Few people want to work in a diamond mine. They are located deep underground, with oxygen scarce, and are exposed to dangerous gasses. In the past, only people on death row or people who didn't value their life worked there.
Yet, from these low places come the rare diamonds, those that are set in the king's crown. The Beis Avraham zt'l says that this represents our lowly generation. We live at a time when there are very difficult tests, particularly in areas of kedushah (such as guarding the eyes, etc.).
People don't want these difficult tests. When confronted with such tests, they feel they fall so drastically. Yet, it is from these places that the most precious gems emerge. Hashem takes our successes and creates from them diamonds that become part of the King's crown. When a person is on a low level, confronted with difficult tests, and he krechts before Hashem, the Beis Avraham says that Hashem loves his krechts. In Hashem's eyes, this krechts is higher than the greatest madreigos. He krechts and moans that he fell so low, and from that low place, from the deepest mine, comes forth the most beautiful diamonds.
Someone yearned to serve the king. The king told him, “I have all the generals and advisers I need. But there is one thing you can do for me. I need a soldier to stand outside, knee-high in the mud, to guard the palace.” Reb Gad'l Eizner zt'l used this mashal to describe this generation. Sometimes we must go down to very unpleasant places, places and tests we wish we wouldn't know of, but when we act as Yidden there, with kedushah and taharah, we are collecting diamonds that will go into the king's crown.
Even in these unpleasant places, Hashem is with us. This is written in this week's parashah. Hashem told Yaakov Avinu (46:4) "I will go down with you to Mitzrayim, and I will also bring you up." Wherever Yidden go, Hashem goes with them.
The Kli Yakar adds that Hashem goes to galus before us, as it states ארד before עמך. And when we leave galus, we will leave galus first, and then Hashem will leave. This is as Hashem told Yaakov, "I will bring you up, and then I will also come up, out of galus." The Kli Yakar compares it to someone who must go into deep water, and he doesn't know how to swim. Someone tells him, "I will go into the water with you. I know how to swim, and I will help you." He will reply, "I request that you enter the water before me and leave the water after me, so as long as I am in the water, you will be there. This is what Hashem does.
He comes to galus before us and leaves after us, never leaving us alone in galus. This applies to the difficult tests we must endure. Hashem is with us. We are never alone. With this awareness in mind, we will find it easier to pass these tests.
