When you look in the peephole on a door, and you see that it is dark, you know that someone is standing there on the other side of the door. This alludes to when times are difficult and dark, be aware that Hashem is there.
A story is told of a person who was walking through a forest, frightened from the wild animals, and he sees two sets of footprints beneath him. One is his own, but whose footprings are the second pair?
A bas kol says, "The second set of footprints is from Hashem. Hashem is walking with you through the forest."
He was relieved, Hashem was with him. There was nothing to fear.
But then, he met up with a lion, and now he doesn't see Hashem's footprints. He shouted, "Hashem! Why did you leave me when I need You most?"
The Bas Kol replied, "You only see one pair of footprints because Hashem is carrying you on your shoulders!" Because Hashem is closest, when we are going through challenges.
(2) Why did the malach hamaves return to Shlomo HaMelech? The first time he came was because he was seeking counsel and ways how he can bring Elicharaf and Achiya to the gates of Luz so he could take their lives, but what was the purpose to come again to Shlomo HaMelech?
We can explain that the malach hamaves was teasing Shlomo HaMelech, and trying to cause Shlomo HaMelech to feel broken and responsible for the deaths of his two scribes. Shlomo had sent them to the exact place where the malach hamaves could take their lives, and the malach hamaves wanted that Shlomo should feel responsible for their deaths. Shlomo replied, "Their deaths isn't my fault. If I wouldn't have sent them to Luz, their feet would have brought them there, because one's feet are his guarantors to bring him where he has to go. So, you won't succeed to give me a guilty conscious. I am not responsible for their deaths. Everything occurs with hashgachah pratis."
People asked Reb Mendel Putterfas zt'l how he managed to maintain his emunah even as a prisoner in Siberia. He told that he learned emunah from a non-Jewish tightrope walker and from his daughter. He explained that on a day that there was less security in the camp, a non-Jewish tightrope walker made a show for the inmates, and he showed them that he is able to walk tightrope.
The tightrope artist asked the audience, "Do you believe that I can go over the rope while pushing a wagon?"
The audience said that they are certain that he can. "We don't know how you walked on the rope. But if you can walk onthe rope, you can do so while pushing a wagon, too."
"Does anyone volunteer to sit in the wagon barrel as I push it and walk on the rope?"
No one volunteered. But then a young girl came, she sat down in the wagon, and the tightrope artist pushed the wagon with the girl in it over the rope. Everyone gasped from fear, and were relieved when they finally came down, safe and sound.
People asked the girl why she wasn't afraid. She replied, "The tightrope artist is my father. When my father is leading me, I am not afraid." This is our encouragement. Hashem is leading us, and therefore we are not afraid.
Hashem is with Us
The Or HaChaim (Shemos 22:6) writes, שאין גופו בבחינת בין האדם עם פעולה עושה 'ה שאין ורגע שעה לך צרכיו בבחינת בין, "There isn't an hour or a minute that Hashem isn't doing something for man: either for his body or for his needs." Hashem is with us, always, and therefore, we need not be afraid.
