Someone came to the Chafetz Chaim and said he felt really bad because it was so hard for him to learn, and he had only learned one daf over a few months.
The Chafetz Chaim said, “Wow, a 100 daf!” Chazal say that if one learns when it’s difficult, it is times by a hundred!”
That’s the lesson: This is the truth. If you try your best, then you are the best; in heaven, you got a hundred!
Chazal say, “Hashem doesn’t count pages of gemara learned, He counts the hours you put in.”
Hashem wants the heart.
This Connects To Chanukah:
Powerful Message from Chanukah: If you light the menorah and the wind blows it out, the halachah is that you don’t have to relight it. (If there was enough oil and it wasn’t windy before.)
We see from this halachah that if you try, you’re a winner.
This is the opposite of the Yevonim.
For them, it’s all about winning. It’s all about perfection.
Who came up with the Olympics (sports)? The Yevonim, the Greeks.
In sports, it’s all about who is the first-place winner. If you came in second place, then you’re a loser. (Forget about it if you’re in 10th place.)
It makes no difference how hard you worked; it’s all about the results.
This is the opposite of Yiddishkeit.
For the Greeks, what matters is the results.
In Yiddishkeit, what matters is the effort!
Sadly, Greek culture has come into the frum Jewish world.
So many things are about winning, about competition.
The best vacation, the best car, the best in everything, and if not, you’re a loser.
Even in schools, sometimes it can get out of hand.
It’s all about the best mark in school.
There is so much competition, and there is no reason for it.
The student who tries so hard (where they really study hard) but doesn’t get the best mark is considered a loser.
This is the hashkafah, the mindset of the Yevonim.
Of course, there needs to be tests for practical reasons, to see where the students are holding and to help motivate them. But what’s the competition all about?
Teach each child of Hashem. There is no reason to compare marks to anyone else.
Based on R’ Zechariah Wallerstein ztl
The Chafetz Chaim was by his Rebbe, and the time came to light the Chanukah menorah, but his Rebbe didn’t start to light it.
The Chafetz Chaim asked his Rebbe, “Isn’t it time to light?”
His Rebbe said, “Yes, but I’m waiting for my wife to come home; she will be unhappy that I didn’t wait for her. Peace in the home, shalom bayis, comes first.” (The lesson is simple…)
***
The Rebbe Avraham of Slonim was about to light the Chanukah menorah on erev Shabbos, and a little kid bumped into the menorah.
Now there wasn’t enough time to prepare everything, and he couldn’t light regularly before Shabbos. (How would we react?)
The Rebbe Avraham just said, “the same Hashem that said we should light, also said we shouldn’t become angry.”
That’s the lesson: Things don’t always go as we plan; stuff spills, breaks, and falls. People get all nervous, “We’re late to the Chanukah party, things aren’t going according to my plan.”
Relax. Just go with the flow.
Remember, the same Hashem who said “light” also said we shouldn’t become angry and fight. (Easier said than done, but we have to try our best.)
My Chanukah Isn’t Going According To Plan
If you try your best – you are a winner…
There was a group of Yidden who escaped the Nazis in Germany and went to England. From there, the British sent them out to Australia.
On the boat, they were forced to throw out all of their luggage, which was torture for them. Since all that connected them to their past such as pictures and belongings, were thrown into the water.
R’ Ephraim Wachsmann Shlita repeated this story and said that a few years ago, they found out that the Nazis were on the way to bomb out the boat and even sent out submarines, shot a missile/torpedo, which somehow missed. When they went to check the waters, they noticed tons of suitcases floating in the water.
When they checked the suitcases, they found German things and even German handwriting. They decided they would not bomb the boat since there may be some German passengers. So, they would wait until everyone left the ship, and on the way back from Australia, they actually bombed it.
That’s the lesson: Can you imagine? For years, these people thought Hashem hated them, and they had suffered so much for nothing, because they had to throw out all their belongings, when in truth, Hashem was literally saving them.
This connects to Chanukah:
On Chanukah, we light specifically in the dark, perhaps to remind ourselves that even when it seems dark, remember miracles are happening all around you, even when it looks dark.
One must believe in Hashem that He only does good and everything is happening for your good.
Chanukah is a time to look at the candles, a time to look at the light and remind ourselves that within the night there is light…
Thinking Hashem Hates You, Is a Sin…
