No Pain, No Gain
No Pain, No Gain
As Yaakov and his family made their journey to Egypt, G-d appeared to Yaakov and told him: "Do not be afraid of going down to Egypt; for I will there make of you a great nation." What was Yaakov's concern that G-d was addressing? Why was it necessary for G-d to tell him "Do not be afraid"? Rashi explains: "Because he [Yaakov] was anguished that he was compelled to leave [the Land of Canaan] and go abroad."
A careful reading of Rashi's words indicates that Yaakov was not only afraid of what his future in Egypt held in store, but also anguished about the very fact that he was leaving the Land of Canaan. Nevertheless, we do not find that G-d addressed Yaakov's anguish. G-d tells him only not to be "afraid," because his family will emerge from Egypt even stronger than when they arrived; Yaakov's distress over leaving the Land of Canaan, however, was evidently still justified. Moreover, Rashi's words can be interpreted as hinting that the reason that Yaakov need not be afraid of descending to Egypt was, in fact, "because he was anguished that he was compelled to leave and go abroad," for his anguish would guarantee that his family would thrive there.
Yaakov's resultant mix of emotions, confidence in G-d's promise despite anguish over being exiled from the eternal Jewish homeland, are emblematic of the paradoxical feelings that the Jewish people must have toward galus, our state of exile and subjection to foreign rule and influence until the coming of Moshiach.
On the one hand, we must not be daunted or overwhelmed by the intensity of the galus, because knowing that we were exiled solely by G-d's will, we can be certain that G-d has endowed us with the strength necessary to overcome any challenge to His service that galus presents. On the other hand, we must never become comfortable with our state of exile. For it is precisely our distress and discomfort with our galus conditionthat gives us the strength to truly transcend its awful darkness, and not to be frightened by its challenges at all.
—Likkutei Sichos, vol. 30, pp. 234-235
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ביוזמת ולזכות הרה״ח הרה״ת ר' ישעי' זושא ווילהעלם שליט״א להצלחה רבה לו ולכל משפחתו בגו״ר
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12/16/15
No Pain, No Gain
12/14/15
Fwd: A Time to Weep
R
A Time to Weep
A Time to Weep
The Torah relates that when Yosef revealed his identity to Binyamin, they embraced one another and wept. According to Rashi, they cried because they each prophetically foresaw the destruction that would take place on the other's territory in the Land of Israel. Yosef wept for the two Batei Mikdash, the First and SecondHoly Temples, which would stand in Binyamin's territory, but would be destroyed, and Binyamin wept for the Mishkan that would be erected in Yosef's territory, in Shiloh, but would ultimately be destroyed.
Strangely, Rashi implies they each cried only in anticipation of what would befall the other, but not for the misfortune that would befall their own territory. This is because inasmuch as tears are a natural expression of pain, the benefit of crying really depends on what—or whom—is the source of your sorrow.
By and large, crying is only a coping mechanism. It may alleviate some of your pain or sorrow, but it obviously does not correct the issue causing you grief. (The exception is tears of teshuvah, repentance, expressing one's heartfelt remorse for his misdeeds, which are themselves a part of his rehabilitation.)
Now, the knowledge that your fellow is bringing spiritual ruin upon himself should certainly make you upset. Nevertheless, in the end, only he can stop that destruction from happening. So if you have prayed for him and attempted to lead him to the right path but have been unsuccessful, his impending ruin should bring you to tears. For the pain of such devastation is great, and there is nothing you can do to stop it.
Conversely, when you become aware that you are bringing ruin upon yourself, the correct response is not to alleviate the pain of your unfortunate state through tears, but actually to do something about it! In fact, crying can distract you from addressing the issue, as you may console yourself that your painful awareness of the problem is already significant…
Accordingly, Yosef and Binyamin each cried not for the Temple that would be destroyed his own territory—and the spiritual decline that would cause that destruction, but for the misfortunes that would befall the other. For over their own issues, to cry would entirely miss the point.
—Likkutei Sichos, vol. 10, pp. 148-149
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ביוזמת ולזכות הרה״ח הרה״ת ר' ישעי' זושא ווילהעלם שליט״א להצלחה רבה לו ולכל משפחתו בגו״ר
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12/13/15
The Urgent Need for Change
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Daily Lightpoints" <peninim@likras.org>
Date: December 13, 2015 at 6:02:01 AM EST
To: "abcvin@gmail.com" <abcvin@gmail.com>
Subject: The Urgent Need for Change
Reply-To: <peninim@likras.org>
The Urgent Need for Change
The Urgent Need for Change
Twenty-two years had passed from when Yaakov had last seen his son Yosef. These twenty-two years corresponded, according to Rashi (Bereishis 37:34), to the twenty years that Yaakov lived with Lavan and the two years that he lingered on his journey home, during which he had not fulfilled the mitzvah of honoring his own father and mother.
Accordingly, we can understand why when Yosef revealed his identity to his brothers he instructed them to return home immediately and quickly bring Yaakov to Egypt. "Come down to me, do not tarry!" he insisted. For now that Yaakov's punishment had run its course, Yosef desired that Yaakov be reunited with him immediately and not suffer for even one extra moment.
This detail in the episode of Yaakov and Yosef teaches us an important lesson. At times, we encounter situations that demand a harsh or even punitive response on our part, what our Sages call "distancing with the left hand" (Talmud, Sotah 47a). We must be extremely careful, however, to take this approach only to the extent that it is absolutely necessary. The moment that such strict discipline is no longer required, we must urgently and hurriedly revert to being compassionate and accepting—in the words of the Talmud, "bringing close with the right hand."
—Likkutei Sichos, vol. 15, p. 390
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ביוזמת ולזכות הרה״ח הרה״ת ר' ישעי' זושא ווילהעלם שליט״א להצלחה רבה לו ולכל משפחתו בגו״ר
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