The Baal HaTanya zt'l asked a soldier why he goes willingly to war. It is a great question. The soldiers know there is a chance they won't survive. So, why do so many soldiers willingly take the risk?
The soldier replied, "The enjoyment of victory is greater than our desire to live." It is called הנצחון תאוות, the pleasure of winning.
The Baal HaTanya taught that we should use this attitude for avodas Hashem. There is a battle within us, but when we put up a fight, it is the greatest joy. Chazal (Brachos 5.) say, הרע יצר על הטוב יצר אדם ירגיז לעולם, "A person should always have the yetzer tov battle with the yetzer hara." There should always be a fight, and that is our greatest joy.
The Chasam Sofer zt'l teaches, "Without problems, one will become disgusted with his life. It has happened that someone committed suicide and left a note with the reason for his act. It was because he had everything, and he saw no point in living... People are constantly worried and upset; sometimes they earn money, sometimes they lose money; they have ups and downs; they buy and sell; they have good and bad days; people are restless, always tired, and working hard. This is how Hashem created man, and from all these struggles, one receives chiyus, life, vigor." It is a new concept, but the Chasam Sofer reveals it to us. We enjoy the struggles of life. They give us a reason to awaken in the morning and something to accomplish during the day.
The Chasam Sofer zt'l said that this is hinted in the Chazal (Avos 4:24) that says, על חי אתה כרחך, "You live against your will." Bederech tzachus, this means, your joy in life comes from those matters that come to you against your will. (No one wants problems in life. They come to a person against his will. Yet, it is because of those problems that one feels alive.) If it weren't for those matters, boredom would cause insanity (see Kesubos 59:).
Yitzchak blessed Eisav by saying חרבך על תחיה, "You will live by the sword." The Chasam Sofer writes, "This isn't referring to the sword of war, rather, it's saying that Eisav's life will always be filled with battles and struggles, which will give him life. Otherwise, he will live in the fat land of Italy (see Rashi, 27:39), and he will be disgusted with his life, like a fattened cow being brought to the slaughter. So, he was blessed חרבך על, with your struggles, תחיה, you will live."
The Chasam Sofer concludes, "But this is all solely for the nations of the world. For the Jewish nation, they receive their chiyus from toil in Hashem's service. As it states, כי חייך הוא, "Torah is your life." And it states, בחיים ובחרת, "choose life." Therefore, Yaakov was blessed, את דיש לכם והשיג בעתם גשמיכם ונתתי בארצכם תעבור לא וחרב ...בציר. The pasuk is saying that the Jewish nation will have wealth and success, and the sword — the struggles of this world — won't pass through his land. They don't need the battles of the war to feel alive because they receive their chiyus from avodas Hashem. Only Eisav needs the troubles of life. But the Jewish nation receives their chiyus from Torah and from serving Hashem.
The Chasam Sofer teaches the same lesson by birkas kohanim. וישמרך 'ה יברכך, Hashem will bless you with wealth. שלום לך וישם, and Hashem will give you peace, and everything will be perfect in your life. The Chasam Sofer writes, "This brachah is like a great curse," because when everything is so wonderful, there is no challenge and no reason to awaken in the morning. The pasuk concludes, ישראל בני על שמי את ושמו, that the Jewish nation places themselves in the battle and pursuit of serving Hashem. That is their joy; they don't need everyday struggles and problems to bring them purpose.
