The gemara recounts that R’ Yehoshua Ben Chananya once traveled to the great city of Rome, where he was told that a child, with a beautiful face and eyes, whose locks were arranged in curls, was in prison. R’ Yehoshua went to stand at the door of the prison and cried out (Yeshayah 42:24): -- “Who gave Yaakov for spoil and Bnai Yisroel to the robbers?”
The gemara recounts that R’ Yehoshua Ben Chananya once traveled to the great city of Rome, where he was told that a child, with a beautiful face and eyes, whose locks were arranged in curls, was in prison. R’ Yehoshua went to stand at the door of the prison and cried out (Yeshayah 42:24): -- “Who gave Yaakov for spoil and Bnai Yisroel to the robbers?”
The child answered, “Is it not Hashem. It is He against Whom we have sinned,and in whose ways they would not walk; they did not heed His Torah.”
R’ Yehoshua Ben Chananya was swept away by his response and said, “I am sure that this young man will be a leader in Klal Yisroel. I swear that I will not move from here until I ransom him, for whatever price is demanded.”
Not long passed before this child became a leader in Klal Yisroel; his name was Rabbi Yishmoel ben Elisha (Gittin 58a).
The Brisker Rav asks: What greatness did R’ Yehoshua observe in the answer of this boy? After all, he merely answered R’ Yehoshua with the conclusion of the pasuk from Yeshayah.
The Brisker Rav explains that it was the child’s insight that astonished R’ Yehoshua. This young boy who was sitting in prison understood there is no happenstance in our lives. Earlier the gemara had described the events that led up to the fall of Yerushalayim and the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash. The Romans lay siege to Yerushalayim, but sufficient grain had been stored by the inhabitants of the city to sustain them for a long time. The Biryonim, though, were ready to fight and burned down all the granaries, creating an acute famine in the city. Following the churban, the Biryonim argued that the tragedy was attributable to the fact that they didn’t fight; others claimed it was because there was no food; and all ascribed it to the natural course of events.
The young boy, though, immediately answered that everything is from Hashem; there is no affliction in life without reason. Yishmoel ben Elisha understood that the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash was directed by Hashem because of the sins of Am Yisroel.
When R’ Yehoshua saw that this child, even in the most difficult situation, was able to identify the hashgacha of Hashem, he realized that this young boy was destined to be a leader of Klal Yisroel in the future.
From this we see, says the Brisker Rov, that an individual who does not recognize that all that comes about in the world is from Divine Providence, and he believes that they are coincidental occurrences, could never achieve daas Torah and be superior in Klal Yisroel.
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A granddaughter of Rav Mordechai Schwab related that her grandfather once had the zechus of personally meeting the Chofetz Chaim. When he was ready to take leave of the tzaddik, Rav Schwab took the hand of the Chofetz Chaim to shake it, waiting for a bracha. However, the Chofetz Chaim fell asleep while holding Rav Schwab’s hand. Rav Schwab did not want to awaken the Chofetz Chaim, so he waited until the Chofetz Chaim awoke, and he then let go of his hand.
This incident delayed Rav Schwab’s departure, and he missed his scheduled train. He had to wait at the station for the next train to arrive. A short time later Rav Schwab found out that the train he had been scheduled to take had been in a terrible accident and many people on the train had been killed.
From that time on, Rav Schwab accepted upon himself not to hear or speak lashon hora.
33 comments:
Tefilla is Avoda Sh'Balev. It should come straight from the Neshama and shouldn't be lip service. We are connecting to the Borie Olam.
Always have Emuna, even if a person asks for something a thousand times, never be discouraged. One of the earlier Bellzer Rebbe said," No answer is also an answer". When you get frustrated, it is often because of our own expectations. Dont forget that the Navi says: Hash-m enlightens us,"My thoughts are not your thoughts, and therefore, we do not even have a glimpse into the depth of judgement and Divine Providence in this world.
The great Mussar giants say the famous chazal, "whatever is done in this world by Hash-m, is done for the good."
The Avodas Panim, says that one should be in the habit of saying: "Hash-m if you want it, then I want it. However if You dont want it, I also dont want it."
We have to train ourselves to always be positive and to stregthen our Emuna and Bitachon.
We learn in Iggeres Haramban that, "On the heels of humility comes the fear of G-D.(Mishlei, 22-4) Through humility, the fear of G-D will intensify in your heart."
