Be Happy with Your Portion
Another way to turn yourself into a Mishkan or a Beis HaMikdash is to be satisfied with your lot.
The Ksav Sofer (Shu't Orach Chaim 27) writes, "Chazal say, שמחה מתוך אלא שורה השכינה אין, 'The Shechinah resides only amid joy.' What is the reason for this? Hashem isn't a human being who doesn't want to be among people who have sour faces or broken spirits. On the contrary, it is written דכא את ישכון, that Hashem dwells with the downtrodden. Rather, the Shechinah doesn't reside with those who are sad because their sadness demonstrates that their emunah is incomplete. They don't believe that everything is from Hashem and for the good. Had they believed this, they wouldn't have been upset or confused when they encountered times that appeared to human eyes as bad times. The Shechinah only resides where there is joy, upon people who believe that everything is for the good, even when they don't know how and why."
A person must be בחלקו שמח, happy with his portion. The brother of the Maharal zt'l said that ו"חלק is roshei teivos for ויבש קר לך חם, hot, wet, cold, dry. One should be happy with whatever Hashem sends his way.
The Zohar says that everything in the Mishkan can be found in a human being. One of the items used to build the Mishkan was the hides of a תחש animal. Where is tachash in a human being? The Divrei Yisrael zt'l answers that it is his attitude to be happy with every situation that comes his way. He explains:
Rashi (25:5) writes, "The tachash is a type of animal that, לשעה אלא היתה לא, was only existent at that time. It had many colors. Therefore, Unkelos translates it as ססגונא, which means שלו בגוונים ומתפאר ששָׂש, 'It rejoices and is proud of its colors.'"
The Divrei Yisrael zt'l says that the different colors of the tachash represent the various experiences – the good and the difficult – that people go through in life. The tachash rejoiced with all its colors, characterizing people who accept all life experiences with joy. Rashi writes, היתה ולא לשעה אלא , hinting at a person that accepts the שעה, the time and experience that Hashem gives him. He isn't impatient and doesn’t try to force the situation to change. He accepts what Hashem gives him with joy.
It states (23:25) מקרבך מחלה והסירתי, "I will remove illness from your midst." Which illness is מקרבך, in your midst? The Ksav Sofer explains that refers to the illness of being unhappy with one’s portion.
Chanah didn't have children and she was despondent. Her husband Elkanah told her (Shmuel 1, 1:8) ירע ולמה תאכלי לא ולמה תבכי למה חנה בנים מעשרה לך טוב אנכי הלוא לבבך , "Chanah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"
Elkanah's taught her that there was no reason for her to sulk. He told her: לך טוב אנכי. The message was (1) everything is planned by אנכי, the one, Hashem. (2) טוב, everything is for your good. (3) לך, everything is perfectly planned for what you need. The final words בנים מעשרה means that this thought should give you more joy than if you had ten children.
People think their lives would be better if they had a million dollars. But having a lot of good doesn't always mean life is better. It can be compared to pouring too much water on plants. Water is good; it brings life, and plants grow from water, but the seeds rot if you pour too much water.
Another mashal is fire. Fire is good. It warms the home and cooks food, but too much fire isn't what anyone wants.
So, we see that too much good isn't always good for us.
Of course, you need money to cover bills and marry off children, but sleep with peace, and don't do extra – unnecessary – hishtadlus.
Reb Aharon Gardiya zt'l was a baal teshuvah, a doctor, and a chasid of the Magid of Mezritzh zt'l. One Shabbos morning, Reb Aharon told the Magid that he saw on the face of one of the chassidim that he would die shortly time. But later that evening, that person arrived to beis medresh. The Magid asked Reb Aharon, "Didn't you say he would die?" Reb Aharon replied, "When I said that he looked ill like he would die, it was correct. At that time, he had a short time to live. However, he ate something sharp, which burned away the illness."
People went to this chasid and asked him what he ate this Shabbos. He said he was very poor and barely had any food at home. That morning, he was starving. He had to eat something; all he had was very sharp food. "I ate a lot of it because I was hungry and didn't have anything else."
This saved his life. He could have complained that Shabbos morning. "Why can everyone feast on delicious foods on Shabbos, while I must satisfy my hunger with food that burns my mouth and stomach!" But he had nothing to complain about because this problem saved his life. This is an example of how everything is good, even when we don't immediately realize it.
A person told Reb Moshe Klirs zt'l, the rav of Teveria, about his many difficulties in life. Reb Moshe told him, "Why are you telling me only half of the story?" The man didn't understand. "What is the other half of the story?" "You are in the middle of the story. Wait a bit, and you will see how everything turns out well."
It states (Shemos 15:2) לישועה לי ויהי. The word ויהי expresses tzaar, distress (see Megillah 10:). ויהי, the tzaar I had, לישועה לי, became my salvation.
