Thought for the Day: This is Going to Hurt Him -- Yes, Our Father in Heaven -- More Than It Hurts You

I heard this from R' Biderman and it now ranks as one of the most powerful, life changing ideas/perspectives that I have heard.

 

To set the scene a bit, just yesterday I met a colleague at work with a very thick Russian accent. He first introduced himself, then said, "If  you were in Russia, you wouldn't be sitting there wearing a yarmulke. That's why I escaped as a refugee 30 years ago." He was  not frum -- I hadn't even known he was Jewish. That's a taste of how bad things were for Jews in Russia.

 

Two chasidim of the Yesod Ha'Avodah were at the train station in Baranovich. (I don't know why that is relevant to the point about to be made, but R' Biderman included those facts; who am I to argue?) They saw a Russian soldier and recognized him as a kollel yungerman who had been conscripted into the Russian army. The two chasidim knew that yungerman also had a family. They could not even imagine the pain he must be feeling to be separated from his wife and children, forced to work on Shabbos, no learning, no davening. Yet... they say such a look of simchas ha'chaim on his face. They asked him to tell them how he could maintain such a positive attitude in such trying circumstances.

The yungerman explained: What would give HaShem more pleasure? Him sitting in kollel learning all day, spending Shabbos with his family, building a real Jewish home and life... or schlepping away in the Russian army? Obviously HaShem would get so much pleasure from him living a true Jewish life. So why was he in the army? Clearly, HaShem knew that his neshama needed the trials he was enduring in the Russian army to achieve its perfection. It was better for his neshama to be in the Russian army.

That means, continued, the yungerman, that HaShem gave up His own pleasure for my benefit! How can I not feel simcha knowing that the Creator of the world loves me so much?!

R' Biderman related that the two chasidim would repeat over what they heard that day many times, always with passion, as a life changing experience. He added further that while none of us, Baruch HaShem, have been conscripted into the Russian army, we all face challenges. It is well to keep in mind that HaShem Himself is giving up -- for some time -- His own pleasure, and all for our benefit.