BS’D
When a Jew leaves this world and fails to repair a transgression via teshuva or yissurim (difficulties, hardships and challenges of life), their sin weighs down the whole of the Klal (community). The Klal then have to rectify the damage caused by that sin. Hashem created this world so it ‘naturally’ continues to perfect itself until the ultimate perfection of Mashiach.
The world must experience ‘birth pangs’ before the coming of Mashiach in order to lessen the burden of these unrepaired sins of the Klal. The entire nation must be cleansed of transgressions before the geula. This process of rectification perfects Jewish souls and brings us closer to Mashiach.
The Vilna HaGaon ztk’l teaches that if it were not for yissurim, we would not be able to stand in the Next World. Our merits and misdeeds are weighed. And our merits are lightened since they are often done with a lack of sincerity and joy. In contrast, our misdeeds are heavy since often they are committed with desire and excitement.
The word yissurim is derived from the word ‘mussar’ (rebuke). Discomfort, challenges and hardships are ‘wake-up’ calls to convey the message that we are currently ‘traveling down the wrong path’. Such wake-up calls are actually a Divine chesed, enabling us the opportunity to pay merely pennies on a one million dollar debt. Though each nisayon hurts, we can soften the impact by reminding ourselves that Hashem sends us these challenges to enable us to ‘pay down our debt’ and reach perfection.
The Zohar teaches that we see through the pupil, the black part of our eye. This represents the idea that we ‘see’ and learn through the dark times in life. When he was challenged by his suffering, Iyov asked Hashem ‘Why?’ Hashem replied, “Where were you when I created the world?” Iyov then realized the immeasurable distance between creature and the Creator.
Life is a series of detailed events chained together to form history. A lifetime of 120 years is minuscule compared to eternity. We are not privy to see the whole piece of jewelry. Only when we have reached the end of the chain of events will we be granted the understanding and knowledge of why things happened the way they did.
Today’s daily dose of emuna is dedicated to the refuah shleimah of Rivka bat Chaya, a Mother of 3 little kids with stage 4 breast cancer. Hashem Yirachem, Maleh Rachamim, please may Rivka bat Chaya among all of Klal Yisrael who are sick and suffering merit a complete healing b’karov, b’rachamim, Amen.
