“And it came to pass [vayhi] in the days of Ahasuerus” (Esther 1:1). Rabbi Levi said, and some say that it was Rabbi Yonatan who said: This matter is a tradition that we received from the members of the Great Assembly. Anywhere that the word vayhi is stated, it is an ominous term indicating nothing other than impending grief.
וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ן יְשֻׁרוּן֙ וַיִּבְעָ֔ט שָׁמַ֖נְתָּ עָבִ֣יתָ כָּשִׂ֑יתָ {ס} וַיִּטֹּשׁ֙ אֱל֣וֹהַּ עָשָׂ֔הוּ וַיְנַבֵּ֖ל צ֥וּר יְשֻׁעָתֽוֹ׃ {ס}
You grew fat and gross and coarse—
He forsook the God who made him
And spurned the Rock of his support.
As well, King Solomon the wisest of all man has said -
As it states in the Book of Proverbs -
And no toil can increase it.
Based on the below verse -
רְאֵ֗ה אָנֹכִ֛י נֹתֵ֥ן לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם בְּרָכָ֖ה וּקְלָלָֽה׃
See, this day I set before you blessing and curse:
Now let us analyze the above verse - "See, this day I set before you blessing and curse:"
This verse is teaching us this principal - as we see it is saying whether you are in impoverished times, which is the curse mentioned in this verse, or if you are in times of success and wealth, which is the blessing mentioned in this verse, THEN you must know that both of these realities is just what you are experiencing TODAY (based on the Hebrew word on that verse HaYom).. As if to say that this is just one day for you, and if you think like this, living in the present and staying humble and grateful, you will be wealthy (in joy and peace) all the days of your life, and you will overcome both the challenges the poor man faces and that of the rich man.
And on this concept we can explain the following verse -
וַיְבָ֨רְכֵ֜ם בַּיּ֣וֹם הַהוּא֮ לֵאמוֹר֒ בְּךָ֗ יְבָרֵ֤ךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יְשִֽׂמְךָ֣ אֱלֹהִ֔ים כְּאֶפְרַ֖יִם וְכִמְנַשֶּׁ֑ה וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־אֶפְרַ֖יִם לִפְנֵ֥י מְנַשֶּֽׁה׃
So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you shall Israel invoke blessings, saying: God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.” Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh.
Based on our above teaching, we will understand both of these questions. Firstly the words 'Bayom Hahu - That Day', is in itself its own Blessing that Jacob shares with his grandchildren. He was blessing them that they should achieve a level of spiritual refinement where they realize this concept of everything is 'that day', just one day. This is a tremendous blessing to give someone, as it will prevent genuine suffering in the mind when things get heated and hard, G-D forbid, and as well, your heart will not be inflated with ego when you are living the life of wealth and success, as you will simply remember that everything is just one day at a time. Don't think that your suffering will be forever, and don't think your wealth will be either, just live day by day.
