ואמר רבי חנינא הכל בידי שמים חוץ מיראת שמים
R. Chanina also said : Everything is in the hand of Heaven except the fear of Heaven
.תענית כ׳׳א א
אמרו עליו על נחום איש גם זו שהיה סומא משתי עיניו גידם משתי ידיו קיטע משתי רגליו וכל גופו מלא שחין והיה מוטל בבית רעוע ורגלי מטתו מונחין בספלין של מים כדי שלא יעלו עליו נמלים פעם אחת [היתה מטתו מונחת בבית רעוע] בקשו תלמידיו לפנות מטתו ואח"כ לפנות את הכלים אמר להם בניי פנו את הכלים ואח"כ פנו את מטתי שמובטח לכם כל זמן שאני בבית אין הבית נופל פינו את הכלים ואחר כך פינו את מטתו ונפל הבית אמרו לו תלמידיו רבי וכי מאחר שצדיק גמור אתה למה עלתה לך כך אמר להם בניי אני גרמתי לעצמי שפעם אחת הייתי מהלך בדרך לבית חמי והיה עמי משוי ג' חמורים אחד של מאכל ואחד של משתה ואחד של מיני מגדים בא עני אחד ועמד לי בדרך ואמר לי רבי פרנסני אמרתי לו המתן עד שאפרוק מן החמור לא הספקתי לפרוק מן החמור עד שיצתה נשמתו הלכתי ונפלתי על פניו ואמרתי עיני שלא חסו על עיניך יסומו ידיי שלא חסו על ידיך יתגדמו רגליי שלא חסו על רגליך יתקטעו ולא נתקררה דעתי עד שאמרתי כל גופי יהא מלא שחין אמרו לו אוי לנו שראינוך בכך אמר להם אוי לי אם לא ראיתוני בכך ואמאי קרו ליה נחום איש גם זו דכל מילתא דהוה סלקא ליה אמר גם זו לטובה זימנא חדא בעו לשדורי ישראל דורון לבי קיסר אמרו מאן ייזיל ייזיל נחום איש גם זו דמלומד בניסין הוא שדרו בידיה מלא סיפטא דאבנים טובות ומרגליות אזל בת בההוא דירה בליליא קמו הנך דיוראי ושקלינהו לסיפטיה ומלונהו עפרא (למחר כי חזנהו אמר גם זו לטובה) כי מטא התם [שרינהו לסיפטא חזנהו דמלו עפרא] בעא מלכא למקטלינהו לכולהו אמר קא מחייכו בי יהודאי [אמר גם זו לטובה] אתא אליהו אדמי ליה כחד מינייהו א"ל דלמא הא עפרא מעפרא דאברהם אבוהון הוא דכי הוה שדי עפרא הוו סייפיה גילי הוו גירי דכתיב (ישעיהו מא, ב) יתן כעפר חרבו כקש נדף קשתו הויא חדא מדינתא דלא מצו למיכבשה בדקו מיניה וכבשוה עיילו לבי גנזיה ומלוהו לסיפטיה אבנים טובות ומרגליות ושדרוהו ביקרא רבה כי אתו ביתו בההוא דיורא אמרו ליה מאי אייתית בהדך דעבדי לך יקרא כולי האי אמר להו מאי דשקלי מהכא אמטי להתם סתרו לדירייהו ואמטינהו לבי מלכא אמרו ליה האי עפרא דאייתי הכא מדידן הוא בדקוה ולא אשכחוה וקטלינהו להנך דיוראי:
(ה) לעולם יהא אדם רגיל לומר "כל מה דעביד רחמנא - לטב עביד":
One should accustom himself to say 'Everything Hashem does is for the best'
This message is so important that it is only appropriate for it to be included with Orach Chayyim, the Way of Life, a guide to daily living.
