem arranged every seemingly natural event in the Purim story to bring about salvation, so too He arranges every detail in our own lives with the same loving precision. A man related that he was called on a Friday to repair something in a large school building. Since there were no classes that day, only the office staff were present. He entered the assigned room, fixed what needed fixing, and prepared to leave. Instead of exiting through the door he had used to enter, he noticed another door marked "Exit" and went out through it. The door shut behind him — and locked. He suddenly realized he was trapped in a small corridor with no way out. Someone would have to open the door from the other side. He quickly called the school office, but there was no answer. Then he noticed his phone battery was about to die. He forced himself to stay calm and think. What was the shortest, most effective call he could make before the battery died? He called his wife and quickly told her he was stuck in the school and needed someone to open the door. She didn't even have time to respond before the phone went dead. Baruch Hashem, the message got through. She came to the school, found someone, and they opened the door. When he finally stepped outside, he breathed a sigh of relief and said, "If my battery had died ten seconds earlier, I would have been trapped here the entire Shabbat." But his wife, with simple and pure emunah, replied with a sentence that completely changed his understanding: "If the battery had died earlier, Hashem would never have brought you here in the first place — because He wanted you home for Shabbat." At that moment, the man realized something profound. We often thank Hashem for the miracle we see at the end of the story. But true emunah means recognizing that the entire situation was arranged from the beginning so that the outcome could unfold exactly as it did. The battery did not almost die too early. It had precisely the amount of charge it was meant to have — not one percent more, and not one percent less. A person may think his salvation depended on quick thinking, on making the right phone call, or on the last bar of battery. In truth, the salvation began long before, exactly as Hashem planned it. The battery did not save him. Hashem saved him. And once Hashem decided he would be home for Shabbat, no locked door, no empty building, and no dying phone could change that. Hashem calculates our lives down to the smallest details. Our job is to learn to recognize His loving hand in everything that takes place.

The Zohar HaKadosh (Vayikra ק״ד ) teaches that because Hashem is so loving and merciful, when a harsh decree hangs over a person, Hashem sends him a precious gift that can help annul it. That gift often comes in the form of a mitzvah opportunity. The example the Zohar gives is when a poor person comes asking for charity. If the person seizes the opportunity and gives with generosity and a good heart, he draws upon himself a special protection that can ward off the decree. The Midrash in Vayikra Rabbah teaches: יותר ממה שבעל הבית עושה עם העני — העני עושה עם בעל הבית — more than the giver does for the poor man, the poor man does for the giver. The poor man grants the giver life, livelihood, and success. A giver may feel the poor person is indebted to him, but in truth, it is often the other way around. Rabbi Sneer Guetta related a story he heard from someone who knew it firsthand. It took place about forty years ago in Israel. One day a man named Avi was arranging the bins in front of his vegetable store when he noticed an infant lying in a broken carriage, covered with a dirty blanket, with no adult nearby. He began asking the people around if the baby belonged to them, but they all said no. Avi waited several minutes and still no one came. Finally he saw a woman searching through a garbage pail and went over to ask her. She said the baby was hers and apologized for worrying him. Avi immediately understood that she was in desperate financial straits and told her that he wanted to take upon himself the responsibility of supporting her child. He instructed her to come once a month to pick up an envelope with money, and that whenever she needed, she could simply come to the store and take whatever food the baby required. The woman burst into tears and thanked him from the depths of her heart. And indeed, every month she came for the envelope, and often she came for food. This arrangement continued not for one year, not for two years, but for more than twenty years. Avi never told her "enough already." He never limited what she could take. Then one day he received a call from a young man who told him, "You are an angel sent from Heaven." Avi did not understand what he meant. The young man introduced himself as Shimon and said he was engaged to Emily — the girl Avi had been supporting for the past twenty years. Avi was overjoyed to hear she was engaged. Shimon continued that his own family was well-established and from now on he himself would support Emily, so Avi could stop preparing the monthly envelopes. To Shimon's surprise, Avi pleaded with him to allow him to continue supporting her. Shimon could not understand. She no longer needed the money. Why insist? Avi then told him the story. Twenty years earlier, Avi had become entangled with dangerous criminals. One day they came to his store armed with guns and attempted to kill him. Miraculously he escaped. Shaken, he went to a great rabbi to ask what he should do — whether he should flee the country or change his identity. The rabbi told him he was certain that Hashem operates by the principle of מדה כנגד מדה so that if he would give life to another, Hashem would give life to him. He advised Avi to find someone whose life he could sustain. Avi answered that he did not know of anyone. The rabbi told him to pray that Hashem would send him the opportunity. The very next day Avi found that abandoned baby outside his store. From that day forward, he understood that supporting her was the mission that was sustaining his own life. Now he begged to be allowed to continue. Shimon listened, but he still felt that once Emily no longer needed the support, it would not be proper tzedakah. He asked Avi to hold off on sending the next envelope while he considered the matter. That very week, the criminals returned — and this time they took Avi's life. It was clear that his allotted time had come, and that the twenty years Hashem had granted him through that mitzvah had reached their end. The man who told Rabbi Guetta this story had been at Avi's funeral and personally confirmed the details. Most of the time, the effects of giving are not so dramatic or visible. But the lesson remains the same: whenever we help another person or give charity, we must realize that it is we who are gaining the most.

There are times in life when a person's struggle is not only the difficulty he is facing, but the loneliness he feels while going through it. A person may believe in Hashem his entire life. He knows the teachings of emunah. He knows that Hashem runs the world — yet inside he is still shaking. Not because he stopped believing, but because the burden feels too heavy to carry alone. At such times, a few words of chizuk can give a person tremendous strength. A man once told me he had been going through a very painful situation. For months he was living with uncertainty about his livelihood. Every morning he woke up with the same knot in his stomach. He tried to learn, he tried to pray, but inside he felt drained. One day he spoke to his rabbi and told him everything he was going through. The rabbi listened with empathy and then told him that he needed to know that Hashem was worrying about his bills more than he was. Hashem loves him with an infinite love — more than a father could ever love his son — and would never abandon him in his time of need. The message lasted less than thirty seconds. Yet the man later said those few words lifted a weight off his chest that he had been carrying for months. Nothing changed externally. The bills were still there. The uncertainty was still there. But instead of feeling alone, he felt accompanied — and not just by anyone, but by the Creator of the world Who loves him so much. Within a few weeks, his situation changed for the better. He later said the salvation did not begin the day the money came. It began the day the rabbi reminded him that Hashem was with him. It should be pointed out that although words of chizuk can help tremendously, there is a time and a place for them. Sometimes a person is not ready to hear those words. He first needs a listening ear and empathy. Furthermore, it must come from the right person and be said in the right way, because if it is not delivered properly, it could have the opposite effect. But when the right words are spoken, they can do wonders. I read a story from the Chafetz Chaim Heritage Foundation about a girl named Rivka who discovered she had a serious kidney condition when she gave birth to her first baby. The medicine she was given not only failed to help, it attacked the nerves in her inner ear, leaving her constantly dizzy and nauseous. She could not even hold her new baby. The young mother was brokenhearted from all her troubles. One day she sought help from a neurologist experienced with vertigo. He told her there was not much he could do and that she should arrange for someone else to help care for her baby. She was so distraught by those words that she stumbled out of his office to the sidewalk and into a waiting cab, where her tears began to flow. After a few moments, the Jewish driver gently asked if he could listen to her problem. For some reason, Rivka later said, she told him her entire story. After hearing everything, he spoke in a tone that stirred her courage. "Listen," he said, "promise me that when you walk into the house you will be smiling. Then your husband and parents will smile. You are like the carousel. When you move, the horses move and the music plays. If you smile, everyone will smile too. I will see you again in the future, and you will be doing fine." Rivka never met that driver again. But his encouraging words changed her perspective and infused her with new energy. She was not the horse being dragged around in circles — she was the carousel. Whichever direction she chose, her world would move with her. Those wise and compassionate words became her motto during her difficult period and continued giving her the strength she needed to keep going through her ups and downs. The right words, spoken at the right time, can truly change a person's life.

Our rabbis teach that we were created to perform a mission in this world so that we may enjoy the eternal bliss of the next. The task we are given is to serve Hashem from the exact place and circumstances in which He puts us. Every person receives a different life and a different set of conditions. If he fulfills the role Hashem sent him here to perform within those conditions, he will merit the delights of the World to Come. The Gemara teaches that no human eye has ever seen what the World to Come truly is — only Hashem knows its nature. When a person leaves this world, his soul enters Gan Eden, the world of souls, but Olam HaBa will only begin after the days of Mashiach. If we could imagine gathering the greatest pleasures ever experienced in this world since the beginning of time, compressing them into a single capsule, and a person were to swallow it, the joy he would feel at that moment would not even approach one second of the pleasure of Olam HaBa. This world is fleeting and its pleasures are finite. The World to Come is everlasting, and its pleasure never ends. Everything that Hashem does with a person in this world is with both worlds in mind. Hashem wants us to have the ultimate eternal pleasure, and therefore He guides us here in the precise way needed to attain it. The Mesillat Yesharim describes the pleasure of the World to Come as the soul "basking in the radiance of the Shechinah." This is a spiritual delight beyond our comprehension, because we live in physical bodies. It is a closeness to Hashem so profound that the pleasure cannot be described. In His great love, Hashem even gave us ways to taste a faint semblance of that future bliss already in this world. The Chazon Ish wrote a sefer on Emunah and Bitachon that was not published during his lifetime. Some say this was because he did not want people to recognize the extraordinary heights of Emunah he had reached, which are evident from his writings. In that work he explains that when a person truly grasps the reality of Hashem's existence, he is immediately filled with a boundless inner jubilation. His soul becomes suffused with sweetness. He tastes the sweetness of Hashem, and his desire for physical pleasures begins to fall away, while his delicate neshamah becomes enveloped in holiness, almost as if it has separated from the body and risen to the highest heavens. A new world opens before him. It is possible for a person even in this world to have moments in which he resembles an angel and actually delights in the glory of Hashem. At such times, all the pleasures of this world are like nothing compared to the joy of cleaving to his beloved Creator. The Chazon Ish himself clearly experienced such moments. When a person internalizes the reality of Hashem's presence, he can already experience a taste of the eternal pleasures that await. The closer we draw to Hashem in this world and the more we cling to Him, the more pleasure we will experience — both here and in the next.

The pasuk says in this week's Parashat Terumah, וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָם Hashem commanded the Jewish people to make a Mishkan so that He could rest His Presence among them. Obviously, the Presence of Hashem cannot be contained in a physical building. Perhaps one of the lessons we can learn from here is that if we make a place for Hashem to come into our lives, He will reveal His Presence to us in ways that can transcend nature. How do we make that place? By believing in His control and His abilities. The Be'er HaParasha related a story that recently took place, heard directly from the man involved. A man whom we'll call Yehuda had just merited his first baby after four years of marriage. Last year on Chol HaMoed Pesach he was learning the sefer Netivot Shalom, and there he read that if a person has proper emunah — namely, that nothing is hard for Hashem and He can always help no matter what the issue is — then he can merit his own personal Keriat Yam Suf. The sefer advised having those thoughts and feelings especially on the seventh day of Pesach, when Keriat Yam Suf occurred. Yehuda came home that day very excited to put into practice what he had just learned. He was going to work on believing that Hashem can do anything, including giving him and his wife a baby. He also invited his sister to stay with them for Shevi'i shel Pesach, as she had been struggling with shidduchim for almost seven years. He wanted her to also have this emunah so she could have her very own Keriat Yam Suf as well. They read stories about emunah and statements of Chazal about Hashem, and they truly took to heart that Hashem could help them in an instant. They felt so strong in their emunah that they could already feel the joy of salvation. Now, less than a year later, on the Sunday of Parashat Beshalach, this sister celebrated her wedding. And on Tuesday of Parashat Beshalach, Yehuda and his wife celebrated the birth of their very first baby. True belief in Hashem's salvation can do wonders. A woman told me she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and was instructed to schedule surgery immediately to have it removed. The doctors sounded very negative and instilled a great deal of fear in her. She is a woman who learns emunah daily and refused to let the diagnosis overtake her. She focused on emunah, on Hashem, and on praying, and two weeks later the surgery was done. They told her they believed they removed everything, but she would need months of chemotherapy going forward. She asked them to please take a biopsy before starting any chemo. They told her it was ninety-nine percent certain cancer and she would definitely need treatment. She answered, "I am going to be from the one percent. Please check it." She then went and strengthened her emunah even more, reviewing articles she had saved about how doctors' prognoses are meaningless when it comes to Hashem. She even sent them to her family to strengthen them as well. At the next appointment she asked again if they had taken the biopsy. Once again they told her it was ninety-nine percent a problem, but they had done the test and were waiting for results. Once again she said, "Ninety-nine percent means there is one percent that it is fine, and I believe Hashem can put me in that one percent." The next day, Erev Shabbat, she received a call from one of the doctors who told her, "Your prayers must have been answered. Everything is fine. You don't need any chemotherapy." She felt the greatest feeling — the feeling of Hashem's salvation, the feeling that her emunah was rewarded. She was overwhelmed with gratitude. The more we want Hashem in our lives, the more He reveals Himself to us. Shabbat Shalom.

