By Daniel Keren
One of the featured speakers in last month’s Presidents’ Day Hakhel Yarchei Kallah Event was Rabbi Zev Smith, internationally renowned maggid shiur. He spoke on the topic of “You Are in Good Hands: Practical and Real Guidance in Daily Living and Real-Life Situations.”
Rabbi Smith began with a story brought down in Mesechta Tainus about a young girl who fell into a pit in the well and cried out for help. A boy came and offered to pull her out, but only if she would agree to marry her. She agreed to his terms. However, he asked “How will I know that after I save you, you won’t change your mind and not marry me.” There was a weasel. So, the boy and the girl agreed that the well and weasel would serve as the witnesses to her agreement to marry him. He then rescued her and they went to their separate homes.
A Promise Forgotten
When he became old enough to get married, he had completely forgot about the time he had saved the girl and had proposed to marry to marry her. Instead, he then married another lady and they had two children. While the children were still young, horrific catastrophes occurred. One child fell into a well and drowned. And the second child was bitten by a weasel and also died.
The mother was shaken up by these tragedies and she asked her husband if there was anything in his past life to explain what happened. He started thinking about his past and suddenly remembered about his previous promise to marry another girl whom he had forgotten about and that their commitment was witnessed by the well and the weasel. The wife told her husband that they had to get divorced and he had to marry that first girl. That story, Rabbi Smith said is a perfect example of Emunah, faith by his first wife.
Refused to Give Even the Appearance of Being Disloyal to Hashem
Rabbi Smith spoke of the story of Chana and her seven sons who gave up their lives rather than bow down to the goyish ruler who considered himself to be a divinity. All seven sons refused to bow down and were killed. When it came to the last and the youngest of the sons, the ruler felt a tinge of compassion and offered him an out, saying that he would drop his keys and all the boy had to do was bend down to pick it up and return it to the ruler. Everyone would think that he was worshipping the goyish ruler but they would know that it wasn’t true. Nevertheless, the boy refused to go along with the ruse and gave up his life for kiddush Hashem rather than give even a small impression that he was not faithful to the G-d of Israel.
The Foundation of Emunah Even When Life is Difficult
That, Rabbi Smith, said is the yesod, foundation of Emunah that even when things are difficult, the sons had complete faith in Hashem and that things will be much better later on in our lives or in Olam Habah.
Rabbi Smith recalled how towards the end of his life Rav Aharon Kotler was suffering terribly from the machla. His wife tried to comort him that things will get better. He replied “nein, nein (no, no) the Abishter is already helping me even now.”
Teva (nature) has the same gematria as Elokim (86). When we observe elements of nature such as lightning and thunder, the Chofetz Chaim would say, “Oy! Oy! My Tatte bi’shomayim is calling me...”
The Chazon Ish besides being the Sar Hatorah was also the Sar Haemunah. From childhood he suffered from painful illnesses. He was childless and his wife suffered from serious emotional illnesses. His studying of Torah in which he excelled was done with great difficulty. But, the Chazon Ish was able to overcome his significant yissurim (sufferings) in order to with his great Emunah to study and teach Torah with great success.
When yeshivas are overwhelmed with talmidim and you are trying to get your child in a particular school that is simply not taking any new applicants, such a challenge to a parent is to have complete Emunah that every challenge is coming from Hashem and one should not be envious of others whose children have been accepted into that school. This also, Rabbi Smith, said also applies to other important (and even unimportant) desires in his life like trying to get a particular job or pursuing a certain shidduch.
Today One Can Sense that the Geulah is Coming
A person has to realize that whatever happens in one’s life is the ratzon (desire) of Hashem. When one is living today when one can sense that the geulah is coming. We are living in very challenging times. What should one do in such times? One should grab the opportunity to increase in our study of Torah and grab precious opportunities to do chesed.
Rav Avrohom Pam told his students that we are living in an era of Erev Shabbos when the geulah is rapidly approaching. We have to grasp this unique opportunity by increasing our study of Torah and pursuing chesed. Erev Geulah demands a different response to challenging difficulties. If we don’t think about this and act accordingly, we will be less than the animals.
We live in a world of confusion and a world that acts as though everything is hefker. We have to understand that it is Hashem who is running a world of purpose and that requires us to strengthen our Emunah and act appropriately.
Every one with a willing heart brought earrings and nose rings, and rings, and bracelets, every article of gold (Ex. 35:22)
Earrings: Jewish parents must listen to the Torah's directives concerning the Jewish education of their children. They should also overhear their children's conversations with their friends, in order to guide them properly. Nose rings: Parents should develop a keen sense of "smell" to make sure their children's playmates are appropriate. Rings: Parents must be able to "point" their children in the right direction. Bracelets: In addition to explaining things in a pleasant manner, parents must also stand firm (symbolized by the arm) when it comes to Jewish education. The child should always feel that this is his parents' priority. (Likutei Diburim)
Reprinted from the Parshat Ki Vayakhel 5762/2002 edition of L’Chaim
