The Tzemech Tzaddik zt'l (Noach) explains that concealed within every tzarah and problem is Hashem's kindness. Therefore, he advises that, "When there are dinim on a person, he should say לטב רחמנא דעביד מה כל עביד, 'Everything Hashem does, it is for the good.' The dinim are a levush, a clothing, and within this clothing is Hashem's compassion, to bring goodness to the person." So, everything is for the good, and when we proclaim that it is so, we find the good that's there.
He writes that this is alluded to in the pasuk (Tehillim 116:13) 'ה ובשם אשא ישועות כוס אקרא, "I shall lift up a cup of salvations." כוס is gematriya (68) אלקים, which represents din. One must know that within the din is ישועות אשא, Hashem's salvation. When we know that, it will be אקרא ה"הוי ובשם, the revelation of Hashem's kindness.
He נח התהלך האלקים את, "Noach walked with Elokim." The Tzemech Tzaddik explains that Noach lived with the belief that even when it is אלקים, midas hadin, it is Hashem's kindness. And this is the reason his name was נח, because life was always calm and good for him. He was able to find and reveal the good that is within the tzarah.
When Rebbe Henoch of Alexander zt'l was a child learning in cheder, his melamed once thought he was daydreaming, so he hit him. The melamed said, "If you will look inside [the sefer] you won't get hit." Years later, Rebbe Henoch repeated this incident and said, "Regarding all troubles of life, if one looks 'inside' and thinks more deeply about what's happening, he won't feel the distress and pain, for he will understand that everything is for his good."
Rabbeinu Tam says that it is daytime until about seventy-two minutes after shekiah. Reb Yechezkel Abramsky zt'l once asked the Brisker Rav zt'l, "How can we accept Rabbeinu Tam's view? Anyone who looks up at the sky sees clearly that it is nighttime well before." The Brisker Rav replied, "To determine when it's nighttime one doesn’t look at the heaven; one looks in the Shulchan Aruch!"
On a similar note, when one is going through hard times, one should see what the Shulchan Aruch says about it. His own assessment of the situation, whether it's good or bad, is irrelevant. And Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 230:5) tells us, אדם יהא לעולם עביד לטב רחמנא דעביד מה כל לומר רגיל, "One should become accustomed to say, 'Everything that Hashem does is for the good.'" That is the thought that we must review, and then we will merit to find the good that is concealed within.
During World War Two, it was forbidden to turn the lights on at nighttime in London, so enemy planes won't recognize where there are cities and civilians. People who needed light at night would cover their windows with heavy, black material. When the light was very bright and the lightbulb was close to the window, they would place a thicker material to block the light.
Once, Reb Sholom of Shatz zt'l was walking with his son-in-law, the Vidislover rav zt'l, and they passed a house that had a very heavy material over the window. Reb Sholom told his son-in-law that this means there is a very strong light in this home, and the light is near the window. Reb Sholom of Shatz explained to him that the same occurs in life. When there are dark hardships and struggles, this means that there's a very bright light there that will soon be revealed. It seems dark now, but that is concealing the bright light that will soon emerge.
An antisemite entered a restaurant. He was happy to see that everyone present was gentile, like himself. But then he saw a Yid in the restaurant, and his blood boiled with anger. He decided to do something to make the Yid angry. When the waiter approached this rasha and asked him what he want to order, he replied loudly, "I order a full course meal for everyone in the restaurant, and it is all for free. Here is the money, I am paying for it. Everyone can have whatever they want... everyone except for that Jew sitting over there. Don’t give him anything." The crowd in the restaurant applauded and cheered, and they enjoyed an expensive meal. Then, they all went over to the wealthy rasha to thank him, and the Yid thanked him as well! "Something is wrong," the cruel man thought to himself. "The Jew should be devastated and embarrassed. Why is he thanking me?" The antisemite took out his checkbook and told the waiter that now he offers free drinks for everyone in the restaurant, and then he added in a loud voice, "That is for everyone, except for the Jew." The applauds were louder this time, and after everyone drank as much as they wanted, they came over to this rasha to thank him. The Yid also thanked him. The rasha couldn't contain himself any longer, and he asked the Yid, “Why are you thanking me? I didn't give you anything.” "Oh, yes you did," the Yid replied. "I am the owner of this restaurant." This story is a reminder that when things appear to be bad, it is never so. Everything is for our benefit. May we merit to see that it is so.