The pasuk tells us that Hashem will always remember the kindness we did for Him when we left Mitzrayim. What was that kindness? לֶכְתֵּךְ אַחֲרַי בַּמִּדְבָּר בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא זְרוּעָה — we followed Hashem into a desert, into a land with no vegetation. In an extraordinary display of bitachon, the Jewish people went with their families, even their young children, into a place where, in the natural order of the world, they could have died of starvation. Yet they trusted fully that Hashem would provide for them. They could never have imagined that food would literally rain down from Heaven. They did not know how their needs would be met — but they went anyway, relying on Hashem. Why is this called a chesed? One explanation is that just as a parent cherishes when a child trusts him, so too Hashem cherishes when we trust in Him. Imagine a young child learning to swim while his parent stands in the water and tells him to jump. Beyond teaching the child how to swim, the parent wants the child to trust him — to feel secure that he will be caught and protected. Hashem loves us more than any parent could ever love a child, and He wants us to feel secure in the knowledge that He will care for us. When we trust Him, He considers that a kindness we are doing for Him. When the Jewish people placed their trust in Hashem, He surrounded them with the Clouds of Glory and gave them mann from the heavens. The pasuk testifies that one who trusts in Hashem is surrounded by His kindness- הַבּוֹטֵחַ בַּה׳ חֶסֶד יְסוֹבְבֶנּוּ . If someone is struggling financially — or facing any challenge — and finds himself lying awake at night consumed by worry, he should realize that he has a precious opportunity to do a chesed for Hashem by placing his trust in Him. If he can calm himself and feel secure in the awareness that Hashem runs the world and his life, and that He will provide in the best possible way, then he has accomplished this chesed. Hashem knows what is in a person's heart, so the feeling must be genuine. A person can strengthen this by learning sefarim on emunah and bitachon. And when he does this chesed for Hashem, Hashem in turn surrounds him with chesed. A young woman told me that a few years ago her father told the family he was struggling badly in business. It became so severe that he feared he would not be able to afford the necessities for the upcoming Yom Tov. But instead of becoming anxious, he calmed his family and told them that Hashem had always taken care of them and that all they needed to do now was trust in Him. His bitachon was contagious, and the entire family felt a sense of calm even during that very difficult time. He did not tell a single person about his situation. He spoke only to Hashem. A few days before Yom Tov, some friends came to his home with a large package. They explained that they had long appreciated how much he had helped them in the past, and now they wanted to express their hakarat hatov. They brought hundreds of dollars' worth of meat and groceries — along with an envelope containing thousands of dollars in cash. This family performed a chesed for Hashem by trusting in Him, and He performed a chesed for them by surrounding them with His kindness.

The Gemara says that one of the things that constantly needs chizuk is tefillah. We know in the back of our minds how great tefillah is, but when it is not at the forefront, we may unwittingly fail to take full advantage of it. In Pressburg, where the Ketav Sofer served as the rabbi, a non-Jewish worker once stole the wallet of the head of the city in broad daylight. The official was so outraged that he ordered the entire police force to focus on finding the thief. The worker hid the wallet in the home of the Jew he worked for. When the police searched the house, they found the wallet and immediately jailed the Jew. The head of the city ordered the death penalty. When the Ketav Sofer heard that this innocent Jewish family man was suddenly on death row, he did everything in his power to save him. He spoke to leaders and dignitaries, but nothing helped. The evening before the execution, he made one last desperate attempt — again without success. He returned home exhausted and distraught and eventually fell asleep. In his dream, his father, The Chatam Sofer, appeared with an angry expression and asked how he could sleep while an innocent Jew was about to be killed. The Ketav Sofer replied that he had tried everything in his power but could not free him. The Chatam Sofer answered, "What do you mean you tried everything? Why didn't you pray?" At that moment the Ketav Sofer awoke. He immediately gathered the people of the city to the shul, and they spent the entire night crying out in tefillah. The next morning, the authorities decided to re-examine the case. When they questioned the gentile worker again, he confessed — and the Jew was saved. Sometimes we forget the most important hishtadlut we can make: tefillah. A woman told me she had begun saying a special Yehi Ratzon in the berachah of Hashivenu Avinu LeToratecha , praying that her son should grow closer to Hashem. The progress, she said, has been unbelievable. Her son improved in ways she never could have imagined. A man related to me that he was facing severe financial hardship. One of his most urgent problems was an unpaid electric bill of over $15,000. He had already received multiple shut-off notices, and it seemed only a matter of time before the electricity would be cut. Every time he came home, the first thing he did was check whether the power was still on. He tried hinting to relatives for help, but nothing materialized. He applied for a city assistance program and received only $50 a month. Realizing how desperate the situation was, he decided to focus intensely on heartfelt tefillah. He prayed like never before, believing that Hashem could create a salvation he could not foresee. With no real plan, he called the electric company once again — something he had already done many times. The representative repeated what all the others had said: the best she could offer was a 12-month payment plan with a large down payment. He asked if there was anything else possible, explaining how much he was struggling. This time, she did something no other representative had done. She asked a series of detailed questions about his finances and placed him on hold. During those moments, he again poured out his heart to Hashem. When she returned, she told him she could offer a payment plan of $10 a month for the next 125 years — something completely unheard of. His next bill reflected the change, adding only $10 to his regular monthly charge. He had been told repeatedly that they never offer more than a 12-month plan, and suddenly he received a 125-year plan. Tefillah can accomplish wonders. But it is up to us to give it the importance it truly deserves.

As mentioned previously, one of the reasons Hashem may give a person suffering in this world is to save him from something far worse. Sometimes a person endures such hardship that he cannot imagine anything being worse. It is important to remember that there are endless reasons why a person may have to suffer, even if he is completely righteous. The Chovot HaLevavot in Shaar HaBitachon lists several possibilities and then cautions that we will never be able to determine why any individual is experiencing what he is going through. Hashem has a different calculation for every person, and only He knows the true reasons. What we do need to know is that whatever the reason may be, when a person eventually discovers why Hashem dealt with him this way — whether when Mashiach comes or when he reaches the next world — he will be grateful for every moment of the life Hashem gave him. If he can trust in Hashem now and accept it with joy even before understanding, his spiritual level will rise tremendously and his reward will be beyond imagination. One of the explanations given by the Chovot HaLevavot for why a tzaddik may suffer in this world is that through that suffering, Hashem grants him a far greater Olam Haba. We know from Chazal that even the faintest taste of Olam Haba is more pleasurable than all the delights of this world combined. And Olam Haba is eternal, while this world is temporary. But how does suffering here produce a higher Olam Haba? One explanation is based on the teaching of Chazal that one mitzvah performed with difficulty is worth far more than the same mitzvah performed easily. When someone is going through hardship, illness, or pain and still manages to perform a mitzvah, still manages to pray, still manages to learn, everything he does carries infinitely greater value. One minute of his avodah may outweigh hours of effortless service. Two people may be praying in the same shul, learning in the same class, appearing identical in this world. Yet in the next world, one may stand far higher than the other — because the effort required of him was so much greater. For him, getting to shul or opening a sefer demanded real sacrifice, while the other person had it easy. We do not ask for hardship, because we fear we may not accept it properly. But if hardship does come, we must understand that it carries within it a golden opportunity to earn reward beyond anything we can imagine. It may be that someone who appears to be an ordinary Jew in this world is in truth among the greatest of the generation — not because of how much he accomplishes , but because of what he must endure to accomplish whatever he does manage to accomplish. He keeps going with a smile. He keeps doing mitzvot even when it is painfully difficult. He keeps his emunah in Hashem even when life feels unbearably hard. This may also explain the Gemara which tells that when Rav Yosef became ill, his soul briefly departed and then returned. Afterward he said he saw an upside-down world — those who appeared lowly here were elevated there, and those who appeared elevated here were low there. His father told him, "You saw a clear world." A person who looks like a simple Jew down here may occupy the highest place in the upper world because of the enormous difficulty he faces in serving Hashem within the life he was given. There are infinite reasons for suffering in this world. For now, our task is to trust that every one of them is for the best. If a person can accept that Hashem is doing what is best for him and continue to serve Him with joy, he will merit the highest places in Olam Haba for all eternity.

When a person experiences any kind of suffering, he must understand that it comes only from the great love that Hashem has for him. The Tanach as well as Chazal are filled with statements attesting to this truth. When a person internalizes this and wholeheartedly accepts that Hashem is actually helping him when he has a difficulty, it is a wondrous expression of emunah, which is heavily rewarded in the next world. We must remind ourselves of this again and again, because when a person is hurting, he naturally wants to complain and bemoan his fate. There is a story brought down in the introduction to the sefer Divrei Yechezkel Shraga about Rabbi Yosef Teitelbaum, who served as the rav of a large city in Europe before the Holocaust. He took care of all the city's religious needs, and they paid his rent and supported him. One day, his non-Jewish landlord informed him that he was selling their apartment and they would have to vacate within the month. At that time, there were no other apartments available for rent in the city, and this meant the rabbi would not only lose his apartment, but his entire community and life's work, as he would have to move to a new city. A few days later, an argument broke out on a street corner between two women from the community. They were each saying hurtful words to each other. At one point, one of the women said to the other, "You are a difficult and terrible person. Even the rebbetzin said you're a dangerous woman." The other woman, hurt by this accusation, was filled with anger toward the rebbetzin for supposedly saying that. She immediately went to the rebbetzin's house and knocked on her door. The rebbetzin answered with a pleasant smile, but the woman burst out loudly and publicly, "How dare you say I'm a difficult and bad woman? Shame on you. You're a miserable woman yourself." The rebbetzin froze in shock. She had no idea what this woman was talking about. She told the woman she had never said anything of the sort, but the other woman was so swept away by her emotions that she continued mercilessly attacking the rebbetzin with harsh words. The rebbetzin could not bear the shame. She ran to her room, locked the door, and burst into tears. She sobbed bitterly. "Ribono Shel Olam I can't endure all of these hardships. First we find out that we have to leave the kehillah that we invested our entire lives in, from which we earn our livelihood and feed our children. And now this terrible pain and humiliation that is unbearable. Why so much suffering?" The rebbetzin cried until she fell asleep. Suddenly, the image of her holy father, Rav Yechezkel Shraga, appeared to her in a dream. He said, "I am ashamed of you, my daughter. Your crying and complaining is bringing me shame and pain in the upper world. "There was a harsh decree, and you were supposed to pass away. I exerted all of my strength to be an advocate for you and your children to annul the decree and keep you alive. After begging and pleading for mercy, my request was accepted. "It was decided in Shamayim to replace the decree with suffering instead. Your landlord would cause you distress by telling you he was going to sell your apartment so that you would have to leave behind your entire life and livelihood for an unknown future. As well, you would be shamed in public. "This was to give you a new life for years to come. How could you be crying and complaining?" The rebbetzin woke up in a sweat, remembering every detail she had just seen. A few minutes later, the woman returned to apologize. She had found out the other woman made it up, and she felt horrible for the way she acted. The rebbetzin told her not to worry. It was all for her best. A few hours later, the landlord came to say that he had decided not to sell the apartment and they could stay living there. The rebbetzin then shared with her husband all that had happened and felt terrible for not accepting her suffering with love. Rabbi Tzvi Nakar quoted the Baal Shem Tov, who said that every time suffering befalls a Jew and he accepts it without complaining, he builds immeasurable structures for himself in Shamayim. He elevates Hashem's honor and brings tikkunim that could not have been accomplished any other way. We always have to remember that Hashem is acting in our best interests, even if sometimes it hurts.

