"You have been shown, in order to know that the Lord He is God; there is none else besides Him..." (Devarim 4:35)
The Joyful Song of Exile
In Nissan, 5716, Egypt was threatening Eretz Yisroel and all of its citizens. The situation was dire, and many people worried that the war would quickly escalate.
While this was going on, I received a letter from Moshe Sheinert, a friend of mine who was studying in the Belzer yeshiva. He wanted to share with me an inspiring message that the Rebbe, my teacher, R' Aharon of Belz, delivered on Shabbos Chol HaMoed 5716, from his father, R' Yisachor Dov from Belz. R' Moshe related the following:
Chazal (Yerushalmi, Shevi'is, Chapter VI, Halacha I) describes that when Moshiach arrives, all of the yidden that are living in the diaspora will gather. First, they will arrive at a mountain called "Amanah" that is close to Eretz Yisroel's border. The yidden will sing a song there before continuing the journey to Eretz Yisroel, as the pasuk says (Shir HaShirim 4:8), "you shall sing from the peak of Amanah..."
Why are the yidden going to sing before entering Eretz Yisroel?
R' Yisachor Dov from Belz explained, that during galus, exile, we merit to fulfill the mitzvah of emunah and bitachon in a unique and powerful way. Despite the challenges and suffering that accompany the galus, the yidden are joyful and sing Hashem's praises because we believe that everything that happens in our lives is with Divine Intervention and, therefore, always for our ultimate benefit. This is an exceptional expression of emunah and bitachon.
However, when the yidden return to Eretz Yisroel and merit the final redemption, we will have clarity and truly see and know that everything is for our ultimate benefit. Therefore, before entering Eretz Yisroel, when we are standing at the borders, we will seize the opportunity to joyfully sing Hashem's praises with pure and simple emunah one last time.
Exile is the Path to Redemption
During the lifetime of R' Elimelech from Lizhensk, there were harsh decrees instituted targeting the Jewish community, and R' Elimelech would daven with all his might, with every ounce of his strength to try to nullify these decrees. Yet, the tefilos seemed not to have an impact.
One night, his rebbe, the Great Maggid of Mezritch, appeared to him in a dream, and he asked the Maggid "Why aren't you davening in the Heavens to nullify these decrees?"
"When I was in the physical world and I was witnessing suffering, I was able to daven, " replied the Maggid. "However, now that I am here, in the Upper Worlds, I see that everything that is happening is truly good."
The same is true during the era referred to as the birth pangs of Moshiach's arrival. During the kinos on Tisha B'Av we say, "Mourn for Tzion and her cities, like a woman giving birth..." R' Levi of Berditchev explained that the destruction of Yerushalayim and the pain we feel as a result is like the pangs of childbirth. Even though there is a tremendous amount of pain, there is also joy, excitement and simchah because we know that the pain of childbirth will lead to an incredibly good outcome. This is the experience of galus. Our souls are purified by the inevitable suffering that accompanies exile. This suffering enables us to reach the ultimate rectification and the rebuilding of the great third Beis HaMikdash.
Similarly, we say during the bracha of Yotzer on Shabbos morning, "Nothing exists without You our Redeemer in the days of the Messiach... " Only Hashem understands how the events, experiences and struggles of galus are leading us to the ultimate redemption and the arrival of Moshiach. And, when Moshiach arrives, we all will understand this.
Faith in the Goodness
The Yerushalmi (Shekalim, Chapter 23) relates that Nachum Ish Gam Zu once became gravely ill and his entire body was covered in painful boils. When R' Akiva visited him, he said, "Oy! I have to see you in this condition!"
"Why are you agonizing?" he replied.
R' Yitzchak Issaac from Kamarno explained in his commentary Pnei Zakein, that Nachum was upset that R' Akiva said "Oy." For, this indicated that R' Akiva thought that this sickness was something bad when, in truth, all suffering is saturated with mercy and goodness. Therefore, they need to be accepted with simchah.
The early philosophers reasoned that the world was managed by two different forces, chas v'shalom: one that was responsible for the good and one for the bad. They argued that it was impossible for one who is merciful to do anything bad.
But, the truth is that nothing happens in this world that is "bad." Nothing bad comes from Hashem. Everything is for an ultimate good.
A tzadik was once asked how he could find the strength to continue after the Holocaust where his entire family was murdered al kiddush Hashem. "We accept the yoke of Heaven during Shema," replied the tzadik, "and we say 'Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad.' The name of Hashem denotes the attribute of mercy, and Elokeinu represents din and judgement. We reference both of these attributes and knowledge that Hashem Echad; it is all mercy. Therefore, we cover our eyes when we say this. In this world we cannot see this reality, but we believe in it."
Comfort My people
Moshe Rabbeinu told the generation that wandered in the desert's wilderness:
"You have been shown", you have seen all of the goodness that was the outcome of all of these different experiences. For example, you saw the plunder that you received from the Egyptians who chased after you to destroy you. You witnessed "to know that the Lord (Hashem) He is God (Elokim)" . You clearly saw all of the goodness that was born from what seemed like din and suffering.
Therefore, you recognized "there is none else besides Him... " and that everything is goodness. Unlike the philosophers, you know that there is only one force in this world; Hashem and everything that He does for us, everything we experience through His Divine Providence is solely for the good.
In this week's Haftorah we say, "Comfort, oh comfort My people, says your God..." When we see or experience suffering, our emunah offers us dual consolation. Firstly, we comfort ourselves by believing that what seems like suffering is, in truth, not suffering at all. But, there is another realization. Everything is not only good, but the suffering itself leads to an even better, more advantageous outcome than we had beforehand. This is the second consolation and comfort.
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