לעולם יהא אדם רגיל לומר כל דעביד רחמנא לטב עביד כי הא דרבי עקיבא דהוה קאזיל באורחא מטא לההיא מתא בעא אושפיזא לא יהבי ליה אמר כל דעביד רחמנא לטב אזל ובת בדברא והוה בהדיה תרנגולא וחמרא ושרגא אתא זיקא כבייה לשרגא אתא שונרא אכליה לתרנגולא אתא אריה אכליה לחמרא אמר כל דעביד רחמנא לטב ביה בליליא אתא גייסא שבייה למתא אמר להו לאו אמרי לכו כל מה שעושה הקדוש ברוך הוא
A man should always accustom himself to say, "Whatever the All-merciful does, He does for the best." As when R.'Akiba was journeying by the way, he came to a certain town and asked for hospitality, but it was refused him ; so he exclaimed, "Whatever the All - merciful does is for the best." He went and spent the night in the field, having with him a rooster, a donkey and a lamp. A gust of wind came and extinguished the lamp, a cat came and ate the rooster, and a lion came and devoured the donkey ; but he exclaimed, "Whatever the All-merciful does is for the best." That same night a band of robbers came and captured the town. He thereupon said to them, "Didn't I say that everything Hashem does is for the best?"
Rav Elchonon Wasserman - A Story About a Farmer
Once there was a man who knew nothing about agriculture who came to a farmer to learn about farming. The farmer took him to his field and asked him what he saw. He saw a beautiful piece of land full of grass and pleasing to the eye. Then the visitor stood aghast as the farmer plowed up the grass and turned the beautiful green field into a mass of brown ditches. "Why did you ruin the field?" asked the man. "Be patient and you will see," answered the farmer. Then the farmer showed him a sack full of plump kernels of wheat and asked him what he sees. The visitor described the nutritious inviting grain and then once more watched in shock as the farmer ruined something beautiful. This time he walked up and down the furrows and dropped kernels into the open ground wherever he went, then he covered them up with clods of soil. "Are you insane," the man asked, "first you destroy the field, then you take this beautiful grain, and you throw it underneath." The farmer answered, "Be patient and you will see." Time went by, and once more the farmer took his guest out into field. Now they saw endless straight rows and green stalks sprouting up from all of the furrows. The visitor smiled broadly, "I apologize, now I understand what you were doing, you made the field more beautiful than ever; the art of farming is truly marvelous. "No," said the farmer, "we are not done, you must still be patient." More time went by and the stalks were fully grown, then the farmer came with a sickle and chopped them all down as his visitor watched openmouthed, seeing how the orderly field became an ugly scene of destruction. The farmer bound the fallen stalks into bundles and decorated the field with them. Later he took the bundles to another area, where he beat and crushed them until the became a mass of straw and loose kernels. Then he separated the kernels from the chaff and piled them up in a huge hill. Always he told his protesting visitor, "Be patient we are not done." Then the farmer came with the wagon and piled it high with grain which he took to the mill. There this beautiful grain was ground into formless choking dust. The visitor complained again, "You have taken beautiful grain and transformed it into dust." Again he was told to be patient. The farmer put the dust into sacks and took it back home. He took some dust and mixed it with water, while his guest marveled at the foolishness of making whitish mud. Then the farmer fashioned the mud into the shape of a loaf. The visitor saw the perfectly formed loaf and smiled broadly, but his happiness did not last. The farmer lit a fire and put the loaf into the oven. "Now I know you're insane, after all that work you burn what you make." The farmer looked at him and laughed, "Have I not told you to be patient?" Finally the farmer opened the oven took out the freshly baked bread crisp and brown, with an aroma that made the visitors mouth water. "Come," the farmer said. He led his guest to the kitchen table where he cut the bread, and he offered his now-pleased visitor a liberally buttered slice. "Now," the farmer said, "Now you understand."
Rav Elchonon said, "Hashem is the farmer, and we are the fools who do not begin to understand his ways or the outcome of his plan. Only when the process is complete will all the Jewish people know why all this happened. Then, when Moshiach has finally come, we will know why all of this had to be. Until then we must be patient and have faith that everything, even when it seems destructive and painful, is part of the process that will produce goodness and beauty.
על בשורות טובות אומר הטוב והמטיב על בשורות רעות אומר ברוך דיין האמת
For good tidings he says "Who is good and who bestows good" and For bad tidings he says "Blessed be the true Judge"!
