Chazal point out that the final letters of the words: בראשית ברא אלקים – “In the beginning G-d created” (Bereishis 1:1) form the word emes [truth], which alludes to the idea that the chosamo [signature] of the Ribbono Shel Olam is Truth.
One might ask why only the end of these words contain the signature of Ribbono Shel Olam. Why did He not begin the Torah with words whose beginning letters spell emes?
I saw an insightful answer to this question: The Truth of the Ribbono Shel Olam can sometimes only be recognized at the “end”. Often times, while a person lives through certain events and life circumstances, he is unable to see the “Truth” of the Ribbono Shel Olam. However, in the end, in retrospect, a person can sometimes see and appreciate the “Truth” of Hashem’s Ways, which he could not see or appreciate earlier.
All of us should have pleasant and carefree lives. But unfortunately, life is not always like that. A person sometimes goes through very difficult periods in which he might question why G-d is doing these things to him. Such occurrences happen all too frequently. We must always bear in mind that the signature of the Ribbono Shel Olam is Truth. We might not see it ahead of time, we might not see it when events unfold, but hopefully we will see it in the end.
In Czarist Russia, people were drafted into the army for a 25-year tour of duty. Often this was a death sentence. Certainly, no one ever came out the same as the way he went in. People tried to do whatever they could to see to it that their own children would not be drafted into the Czar’s army. There was a Jewish butcher in a small village, whose son was supposed to be drafted. He bribed the authorities that instead of taking his son into the army, they should take an unfortunate orphaned Yeshiva bochur, who had no one to protect him from the draft.
The unfairness of the situation caused great turmoil in the community. People questioned G-d’s justice at allowing such a thing to happen. The reaction of the Chofetz Chaim was one word: “Wait.”
Five years went by, ten years went by, twenty years went by and nothing happened. The butcher prospered, his son prospered, everything seemed to be going well for them. Thirty years later, this son of the butcher, who was spared from the Russian army, came down with cholera, a very serious and infectious disease. The son died. The Chevra Kadisha refused to bury him because they were afraid they would be contaminated by the infectious cholera germs. The father was forced to bury his own son with his own hands and his own shovel, because no one else would touch him.
This is what the Chofetz Chaim meant when he said “wait.” This is what is meant by the statement that the “signature” of the Ribbono Shel Olam is Truth via the “final letters”. While things are occurring, the “signature” of “Truth” may not always be revealed. The Rock, His works are perfect (Devorim 32:4). (R’ Frand)