The pasuk says in this week's parashah Mishpatim, regarding one who injures another, וְרַפֹּא יְרַפֵּא — verapoh yerapeh. Chazal learn from those words that a doctor was given permission to heal. The Gemara explains that one might have thought that since illness comes from Hashem, perhaps people do not have the right to intervene. The Torah therefore explicitly grants permission. The Torah uses a double expression — verapoh yerapeh. One explanation is that although the visible healer may be the doctor, we know that the true healer is HaKadosh Baruch Hu. Hashem commands us to go to doctors because He wants the world to function through teva, through natural means. Therefore, we must take medications, we must follow treatment instructions, and we must do our hishtadlut. At the same time, we must know the entire time that healing will only come if Hashem decrees that it should. There have been times when the greatest specialists gave a grim prognosis and suddenly everything turned around and the patient recovered. There have been times when treatment options appeared limited, yet the body responded far beyond expectations. There have been times when two people received the exact same diagnosis, went to the same doctor, followed the same treatments, and yet their outcomes were completely different. Why? Because Hashem decided that this one would be healed and that one would not. Believing that Hashem is the One who brings the healing is a tremendous zechut which can hasten the process. It is not easy to maintain that clarity when we are sitting in doctors' offices, filling prescriptions, and pursuing every possible avenue to get better. And that is precisely why the zechut of seeing through all of it is so great. We have seen so many times when we thought healing would come through one channel, and in the end it came from somewhere completely different. That is a reminder that it is not the avenue that brings the healing — it is only Hashem. Rabbi Rosen from A-Time shared a story that began in 2017. Their organization had developed an innovative medical machine for couples struggling with infertility who had already exhausted every option. When the rabbi shared the news of the discovery, many childless couples felt renewed hope, especially a man named Binyamin and his wife, who had already been waiting for ten long years. After so many disappointments, this finally seemed promising. As they waited for final approval to use the machine, obstacles began to mount. There were restrictions, safety concerns, and endless regulatory requirements. Before anything could proceed, laboratory testing had to verify that the laser and special dye were safe. Then the hospital stalled. Months turned into years. With every delay, the window of opportunity for Binyamin and his wife was narrowing. In the end, they were forced to confront the painful reality that this path was no longer viable. A-Time then attempted to pursue a similar approach in Israel, where regulations were somewhat more flexible and innovation could move faster. They acquired another machine and began testing there. Hope was renewed. Then COVID struck, and everything came to a halt. When the world gradually reopened, they resumed where they had left off. They sent samples to one of the most advanced genetic teams in the world. The results that came back were devastating. The project would not succeed. Binyamin and his wife felt their hope drain away once more. It seemed that nothing else could be done, that the road had ended. Yet with Hashem running the world, there is always hope. Out of nowhere, a group of infertility specialists discovered a new technique utilizing modern technology. The Borei Refu'ot revealed yet another pathway for healing. Baruch Hashem, after nineteen long years of waiting, just a few months ago, Binyamin and his wife were blessed with their own baby. Hashem is the only Healer. We must place our bitachon in Him. With Hashem's help, He will open our eyes to see the cures He has already created for every illness in the world. Shabbat Shalom.

There are people who have to face overwhelming challenges in life. A potentially fatal illness that turns their world upside down. Suddenly, the entire focus of their lives changes. What was once taken for granted is now put into question. Some people have to endure great difficulties when it comes to shidduchim. Rejection, disappointment, and loneliness are just some of the issues they have to confront. Others face the test of infertility. Their dream of raising a family is thrown into doubt, and they find it difficult to focus on anything else. To go through even one of these challenges is a daunting task that requires enormous strength and perseverance. One of the hardest parts of any challenge is the feeling that it may never end. What if the illness cannot be cured? What if I never find my zivug? What if I never have a child? Those thoughts can slowly eat away at a person. But for this, Hashem gave us a precious gift. The gift of emunah—an understanding that there is always hope. Even if the doctors do not have a cure, Hashem can create one. Even if the shadchanim have not called for years, Hashem can still send a shidduch. And even if there seems to be no natural path to having a child, Hashem can still make it happen. The length of time that has passed is irrelevant. The moment Hashem decides that salvation should come, it will come. For someone striving to live with emunah, hearing stories of others with similar challenges who were helped brings tremendous chizuk. The proper attitude is not to feel left out and wonder why others were helped while I was not. Rather, it is to say: Just as Hashem helped them, He can help me. These stories are meant to instill strength and hope, to reinforce the belief that salvation can arrive in the blink of an eye. Recently, at the ATIME Shasathon, a man named Yosef Chaim shared how he faced not just one of the challenges mentioned above, but all three: battling a potentially fatal illness, struggling with shidduchim, and confronting infertility. The odds were stacked against him on every front, yet his emunah and inner strength allowed him to grow through them. He was diagnosed with a tumor. After a ten-hour surgery to remove it, his brain had forgotten how to walk. He was left immobile. After enduring infections and additional surgeries, he relearned how to walk—but then the tumor returned. Again and again it came back. He underwent five surgeries and extensive chemotherapy. As a side effect of the multiple operations, doctors told him he would never be able to walk again. When the tumor returned once more, they decided to try something new—a medication recently developed for a different form of cancer. Miraculously, it worked. Against all odds, the Borei Refu'ot granted him a new lease on life. During that same period, his mother was diagnosed with a similar form of cancer, and lo aleinu, she passed away from it. After losing his ability to walk and then losing his mother, Yosef Chaim went to receive chizuk from Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky. He asked how we can say that Hashem is malei rachamim—filled with mercy—when his life felt like the opposite of mercy. After a few minutes of silence, the Rav answered gently: Hashem being merciful is a reality. That is who He is. There is nothing but mercy when it comes to Hashem. If we do not see it, it is only because we are unable to understand Him. Those words gave Yosef Chaim tremendous chizuk. Shidduchim were naturally difficult for someone confined to a wheelchair. To make matters even harder, doctors told him that in all probability he would not be able to have children. But the Mezaveg Zivugim has already prepared a match for every person, and when Hashem wants it to happen, it will happen. Yosef Chaim was set up on a shidduch, and it progressed beautifully. His rabbi advised him to disclose the infertility concern on the fourth date. Remarkably, she agreed to continue. Baruch Hashem, they were married. Eventually, with Hashem's help—and with ATIME serving as the messenger—against all odds, they became the proud parents of a baby boy. Although Yosef Chaim endured so many struggles, he witnessed miracle after miracle, as Hashem guided him through each one. Everyone can be healed. Everyone can get married. Everyone can have children. We must always maintain hope and continue praying to HaKadosh Baruch Hu to help us through all of our challenges.

There are people who do the right thing, making a difficult decision guided by the Torah, fully expecting to one day see the good that will come from it. Yet sometimes, not only do they fail to see any immediate benefit, but with time it can even appear as though the decision was a mistake. Years pass, and from our limited vantage point it may look as if the person actually lost by doing what Hashem wanted. But Hashem does not test a person only for a week, a month, or even a year. At times, tests in emunah are designed to last for decades. Throughout those years, the Yetzer Hara repeatedly tries to convince the person to regret his decision and to discourage him from making similar choices in the future. But the rule never changes. A person always gains by following Hashem. No one ever fulfilled His will and lost as a result. It may look like a loss, because that is part of the test, but in the end the person will see that he only gained, and that the gain was far greater than he could have ever imagined. The longer the test lasts, the greater the reward. When a person must hold on to his emunah for many years, continuing to trust that choosing correctly will ultimately bring blessing, the reward becomes exponentially greater. Eventually, he will see not only how much he gained in this world, but even more so how much he gained in the next. The Be'er HaParashah related a story of a man from Israel, whom we will call Shemuel. Shortly after his marriage, Shemuel received a very large inheritance, enough at the time to purchase two apartments outright, without any mortgage. He planned to invest the money in real estate so that one day he could give apartments to his children when they married. Before doing anything, he went to ask a rabbi for guidance. The rabbi advised him to invest the money in a loan gemach instead. The funds would help many people over the years, and when the time came, the money would still be there. This, the rabbi said, would be a far better investment. Shemuel accepted the advice. Twenty years later, when his first son was ready to get married, he withdrew the money from the gemach. By then, housing prices had skyrocketed, and the amount was no longer enough to buy even one standard apartment. He began questioning himself: Why did I ask the rabbi? Friends added to the pain, telling him that when it comes to investing money, one should consult financial experts, not rabbis. But the story did not end there. Several years later, after Shemuel merited, with Hashem's help, to marry off all eight of his children, he reflected on the entire shidduch process and realized something remarkable. Six of his children received full apartments from their in-laws. Two received only partial help. At that moment, Hashem illuminated his mind with a powerful insight. According to his own calculations, the inheritance should have been enough to easily take care of two children, while for the remaining six he would have had to struggle mightily to raise the necessary funds. In reality, Hashem reversed the picture entirely. The six children for whom he had no plan and no money were completely taken care of from Heaven. The two children he thought he was financially prepared for were the ones for whom he had to contribute significantly from his own pocket. It took many years for him to recognize the good hidden within his decision, and throughout that time the Yetzer Hara tried to convince him to regret it. In the end, as always, he gained far more than he could have ever dreamed of. And that is only what was visible. The true gains are infinitely greater. When a person can hold on to his emunah for years, trusting in Hashem's system even when the results are delayed, he will see that he did not only gain in this world. His greatest reward is preserved for all eternity.

When people are in need of a yeshuah and are looking to gain extra zechuyot, they naturally want to know what they can do to earn them. In general, every person knows his own shortcomings, and correcting something that a person is doing wrong is itself a great zechut. In addition, strengthening the belief that Hashem alone is in charge of giving a person what he needs is also a tremendous zechut. The pasuk says, ברוך הגבר אשר יבטח בה׳ והיה ה׳ מבטחו — "Blessed is the man who trusts in Hashem, and Hashem will be his security." When we truly believe that Hashem alone controls what we need, He shows us that by providing it. The Chovot HaLevavot writes in Shaar HaBitachon that one of the criteria for being considered someone who truly has bitachon in Hashem is knowing that Hashem is fully aware of our thoughts and the feelings in our heart. Therefore, it is not proper for a person to tell others that he has bitachon if, in truth, his heart is not there yet. If a person presents himself as someone who has bitachon while internally relying on other things, that creates a desecration of Hashem's honor if the salvation does not come, because people will think that someone who trusts in Hashem was not helped. A person might act outwardly like someone with bitachon, but in his heart he may still be trusting in people, effort, or natural systems. The Chovot HaLevavot compares this to the pasuk בְּפִיו וּבִשְׂפָתָיו כִּבְּדוּנִי וְלִבּוֹ רִחַק מִמֶּנִּי -describing how the Jewish people sometimes honored Hashem with their mouths, while their hearts were distant from Him. When a person truly has bitachon in Hashem, it is considered a great honor to Him. When we believe that no person and no effort has independent power over what happens, and that only Hashem controls outcomes, that itself is a form of honoring Hashem, and that is a tremendous zechut. But it is something that cannot be faked. Hashem knows whether our hearts truly believe what we are saying. When they do, in the zechut of the honor we give Hashem through our bitachon, He, so to speak, honors the person by bringing his salvation. The pasuk tells us in Divrei HaYamim that King Asa placed his trust in doctors when he became ill, and not in Hashem, and as a result he did not receive the salvation he hoped for. In every area of life, we need to do the inner work and truly believe that only Hashem can help us. If we can bring our hearts to feel that way, it is a great honor to Hashem, and Hashem rewards that. It is possible that a person was not originally destined to receive a certain salvation, but in the merit of his bitachon, he receives it anyway. Bitachon is a tremendous zechut, aside from the fact that it is a major part of serving Hashem and is a mitzvah in its own right. One of our main jobs in this world is to see past nature and truly believe that Hashem is controlling everything. I read a story about a man who needed a very large sum of money and had no natural way of obtaining it. Instead of praying for the money itself, he prayed to Hashem to help him have proper bitachon. He asked Hashem to strengthen his bitachon and give him an unwavering feeling in his heart that Hashem, and only Hashem, would be the One to provide the money, and that Hashem is full of chesed and wants to help us. He later said that when he needed the money, Baruch Hashem, it came. There is nothing that compares to true feelings of bitachon in Hashem.

