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> Look at the Good Side
Look at the Good Side
Do we always wish for G-d
to hear our prayers? Why else would we pray? Well, perhaps we don't always
know what is best for ourselves. A person may pray to get a certain job,
not knowing that a better opportunity lies in the wait if only we were
patient. Therefore, we pray each day that G-d hear our prayers "with
mercy," mercifully accepting only those prayers which are worthy of
being heard. We don't always know what is good for us.
Jacob once thought he knew what was good for him. After the brothers
returned from Egypt, without their brother Simeon, Jacob turned to his
sons and said, "Why have you made matters worse for me to tell the
man that you have another brother?" From Jacob's limited perspective
(his depression over the loss of Joseph prevented him from being
prophetic), the brothers had done him a great disservice. Until now, he
was missing one son (Joseph). Now he is missing Simeon and he is in
jeopardy of losing Benjamin as well. The cause of this in his mind is that
the brothers mentioned to the man in Egypt that they had another brother.
The truth is, that through this discussion of Benjamin's trip to Egypt,
the family would be reunited, Jacob would again see Joseph, and
eventually the exodus from Egypt would lead to the redemption of the
Jewish people. As the Midrash says, "You (Jacob) say "Why have
you made things bad?" Meanwhile G-d is making your son a king in
Egypt land." What seemed like a low point in his long life was
actually the beginning of a glorious period of his life. The Midrash says
this was the greatest misstatement ever made by Jacob.
In the story of Moses' appointment, Moses has a similar presumption of
knowing what was good for the Jews. After his very first encounter with
Pharaoh in his new capacity, he turns to G-d and says, "Why have you
made matters worse for this nation?" Moses explains his argument
quite clearly, "from the time I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name
You have made things worse for this people and You haven't saved Your
People." The Midrash says that it was then that Moses' fate was
sealed not to enter the Land of Israel. G-d said to Moses, "You will
see soon that I will redeem the Israelites from Egypt, but you will not
see the conquest of Canaan."
We sometimes feel we know exactly what is best for the Jewish people. We
do and we should work hard to support our beliefs and opinions. When
confronted by opposing opinions, we often argue with great confidence,
even arrogance that we know best. We feel we know what is best for Israel
visa vis the peace process, and we will argue our position vigorously and
endlessly. We feel we know what is best for Jewish continuity both here
and in Israel. We should always remember Jacob and Moses' error in
thinking they knew exactly what was best. Only G-d knows the true course
of the future. We should continue to fight for what we view as right, to
support the good causes of our choice. But we should never have the hubris
to imagine we have all the answers. Of course, to the extent that the
Torah is clear about our required course of action, we should be certain.
But in the more murky areas of life, we need to be more humble.
People often become despondent about the future of Jews in
America and in Israel. Today, there is tremendous pessimism about the
situation in Israel. We have to remember that like Jacob and Moses before
us, we may not have all the statistics, all the information. And we do
have confidence that "whatever G-d does is for the good"
(Talmud, Berachot 60b). We need to work hard to assure the continuity of
our people, but never should we adopt a doomsday approach. We should never
say to G-d what Jacob and Moses said to Him, "Why have you made
matters worse for us?" G-d only makes things better. It requires a
Divine perspective, though, to appreciate this fact. Let us find
confidence and security in knowing that "G-d will not neglect His
people and His inheritance He will not abandon." (I Samuel 12). |
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