One of the featured speakers at last month’s Martin Luther King Jr. legal holiday Hakhel Yarchei Kallah Event in the Flatbush shul of the Agudath Israel of Madison was Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser, internationally renowned Maggid Shiur and Rav of Khal Bais Yitzchok. He spoke on the topic of “Finding Meaning in Times of Din (Strict Judgement).”
There is a fascinating Gemara, Rabbi Goldwasser pointed out that teaches if one sees a generation in which so many difficulties have come upon Klal Yisroel (the Jewish nation,) this is a sign from shomayim (heaven) that the geulah (the long-awaited redemption) is coming soon.
We do know that all of the things that are happening to us are beyond our ability to properly understand, as Hashem told Moshe (Exodus 33:19-20) and as reiterated by the Rambam that G-d’s knowledge is beyond our knowledge. Moshe was able to perceive Hashem to an extent that most people cannot because he had no personal interests other than doing the will of Hashem.
Rabbi Goldwasser recalled that the Bach (Rabbi Yoel ben Shmuel Sirkis, 1561-1640) enjoyed many incredible chiddushim (unique insights into important Torah concepts.) But at first he was simply unable to remember them in order to write them down in seforim to share with other Torah scholars and students. This pained him greatly. Then he realized just how great was the pain that Hashem Himself was enduring because of His love and concern for His children, the Jewish people as they were being persecuted in galus, exile from their promised homeland in Eretz Yisroel.
At that moment the Bach forgot about his own frustration about not remembering his chidushim and instead began reciting heartfelt Tikun Chatzos (lamentation prayers that mourned the suffering of the Shechinah – the Divine Presence in exile.) After this change in the attitude of the Bach regarding the pain of Hashem, he found within himself a new spiritual inspiration and was able to recall his chidushim and thereby author many inspiring seforim that are still studied by Torah scholars to this very day.
When an individual who sees in his own life the aspects of Elokim’s din (judgement), one should not focus too much on his effort to try and understand why that difficulty has occurred to him. Otherwise in trying to comprehend why Elokim’s din has come upon him, he my make a pegam (a spiritual mistake) and completely act inappropriately and cause more misfortunes upon himself.
Rabbi Goldwasser recalled an individual who once came to him and broke down completely because the doctor had told him that there was no hope for a close relative who was seriously ill. Rabbi Goldwasser explained that the doctor has no power to make such dire declarations. He took the opportunity to explain and encourage that in such situations one should endeavor to utilize the powerful segulah of helping a poor kallah with money so she can get married without having to delay her scheduled wedding.
This person left Rabbi Goldwasser’s office and after a search he indeed found a couple that desperately needed money in order to get married. He took upon himself to pay for their entire chasanah. Later on, he called Rabbi Goldwasser and joyfully invited him to a seudah hodah, a festive meal to celebrate the “miraculous” refuah sheleima, healing of his close relative.
Rabbi Goldwasser also emphasized the importance of being mechazek (strengthening and supporting) those who devote their lives to Torah, either as rabbanim or as Torah teachers. We should all encourage the rebbeim and morahs who teach our children and try to make sure that they get paid good salaries. Similarly, we should also go out of our way to praise Torah scholars.
Like Yosef HaTzadik we should try to be careful with the mitzvah of eynayim, making a strong effort to guard our eyes from not looking at inappropriate things. Another thing, that can protect one from the terrible pains of chevlei Moshiach is to eat Shalosh Seudah, the third meal of Shabbos. This might mean leaving over the desert from you day meal in order to ensure that you have room left in your stomach for this important Third Meal of Shabbos.
Concluding, Rabbi Goldwasser said that if we no matter how simple we think we are, we can make an effort to sincerely daven for another person’s problems, we should know that we have an incredible koach, spiritual power to help that individual in his or her particular need. Not only can we pray for others, but we also have the ability to daven for his own yeshuah (salvation) if indeed we can focus enough to daven with the proper kavanah, concentration.
Reprinted from the February 21, 2025 edition of the Jewish Connection.