The Chovot HaLevavot writes that one of the reasons Hashem created us with the need to eat and drink, and with the need to earn a livelihood to provide for all of our other needs, is because we must pass tests in this world in order to gain Olam Haba. The wisdom of Hashem saw that tests in these areas would reveal whether we are truly servants of Hashem, because these needs are so vital to our very existence and therefore feel so critical in our eyes. Hashem wants us to make efforts in these areas in the ways He instructed us, and He wants us to trust that He is the One who is in charge of the results. When the Jewish people followed Hashem into the desert, trusting that He would provide for all their needs, it was so precious to Him that we are still benefiting today from that zechut. The Torah tells us that in the desert, the Jewish people went three days without water, and when they finally found water, it was bitter. The pasuk tells us explicitly that this was a test, to see if they would complain or trust in Hashem, and unfortunately they failed. Before Hashem sent the mann , the Jewish people first ran out of food. That too was a test, to see if they would complain or trust in Him. Then when Hashem did give the mann , He gave it in a way that tested them daily, and He even told them in advance that it was going to be a test. Throughout the forty years in the desert, they always ended up receiving whatever they needed. The delays and the process were all part of Hashem's plan to test them, and the same is true for us. Hashem provides for everyone. The process may sometimes be difficult, but we must recognize that we are being called upon to overcome a test in that area. Hashem wants us to show Him that we trust Him. We never abandon mitzvot because of struggle. It should be just the opposite. When we are struggling, that is when we are meant to strengthen ourselves and serve Hashem even better. In the end, we will see how every moment of our lives was calculated and what we were meant to gain spiritually from each moment. We never want to look back and regret how we reacted. Hashem will get a person through all of his struggles, but our job is to maintain our emunah throughout. A man told me that he was struggling in business, and it caused him to turn away from Hashem. He complained and became bitter about his life. Recently, things turned around for him, and he now feels terrible about how he behaved. He wishes he could go back and react differently, but those months are gone forever. Another man told me that he began listening to emunah classes this past year, and it transformed his life in many positive ways. Recently, he faced a situation at work that put his emunah to the test. He manages many accounts, and he received an email from his largest client instructing him to change their bank information and deposit their money into a new account. He followed the instructions. Only afterward did he discover that the client had never sent that email. It was fraud. It appeared that he had just lost half a million dollars. The money had already been transferred, and since it was his responsibility, he was expected to reimburse the account. He tried contacting many important and influential people to reverse the transaction, but no one was able to help. This all happened on a Friday morning. When his wife found out, she warned the children to be careful how they spoke to their father that Shabbat, because she expected him to be extremely stressed and possibly short-tempered. That Shabbat, however, they could not believe what they saw. He was calm, composed, and even happy, just as usual. They asked him how he could possibly be so calm at a time like that. He told them that he fully believed it was all from Hashem and for his good. He said, "We received eight emails throughout the week about this, and it never even crossed our minds that it might be fraud. Hashem could have opened my eyes to see it, but He didn't. There is nothing to be upset about." His family was deeply inspired by his reaction. It made a lifelong impression on them. Baruch Hashem, on Monday morning he received word that the money was recovered and nothing was lost. It was all a test, one that he passed, and one that will benefit him for all eternity. One of our primary missions in this world is to trust in Hashem in everything that happens, especially in the area of parnassah.

Living Emunah 2891 The Power of a Simple Word of Praise When Yitro heard about how Hashem saved the Jewish people from Mitzrayim, he immediately exclaimed, "Baruch Hashem asher hitzil etchem." Baruch Hashem for saving you. As the pasuk says: וַיֹּאמֶר יִתְרוֹ בָּרוּךְ ה' אֲשֶׁר הִצִּיל אֶתְכֶם מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם וּמִיַּד פַּרְעֹה The Gemara says that the Jewish people were held accountable for not saying "Baruch Hashem" before Yitro did. Although they did sing the Az Yashir, the Be'er Yosef explains that they did not praise Hashem specifically for saving them from the dangers of Egypt and Pharaoh. Furthermore, they sang as a group with ruach hakodesh, whereas Yitro said his praise on his own. We have no idea how valuable it is when an individual says even one word of praise to Hashem. The Chachmei Kabbalah, who understand what takes place in the upper worlds, teach us that praising Hashem creates a massive impact in Shamayim. When Hashem is praised here, all the angels gather and praise Him above, and the honor of Hashem becomes glorified in both the upper and lower worlds. In Birkat Hamazon we say, "Ve'al hakol Hashem Elokeinu anachnu modim lach u'mevarchim et shemecha," and the Chesed La'alafim explains these words based on how the Alshich explains the pasuk: כִּי טוֹב חַסְדְּךָ מֵחַיִּים שְׂפָתַי יְשַׁבְּחוּנֶךָּ (תהלים ס״ג:ד)׳ There is a kindness that Hashem does for us that is greater than life itself. What is that kindness? That Hashem gives us the zechut to say His praises. The angels in Heaven wish they could say even one word of praise to Hashem in this world. In Shamayim, Hashem is revealed, and it is obvious that He should be praised. But in this world, Hashem is hidden, and we do not understand His ways. If someone in this world can say one word of praise, it is the greatest zechut. Those who have passed on and now see the glory of Hashem and the value of praising Him wish they could return to this world for just one moment to say one word of praise. This is the meaning of what we say in Birkat Hamazon "Ve'al hakol Hashem Elokeinu anachnu modim lach.... Above all, we thank You, Hashem, for the mitzvah of Birkat Hamazon that You gave us, which consists of praises and thanks for the food we ate, as the Torah commands: וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ Through this, Hashem shows us His great love for us. He knows how valuable mitzvot are in this world, and He gives them to us so that He can reward us for all eternity for performing them. A person can give praise to Hashem at any moment, in any language, and in any way he wants. When people are enjoying blessing and goodness, their praises are extremely valuable. But even more so is when a person is going through difficulties or struggles and nevertheless rises up and praises Hashem despite what he is experiencing. Those praises are infinitely greater. Every time we say the words "Baruch Hashem," we are praising Hashem. The Zohar says that the Jewish people could not receive the Torah until Yitro said those words, "Baruch Hashem." How fortunate we are that we can say them at any time. Even if we do not understand the true value of praising Hashem, we should make use of the opportunity to do so as much as we can. Shabbat Shalom

It is so comforting to know that no matter what situation we are going through, help is always possible. There is nothing beyond Hashem, and salvation can always come in the blink of an eye. Sometimes what is needed is deeper, more heartfelt prayer. Sometimes what is needed is a heroic act. And sometimes it is a combination of both. We do not know what else we need to do to be zocheh to the yeshuah we are waiting for, but Hashem knows. And we are able to ask Him to please place before us the opportunity to do the deed that will merit us the salvation we are hoping for. We can also ask Hashem to help us recognize that opportunity when it comes, and to give us the strength to rise to it. Everything is possible. Even the hope and belief we place in Hashem is, in itself, a great zechut. Rabbi Yitzchak Zilberstein related the following story, as it was told to him by the person to whom it happened. A man we will call Yosef shared that his daughter got married two years ago, at the beginning of the month of Nisan. The Shabbat Sheva Berachot was scheduled to take place in a hall in Kiryat Sefer. There were ninety people attending, which meant extensive planning for meals and sleeping arrangements. Finally, Shabbat arrived. While the tables were still being set, the generator suddenly failed and the entire hall went dark. Aside from a few candles, there was complete darkness. The hot plates warming the food shut off, and the refrigerators storing the upcoming meals also stopped working. The men were praying in total darkness, and the person in charge of the hall was running around desperately trying to find a solution. He attempted to locate a non-Jew, relying on a leniency brought in the Rama in cases of great need, but he was unable to find anyone. People nearby arranged for the food to be transferred to functioning refrigerators and hot plates, while everyone worked on strengthening their emunah and accepting that this too was for the best. Suddenly, a young man approached Yosef with an idea. He explained that he lived in the building across from the hall and had a large, beautiful living room with an attached yard. He happily offered to host all ninety guests in his home. Yosef hesitated. "It's only a few days before Pesach," he said. "Your house is surely already cleaned. How can you host ninety men, women, and little children? We would need to bring over all the tables and chairs and set everything up. Your furniture would have to be moved. Things could get damaged. Children will be running around eating chametz. And your own family is about to eat their Shabbat meal. We would be disturbing you tremendously." But the man, like an angel, pleaded again and again. Yosef was still reluctant, until the man finally said, "If you come, our joy will be even greater than yours." Seeing that there was no other viable option, Yosef agreed. Very quickly, everyone pitched in and transferred everything from the hall to the man's home. What followed was an extraordinary evening, far more beautiful than it would have been in the hall. The baal habayit was unbelievably gracious. He moved his own family elsewhere to eat and gave the wedding party full use of his home. Only once during the meal did he come in, and the guests seized the opportunity to thank him and ask how they could ever repay such an incredible kindness. He answered that he had a daughter who was still waiting for a shidduch, and he asked everyone to please give her a berachah that she should find her zivug soon. The entire crowd responded with a heartfelt berachah, filled with deep gratitude. Just a few weeks later, the man called Yosef with wonderful news. His daughter had gotten engaged. The day after the Sheva Berachot, they had received a positive response from a shidduch they were hoping for, and Baruch Hashem, it worked out. They later discovered that the young man had many offers, but when he heard about how this family had taken in ninety guests for a Sheva Berachot just days before Pesach, he chose to say yes. This man performed a heroic act by opening his already Pesach-cleaned home to so many people. That act became the catalyst for the yeshuah he had been longing for, his daughter's engagement. Hashem can always bring salvation. Our role is to pray, to seek out zechuyot, and to ask Hashem to give us the opportunities we need to get them

Sometimes the salvation of Hashem comes right away, and sometimes the salvation comes at the very last possible moment. A situation may look like it has reached its breaking point. Every option appears exhausted. Every door seems firmly shut. And then, at the last possible second, the salvation arrives. Both kinds of salvations are exhilarating. Hashem is never late when He waits, and He is never random when He acts suddenly. Each form of salvation is perfectly calculated according to the needs of the person experiencing it. We must always hope for Hashem's help. We must believe that it can come in an instant, and we must also believe that no matter how long it has been delayed, it can still come. I read a story about a man named Reuven from Lakewood who, Baruch Hashem, had a large family but was living in a very small house. He did not want to move, because he lived in an excellent location. He had a non-Jewish neighbor whom he had asked several times if she would be willing to sell her house. She had agreed in principle, but the price was far too high for him, eight hundred thousand dollars. Not to mention that the house itself was small and would only be useful as part of an expansion to his own home. One Chol HaMoed, Reuven traveled to Eretz Yisrael with his family for a week. On Shabbat afternoon, the family walked to the Kotel to pray Arbit, while his wife stayed back at the apartment where they were staying. The entire family was excited to pour out their hearts to Hashem and ask Him for larger living quarters. They prayed at the Kotel sincerely, from the depths of their hearts, entreating the Borei Olam. On Motzaei Shabbat, before they even returned to the apartment, Reuven's wife's phone rang. It was the neighbor calling to say that she was ready to sell the house for a lower price, because she had decided to move into an assisted living facility. She told them the new price would be five hundred thousand dollars. Reuven was overjoyed. When they returned to Lakewood, they discovered certain technical issues with the house, and in the end, she sold it to them for just three hundred thousand dollars. They were able to renovate and move into a much larger home, exactly what they had been hoping for. Hashem answered their prayers at the Kotel instantly. A woman told me another story, one where the salvation came at the very last moment. She and her husband had bought a new home to meet the needs of their growing family. They planned to help pay the mortgage by renting out the house they had been living in. However, month after month passed, and they were unable to find a renter. They were under tremendous pressure, because this rental income was the only way, b'derech hateva, they could afford the new mortgage payments. For the first three months, they managed to make the payments using money from a loan they had taken for renovations. The stress was overwhelming. She said she could not sleep at night and could barely function during the day. She tried very hard to strengthen her emunah, but it felt as though it just was not sinking in. She asked Hashem to send them opportunities to do chesed with their new home as a zechut to find a renter for their old one. Indeed, Hashem sent them many chesed opportunities, but still no renter appeared. They gladly embraced every opportunity and continued begging Hashem for salvation. Eventually, it came to the point where their next mortgage payment was due on January fifteenth, and they had absolutely no way to make the payment. It would have been extremely embarrassing for them to miss it. On January fourteenth, the very last day, Baruch Hashem, they found a renter who paid the first month's rent on the spot. On that same day, her husband unexpectedly received an insurance refund check. Also that very day, they temporarily rented out part of their new home, and that person paid as well. Together, they received the exact amount needed for the mortgage, without her husband having to dip into any of his regular income. It all came together literally at ten o'clock at night, just hours before the payment was due the next day. Hashem sent them the yeshuah at the last possible moment. The salvations of Hashem are truly amazing. Our job is to believe, always, that they can come at any moment.

