Novardok Yohrzeit of the Alter of Novardok י"ז כסלו תר"פ
The Bachurim in Novardok (Bialystok) had very little, and when they had to go out for a Shidduch, Rebbetzin Yoffen ע"ה gave them a special suit that looked at least half-decent. She redd a Shidduch for R' Gershon Liebman Zatzal, and she gave him the suit. He paced back and forth for a while, and then he said that he simply can’t wear such a “fancy” suit. (He was totally “out” of Olam HaZeh, and that was the secret of his unusual Simcha). So she told him to break his Middos and Davka wear it, in order to go against his grain. This did the job, and he wore it!
The Alter Zatzal once wrote a card to a former Talmid who had left Yeshiva. The entire card had only one word in big letters: אַ י כָ ה Where are you? One word can change a person’s life, and the Alter Zatzal was very powerful in turning people around even with minimal efforts. R’ Chatzkel Abramsky Zatzal said that a brief discussion with the Alter Zatzal made him create his famous Sefer, Chazon Yechezkel on the Tosefta.
The Velt says that most of us live a life of “quiet desperation”. People live a lifetime wanting “this” and “that” in Ruchaniyus and in Gashmiyus. Chazal say: א ין אָ דָ ם מ ת וְ חַ צִּ י תַ אֲ וָ תוֹ בְּ יָ דוֹ קהלת רבה א לב, ג יג a person does not fulfil even half of his desires in his lifetime. The Novardokers had unusual Simcha despite even the worst Nisyonos. Madregas HaAdam has a way of getting people to love going against their Ratzon, since: עִּיקָר חִּיוּת הָאָדָם שְבִּירַת הַמִּדוֹת וְאִּי לֹא לָמָה לוֹ חַיִּים the main existence of a person is for Shviras HaMiddos, and without it, what is the point of living?! (Gr”a).
Like a soldier feels proud by proving his fearlessness and his greatness in challenging adversity. (Mesilas Yesharim).
Perhaps this is why we were called: צִּבְאוֹת ה' “The army of Hashem” when leaving Mitzrayim. A Mitzri: שְ טוּפ י זִּימָה (steeped in immorality) environment encourages just getting your Ratzon. This produces Atzvus (depression) since: א ין אָ דָ ם מ ת וְ חַ צִּ י תַ אֲ וָ תוֹ בְּ יָ דוֹ קהלת רבה א לב, ג יג a person never gets even half of what he wants. R' Gershon Liebman Zatzal was unusually B'simcha at all times, including and especially during the Holocaust! They say he was like a Malach!
He was once seen walking around as if looking for something. They asked him what he’s looking for. He said, “I’m looking for opportunities to break my Middos! זְכוּתוֹ יָג ן עָל ינוּ , אָמ ן May his merit protect over us, Amen. if you keep peeking into Madregas HaAdam properly, you can also develop a Geshmak in going against your Ratzon!
