A Joke With A Lesson
R’ Avigdor Miller zt”l would thank Hashem for the disappointments he had in his life. When he was 17 years old, he wanted to get a job, but he wasn’t hired since the boss was an anti-Semite. When he was 21, he wanted to become an English teacher, but he wasn’t accepted because they said he didn’t speak good enough English, which wasn’t true. When he was a little older and only looking for a job in chinuch, he was told about a job opening in a yeshiva. He went to catch the bus, but it arrived late, and by the time he arrived, someone else had been accepted.
R’ Miller said all this was for his best because he would never have gone to learn in the Slabodka Yeshiva if he had gotten any of these jobs. And Slabodka changed his life and helped him grow into what he became.
That’s the lesson!
Sometimes life can feel like it just keeps getting worse; we think things don’t go well, but in truth, Hashem loves us and wants what’s best for us. We must strengthen our emunah and realize Hashem looks at the big picture and has in mind what’s best for us in the future.
This connects to this week’s Parsha:
Yosef was put in prison, which seemed bad, but it ended up helping not only his family but the entire world. He saved the world from hunger. Sometimes, we may feel like we are in a place where we don’t want to be, in a situation we don’t like. Remember, it’s all for the best.
R’ Elimelech from Lizhensk and his brother R’ Zusha were once sent to prison. R’ Elimelech became very sad and started crying. “Why are you crying?” R’ Zusha asked his brother.
“I can’t daven or learn here and serve Hashem since the bathroom is in our prison cell; and the halacha is that one isn’t allowed to daven or learn if it smells,” R’ Elimelech said.
R’ Zusha said, “If you’re listening to the halacha and not learning and davening in an unclean place, you are actually serving Hashem. Because you are doing what Hashem said!”
They started singing and dancing to this great truth, and all the prisoners joined in dancing as well. The prison guards heard a lot of noise, singing and dancing, and came running in and asked, “Why is everyone dancing?”
They said it’s because those Jews got excited that their prison cell smells bad. The guards said, “Really?! If that’s why you’re happy, we will clean it right now!” And then they were able to serve Hashem through davening and learning.
That’s the lesson!
One can always be connected to Hashem, not just in shul. Wherever you may be, Hashem is with you.
This connects to this week’s Parsha:
Yosef was in prison; he could have become depressed. But he served Hashem in prison as well, going around giving chizuk to others. Whatever you do, wherever you are, serve Hashem from there.
Avi loved to eat and was very good at it. When his friend Yovi told him about a donut-eating contest, he said, “Wow, that’s my taste,” and signed up. Yovi went to watch him at the contest, and when Avi started his second doughnut, he stopped and just walked away. Yovi said, ran over to him, and asked, “What happened?” Avi said, “I don’t know what happened. Last night I was eating, practicing, and able to fit in 20 donuts straight…”
That’s the lesson!
Sometimes, overdoing is not good. During Chanukah, we eat fried donuts. Why?
Here’s a light answer: To remember that we were in a “fried situation” and Hashem saved us.
How To Deal With Disappointments In Life
Who are you bringing?
Yankel went to Yochanon. “Can I ask you a question?”
What’s worse: always being angry or always being nervous?
Yochanon said, “I don’t know and I don’t care. You’re making me upset, and don’t ask me such questions, you’re making me really nervous…”
That’s the lesson!
There are a lot of reasons to get stressed all the time; there are obligations, pressures, etc. The way to survive in this world is through emunah. Work on trusting Hashem that He’s got you. And He’s taking good care of you.