Chazal tell us in Masechet Kallah Rabati that a Heavenly voice proclaims בית של פלוני לפלוני , which means the house that each person is destined to live in is min haShamayim , just like a person's spouse. Sometimes a person tries very hard to buy a certain house or live in a certain location, but things just don't seem to work out for him. It is because min haShamayim that is not the place he is supposed to live. Sometimes a person discovers suddenly that he has to leave his current residence. That is also min haShamayim . This understanding should make it easier for a person to handle all the ups and downs that come with trying to find a place to live. A woman told me she was informed by her landlord that she would be doing renovations and eventually she would have to move out. A month later, the landlord called her back apologizing that the renovations were going to take place much sooner then she originally planned, and she had until Monday morning to leave. Her immediate response was, must be that Hashem has a better place for me to live. She tried hard to find an apartment over the next few days, but there was nothing available that soon. She remained calm and trusted that Hashem had the perfect place for her to live. She said Tehillim for hours upon hours. Her friends couldn't believe how calm she was. On Sunday, just one day before she had to leave, she was singing to Hashem the most beautiful words, trusting that He was doing what was best for her. When she finished, she got a call from a nephew of hers saying he just saw an ad for an apartment which might be an option for her. She called the number and the owner expressed regret for putting the ad in so soon, being that the current tenants were not ready to leave. The owner then told her she would be the first one to see the apartment when it did become available. Just a few days later, on Wednesday, she got a call back saying the tenants decided to leave and the apartment was available. She went to see it and it was exactly what she wanted. It was just one block from where she had been living, and it was even nicer than her previous apartment. She signed on the spot and moved in that day. She thanked Hashem for the yeshua and then asked Him if He could show her that He is with her in this move. Moments later, the new landlord gave her the combination to the front door. As she dictated the numbers, the woman froze, the new combination was the exact same combination as her old one. She felt a true embrace from Hashem. A newly married couple was hoping to find an apartment in Israel just for a few months until Pesach. They were nervous about having to buy all new dishes and pots, as well as how they were going to earn parnasa during those months, not to mention how difficult it would be to find an apartment for just that amount of time. They began asking around and, lo and behold, an acquaintance of the girl who currently lives in Israel told her that they were going to live elsewhere until right after Pesach and their apartment was available. Since they knew each other, she allowed them to use all her dishes and pots and pans. They were also involved in the exact same field of earning parnasa, so the woman told her, "You can have all of my clients until I return." Hashem found this couple the exact people they needed to find in order to live in the place they were destined to live in. We have to appreciate the apartments or houses that Hashem gives us and thank Him all the time. I read a story of an avrech who said Hashem gave him the opportunity of a lifetime to buy an apartment in his dream location in Israel for a very low price. As hakarat hatov , he wanted to purchase the best mezuzot he could possibly find. This man's father-in-law was an expert in that field and so he asked for his opinion each time he found what he thought were the best mezuzot . His father-in-law kept saying, "No, there are better ones out there." Finally, he found the most mehudar mezuzot which his father-in-law loved. They were very expensive totaling 5600 shekel, but he would pay any price to thank Hashem for giving him this apartment. When the time came to pay, the mezuzah dealer told the man, "Hashem paid for you already," and he explained. He was driving, and a man from America was waiting on the side of the road hoping for a ride. He picked him up and they made conversation. When he told him about his job dealing in mezuzot , the man said he wanted to have a share in the mitzvah of mezuzah . He told him he was on his way to deliver mezuzot to an avrech who spends his days and nights learning Torah. That man said he wanted to pay for them. And indeed he did. Hashem loves when we appreciate His gifts. Wherever we are living, it's a gift from Hashem.

If a person is going through a hard time and his evil inclination is trying to get him to complain and question the way Hashem is dealing with him, he needs to give himself chizuk to accept what Hashem is doing with love. Besides the enormous spiritual value of having emunah during difficult times, this acceptance itself is a great zechut, one that may very well take the place of any further suffering. The Midrash Rabbah in Parashat Vayikra tells a powerful story. The great Tannaim, Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Yehoshua, and Rabbi Akiva, once went traveling to collect funds to support talmidei chachamim who were learning Torah. In one of the cities they visited lived a very wealthy philanthropist named Abba Yudin. At that time, however, he had just lost all of his wealth and felt deep shame that he was unable to give anything to the rabbis. His wife said to him that he still owned one field and asked why he did not sell half of it and give the proceeds to support the Torah scholars. Abba Yudin could have responded, "Hashem already took away all my money, and now I should give away half of what is left?" Instead, with joy and Emunah, he sold half the field and gave the money to support talmidei chachamim. The rabbis gave him a berachah for success and continued on their way. Abba Yudin then went out with his cow to plow the remaining half of the field. As he was working, the cow slipped into a hole in the ground, and its leg sank deep into it. It appeared that the leg was certainly broken. Abba Yudin did not complain. He did not say, "After such a heroic act of tzedakah, this is how Hashem repays me?" Instead, he accepted the situation wholeheartedly and began trying to pull the cow out of the ditch. At that moment, he noticed something buried in the ground: a hidden treasure filled with gold and pearls. Through this, he became wealthy once again. The difficulty of his cow's fall actually led him to the treasure, but the true source of the berachah was his acceptance of how Hashem dealt with him. Accepting difficulties with love is extremely hard, especially when a person is genuinely trying to do good and it seems that everything is going wrong. At those moments, we need to use our minds and hearts to look for ways to understand how what Hashem is doing is truly a chesed for us. If we can think of possible reasons and honestly internalize them, the merits that result are enormous. A man told me that about two years ago he had changed jobs after being promised a great opportunity with significant additional pay. After a few months, it became clear that he had been misled, and on top of that, the work environment was extremely hostile. Going to work each day was very painful, yet he continued to go with a smile, accepting that Hashem was doing what was best for him. As an aside, if someone is unhappy at a job for legitimate reasons, there is nothing wrong with trying to find another one. During that period, he and his wife had a child with a very complex medical condition that required two dangerous surgeries. They were warned that serious and unavoidable side effects were going to take place. Baruch Hashem, both surgeries went extremely well, with no side effects at all, something the doctors said they had never seen. Throughout that time, the situation at work only worsened, but for reasons he could not explain, he remained stuck there. He kept telling himself that it was all for the best. Eventually, when he was finally able to leave the job, he sent out his résumé, but no one responded. Around that time, his child needed another medical procedure that usually required a hospital stay. Once again, Baruch Hashem, it went so smoothly that the child was released just two hours after the procedure. That night, he said to his wife, "I think the two years of hardship at work were taking the place of the hardships that were meant to come from our child's condition. Baruch Hashem, we received it at work instead of through the child." They went to sleep filled with gratitude and acceptance. The very next day, he received a phone call out of the blue offering him a new job with more than thirty percent higher pay. Now, he could not be happier. Accepting wholeheartedly and honestly the way Hashem is dealing with a person is an enormous zechut.

A young man told me how deeply he had been hurt by a close family member, and how difficult it was for him to move on. He wished he could forgive and let it go, but it felt almost impossible. I told him that perhaps Hashem was giving him an opportunity to do something extremely difficult, and through that, to access an abundance of blessing waiting for him in Shamayim. We then opened the אור החיים in this week's parashah, Beshalach, on the pasuk " מה תצעק אלי ". There, he quotes from the זוהר הקדוש that when the Jewish people were trapped at the edge of the ים סוף , there was a מידת הדין upon them. They were considered unworthy of salvation because they too had been involved in idolatry like the Egyptians. The זוהר explains that to access the mercy needed to overcome מידת הדין , a person requires great merits. Since Hashem wanted the Jewish people to be saved, He gave them an opportunity to perform a heroic act. They were commanded by משה to march into the sea and rely on Hashem to split it. They would be entering the water until it reached their nostrils, placing their lives at risk. The great emunah and bitachon they demonstrated enabled them to overcome the דין and merit salvation. Similarly, the זוהר writes in parashat Vayera on the pasuk describing the destruction of Sedom, that " וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹקים אֶת אַבְרָהָם וַיְשַׁלַּח אֶת לוֹט ". The זוהר explains that when Hashem has a special love for a person, He sends him a "present." What is this present? A poor and needy individual who requires help. If מידת הדין would come upon that person, the act of chesed he performs can provide the merit needed to overcome it. When Hashem was bringing דין upon Sedom, He first gave Avraham a present in the form of the three angels who appeared as ordinary guests. Through Avraham's extraordinary hospitality, Lot would later be saved. This is the meaning of "Hashem remembered Avraham"—He remembered the chesed Avraham did for his guests. The mefarshim point out that in both cases—the Jewish people at the ים סוף and Avraham Avinu—the opportunities Hashem gave were extremely difficult. Avraham was on the third day after his brit milah, in intense pain at age ninety-nine, on the hottest day, yet he ran to serve his guests like royalty. The Jewish people were asked to walk into a raging sea, relying purely on Hashem. These were not simple acts; they required going far beyond normal limits. Yet they were gifts from Hashem that brought salvation. A man once told a rabbi about a relative who had to care for a sick patient around the clock, and how overwhelming it had become. The rabbi immediately shared these words of the זוהר and said that apparently Hashem has a special love for this relative, and is giving him a great gift through this opportunity. When a person is given a very difficult task, it is often a sign of Hashem's great love, granting him a chance to earn enormous merit. Shabbat Shalom.

Hashem is involved in every second of everyone's lives. It is a great avodah when we recognize His hashgachah and attribute events and happenings to His Divine Providence. Aside from the fact that recognizing His involvement in our lives brings us closer to Him, it also gives us tremendous chizuk. It allows us to know that Hashem can always help us, no matter what situation we find ourselves in. It is so clear that He is constantly controlling everything. A woman once told me that her father's flight was recently canceled, and he was unable to get a return flight home for another three days. The problem was that he was taking a very important medication that he could not miss, and he had completely run out. He was unable to obtain more of it in the place where he was stranded. Remarkably, around that same time, someone casually mentioned to her that she was traveling to that very location the next morning. The woman immediately called her, and Baruch Hashem, the medication reached her father exactly when he needed to take his next dose. A man whom we will call Yehudah shared another powerful story. The institution where he worked arranged a special Shabbaton to honor its employees. It was meant to be uplifting and inspiring. Yehudah very much wanted to attend, but he had a minhag to go to the mikveh every morning, and he would only go if there would be a mikveh available. When Yehudah told his boss that he might not come if there was no mikveh, his boss was visibly upset. He told him how important it was that Yehudah attend, and he assured him that he would make sure there would be a mikveh nearby. Yehudah trusted him and decided to go. When they arrived at the hotel before Shabbat, they discovered that many things were operated by automatic electricity that could not be adjusted. It became clear that it would be impossible to stay there over Shabbat. The boss was extremely frustrated. He had the phone number of someone who managed a refugee camp that had been established three years earlier for orphans from Ukraine. He called him, and it turned out that the camp had a completely kosher kitchen, a dining hall, guest rooms, and was ready to host them for Shabbat. At that hectic moment, Yehudah was hesitant to approach his boss about the mikveh. But as they were boarding the buses to travel to the new location, Yehudah gathered the courage to ask whether there would be a mikveh there. His boss answered honestly that he had no idea. Yehudah then said that if that was the case, he really could not join, and asked if he could please have the phone number of someone from the nearest Jewish community so he could stay in a private home instead. His boss replied that they would figure it out when they got there and told him to just get on the bus. With no real choice, Yehudah went along. When they arrived, he tried desperately to find out if there was a mikveh within walking distance, but no one knew of one. With just a little more than an hour before Shabbat, Yehudah learned that there was a nearby matzah bakery owned by a Jew who lived in Eretz Yisrael. At one point, the owner had wanted to build a mikveh next to the bakery so that he would have one available whenever he visited. Yehudah managed to obtain the phone number of Daniel, the bakery manager, and called him. When Yehudah asked whether a mikveh had been built near the bakery, Daniel responded with clear excitement in his voice, saying that there was indeed a mikveh. Daniel then offered to come by on Shabbat morning at six o'clock and bring whoever wanted to go. Yehudah was overjoyed. On Shabbat morning, when Daniel arrived, he asked Yehudah if he knew when the mikveh had been completed. Yehudah replied that he did not. Daniel then revealed something astonishing. That past Monday, they had completed everything necessary to finish the mikveh. On Tuesday, they opened the roof so rainwater could enter. And only the night before, there had been such heavy rain that the pit finally filled with enough water. Now, on Shabbat morning, Yehudah would be the first person ever to use this mikveh. Yehudah said that his entire body trembled when he realized the hashgachah of what Hashem had done, orchestrating everything so precisely just so he could have the mikveh he so desperately wanted. Another man related a different story. Someone had given him a gift of seven hundred and ninety dollars to buy a specific product. He already knew the exact price, and the amount he was given matched it perfectly. He then began to wonder whether he should separate ma'aser from the money. On the one hand, it was a gift meant for a specific purpose. On the other hand, it was still money that had come to him. Without asking a rabbi, he decided to act above the letter of the law and gave eighty dollars as ma'aser. When he arrived at the store and went to pay, the owner told him the price was seven hundred dollars. Surprised, he asked if it was not supposed to be seven hundred and ninety. The owner smiled and asked what was wrong with getting a discount. Hashem is even in charge of the price we pay for the merchandise we buy. He is involved in every detail of our lives, and it is a great avodah each time we recognize it.

