Why was Iyov punished with yesurim? What could he do? He couldn't protest Pharaoh’s decision to enslave the Jews because that would be suicidal. Even Yisro didn't try to persuade Pharaoh. Instead, he ran away. So why was Iyov punished with yesurim for being silent?
A popular answer is that when Iyov had yesurim, he shouted from pain. We say to Iyov, "Why do you shout? How are your shouts helping you? The obvious answer is that when something hurts you, you shout. So, how come it didn't hurt you when you stood before Pharaoh, and he decreed to enslave the Jewish nation? If it truly bothered you, you would have shouted."
The Maor v'Shemesh (ההם הרבים בימים ויהי ה"ד) writes, "There are times that the tefillah can't go up because the mekatrigim create an iron wall, as it states (Yeshayah 59:2) מבדילים עונותיכם כי, 'Your sins separate...' The Zohar says that the solution is to shout from the depths of the heart, with all one's kavanah – a shout, without words. This is called זעקה and שוועה. The malachim, the mekatrigim, don't know about this tefillah; only Hashem Himself knows. Hashem listens to this shout because it was emitted with truth and from the depths of the heart, and Hashem answers this tefillah. It is a more significant tefillah than a tefillah said with letters and words, which the malachim understand and can be mekatreg and prevent. This doesn't occur when one shouts out to Hashem without saying words. Only Hashem, Who knows man’s thoughts, understands, and Hashem will fulfill the desires of his heart."
It states in this week's parashah (13:9) ביד כי ממצרים 'ה הוציאך חזקה, "for with a mighty hand Hashem took you out of Mitzrayim." What is the significance of חזקה יד, "Mighty hand." The Sfas Emes zt'l explains that the Jewish nation wasn’t worthy to be redeemed. But with a mighty hand, חזקה יד, Hashem saved the Jewish nation. The Sfas Emes writes, "This is a lesson for all generations. Even if they aren't worthy, Hashem will help them." This refers to the future redemption, and it also relates to each person being redeemed from his personal tzaros, and it is for each person to succeed in improving his ways, and to be redeemed from his negative habits. Even if he isn’t worthy, Hashem can put forth His mighty hand and save us.
Kabbalos
Another solution to improve one's ways is to take on good Kabbalos. Choose the area you want to improve in and make a kabbalah. It can even be a small step towards improving yourself in that area. With time, you will see that you are becoming the person you wish you were. You will find yourself changing your life-patterns and living as a Yid should.
The Midrash (Shemos Rabba 1:9) says, "Three people were in that counsel [to enslave the Jewish nation]: Bilaam, Iyov, and Yisro. Bilaam gave the advice, and he was killed. Iyov was silent, and he was punished with afflictions. Yisro ran away, and for this, he merited that his descendants sat in the Sanhedrin."
Why did Yisro deserve this great reward? What did he do already? He didn't protest Pharaoh's plan to enslave the Yidden. He ran away. For that, he deserved for his children to be in the Sanhedrin?
But the answer is that Yisro did the most he could under the circumstances. He knew he couldn't protest against Pharaoh, because Pharaoh would kill him. He couldn't save the nation, but at least, he wouldn't be present when the decree was established. And this teaches us a significant lesson: It tells us that if we do as much as possible, we will be rewarded immensely.
The rule is that Hashem doesn't want from us what we can't do. Hashem wants from us the maximum of what we can do. It might be a little, but that is all that is needed when it is the most we can do.
Kabbalos towards improving one's ways
Kabbalos towards improving one's ways don't necessarily need to be large. Often, it is better when it is a small kabbalah, and that will be sufficient. If it is all we can take on, it is enough.
Rashi (12:4) writes, "The time came to redeem the Jewish nation, but they didn’t have mitzvos to merit to be saved... Hashem gave them two mitzvos: the blood of pesach and the blood of milah, because they circumcised themselves that night...They were attached to avodah zarah, so Hashem told them מצוה של צאן וקחו מאלילים ידיכם משכו, 'Leave the avodah zarah and take a sheep for the mitzvah.'"
It would seem that just two mitzvos wouldn't be enough, but it was enough in Hashem's eyes. We do the maximum we can, which is all Hashem asks of us.
The Sfas Emes explains that Hashem takes the few good deeds that we have, He magnifies them, and that saves us.
It states (12:23) הפתח על 'ה ופסח, and the Targum explains that Hashem considered the doorway as though it was very large. The relatively small deed became very large in Hashem's eyes, sufficient to save them. The Sfas Emes quotes this Targum (although I searched for it and didn't find it) and the Sfas Emes writes, "This teaches us for future generation, if a person opens a small opening, it becomes like a large wall [in Hashem's eyes], and you will merit your redemption."
An example of a relatively small kabbalah is to learn for three minutes without interruption. You think it is small, but it is a great deed in Hashem’s eyes. There are yeshivos during Shovavim that learn for hours without interruption. In Slonim, there are two sedarim daily, five hours each, without interruption. (The Yesod HaAvodah of Slonim discusses the great purity that comes from studying five hours straight, without interruption.)
Fortunate are they. However, if at the moment, the most one can do is to study for five minutes without interruption, be aware that it is incredibly precious to Hashem. Don't think it is a small deed, because, as the Chovas HaLevovos writes, "What is small to you, is great in Hashem's eyes."
It states (12:2) לכם הזה החדש. The Gemara (Shabbos 147:) tells that Reb Elazar ben Arach forgot his learning, and when he read these words, he read them לבם היה החרש, "Their hearts were deaf." The chachamim davened for him, and he remembered his learning again.
The Kotzker mentions that the difference between לכם הזה החדש and לבם היה החרש are three small dots of ink. This indicates that all it takes is a few small, good deeds, and you can turn לבם היה החרש, a deaf heart, to הזה החדש לכם, hizchazkus in avodas Hashem. Also, in contrast, when a person is good and becomes lenient in a few places here and there, this might result in his downfall. It can change a לכם הזה החדש to לבם היה החרש, from small, minor deeds.
Rebbe Dovid'l Tolna zt'l saw a person who was about to jump off a building to end his life. The Tolna Rebbe told him, "It isn't hard to jump off a building. Let's see if you can stand on the earth and jump up!" The man immediately went down. With his wise words, the Tolna Rebbe saved his life.
We learn a lesson from this story: Falling from one’s level isn’t hard. The trick is to be on the ground and to get up and reach high levels. That is the challenge that we should take on. And as we explained, this can be achieved through taking on a few minor steps and good Kabbalos.
