Galus and Yissurim Are a Big Kapara
This week has the Parsha of Galus, which is to protect the Rotze'ach B'shogeg (person who killed unintentionally) from being killed by the Go'el HaDam (avenger of the blood, i.e., the relative of the victim). It's all over the Torah. For some reason, the Torah is heavily involved in that Sugya. It shows how the Torah cares for the worst Rotze'ach who did the worst sin (killing a human), yet, since it was done B'shogeg (unintentionally), the Torah goes all-out for that person. And his Onesh is the world-famous punishment called "Galus".
Galus means moving away from home, which is considered big Yissurim by the Heilige Torah. You are away from your family; it's not a simple thing. Avraham Avinu, his first Nisayon was: לֶךְ לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ “Let me see you leave home!" That's number one. Do that! You are giving away for Hashem. Sukkah is also a form of Galus. We all need Kapara; all of us.
The Torah Is Extra-Sensitive to a Person Who Feels Like a Stranger
The Alter of Slabodka had a special feeling for people who are wandering¹; he stressed that a person should be nice to travelers. A traveler is like a Tzu'brochena (broken) person. You're not in your own place. And there is so much: וַאֲהַבְתֶּם אֶת הַגֶּר loving the Ger in the Torah; the Torah goes all-out for him more than usual. There's a certain sensitivity for him, since he's not in his place.
Those who go out for Klal Yisroel, besides the Zechusím Gedolim of Kiruv, have a phenomenal Tikun and Kapara of Galus אַשְׁרֵי חֶלְקָם Fortunate is their lot!
And Rachmana Litzlan, after a person leaves this world, the problem with many, many Neshamos is that they can't find their place. They may have done a lot of Mitzvos, but they're not going to their spot, to have the Menucha that they want in their Gan Eden. Even getting into Gehinom for some people may take a while, Rachmana Litzlan. There are a lot of Tikunim and a lot of pain going on from not being where you belong.
Anxiety and Lack of Menucha Is a Form of Galus
I have been getting calls lately, from hundreds of people who are suffering from anxiety, anxiety, anxiety, etc. Everybody is suffering from anxiety; the whole Dor is packed with it. There's no Safek (doubt) that Hashem knows exactly what He's doing; if He's giving anxiety, there's a reason for it. It is a form of pain we need, which we're getting all over the place. We can suggest that anxiety is a form of Galus, since you are not B'menucha.
I've told many people, try to accept being an anxious person. They try, but it's not easy for them. What is it about the human being, that he can't accept anxiety? So you're a little nervous, so what? Because people want to be relaxed. They want to have Menucha. Menucha actually means Bitachon. Menucha and Bitachon go hand-in-hand. They are missing: מְנוּחַת נֶפֶשׁ הַבּוֹטֵחַ the Menuchas HaNefesh of the Baal Bitachon. When you're calm, you're: רָגוּעַ you're not worried, everything's fine, that's the epitome of Simcha.
If you would at least try to WORK on acceptance of Yissurim, you'd go much further
you have Simcha. In Kelm, the number one Midda they worked on was Menucha, which means Bitachon. I heard that Kelm was like Gan Eden; the way they ate, slowly, how they enjoyed their food (I don't know exactly what happened there, but we do know that they were major Tzadikim).
Gan Eden Is a Place for Baalei Bitachon
And Gan Eden is Menucha, that's what it's all about. Gan Eden screams, give me Tzadikim, I don't want Reshaim. And which Tzadikim? הַבּוֹטְחִים בִּשְׁמֶךָ Those who have Bitachon. (Chazal²). Gan Eden is asking for Baalei Bitachon! And a Baal Bitachon is schlepped out of Gehinom (Ramchal³). He doesn't belong there. We see that Bitachon and Gan Eden work together. And the reason is because Bitachon means Menucha; now you are where you belong,
Our Dor is loaded With Lack of Menucha
This Onesh (punishment) of anxiety can very well be a form of Galus; like a miniature Galus. You are flying all over the place. “Hey, what are you doing? Find your place!” It comes in all forms, like panic attacks, ADHD, your head is spinning, etc. The Dor is loaded with lack of Menucha, which are all forms of Galus, and when a person is M'kabel (accepts) it, that it's there as a punishment, this is M'saken (repairs) the worst sins. Be M'kabel (accept) your nervous nature, and thank Hashem for it.
Respect and Accept the Uncomfortable Part of Your Life
(You can still work on getting rid of your anxiety, and you don't have to worry about your Kapara. If you get rid of it because you are working on your Middos, you'll still have a big Tikun. You don't have to suffer). But if you do have it (and even if you don't since you worked on it) that part of your life should be dealt with respect; there's a good reason for it, that's for sure.
If You Get a Punishment, Accept It!
When a person is sentenced to go to Galus, he's not allowed to leave that city. He's stuck! It is an Aveira for him to leave, for which he can get killed (some say it's even a Mitzva for the Go'el HaDam to kill him)! This is a lesson: Accept your punishment! If you don't accept it, then they can kill you! Not accepting the punishment of Galus is the worst thing. If you get a punishment, accept it!
Accepting Your Painful Galus Will Bring Bracha and Simcha
If a person who went to Galus kills a second time, while he's already in Galus, what is he supposed to do? He's not allowed to leave that city. So we have to find for him some other form of Galus. It says: גוֹלֶה מִשְׁכוּנָה לִשְׁכוּנָה מכות יב ב in that very same city, he must now go from one section to another. This can be a Remez to what we are going through. We are already in Galus, in America, away from Eretz Yisroel, and now we are nervous Americans!
A Baal Bitachon accepts his Matzav as the best situation, since EVERYTHING Hashem does is L'tovah. He also has Bitachon that his circumstances WILL improve
If you don't like your circumstances, you need to "lie” day and night, saying how good everything is; or to accept the bad as a Chesed and Kaporas Avonos and be B’simcha with your Peckel. Every positive word creates a good Malach, who will help you someday.
Everything is a Kapara, everything is a Bracha, and everything should be viewed in a positive light. The more you do that, the greater the Kapara, & you'll be happier and healthier in this world too, because you are accepting, which is a Bracha.