Rav Yosef Leib Bloch, the telshe Rav, explains that the way we can acquire such humility is if we look at what we compare ourselves to. For example, if a man who is 6'4 and he stands next to a man who is 5'8, surely the taller man will feel mightier. But if he compares his height to the sun 93,000 miles away, he will feel less than inferior.
Great article
inspiring read as well as the posts!
Chazal tell us we should not worry about our own needs first. If we would put the needs of the king before our own, we would surely be answered.
The first step of doing Teshuva is Charata- regret. In short, on must feel bad about commiting the sin, but more importantly, feel bad for having forsaken Hash-m.
The next step is to admit you did it(Vidoy)and daven to Hash-m. Pour out your heart and say exactly how you feel, what you think and what you need and daven to be answered.
The 3rd step is to just leave the sin-azivas hachet. (some say this is the 1st step b/c if one is still in the same environment or around what provokes them to sin, their Teshuva is Batul b/c they can still commit the sin afterwards.)Leave the purpose behind your sin somewhere else. don't place yourself in an area in which you feel like you are testing yourself and that you will like fail. (EVERYONE has a weakness, and discover yours and build it to a stregnth)
and the last step is to make amends and say to yourself and Hash-m you will not do it again- kabalas al ha'usid. (this is a difficult "promise" to make b/c we never know what the future holds, but we must do everything in OUR power to make sure we don't fall back into the Yetzer's trap and sin [make gedarim for ourselves]. The biggest way to accomplish these steps are to DAVEN wholeheartedly to Hash-m Yisbarach, our father in heaven.)
what should one do if they still feel guilty and nervous even after having done teshuva?
it says "Eitz Ha'chaim He"- it's a tree of life to those who cling on to it.R' Moshe aharon Stern said that the tree was in the center of the garden- it means that a person can reach the Torah from ANY direction!
healthy guilt is good; unhealthy guilt is not. Healthy guilt brings us to Charata- regret which is a part of Teshuva process. Therefore one must utilize their guilt to bring them closer to Hash-m and a higher level of Teshuva, and not be nervous and feel bad about themselves. One must have a positive self-image.
R’ Pinchas of Koretz once said, “a true Tzadik can see without his eyes and hear without his ears.”
R’ Noach of Lechovitch once said, “worrying is a sin.”
R’ Nachman of Breslov once said, “whoever speaks malicious words will fall into poverty.”
R’ Nachman of Breslov once said. “talking is the vessel through which Hash-m’s abundance is received.
A Tikun for Lashon Hara is studying Torah enthusiastically, serving Hash-m from the heart and speaking the truth.”- R’ Nachman
R’ Pinchas said, “don’t be satisfied with just appealing to a person to repent. HELP him!”
R’ Rafael of Bershid said, “Don’t see the evil in everyone else and the good in yourself; see the good in everyone else and the evil in yourself.”
The Trisker Rav once said, “Hash-m’s seal is true. If you tell a lie, you are guilty of forging His seal.
MAZAL TOV ON THE SIYUM!!!!!!!! IT SHOULD BE A ZECHUS FOR THE RAV AND ALL OF THE KLAL!
The real guardians of a state are the teachers. –Talmud chagiga
The Chofetz Chaim said, the Gov. can fall because of injustice.
The Midrash says that even if all slander is not believed, half of it is.
The Talmud Yerushalmi says, “Hash-m is long suffering but he collects his dues.
Before a wise man ventures into a pit, he lowers the ladder so that he can get out. – Shmuel Hanagid
In Avos D’Rabi Nason it says, “ in two years a man can forget what took him 20 to learn.”
R’ Pinchas of Koretz said, “Eat sparingly and lengthen your life.”
R’ Nachman said, “a man should believe in Hash-m through faith and not miracles.”
“He who returns evil for evil acts wrongly. He should instead be patient and let Hash-m help him.” -Zohar
“Envy is hatred with a cure.” Kad HaKemach
“Every man’s own enemy is under his own ribs.” Chovos Halevavos.
“The fewer a man’s words, the fewer his mistakes.”- Ibin Gabriel
“Deception in words is worse than deception in money.”- Bava Matzia
“The world weeps when a fruit tree is cut.”- Yalkut Reuveni
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