If a person was standing to earn a large amount of money and he was planning how he was going to use that money to help many different organizations and needy people. And then all of a sudden the deal turned sour and he did not earn anything from it, he may start to think to himself: I don't understand, I was going to do so many great things with this money. Why didn't Hashem give it to me? Doesn't He want all the poor people to be supported? The first thing this person needs to realize is that Hashem does not need anyone to support the poor. If someone is a major supporter of any type of organization, he should feel so fortunate that Hashem is giving him the merit to support it. However, he must know if he wasn't supporting it, someone else would. If the organization is worthy of being in existence, then Hashem will ensure that it gets the money it needs to survive. A man told me, he was on the verge of earning a large fortune and he was so excited to begin working on opening a much needed Torah center in his community with the profits, as well as funding much needed renovations in his shul. In the end, he lost the deal and was not able to contribute even minimally to those projects. But, a different person in the community did earn a large amount of money and he ended up doing exactly what this person wanted to do. The Torah center is now built and flourishing and the shul has been renovated. The man told me, "When I was planning out what to do with the money, I honestly thought that these projects would only get done if I made this deal, but I now see Hashem has many ways." If a person thought he was going to get money and in the end he didn't, it's a very big kapara , without the person having to actually lose anything. He should thank Hashem for all of the ups and downs that took place during the ordeal and recognize it was all for his good. If he had been praying, every one of his tefilot brought him closer to Hashem and he'll be rewarded for all of them. Furthermore, just because Hashem determined it would not be good for him to have the money he wanted at this time, it does not mean that it will not be good for him to have it in the future. A person should never say, "That was my one chance to finally have some breathing room in life and now that I lost it, it'll never come again." The same way that Hashem gave him this opportunity out of nowhere, He could just as easily give him another, similar opportunity. A man told me he had what he thought was a once in a lifetime opportunity that if it went according to plan it would allow him to quit his job and spend his days learning Torah and doing avodat Hashem. Everything was going perfectly, but then, at the last minute, it all fell apart. He was back to earning a small salary, scrounging to make ends meet each month. He said to himself, "That was my one opportunity and now it's gone." Less than a year later, a totally different opportunity came his way with very similar potential earnings. In the end, that one also fell through, but he said, "What I thought was impossible, Hashem showed me is possible." The opportunities are endless. If a person's time comes for him to be blessed with money, Hashem knows how to find him. Until that time, a person must know he is living with the exact finances that Hashem knows he needs to live with to do his job properly. Nobody has any say in the amount of money a person earns except for Hashem. He should never feel that a circumstance made him lose out on a certain deal, or a comment made by another individual. Everything is always part of Hashem's plan for him and Hashem knows exactly what is best for everyone all of the time.

Hashem wants us to learn about Him from the way He revealed Himself at Yetziat Mitzrayim. The pesukim tell us again and again how we are meant to see that Hashem is the only One who controls everything that happens in this world. There are people who believe that everything that happens to them is from Hashem, yet when they go through prolonged difficulties, they have complaints, feeling that they are being dealt with unfairly. To know that Hashem controls everything is not enough. We also need to know how loving and merciful He is. When Moshe Rabbeinu asked Hashem, "Why are You dealing so harshly with the Jewish people?" Hashem answered him that He is Hashem. The Targum Yonatan explains that Hashem told him, "I am the Hashem who appeared to you at the burning bush." How do we understand this response? How does this explain why He was dealing with the Jewish people so harshly? The Maharal writes that there are different levels of love between people. When it comes to true friends, each one will participate in the happy occasions of the other. But the greatest expression of love is when one friend is in pain because the other one is hurting. It is much easier to celebrate with a friend than to feel hurt when he is hurt. When a person is in pain because his friend is in pain, that shows that his life is not a life without his friend. He cannot enjoy his own life knowing that his friend is in trouble. When Hashem appeared to Moshe at the burning bush, one of the reasons He came to him in a thorn bush was to show Moshe that He was in pain because of the pain that the Jewish people were experiencing. The Midrash says, look at how much Hashem loves us. He calls us His daughter and His sister and His mother. The Maharal says, if it didn't say it, we wouldn't be allowed to say it ourselves. But everyone knows that a child cannot exist without first having a mother. Although Hashem does not need anyone or anything, He calls us His mother to tell us that because of His great love for us, He makes Himself feel as if He needs us to exist. This love is shown most clearly by Hashem feeling the pain of every single Jew when he is in pain. So when Moshe Rabbeinu asked Hashem, "Why are You treating the Jewish people so harshly in Mitzrayim?" Hashem replied to him by reminding him immediately about the vision he had at the burning bush. If a doctor were operating on a patient and causing the patient pain, a relative of that patient might question the doctor and ask why he was operating in such a painful way when perhaps there was a less painful method. But if the doctor were operating on his own child, no one would ask any questions, because they would know that he is doing the surgery in the best possible way. Hashem was telling Moshe that the question of "Why am I hurting My nation?" is invalid, because I am their loving Father. I am treating them in the best possible way for them. When they are hurting, I am hurting. We must understand how much Hashem loves us. The Midrash asks, why did Hashem appear to Moshe in a thorn bush? One of the answers it gives is because a thorn bush is the lowest of all trees in terms of humility. There is no apparent purpose to it. It does not seem to provide any benefit. So too, that is how the Jewish nation looked in Mitzrayim, like people with nothing going for them. They had fallen almost to the forty-ninth level of tumah. They were idol worshippers. They had no zechuyot to be redeemed. Yet Hashem came and showed Moshe that if He could rest His presence in a thorn bush, He could redeem a nation that looked like a thorn bush. Because Hashem's love for us does not depend on our deeds. He loves us more than a parent could ever love a child. Even though Hashem gave us the mitzvah of Milah and Pesach before we left Mitzrayim, that was after He had already performed nine makkot and had everything set for the geulah. He did not first require us to have zechuyot to be saved. He saved us because He loves us. The Shem mishmuel said on the words "raoh raeety" that Hashem told Moshe, even though I see them after Matan Torah worshipping the Eigel, I am still going to redeem them. Hashem's love for us is unfathomable. If a person asks, "Why is Hashem doing bad to me?" it just means that he has not yet comprehended the love that Hashem has for him. Hashem feels his pain more than he does. He is only doing the best possible thing for him. If we could feel even a small part of the true love that Hashem has for us, we would be able to live more happily no matter what we are going through.

If a person is going through a difficult time, it is very easy for him to blame other people and circumstances for it. It may seem that someone was directly responsible for causing the difficulty. It may seem that if certain things were done differently, it could have been avoided. And so the person thinks about all the "what if's" and how things should have been different. It is during these times that a person has a big opportunity to shine, to see through what meets the eye and recognize that it was Hashem who was behind it all. Although what happened might not seem to be fair, it's up to the person to say, "It must be for my best, I will not blame anyone. I will accept that this is from Hashem. I will do my best to maintain loving and peaceful relationships with all of those around me." This avodah is extremely valuable. It could very well be that one of the reasons the difficulty occurred was specifically to give the person the opportunity to go through it with emunah which will then open the door for Hashem to shower him with blessing. I read a story in the Machon Shaar HaBitachon that a man, who we'll call Shimon, related about how he became extremely wealthy. He said he is the youngest in a large family. His father worked hard to provide for them and managed to marry off all of them. All of his brothers got apartments, but when it was his turn, his father had already gotten sick and a short while later he passed away. After the shiva, his brothers sat together to discuss how to divide up the estate. Shimon was sure he was going to get his father's apartment since he was the only one who didn't get one. But not everybody felt the same way and being that there were a total of ten brothers, there were many different opinions. The majority consensus was to sell the apartment and divide the proceeds equally, but that was going to take time. In the meantime, Shimon had to rent his own apartment with no financial help. He was so upset, he went to his rabbi and asked if he could halachically demand the apartment for himself, after all, everyone else got their own apartment and his father was going to get him one too. The rabbi said, "You have a great case, but I have a piece of advice for you that will gain you much more: Shalom is worth millions. Don't fight with them. Accept your lot in order to gain peace and you'll see you'll only gain from it." Shimon took the rabbi's advice. It was not easy, being that his family was growing and he really needed the money. From then on, each time he passed his childhood home he would think of his brothers, living peacefully in their own homes while he had to work day and night to cover his rent. He wished he was able to accept this inwardly with more happiness, but he wasn't on the level yet. Nonetheless, outwardly he was able to maintain shalom and that avodah elevated him greatly. He decided to learn a profession and started advertising a service that he could provide. In the beginning, the customers came in a slight trickle, but after a while they were coming in droves. He had to hire more workers and open more branches and after a few years he was earning millions. Hashem sent His blessing in a way he could never have imagined. At one point, one of his brothers who had been opposed to giving him that apartment, needed a medical procedure that cost a half a million dollars that he couldn't afford. Shimon heroically stepped up and paid for the entire procedure out of his own pocket. He did not take revenge or bear a grudge. And he testified that after that episode, his business success began to hit new levels. His ability to rise above the difficult circumstance he was put in opened the door for Hashem's blessings to come pouring in. While going through any difficulty, it's very hard to do it with emunah. But with a little chizuk, everyone can find within themselves the strength to persevere.

In this week's parashah, Bo, we learn about the final three makkot. Chazal tell us that a large number of Jews passed away during the makkah of Choshech. Rav Shlomo Kluger writes that the people who died in Choshech were those who did not have enough emunah to follow Hashem into the desert. They wanted the others to first go and conquer the land, and only then would they be willing to follow later. The Rav adds that all of those neshamot were destined to come back into the world in the final generation before Mashiach, and their job would be to overcome very difficult tests in the area of emunah. If they succeed, they will make their tikkun and live on for all eternity. One of the most difficult parts of emunah is when a person is harmed by another individual. The natural reaction is to think that the other person used his free will to do wrong and that it was not from Hashem, chas v'shalom. The Sefer HaChinuch, in the mitzvah of lo tikom v'lo titor, as well as other sources, teach us that even though the person who caused the harm did use his free will and is fully accountable for his actions, it was only able to happen because it was the will of Hashem for the person to be affected that way. Nothing can ever happen to a person through a baal bechirah unless Hashem wants it to happen to him first, and always for his best. The Yitev Lev writes that one of the lessons we learn from Yetziat Mitzrayim is that when a person causes harm to another, the one who received the harm must take to heart that it was Hashem who was giving life to the one who harmed him, and that person was only His messenger. The Maggid of Mezritch writes that when a person is causing harm to another and the one who is being harmed fully believes that it is only coming from Hashem and that it is for his absolute best, that belief nullifies all the judgments against him. The Passu says כִּי הִנֵּה אֹיְבֶיךָ ה', כִּי הִנֵּה אֹיְבֶיךָ יֹאבֵדוּ. The Yitev Lev explains that when a person knows that his enemies are being sent by Hashem כִּי הִנֵּה אֹיְבֶיךָ-- ה, then הִנֵּה אֹיְבֶיךָ יֹאבֵדוּ, those enemies will stop bothering him. All of the stress and heartache caused by other people is simply Hashem giving a person what he needs in order to fulfill his mission in this world. When a person fully believes that it is really Hashem and not the one who appears to be doing it, that itself can accomplish the tikkun that he needs. It is extremely hard to take the person out of the picture and honestly feel that he is not responsible for the harm. When Yosef HaTzaddik revealed himself to his brothers, he said to them, "I am Yosef, your brother, whom you sold to Egypt." The Or HaChaim HaKadosh explains that Yosef was telling them that even while they were selling him, he still felt close to them like a brother. How could Yosef possibly have felt that way? Because when Shimon and Levi were lowering him into the pit with snakes and scorpions, all he saw was Hashem in control. As he later said, "It was not you who sent me here, but only Hashem." With the proper outlook, we too can live our lives with this emunah, seeing only Hashem in everything that happens. Rabbi Menashe Reizman said to imagine how the newspaper articles would read if the Chafetz Chaim were writing them. Of course, HaKadosh Baruch Hu would be in every headline. It would say: Hashem made it that this person was attacked. Hashem made it that this person was arrested. Hashem made it that this person won the lottery. We hope that we are living in the generation of Mashiach, and if our tikkun is to pass the test of emunah, we must take this message to heart and understand that people cannot harm us or give us anything. Everything happens only by the word of Hashem, and it is always for our best. Shabbat Shalom.

