“And they had faith in Hashem...”
Faith is not acquired except through daily hard work. Just as food sustains the body, so too does faith sustain the soul. Since I did not worry about my spiritual sustenance, slowly questions piled up regarding faith until I was in total denial, and I was convinced that I was right, and no one was able to change my mind.
One day a childhood friend urged me to accompany him to a weekly Torah class and at the end of the class I would be able to ask all my questions. Since I was not able to refuse, I entered and sat in a corner of the room.
In the middle of the class, my ears heard the following sentence: “A person has many questions and frustrations! If a person would only observe what is around him, he would see how Hashem speaks to him about everything! Sometimes by way of an animal or a bird and sometimes a person will throw a word his way... if one would only constantly listen, he would receive directions and answers for everything!”
“Easy for him to say”, I said to myself. ‘If he is right, why doesn’t Hashem speak to me clearly? After all, have I not learned sign language?!’
While I was thinking, the Rav asked three questions one after the other and their answers crushed alongside them. These were the questions that I had wanted to ask. I was left speechless, and I realized that the Creator did not leave me a choice and was speaking in a clear language directly to this. Immediately after the class my friend urged me to present my questions to the Rav, “The Rav has already answered all of my questions”, I responded with favor.
On the way home I grappled with a real estate decision that I was in the middle of, and I hoped that I would have the opportunity to meet an expert for advice and blessing. But I did not need to wait, as I entered my building, I spotted a pamphlet with holy writings on a step and I picked it up so it would not be disgraced. On the front page was a list of topics and one of the topics was the exact question that I was grappling with. I excitedly opened the pamphlet to that page, and I found three different answers from the writings of Tzaddikim which explained the topic in great detail until I was left with not even one question. Everything was clearly explained as if the author was writing directly to me.
Then I understood that there are many paths to the Omnipresent. Who will give and all will see the clear language with mercy.
י.ש.
Beshalach