Rav Soloveitchik: The Tapestry
A King once ordered that the most beautiful tapestry in the world should be woven for his palace. After many years, the King's advisors had finally notified him that the tapestry has been completed. The King and his company traveled for days to the tapestry master's workshop, and when he got there, he couldn't believe his eyes. The massive tapestry was hanging from the ceiling, however he couldnt make out a pattern at all. The threads were straying from all over, and the colors were all knotted together. Appalled, the King ordered that the tapestry master should be sentenced to death! The King's guards grabbed the tapestry master, and he yelled out, "You've got it all wrong! This is just the back of the tapestry!" When the tapestry was turned around, the King was in awe. His eyes were laying on the most magnificent tapestry he had ever seen in his life.
(א) והאלקים נסה את אברהם ענין הנסיון הוא לדעתי בעבור היות מעשה האדם רשות מוחלטת בידו אם ירצה יעשה ואם לא ירצה לא יעשה יקרא "נסיון" מצד המנוסה אבל המנסה יתברך יצוה בו להוציא הדבר מן הכח אל הפועל להיות לו שכר מעשה טוב לא שכר לב טוב בלבד דע כי השם צדיק יבחן (תהלים י"א:ה') כשהוא יודע בצדיק שיעשה רצונו וחפץ להצדיקו יצוה אותו בנסיון ולא יבחן את הרשעים אשר לא ישמעו והנה כל הנסיונות שבתורה לטובת המנוסה
And Hashem tested Avraham - This is called a nissayon for the one being tested, but the Tester, in his blessedness, will command him to realize his potential in actuality, to earn the reward of good action and not the reward of a good heart alone. Know that “God examines the righteous” (Tehillim 11:5), when He knows full well that the righteous will do His will, but He seeks to demonstrate his righteousness, He will give him a test. However, he will not examine the wicked, who will not listen regardless. Thus, each of the tests in the Torah is for the benefit of the one being tested.
Chabad: Hayom Yom - 3 Elul
Whoever has faith in individual Divine Providence knows that "Man's steps are established by G-d," that this particular soul must purify and improve something specific in a particular place. For centuries, or even since the world's creation, that which needs purification or improvement waits for this soul to come and purify or improve it. The soul too, has been waiting - ever since it came into being - for its time to descend, so that it can discharge the tasks of purification and improvement assigned to it.
But what does this all mean?! We now know that everything happens for the best, and that Hashem has a plan, but what are we supposed to do with everything that happens to us?!
(2) My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? You are far from my help at the words of my cry.
Rabbi Shimshon Refael Hirch
Don't read למה – why? – rather read ל–מה – for what?
Rav Soloveitchik: Kol Dodi Dofek
In the face of catastrophe and misfortune, we cannot ask why, since that question is unanswerable. Instead we must ask how we can grow as individuals and as a community. It is not the ?למה – why? – that is important, but the ?ל–מה – for what?
"We ask not about the reason for evil and its purpose, but rather about its rectification and uplifting. How should a person react in a time of distress? What should a person do so as not to rot in his affliction?" We can not try to explain the irrational hatred that prevailed in the world between 1935 and 1945, nor should we assign blame within. We must focus instead on what we can learn from that fearsome time."
The Doggy Bag
Everyone has aspects of their lives that they classify as challenges. We have to start to realize that no matter how harsh they can be, they're for the best.
Let's think of two or three things in our lives, personally or nationally, that we see as challenges. How can we channel it to help us grow or to help others?
This week, whenever something doesn't go as planned, let us take a second before we start going off about how upset we are and say "Gam Zu LeTova" - that somehow, Hashem wanted this setback to happen because it will make me that much stronger.
Rav Chanoch Teller- SOULED (pg. 61)
Our life is a more enjoyable one when we live with this concept that Hashem is always with us, helping us and guiding us. There was a man who was mourning the death of his beloved wife. While walking on the beach, in his anguish he cried out to the Almighty, "You promised to walk alongside me in times of trouble, but when I look down I see only one set of footprints." There was silence, and then a voice lovingly called out, "My dear Yankeleh, what seems to be one set of footprints is not really you walking alone. It is me carrying you."