A rabbi was once trying to give chizuk to his student to be mevater regarding an argument he was having with someone else. The student said, "But Rabbi, I'm right on this one." The rabbi answered him, "Vatranut is not when you're ninety-nine percent right and the other person is one percent right. Vatranut is when you're one hundred percent right — and you still give in." Rav Steinman zt"l used to say, "My whole life, I never saw anyone give in and lose as a result." When a person does give in and it appears that he lost, he must know that he has a golden opportunity to capitalize on. When a person maintains his emunah in Hashem at a time when things seem so off, he can rise to great levels and earn endless reward. We need chizuk to be able to hold on and continue trusting in Hashem, especially when it seems that the good person loses while the one who did wrong is gaining. But if we are able to do it, we will gain so much. A man named Yaakov told me that about five years ago, his wife told him it was time for them and their six children to move from an apartment into a house. In the area where they lived, houses were very expensive. He called a real estate agent and said he could afford a total of $1.8 million. If he found something that needed fixing, he would pay $1.2 million and use $600,000 to renovate. Yaakov mentioned to people that he was looking, and one man he knew told him he was planning to sell his home, which was close to where Yaakov was living. Yaakov knew that house well. It was a house he wished he could afford, but he knew it would be far beyond his budget. The man invited him to come see it anyway. The house was spectacular, and the owner told Yaakov that whoever offered closest to three million dollars would get it. Yaakov discussed it with his wife, and they thought of a plan that would enable them to offer more than they originally thought they could afford. He offered $2.675 million, and the man accepted. They closed the deal, signed the contract, and Yaakov made the first payment and placed it in escrow. All that was left was for the lawyer to release the money to the owner. Yaakov assumed he would be moving in very shortly. But when he called the owner to discuss it, he did not answer. Yaakov called every day for four days, with no response. Finally, he received a voicemail from the owner saying that he realized he could get much more for the house and wanted Yaakov to pay $300,000 more. Yaakov called him back and said the deal was already closed. The owner refused to back down, and they ended up in beit din. In Yaakov's mind, it was an open-and-shut case. But the owner's lawyer told Yaakov's lawyer that he knew how to avoid reaching a conclusion in beit din and would never let them win. Yaakov was shocked. He called his rabbi, who said that under those circumstances they would be allowed to go to secular court. As they moved to the next stage of the dispute, Yaakov's wife told him that she no longer wanted that house. She said she did not want to live in a house that came through machloket, even though it was their dream home and even though she desperately wanted to move. Yaakov called his rabbi again, and the rabbi told him that he would definitely see blessing by giving in and avoiding machloket. Yaakov then called the owner, dropped the case, and asked only for his money back. He expected that in the next few weeks the heavens would open and shower him with blessing. But nothing happened. A year and a half went by, and they were still living in the same apartment. One day, a real estate agent called and offered him that same house which was now selling for $3.5 million. Eventually, it sold for $3.8 million. Yaakov called his rabbi again, asking where the blessing was. The man who had backed out had made more than a million dollars, and he was still stuck in his apartment. The rabbi told him, "No Jew was ever mevater and regretted it. You will see blessing." Another year and a half went by. Then a real estate agent called him to see a very nice house for sale. When Yaakov heard which house it was, he immediately said it would be far beyond his budget. The agent encouraged him to look anyway. The house was beyond anything he had ever imagined. He recognized the owner as a cousin of his, and after touring the house, they spoke together. Because they were family, the owner made him a generous offer. The house was selling for five million dollars, but he told Yaakov he would sell it to him for $3.8 million, and allow him to pay the remaining $1.2 million in eighteen months with no interest. They shook hands, overwhelmed with gratitude to Hashem. A few hours later, Yaakov received a call from the owner of the house, who quoted to him a line from the Gemara that when someone gives another person a present, he is obligated to inform him of it. He explained that he had originally been dealing with someone else who wanted to buy the house, but that person wanted to move in before Pesach, and he himself did not want to leave until after Pesach. That buyer had just called back and said he was willing to wait until after Pesach and was now offering six million dollars upfront. The owner told that man, "It looks like Hashem doesn't want you to have this house, because He just sent me someone else a couple of hours ago." Then he said to Yaakov, "The house is yours, because I already agreed to sell it to you, and I will not back out. If you want, you could flip it right now, sell it for six million dollars, and make a profit." Yaakov was floored. He stood there frozen, not believing the words he had just heard. When he told his wife, she had the same reaction. Here Hashem showed him so clearly how giving in was being rewarded. He received the house of his dreams in a wondrous way, and today he is living there happily, Baruch Hashem. In the end, that first house he had been going to buy is still having problems, and the sale was never even completed. A person who is mevater will never regret it. It may take years to see the blessing, but eventually it will come.

Chazal tell us, "Ein adam shome'a leey u'mafsid" — no one ever listens to Hashem and loses. When a person acts according to the will of Hashem, he always gains. He may not see the gain immediately. He may not see any result right away. But in the end, he always wins. Sometimes Hashem gives a person a very difficult test. If he acts honestly, he may lose money. If he speaks truthfully, he may lose an opportunity. If he refuses to cut corners, he may lose a deal, a job, or a position. And then the thought creeps in, "If I had just been a little less careful, I would have gained so much." But that thought is a mistake. It may look like he lost in the short term, but in the end he will only gain from doing what was right. Rarely do we see the reward immediately. Most of the time, the benefit comes later, in a way we never could have imagined. But when we do merit to see the reward right away, it gives us tremendous chizuk. An avreich from New York told the following story. His parents live in London, and from time to time he travels there with his family to visit them. One winter day, he traveled with his wife and children — five people altogether. There were many delays at the airport. When boarding finally began, he realized there were only a few minutes left to pray Mincha. As soon as he started the Amidah, an announcement was made: the flight was overbooked, and they were looking for volunteers to get off the plane. Anyone who agreed would receive a ticket for the next day and compensation of one thousand dollars. A thought flashed through his mind. Five people. Five thousand dollars. Money he could certainly use. He was about to raise his hand, but then he stopped himself. He was standing before Melech Malchei HaMelachim. It is forbidden to interrupt the Amidah, even with a gesture. The yetzer hara whispered, "You already lost your concentration. Make the sign quickly, and then you'll go back to praying properly." But he strengthened himself and said, "If this money is meant for me, Hashem will give it to me without my doing something forbidden." He continued praying with all his heart. A few moments after he finished, another announcement was made. Since no volunteers had come forward, the compensation was now raised to two thousand five hundred dollars per passenger. He went to the counter and accepted the offer. Later, he calculated. Five thousand dollars for changing the flight. And seven thousand five hundred dollars for not interrupting his prayer. Another woman told me her story. Her family had grown, several children were already married, and she no longer had room to host them. She and her husband were looking to buy a bigger home, but they did not want to leave their neighborhood. One day, a real estate agent called with an unbelievable opportunity. A huge lot with a small house in the exact area they wanted, at a price that almost never exists. They could buy it cheaply and use the extra money to build their dream home. Then they discovered that buying this property would seriously harm someone else. Without hesitation, she said no. People told them they were foolish. "Opportunities like this don't come twice," they said. But she refused. Less than two weeks later, the agent called again. Just one block away, an even better property was about to go on the market. Same size lot, similar house — and one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars cheaper. They bought it, built exactly what they needed, and saw clearly how Hashem had rewarded them for doing what was right. Most of the time, we do not see immediately how much we gain by choosing Hashem. But the rule never changes. No one ever lost by doing the will of Hashem. No one ever sacrificed for Hashem and came out the loser. In the end — always — the one who chooses what is right is the one who wins.

There are times when a person is faced with illness, and suddenly the entire world seems to revolve around doctors, tests, scans, diagnoses, and treatments. The more complicated the condition, the more the person tends to feel that everything is dependent on the doctor's words and the medications that he prescribes. If a person believes that the power to heal is in the hands of flesh and blood, then when the doctors say, "There is nothing more we can do," his hopes will collapse. Fortunately for us, we know the truth. The pasuk says,אני ה' רפאך- "I am Hashem, your Healer." Not the doctor is your healer, and not the medication is your healer. Rather, Hashem — and only Hashem — is our Healer. The more a person believes that, the more zechuyot he will gain, and the more likely it will be that he will be healed. Hashem is called the Borei Refuot, the One who creates the medications that we use to heal ourselves. Sometimes He creates a cure before we need it, and sometimes He creates a cure precisely when we need it. How many times has it happened that it seemed there was no hope, and suddenly a new treatment was discovered, a new approach was tried, and a recovery took place just in time. The treatment was discovered not because the medical world suddenly became wiser, but because Hashem decided that the time of healing had arrived. There is no illness for which Hashem lacks a cure. There is no condition for which He cannot create a new path of healing. The limitation is never in Hashem. It all depends on how much we are ready to trust in Him. We must go to doctors, and we must take medication, but we cannot put too much emphasis on them. We can never feel that without a specific doctor we cannot be healed, or without a certain medication we cannot be cured. A man told how he was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. It was recommended that he go to the biggest expert in the country in that particular field. The doctor, however, did not take insurance, and he needed to fill out forms to try to get approval for financial coverage. They refused his request, saying they had their own doctors who dealt with his issue. He tried every possible way to get approval — going to special committees, appealing to managers, explaining that it was a matter of life and death — but nothing helped. So he went to a doctor who was not recommended. That doctor told him that for his specific illness there was no standard medication, but this doctor knew something that others did not. At that very time, a new medication was being developed for precisely this type of sickness. That doctor was part of the development team, and when they reached the stage of trying the medication on patients, he included him in the trial — even though, according to the rules, he should not have been eligible. Baruch Hashem, he received the medication, and his life was saved. Six months later, the medication was approved for public use — but by then it would have been too late for him. Hashem led this man to the exact messenger through whom He wanted to give him the cure that He Himself had created. We are always in Hashem's hands. The more we know that, the more we trust that only He can heal, and the more heavenly help we will receive.

As we know, the miracles that Hashem performed at Yetziat Mitzrayim were not only to take revenge on the Egyptians. They were also to teach us lessons that we would need for all generations. Rabbi Menashe Reizman quoted Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel, who explained one of those lessons. The Egyptians believed in numerous gods, and every one of them was connected to their source of parnassah. They worshipped the sheep that gave them parnassah. They worshipped the Nile River that gave them parnassah. They worshipped Pharaoh, who they believed gave them parnassah. And Hashem made a mockery of all those gods, including the Baal Tzafon. Baal Tzafon was the place where Yosef hid all of the treasures that he accumulated during the years of famine. As long as Baal Tzafon stood, the Egyptians felt secure. It was their insurance policy. Even if the Nile failed, even if their livestock died, even if everything else collapsed, they still had mountains of gold hidden away there. Pharaoh emptied that treasure house and gave everything to the Egyptians in order to convince them to chase the Jews into the Yam Suf. That is what caused them to ultimately drown there, and that is how all of that wealth was transferred to Am Yisrael. Hashem was showing us that all of the things the Egyptians believed in were nothing. It was only Him who controlled everything. Sometimes a person becomes so wrapped up in his parnassah that he begins to trust in it. And if there is an issue with the product, or the customer, or the boss, he begins to tremble in fear that his parnassah is in jeopardy. Believing in the cause of parnassah is very similar to believing in the Egyptian deities. The Gemara says that whoever is somech geulah l'tefillah, no harm will befall him that day. Rabbeinu Yonah explains that if a person truly absorbs the message of the geulah from Mitzrayim, he will nullify all other imagined sources of help and rely fully on HaKadosh Baruch Hu. Only then can he truly pray. So long as a person believes that his refuah is in the hands of the doctor, and his future is in the hands of a diagnosis, how can he truly mean the words כי אל רופא רחמן ונאמן אתה that he says in tefilah? The more emotional involvement a person has in his hishtadlut, the weaker his emunah becomes. When it comes to parnassah, when a person truly believes that only Hashem is giving it to him, that only Hashem is marrying off his children, and that only Hashem is giving each person the house he needs to live in, then his kavanah in prayer becomes deep and real. First a person must nullify all other sources of support in the berachah of Ga'al Yisrael, and only then can he begin the Amidah properly. The Arugat HaBosem explains that the main essence of every berachah in the amidah is in its conclusion: כי אל גואל חזק אתה כי אל טוב וסלח אתה כי אל טוב ומטיב אתה Even though we must make hishtadlut, the Chazon Ish warns that we must not have emotional attachment to it. We must not lose our composure when hearing bad news about the industry we work in. Rather, we should remain calm, with the serenity of one who trusts that the same Hashem who helped him yesterday in one way can help him today in another way. The Gemara says that someone whose mind is preoccupied with worry in the performance of a mitzvah can be exempt from Keriat Shema. Then the Gemara asks: what about someone whose mind is preoccupied with worry because his merchandise sank at sea? Should he also be exempt? The Gemara answers no. He must remove the worry from his heart, because Hashem can provide his livelihood from somewhere else instantly. In fact, sometimes it is precisely through the sinking of the ship that his livelihood will come. Like the story of Rav Huna, who had four hundred barrels of wine turn sour into vinegar. One opinion in the Gemara says that afterward the emperor's daughter became ill and needed vinegar for healing. Suddenly vinegar was in great demand, and Rav Huna sold all of his vinegar at a great profit. He did not need wine in order to succeed. Hashem gave him even greater blessing through vinegar. Part of the purpose of Yetziat Mitzrayim is to bring us to one clear conclusion: כי אין כמוני בכל הארץ-there is no one like Hashem. Everything we could ever want or need comes only from Him. And the more deeply we believe that, the greater our tefillot and our avodat Hashem will become.

