We have discussed many times the importance of knowing and believing that everything that occurs to us is for our good. We take this further this week and express that it is a mitzvas asei to think so. It is a Torah obligation to believe that everything that happens to us is for our benefit.
The Smag (mitzvah 17) writes, "It is a positive command (a mitzvas asei) to think that everything that happens to you is just and correct. About this, it states (8:5) לבבך עם וידעת מיסרך אלקיך 'ה בנו את איש ייסר כאשר כי, 'You shall know in your heart, that just as a man chastises his son, so does Hashem, your G-d, chastise you.' I taught this mitzvah asei publicly."
The Smag adds, "If a person does teshuvah, and still, things become worse for him, it is a mitzvas asei to realize that things changed for his benefit. A tzaddik or a baal teshuvah who thinks that what is happening to him isn't for his benefit, about him the pasuk states ואלי זרועותם חזקתי יסרתי ואני (טו ,ז הושע) רע יחשבו, 'But I chastised them, I strengthened their arms, yet to Me they attribute bad.' Hakadosh Baruch Hu says, 'I gave him yesurim in this world, so he should be strong in Olam HaBa, and they think it is bad. They should have realized that (Mishlei 3:12) את כי יוכיח 'ה יאהב אשר, 'For Hashem chastens the one He loves.'"
Naomi said in Megilas Rus (1:20) תקראנה אל 'ה השיבני וריקם הלכתי מלאה אני ...מרה לי קראן נעמי לי, "Do not call me Naomi (pleasant); call me Marah (bitter)... I went away full, and Hashem has brought me back empty." The Vilna Gaon zt'l offers an innovative explanation of these words, very different than their simple meaning. He explains that Naomi used to be wealthy, and people thought that she was Naomi, which means pleasantness. They thought that in those financially successful years, Naomi was leading a good life. Naomi informed them that when she had money and prestige, life was bitter for her because where did her wealth and success lead her to? It led her to leave Eretz Yisrael. This is the intention of הלכתי מלאה אני, when everything was good, I left Eretz Yisrael! So, despite how it appeared, it wasn't a good time for me at all. In contrast, 'ה השיבני וריקם, when I was ריקם, poor, without money, Hashem helped me to return to Eretz Yisrael. So, the good times are now and not then.
According to this explanation, this means that when someone is poor, it isn't necessarily a bad time. How he deals with his tests and challenges determines when life is good or the opposite.
The churban of the first Beis HaMikdash appeared to be very bad, but there, too, there was a silver lining. Hashem says (Yirmiyahu 29:11), עליכם חושב אנכי אשר המחשבות את ידעתי אנכי כי ותקוה אחרית לכם לתת לרעה ולא שלום מחשבות 'ה נאם, "For I know the thoughts that I think about you, says Hashem, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." Hashem's plans for the Churban were מחשבות שלום, thoughts of peace, לרעה ולא; they weren't for our detriment. Everything Hashem does for us is for our benefit.
Rashi writes, "This that you will be in galus for seventy years, it is for your good because this will humble your foolish heart, and then you will return." Toras Bikurim (student of the Rashba) quotes this pasuk and the pasuk (Hosheia 7:15) ואני זרועותם חזקתי יסרתי, "But I chastised them, I strengthened their arms, yet to Me they attribute evil," and the Toras Bikurim explains, "All punishments that Hakadosh Baruch Hu brings to Bnei Yisrael is solely to grant them Olam HaBa. I punish them to strengthen their arms in Olam Haba, as it states (Yeshayah 33:2) לבקרים זרועם היה, 'Be their arm every morning.'" It seems negative, but the purpose is to make us befitting for Olam HaBa.
Hashem promised Avram children at the Bris Ben HaBesarim and said they would inherit Eretz Yisrael. Hashem said to Avram (Bereishis 15:13) להם לא בארץ זרעך יהיה גר כי תדע ידע שנה מאות ארבע אתם וענו ועבדום, "You shall surely know that your children will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and they will enslave them and oppress them, for four hundred years..." Yishmael and Eisav were also descendants of Avraham, yet they didn't become the chosen nation and didn't inherit Eretz Yisrael. This is because they didn't suffer in Mitzrayim. Only those who paid the bill mentioned in the Bris Ben HaBesarim, earn the benefits promised at the Bris Ben HaBesarim.
The suffering in Mitzrayim seemed so negative, but how much good came from it! This is what we must remember whenever we go through a difficult time. Hashem has a plan, and even that which appears bad today is perfect for us.
Story: Reb Menachem and his wife live in Bnei Brak and were away one Shabbos. That Shabbos, their home was robbed. Among the stolen items were checks Reb Menachem received from his customers, jewelry their daughter received as a gift for her upcoming chasunah, and a hundred thousand shekel, money Reb Menachem had just borrowed to pay for the wedding! On Motzei Shabbos, one of the children had to get something from his parent's home, and he was the first one to see what occurred. He called his father to tell him what happened. (He thought it would be easier for his parents to know beforehand rather than come home and find everything turned topsy-turvy.) Reb Menachem immediately parked his car at the side of the road and covered his face with his hands. He couldn't drive; he was too distressed. Eventually, he calmed down, and they arrived home.
His wife entered the house and said, "Ribono shel Olam! I believe everything is from You, and everything is for the good, although we don’t understand why. In the merit of my emunah, I request that my two children beget children of their own." Two of their married children didn't yet have children. One was nine years after the chasunah, and the other was six years after the chasunah. She added, "Furthermore, Ribono Shel Olam. In the merit of our belief that even this is for the good, may our divorced son find his shidduch..." Her tefillos were answered. It didn't take a year, and her two children had children of their own, and her divorced son was engaged and married. We learn from this story that when one keeps this mitzvah and believes that everything is for the good, he is rewarded immensely.
Lesson: The lesson is that when you think something went wrong, it isn't so. Hashem plans and arranges everything precisely as it should be.
