Similarly, there is a klipah that pushes a person to invest in This World in pursuit of “success,” and thus—aside from the hard choices that a person must make in This World, and aside from the many nisyonos that one must overcome—he must contend with the draw toward illusory “success” that is inherent in the world, causing a person to forget about his purpose on this earth.
The Attitudes of the Nations of the World
Who is the primary promoter of such thoughts and attitudes? The אומות העולם, the nations of the world. This is how they live. This is their life. And this is what they espouse. “Look at what you can have in This World...look at the success that you can attain,” they say. For the nations of the world, material success is the only success. The problem is that their attitudes seep into our world as well. It is yet another nisayon we must contend with: Although we believe in Olam HaBa, and we learn and daven and fulfill mitzvos, and although we know that we must be ehrliche Yidden, we nevertheless think that it wouldn’t be so bad to attain material success alongside our avodas Hashem.
Battling the “Nations of the World”
The heart of a Yid is called Yerushalayim—that sacred place from which a person can become close to the Ribbono shel Olam. The Aibishter built this holy place called Yerushalayim into a Yid, and just like the actual Yerushalayim, “There are mountains surrounding it,” the nations of the world surround a Yid and are vying to shape that heart in their image. They will allow a person to do mitzvos, but alongside this, they want him to think also about worldly success, and that a large part of his aspirations should be geared toward being a success in This World.
The great battle takes place when a person stands at a crossroads: He must decide what to do... whether to take the path of success in This World—even toward what may seem to be spiritual “success,” but deep down he knows that this isn’t what the Ribbono shel Olam wants from him—or to take the path of success in Olam HaBa, and here on earth he will be viewed as a failure. When a person must choose between these two paths, it constitutes a great battle between the forces of kedushah and the side of the nations of the world—and it is a difficult battle.
This battle between the two sides takes place in one of two ways. Sometimes, there is an actual choice whether or not to do something; whether or not to speak; whether or not to look; whether or not to choose good. Then there are nisyonos that don’t involve a choice of action; rather, the situation is what it is, and a person must choose whether to embrace with joy what Hashem has ordained for him, not to be angry, chas v’shalom, with the Ribbono shel Olam. For example, when a person is, R”l, faced with tragedy or illness, there is nothing that he can do about it—but he must choose whether to accept it or whether to fall into depression and despair.
Success in the Ballroom
In this latter nisayon (accepting Hashem’s will with joy) there is a ferocious battle between the attitude of kedushah and the attitude of the nations of the world. On the one hand, he knows that it is Hashem Who has placed him in this situation, but at the same time, he is depressed about his situation. He feels like a failure... shidduchim aren’t going for him, he has a negative reputation, etc. The bottom line in this nisayon is that he knows that the Ribbono shel Olam wants something from him, but he can’t accept it. He is broken by the situation he is in, because he thinks it makes him look like a failure. He says to himself, “I was always the successful one of the group, and davkah I need to be in this situation?!”
Withstanding this nisayon means to think about success in the Next World... to understand that while he is ridiculed in This World, he is considered a success in the Next World. “I was sent here to fulfill my purpose and to withstand nisyonos, and perhaps this is my nisayon. I will stand strong.”
A person who lives according to the words of the Tanna who says, “This World is likened to a hallway that leads to a ballroom (Olam HaBa). Rectify and perfect yourself in the hallway so that you will be worthy of entering the ballroom” (Avos 4:16)... such a person is joyful and thankful in every situation, because he knows that this is a place where we take care of our business, and we move on. There is no reason to look around and wonder what others will say. When a person goes to the grocery, he doesn’t ask bystanders what they think of his purchases... he shops for what he needs and he goes home. A “hallway” is not a place for success; it is understood that it’s a utility, a byway to get where we really want to go.
A Fool in This World
The thoughts a person has of success in This World, to worry whether others will approve of everything he does, whether it “looks nice,” and whether it seems “successful,” ... these are all thoughts and attitudes that are illusory and false, and they derive from the nations of the world. For us Yidden, success in This World doesn’t matter at all. There is only one concern: to do what Hashem commanded and what He expects of us. Chazal (Eduyos 5:6) tell us, “It is preferable for me to be called a fool my whole life rather than be considered a rasha before Hashem for even a moment.” It’s better to be laughed at all his life rather than do even one aveirah.
The problem is that this goyishe outlook often presents itself as a Yiddishe concern. There are advertisements for courses that will propel you to the pinnacle of life... it mamash hurts to see this... sometimes it’s even more goyish than the goy himself. It’s all a joke, a farce. Olam HaZeh is not a place for success. And we all have the kochos to battle these attitudes.