In this week's parasha, Va'era , we read about seven of the makot which Hashem brought upon the Mitzrim . The Ramban says one of the lessons we are supposed to learn from the makot is that in the same way it was obvious that Hashem was behind those open miracles, it's also supposed to be obvious that Hashem is controlling the world through nature as well. If a person's roof is leaking, it is Hashem who caused it to happen. If a person's car got dented, it was Hashem who made it happen. If a person made money through a business deal, it was Hashem who made the deal for him. And whenever a person receives any type of help from another individual, it was Hashem who brought it about. Each time a person experiences any situation in life and he attributes what happens to the workings of Hashem, that is included in the mitzvah of אנכי ה' אלוקיך אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים. A woman told, she was going through a lot of hardships. When Chanukah came, she managed to put them out of her mind and was looking forward to spending one of the evenings at her parents' house who were hosting a Chanukah party. That night when her son came home from school, he was very upset about his basketball practice. He made everyone in the house miserable because of it and, in the end, things got so bad, they didn't end up going to her parents' party. This made matters much worse. The next day, she did not want to talk to anyone, especially her son. That evening, her husband reminded her they had a Bar Mitzvah to attend. She wasn't feeling well, she was in a terrible mood and did not want to go, but she forced herself to go because it was the Bar Mitzvah of a close friend of theirs. She sat at a table there feeling sorry for herself, not wanting to talk to anyone. But then, a friend came over to say hello and that friend began talking to her about how difficult it has been raising her children. And then she mentioned, her eldest son, who was a senior in high school, just spent the whole night crying because his basketball team lost the game and it has been a strain on the house. This woman couldn't believe the hashgacha that was taking place. Here, she felt her son's attitude which ruined the previous night was so silly and now a friend, who she hadn't spoken to in a very long time, comes over to tell her the same thing happened in her house. This gave the woman so much chizuk . She felt Hashem talking to her and was able to move on happily, despite all the problems she was having. Her belief that it was Hashem who orchestrated that, and sent that friend to talk to her, is a mitzvah in its own right. So in addition to all of the other benefits that she received from that meeting, she also got a spiritual elevation by fulfilling a mitzvah. A relative of mine told me that for whatever reason, she hadn't made chulent in the past three months. This past Shabbat, she prepared it and, as usual, was planning to plug in the crock pot right before she lit the candles, but it completely slipped her mind. Her housekeeper had polished the tray that her candles are set upon this past week and therefore the tray was a little out of place so she moved the tray back into place and, all of a sudden, a small folded yellow piece of paper came out from underneath and fell right into her hands. She opened the paper and it had just one word on it. " Chulent ." She had written that note three months before to remind herself not to forget to plug in the crock pot. And on this day, it "accidentally" fell into her hands. She was so excited seeing how Hashem reminded her to plug in her crock pot. Although one could look at this and say, "Yeah, that just happened to be," she is fulfilling a mitzvah by believing it was all done by hashgacha peratit . The more we accustom ourselves to seeing the yad Hashem in everything that happens, the more we will be fulfilling the main purposes of Hashem's performances of the makot in Mitzrayim . Shabbat Shalom.

Our parnasa is only b'yad Hashem, nobody can take away money that Hashem wants us to have. הרבה שלוחים למקום – Hashem has many ways of giving us parnasa . Our job is to deal in business the way Hashem wants us to – honestly, keeping our word, and being upright. He decides how much we make and where it comes from and we do our part by doing business according to halacha . A man we'll call Yosef told me, he started listening to emunah classes a couple of years ago and he has become a completely different person when it comes to money. He knows now, he only works for Hashem and his main concern is doing what Hashem wants him to do. This past year, he did a job for a customer and the customer began nitpicking every step of the way. The customer mentioned to him that someone stole a lot of money from him and, when the job was completed, the customer said he was not paying the balance due - $30,000. He seemed to think that because someone wronged him, he was allowed to wrong someone else to get his money back. Yosef told him that he did everything he was supposed and deserved to be paid, but the customer was adamant about not paying. They went to a rabbi for advice to resolve the matter and the rabbi told the customer, "You owe the $30,000." The customer nodded his head, but later on refused to pay. Yosef said to himself, I worked honestly, I did my hishtadlut, Hashem is my boss, He will pay me the way He wants to . He mentioned that he sits next to that customer in the same shul, his children play with his children, but he did not tell anybody about what happened. He doesn't hold a grudge against that man and he would never speak lashon hara about him. The day after he decided to let the money go and not cause a machloket over it, he received a phone call for a very easy job that earned him $75,000. He works for Hashem and Hashem is the only One who matters to him. What an inspiring attitude to live by! It is so clear that our parnasa comes only from Hashem. A Rabbi told me, he was once learning with a very wealthy man and, after they finished, another man walked up to them and he told the wealthy man he had a tip on a stock and told him to buy it right away. On the spot, the wealthy man called his broker to place the order. It was a cheap stock and he told the broker to buy one million shares. A few days later, once again while the wealthy man was learning with the rabbi, the other man came over to them and apologized that the stock went down. The wealthy man said, "What do you mean went down? I made millions on it, thank you!" "Are we talking about the same stock?" said the other man. They looked into it and saw that the wealthy man accidentally told the broker the wrong symbol of the stock. The stock he bought went up while the other one went down. In fact, he said, the president of that company called him asking him why he bought so many shares. He thanked him because he was the cause of the stock rising. If Hashem wants someone to make money, that person's going to make the money. He is the only One we need to impress and He wants honesty and integrity. When people see us acting the way Hashem wants us to act, it also brings about a great kiddush Hashem.

The pasuk says in this week's parashat Shemot, וַתֵּתַצַּב אֲחֹתוֹ מֵרָחֹק לְדֵעָה מַה־יֵּעָשֶׂה -לוֹ Simply, this refers to Miriam, Moshe's older sister, who was standing by watching what would happen to him when he was put into the Nile River. Rabbi Menashe Reizman quoted the Midrash which explains that this pasuk is referring to the Shechinah, standing there watching from afar. The Midrash proves from other pesukim how every word in that pasuk is a reference to the Shechinah. The Maharsha, Masechet Sotah, explains the Midrash is teaching us that although Moshe being thrown into the river seemed like an act of destruction, the ways of Hashem are very far from us. Miriam had a prophecy that the savior was going to be born, and this looked like a nullification of that prophecy. However, this was actually the way in which the prophecy became fulfilled. It was through this that Moshe was raised safely in the palace by the daughter of Pharoah. It also teaches us that although this took place when the harshest slavery began, it appeared that Hashem was so distant, but He was right there standing with them. During their darkest time, Hashem was making the greatest miracles—causing the daughter of Pharoah to go down to the Nile at the exact time Moshe was placed there, and then making the miracle of her arm stretching out to reach him. Rabbi Reizman pointed out that the Torah only devotes six pesukim to discussing all of the slavery in Mitzrayim. Right after that, begins the story of the redemption—how Moshe was born and how he became the go'el. Even the pesukim that speak about the throwing of the babies into the Nile mention Miryam and Yocheved, the mother and sister of the go'el. Perhaps one explanation of this is that we are not meant to dwell too much on the difficulties that we are given. It is hard for us to comprehend how pain and suffering could possibly be good for us, and therefore it is incumbent upon us not to analyze the details too deeply, but rather to trust in Hashem. When Hashem called to Moshe from the burning bush, the pasuk says that Moshe was afraid to look. Hashem appeared to Moshe in a thorn bush, symbolizing עִמּוֹ אָנֹכִי בְצָרָה -He was with us during that hard time. Moshe did not see all the harsh slave labor because he was in Midyan. The Mefarshim explain that here Hashem began showing Moshe the suffering that the Jewish people were going through, but Moshe was afraid to look because he did not want to lower his level of emunah and potentially have questions on the way Hashem was dealing with them. One of the harshest decrees was that Pharoah was killing 150 babies every morning and another 150 every evening, bathing in their blood because he had tzara'at. When Moshe heard about this, along with the fact that Jewish babies were being built into the walls as bricks, he asked Hashem what they did to deserve this. Hashem told Moshe that all of those babies were from previous generations and were receiving their tikkun. It was all chesed, meant to purify them. Hashem told Moshe that if he really wanted, he could save one—and Moshe did. That one baby-Micha- brought about the worst destruction. He was the one who took the Shem Hashem that Moshe used to bring Yosef's aron out of the sea, threw it into the fire when the Jews were waiting for Moshe to come down from Har Sinai, and caused the Egel(golden calf) to emerge alive. Until today, we are still suffering from the effects of the Egel. He later made an idol when they entered Eretz Yisrael, causing countless tragedies to befall the Jewish people. He was also known as Nevat, the father of Yeravam, who caused the exile of the Ten Tribes. That destruction came from just one of those babies. The Lev Aryeh writes that all those who perished in Mitzrayim were neshamot from earlier generations that returned for a tikkun—the generations of the Mabul, Dor HaPelagah, and the people of Sedom. The Mishnah says in Pirkei Avot, אַל תִּסְתַּכֵּל בַּקַּנְקָן אֶלָּא בְּמַה שֶּׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ (Avot 4:20) The Lev Aryeh explains homiletically that this also refers to the tragedies in Mitzrayim. The word קן has the numerical value of 150. Do not look at what happened to the 150 babies in the morning and the 150 babies in the evening; rather, look at who those people really were—resha'im who needed a tikkun. Hashem is always standing near us, but He appears to be afar because His ways are so far beyond our understanding. Everything He does is chesed. We do not have the ability to comprehend His ways in this world, but we do have the ability to trust in Him. We should not dwell excessively on the difficulties; rather, we should believe that everything is chesed done out of love. And if we have that emunah, then we will be considered people who are truly loyal. Shabbat Shalom

Besides for the eternal merits that mitzvot give us, there are also segulot within them that bring blessing in this world as well. When someone is in need of a yeshua, one of the greatest approaches is to become extra careful with a specific mitzvah to increase his merits through it. The Chovot HaLevavot, in Shaar Ahavat Hashem, writes that when a person helps others grow in Torah and mitzvot, his merits become endless, because they are multiplied according to the merits of all those he helped. Rabbi Yisrael Brog shared a powerful story that reveals the value in Shamayim of being mezakeh the rabim. Rabbi Pinchas Peretz is a rabbi in Ofakim. Every day, his wife would take their daughter to playgroup. One day, she asked him to do it instead, because she had something important to attend to. Rabbi Peretz put his daughter into the car and then drove to his print shop, as he did every day. At one o'clock in the afternoon, his wife called to remind him to pick up their daughter. The playgroup was not far from his shop, so he walked there calmly. When he arrived, he was told that his wife had never brought their daughter that day. In an instant, he froze. He realized that since eight o'clock that morning, his daughter had been left in the car on a blazing hot day. He began screaming and running frantically back to his car, fearing the worst. As he ran, he called Hatzalah. When he reached the car, he saw his daughter, her face beet red, but unbelievably, she was still alive. She was breathing heavily and appeared to be in a deep sleep. Emergency responders arrived immediately, administered treatment, and stabilized her. They told Rabbi Peretz that she was literally minutes away from tragedy. She was rushed to the hospital, given IV fluids, and treated extensively. The doctors could not believe that a child who had been in a hot car for five hours was still alive. That night, Rabbi Peretz saw in a dream that he was standing before the Heavenly Court. A decree had been issued that his daughter would pass away. Suddenly, Chacham Ovadia Yosef appeared and pleaded on her behalf, saying that in the merit of her father being mezakeh the rabim, she should live. Rabbi Peretz prints Torah messages in his print shop and distributes them free of charge to the public. So many people grow closer to Hashem through those words of Torah. When he woke up, he understood the magnitude of the miracle that had taken place. Rabbi Brog also shared another story. There was a man who would hang signs in his neighborhood every Wednesday, reminding people of candle lighting times and when Shabbat begins. When someone asked him why he does it, he answered that he wanted to help people be more careful with the honor of Shabbat. Another individual, already in his forties and still not married, decided to take on a merit for the public. He became a central contact point where people could send resumes, and he would forward them to those who could help with shidduchim. Baruch Hashem, not long afterward, he himself got married. There is no shortage of mitzvot through which a person can help others. Some strengthen shemirat halashon by sharing daily halachot through phone lines or printed sheets in shuls. Some help others with modesty, others with shemirat ha'einayim, and the list goes on. Every mitzvah carries immense merit, but when a person helps others perform mitzvot, the merit becomes endless.