A chasid once had a very successful day in business. He earned twenty-five rubles that day, much more than usual. But his coat ripped on the same day, and a new coat cost twenty-five rubles. The chasid went to his rebbe, the Yesod HaAvodah of Slonim zt'l, and asked him to explain what was happening. Why did he have to earn extra money only to lose it to an unexpected expense?
The Yesod HaAvodah revealed that it was decreed upon him to die r”l. But the decree was sweetened and changed so that his coat would rip instead. (The first decree was on the clothes of the neshamah (the chasid’s soul), and the second decree was on the clothes of the body. The clothes of the neshamah is the human body. At first, it was decreed that the body should be removed from the neshamah – death. But the decree was changed that the body’s clothes should be taken away, which is why his coat ripped.) But since he didn't deserve a financial loss, it was decreed that he would earn an extra twenty-five rubles – the cost of a new coat.
Let us learn from this episode that everything is for the good. It was upsetting to the chasid when his expensive coat ripped, and the entire day’s profit went towards buying a new coat. But it was all for his benefit because the ripped coat saved his life.
The World's Cycle
Hashem created the world in a way that light follows the darkness, and goodness follows suffering. Therefore, going through hard times, one should remember that it won’t last forever. Better times will come. The Gemara (Avodah Zarah 8.) teaches, "When the sun set on the day Adam HaRishon was created, Adam said, 'Woe is to me! The world has become dark because of my sin. The world will return to nothingness (תהו ובהו) This is the death that was decreed on me from heaven." He sat and cried the entire night, with Chavah crying opposite him. When the morning arrived, Adam said, 'This is the way of the world.' He brought an ox [for a korban todah]."
The Chofetz Chaim said over this Gemara to his students during the First World War, when many were very afraid and worried. They thought there was no hope or future for them. The Chofetz Chaim said, "Adam HaRishon cried on the first night because he thought the world would come to an end, but he didn’t cry on the second night.
By the second night, he understood that this was the pattern of the world. There was darkness and then light, darkness and then light again. The same is for us, Bnei Yisrael," the Chofetz Chaim explained. "In the history of the Jewish people, we have suffered through many dark eras. So many times, the 'sun set' for Klal Yisrael. But Hakadosh Baruch Hu saved us each time and we have seen the light again. So why are you so worried? The darkness we are going through now will be followed by light."
Reprinted from the Parshas Chayei Sarah 5785 email of Torah Wellsprings: Collected Thoughts from Rabbi Elimelech Bidernman.
