Or is it?
Are we happy?
Should we be sad?
It's summer time!
But it's also the saddest time of the year on the Jewish Calendar!
Throughout the generations we have wandered from place to place, starting from when Adam and Chava got chucked from Gan Eden, till today. From place to place, tragedy to tragedy, some good years here and there, our own land for a while, but in the end only to continue to wander.....on and on until the final Geula and the coming of Moshiach!
But not to worry.
Not everything is black and white.
What's bad may really be good!
Sadness can lead to the happiest happiness!
These saddest times will very soon be turned into the happiest times of the Jewish calendar!
All in the blink of an eye...
All we need is Emunah! Pure and simple faith in Hashem and all of His ways!
Here are some good words I got from my friend Steve Schlissel -[Let me know if you would like to receive his weekly parasha sheet] - that can maybe make us understand somewhat why we have to take these journeys.
"אֵלֶּה מַסְעֵי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" מכפר על "אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל"
Rebbe Nachman teaches (based on the Medrash) that the main reason why Bnei Yisroel had -and still have to travel- is due to idol worship. And even though they might not have actually worshiped idols (nor do we today), as brought by the Baal Shem Tov, any deficiency in faith, is already as if idolatry was committed (From Kriyas Shema - וסרתם just turn away, and it's as if ועבדתם אלהים אחרים)
When our emunah is then repaired by passing tests of faith that are more prevalent when we are on the road, we erase the anger in heaven (כל זמן שיש עבודה זרה, יש חרון אף) and then Hashem has pity on us and treats us compassionately. But the main compassion-רחמים we want, is for Hashem to give over the רחמים to us, in our hands, to dole out to ourselves. Because in Hashem's eyes, it could well be that what we need is to be ח"ו sick or poor or persecuted to fix ourselves up. But who wants that kind of mercy? Whereas if we are in charge, we will ask for the mercy to manifest itself in our being healthy, wealthy and at peace.
So here Rav Nasan asks the million dollar question. If/Since Hashem knows what's best for us, what great feat will we have achieved, if through our prayers/actions we bring health to the sick or wealth to the poor, if that's not what we/they need? This is such a powerful question, since it speaks to our reason for ever davening to change any negative status
Rav Nasan answers that there are two levels of mercy. At level 1 - regular rachamim, yes, we at times need to suffer various hardships to fix our situation. However there exists a level 2 - rachamim gedolim or rachamim rabim, where from there it is possible to effect the same tikun we need without having to suffer at all. One way of understanding thus is take people who get big money and then misuse it. Or have perfect health and then abuse their bodies. Or have good personal relationships and then take advantage of others. So for them Hashem it's 'kind' to hold back shefa.
Since nothing is impossible for Hashem, we need to appeal to his greater capacity for kindness, so that we can be handle granting ourselves the simple straightforward meaning of kindness.
As Rebbe Nachman brings, this is hinted top in the following possuk, when Yaakov Avinu blesses his sons as they were about to embark on their second trip to Egypt, with Binyamin in tow, to get more food and bring back Shimon, whom Yosef had imprisoned
אֵ-ל שַׁ-דַּ-י יִתֵּן לָכֶם רַחֲמִים לִפְנֵי הָאִישׁ וְשִׁלַּח לָכֶם אֶת אֲחִיכֶם אַחֵר וְאֶת בִּנְיָמִין וַאֲנִי כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁכֹלְתִּי שָׁכָלְתִּי.
May Hashem give you mercy before the man, and he will release to you your other brother and Binyamin, and as for me I am bereaved, I am bereaved
Why give you? Meaning give over to you, so that even if you possible deserve harsh treatment, may you be zoche to achieve your necessary tikkun/goal without hardship (I'm stumped to think of a more fitting example, but maybe we can understand this as Rebbe Nachman taught us how two people can be headed for the same destination, but one can get there on a local train that has many stops and pifalls, whereas the second arrives at the same place unscathed by taking an express train....this was said regarding either going through self-inflicted pain and fasts to achieve a tikkun, as opposed to having pain-free hisbodidus and achieving the same end)
The Roshei Taivos אֵ-ל שַׁ-דַּ-י יִתֵּן לָכֶם רַחֲמִים of spell י ש ר א ל - because this is what every member of Bnei Yisroel can attain through perfecting their emuna via אֵלֶּה מַסְעֵי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל"
So as usual it all boils down to Emunah. Plain, simple faith! It's not easy, some times are easier than others. But if we continue to try, to strive, and to yearn to have Emunah, then Hashem will help us get it. And once we do our lives are off the bat much better. And once we do we will merit to be the ones who greet the Moshiach! Speedily! In our days! Amen!
Have a great Shabbos, Sorry that I can't be there!
Lot's of Love,
Etan
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