Hashgachah Pratis in the Sefarim Hakedoshim
Excerpts from the popular shiur by Harav Hatzaddik R’ Beirish Shneebalg shlit”a
Rising from Within the Darkness
The days of Bein Hametzarim are not regular days. On the one hand, we are mourning the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash. This loss is felt in every fiber of our being, for along with the churban of the Beis Hamikdash, our kavod was buried and the Shechinah left out midst. This distance is felt very strongly during these days.
On the other hand, the holy sefarim reveal that these days have great spiritual significance. The 21 days of Bein Hametzarim correspond to the first 21 days of Chodesh Tishrei, and they are an auspicious time to come close to Hashem.
We often encounter difficult challenges in life. Sometimes a person gets caught in a sort of whirlpool: Parnassah is difficult, and many tzaros land one on top of another, leaving the person feeling helpless, as though he was, chalilah, forgotten by Hashem.
But the truth is that the greatness of the hastarah is as great as the inner hidden light. Just like the days of Bein Hametzarim, which seem so dark but contain within them a great light, so too are the moments of darkness in a person’s life. The darkness is merely an external cover that hides a great, tremendous light.
Whoever knows this understands that, specifically during the most dreary moments, we must not give up. Specifically in those moments it is expected of us that we reveal the hidden light within the darkness. If we do so, then not only will we get through the difficult times but we’ll also emerge from them strengthened in emunah after having been zocheh to see our yeshuah so near.
May Hashem help us and transform these days of mourning to simchah, and may we be zocheh soon to see the building of the Beis Hamikdash; amen.
No One Hurts His Finger
Rabi Chanina said: No one hurts his finger in this world unless it has been decreed for him from on High, as it says: “The footsteps of man are decreed by Hashem; What can man understand of His ways?” (Mishlei 20:24).
(Chullin 7b)
