The Chasam Sofer zt'l (Likutei Teshuvos, Michtavim 9) relates the following about his rebbe, Reb Noson Adler zt'l:
"When I came to my rebbe [Reb Noson Adler zt'l] the first time when I arrived in Boskovitz, he had two children – a young son and a twelve-year-old daughter. He loved his daughter immensely because of her good deeds...it is impossible to list all her praises. But due to our many sins, she was niftarah. Nevertheless, Reb Noson didn't cry. He accepted Hashem's decree with joy. I never saw such joy on him, even when he davened on Simchas Torah. Reb Noson’s custom was to be oleh every Shabbos the aliyos of kohen and maftir, and on the Shabbos during the shiva (which was וירא פרשת), he didn't change his custom. When he recited the haftorah, one tear fell from his eye, which he caught in his hand. But then he took hold of himself and showed no more signs of distress. Since then, he never mentioned his daughter's name and didn't have additional children."
Emunah
Rebbe Yisrael of Ruzhin zy'a advised his chassidim not to study kabbalah before they merit giluy Eliyahu. Years later, people saw the Husiatiner Rebbe zy'a, a grandson of the Ruzhiner, studying kabbalah. They understood that he merited to see Eliyahu HaNavi. But the Husiatiner Rebbe told them that he hadn’t seen Eliyahu HaNavi. He explained, "My grandfather was speaking for his generation. At that time, one had to see Eliyahu HaNavi before studying the Arizal's sefarim. Today, anyone who believes, בכל מושל ואתה, that Hashem rules over everything is worthy to learn kabbalah."
In other words, in our generation, believing in Hashem is equivalent to seeing Eliyahu HaNavi.
It states in this week's parashah (3:15), ולמכיר הגלעד את נתתי. Reb Tzadok HaKohen zy'a explained, ולמכיר, for those who recognize Hashem (they know that Hashem created the world and that everything happens by Hashem's hashgachah pratis), to him הגלעד את נתתי, I will send him Eliyahu HaGiladi. Because of his emunah, he deserves to meet with Eliyahu HaNavi.
Reb Dovid of Lelov zt'l explained the pasuk as follows: למכיר, to recognize whether a person believes in Hashem, נתתי, I give the following sign: עד-גל. Happiness is the testimony. (גל or גיל means happiness, and עד is testimony.) גלעד means that a person's happiness is a sign and testimony that he believes in Hashem.
When a person believes in Hashem, he will always be happy. Whatever happens to him, he knows it is for the best and that it didn’t happen by chance. He isn't worried about the future because he trusts Hashem will help him.
Additionally, what greater joy is there than to speak and to serve Hashem, the King and Creator of the world? For these reasons, when one has emunah, he will have joy. If a person is sad and yet claims that he has emunah, his disposition testifies against him. However, עד-גל, one's happiness is testimony to his emunah.
This week's parashah describes the miracles and wonders that Hashem performed for the Jewish nation in the desert. For example, it states (1:31),אשר ראית אשר ובמדבר הלכתם אשר הדרך בכל בנו את איש ישא כאשר אלקיך 'ה נשאך הזה המקום עד באכם עד', "And in the desert, where you have seen how Hashem, your G-d, has carried you as a man carries his son, all the way that you have gone until you have come to this place." The following pasuk states, אלוקיכם 'בה מאמינים אינכם הזה ובדבר, "And with this matter, you don't believe in Hashem your G-d." The Bnei Yissaschar (Agra d'Kalah) explains that when people see mann coming down from heaven to feed the nation, water pouring from a stone to quench their thirst, and clouds of glory surrounding them to protect them, they don't have to believe in Hashem. They know Hashem. They see His presence in their life. Therefore, the Torah says, אלוקיכם 'בה מאמינים אינכם הזה ובדבר, this isn't called emunah. Emunah is to believe in Hashem even when we don't see His kindness and life is hard. To believe, even then, that everything is from Hashem and for the good.
