Reb Aharon Hagadol of Karlin (composer of the niggun “Kah Echsof”) once had no food at all in his home. He felt his strength waning, and he sensed he was going to faint.
The tzaddik strengthened himself, saying: It cannot be that I am truly hungry, because if I were hungry, Hashem would give me food to eat. The passuk states, “Everyone’s eyes look hopefully to You, and You give them their food in its time.” If so, the minute I need to eat, Hakadosh Baruch Hu will give me food. The fact that Hashem hasn’t provided me with food is a sign that I don’t need to eat.
This was how the tzaddik served his Creator for another three days without food.
Three days later, Hashem sent him food. When the food arrived, the Rebbe said, “Now I am truly hungry...”
We do not expect this behavior of any Yid in our times, but the message applies to all of us: The biggest proof that I don’t need something is the fact that I don’t have it.
A person walks around thinking: If I only had so-and-so’s abilities, I would be one of the more successful members of my kollel/yeshivah/workplace.
If I had the power of hasmadah of so-and-so, I would already be one of the talmidei chachamim of the generation.
If I had a large apartment, I would have much more inner serenity.
A person might focus on what he’s lacking, thinking his remedy is to get what he doesn’t have right now, but Chovos Halevavos teaches us that the true remedy is emunah.
In Parshas Beha’alos’cha, Rashi explains that the people who desired and lusted for meat were the eirev rav. Rav Naftali Tzvi of Ropshitz (Zera Kodesh, Parshas Beha’alos’cha) explains that only the eirev rav could desire something they don’t have, since lust cannot really coexist with emunah. The emunah perspective tells us that if we don’t have something, we probably don’t need it. We make a brachah each day, thanking Hashem for “providing all my needs for me.” Hashem gave us everything we need, and if we don’t have it, it’s a sign we don’t need it.
When I truly need it Hashem will give it to me, in the right time.
Gut Shabbat
Pinchas Shefer
ד"בס
