In parshas Balak, Hashem commands Moshe Rabbeinu to take Aharon HaKohen and his son Elazar up to the mountaintop where Aharon will, as his last living act in this world, transfer the Kedusha over to his son. The emotions run high. Rashi tells us that Hashem means to say “take” Aharon with words of compassion.
Even when times are bad, we should make every effort to see the good and spread the light in all we do, and all we are. Life might have dealt us some bad cards, but reframing them in a positive light is our job, and is something Hashem wants us to learn how to do more. Seeing things in a positive light can bring so much clarity that all negative interpretations fall away.
The great tzaddik of Yerushalayim R’ Aryeh Levin zatzal relates that he was once zoche to visit the Chofetz Chaim, when he was talking to one of his students.The student was complaining about the difficult parsha he was going through.
With much compassion and sympathy, the Chofetz Chaim asked him “What if in shamayim they decreed that you must go through a difficult time in your life, when would you rather experience it when you were younger or older?”
The student answered,” When I am younger, of course; I will have more strength to deal with it.”
“So we see that Hashem has sent you exactly what you would have chosen,” said the Chofetz Chaim, “for when you are older, it is much more difficult to deal with troubles, and in addition, difficult days are forgotten when followed by years of goodness.”
“I promise you that after you pass this difficult period, your days will be many and trouble free, because it is all a decree from Heaven and you will have passed the test with your strong emunah.”
With this bracha and guidance, the student was relieved. Hashem put a chelek Elokah Me'maal, a heavenly light, in all of us. The Zohar says this is represented by our power of speech. The words of compassion we speak to others is a divine aspect of Hashem. The power to make others feel good about themselves was given to us straight from Hashem, and it’s our duty to act this way at all possible times. When R’ Elyashiv ztz”l needed a serious heart operation later on in life, two prominent doctors operated on him, one, a specialist, a non- Jew, and the other, a ben Torah. The first doctor was for the most part unfazed. Although serious, the operation was one he had done hundreds of times before. The Jewish doctor keenly felt the gravity of the moment; the importance of operating on the gadol hador made him very nervous.
R’ Elyashiv sensed this nervousness and told him “I want to thank you very much now for operating on me, but you must feel it in every fiber of your being that it is the Ribono Shel Olam that is guiding your hands, and whatever happens will not be your fault one bit, because everything is predestined from the Heavens.”
The nervous doctor felt the light of clarity, and was calmed by these words, and the team went on to perform a very successful procedure, b”H. In our own lives, we must learn that how we view events contributes greatly to a successful outcome. It is this belief that will always bring Hashem into the picture.
Written by R’ Avrohom Hillel Reich based on a lesson and story by Harav Ben Tziyon Sneh Shlita
