Making Lemonade From Our Lemons
Many people have obstacles in life and find themselves frustrated. I once heard a great piece of advice based on the words of a cabbie. Many people are mildly annoyed when they encounter a red light. They want to advance but they can't. This cab driver said that when he encounters a red light he thinks to himself "one shekel and eighty agurot". [In other words the meter is running and he is going to earn money from this seeming "obstacle".]
If we looked at our difficulties as a boon to growth that ultimately enable us to reach higher, we would be much happier. That is essentialy the story of Purim. Everything that seemed to be leading to the downfall of the Jews ultimately lead to their salvation and the building of the Beis HaMikdash!! The very tree on which Mordechai was supposed to hang eventually found Haman and his children hanging. The very day on which our enemies were supposed to kill us became the day we vanquished our enemies. The party in which [according to the Gemara] Achashvairosh was celebrating the fact that the Beis HaMikdash will not be rebuilt eventually brought to the rebuilding of the Second Beis HaMikdash [through the union of Achashveirosh and Esther a child named Daryavesh was born. He gave the o.k. to build the Beis HaMikdash] etc. etc.
The pasuk states "עת צרה ליעקב וממנה יוושע"
"It is a time of distress for Jacob and "from it" he will be saved". The Sfas Emes points out that if we scramble the letters of "mimena" - from it, we read "MayHaman" - from Haman. It is all of our "Haman's" who are the source of our salvation.
Red light = a shekel eighty.
Good Shabbos Sweetest Most Beloved Friends!!!
If we looked at our difficulties as a boon to growth that ultimately enable us to reach higher, we would be much happier. That is essentialy the story of Purim. Everything that seemed to be leading to the downfall of the Jews ultimately lead to their salvation and the building of the Beis HaMikdash!! The very tree on which Mordechai was supposed to hang eventually found Haman and his children hanging. The very day on which our enemies were supposed to kill us became the day we vanquished our enemies. The party in which [according to the Gemara] Achashvairosh was celebrating the fact that the Beis HaMikdash will not be rebuilt eventually brought to the rebuilding of the Second Beis HaMikdash [through the union of Achashveirosh and Esther a child named Daryavesh was born. He gave the o.k. to build the Beis HaMikdash] etc. etc.
The pasuk states "עת צרה ליעקב וממנה יוושע"
"It is a time of distress for Jacob and "from it" he will be saved". The Sfas Emes points out that if we scramble the letters of "mimena" - from it, we read "MayHaman" - from Haman. It is all of our "Haman's" who are the source of our salvation.
Red light = a shekel eighty.
Good Shabbos Sweetest Most Beloved Friends!!!
I learned this week that for this exact reason of good coming from the bad Esther had no parents. This is because Haman told Achashvarosh that they didn't need to worry about killing all the Jews and they will be very succesful in doing so because Haman is a desendant from Aisav who was the best in Kibud av va aim, even far superior than Yakkov in Kibud av va aim. In honor of Aisavs' chesed to his parents he knew he would be succesful. There was no one greater than Aisav at this middah it even says that Aisav put on his shabbos clothing every time he fed his parents! Therefor it was min Hashamayim that Esther didn't have any parents because there was no one greater at that specific chesed than Aisav . Here we can see that although it was horrible that Esther had no parents and I learned she cried over it every day because she couldn't take upon herself the mitzva of kibud av va aim...it was for the best...Esther was able to use her tears and pain of not having the ability to do this mitzva to save the Jews! This shows that we should find the good in every situation because if not the pain and tears are waisted. We can also see that although we may not understand why Hashem does certain things and where He is when we really need Him...He is always there...we just need to try and see it.
Posted by
Jessica Weiss Slomnicki |
7:43 AM
Men!!! You study Talmud all the time. Learn some Scripture from very bright young lady!!!!
Posted by
Rabbi Ally Ehrman |
6:58 PM
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