Pave the Way to Glory

Living Emunah By Rabbi David Ashear

A man recently shared with me the difficulties he has been experiencing. In his words, "It's just one thing after another. I'm trying to be good, but Hashem keeps pushing me down. I'm losing my will to want to improve." Many people feel that if they are experiencing hardship, it must be Hashem telling them that they aren't good. But this is simply not true. Right now, we are reading the parshiyot about the struggles of Yaakov Avinu and Yosef Hatzaddik. These two were among the greatest people who ever lived, yet their lives were filled with extraordinary challenges. Yosef was hated by his brothers, thrown into a pit with snakes and scorpions, sold into slavery in Mitzrayim, falsely accused and imprisoned, and separated from his father for 22 years. Yaakov, too, endured difficulty after difficulty. When he finally sought tranquility, the most devastating trial of all struck—he was made to believe that Yosef had been killed. Worse still, it was he who had sent Yosef out on that fateful day. It was precisely because Yaakov and Yosef endured such immense suffering that they became two of the greatest people who ever lived. This world is a world of toil, and it is our ability to persevere with emunah and to fulfill the ratzon Hashem under duress that elevates us to unimaginable heights. We cannot fathom how much we accomplish by persevering through the challenges Hashem sends us. Because of Yosef's experiences, he became Yosef Hatzaddik, and in his merit, the entire nation was able to cross the Yam Suf—one of the greatest miracles in history. The pasuk says: " יעקב אשר פדה את אברהם ". Rashi, in Masechet Sanhedrin, explains that Avraham was supposed to endure the difficulties in raising children that Yaakov faced. However, Yaakov's neshama accepted the nisayon instead, redeeming Avraham from that challenge. Additionally, Hashem told Avraham that his descendants would be slaves in a foreign land for 400 years. In the end, they were enslaved in Mitzrayim for only 210 years because Hashem began the calculation from the birth of Yitzchak. This means that the difficulties endured by Yitzchak and Yaakov spared millions of their descendants from suffering in Mitzrayim. They bore the brunt of the slavery themselves and will be rewarded for all eternity for the salvation they brought to their children. When Yaakov finally settled in Mitzrayim, his hardships ceased because the actual years of slavery had officially begun, and there was no longer a need for him to carry that burden. No hardship is ever in vain. Hashem is always orchestrating events to enable us to achieve the fullest potential of our lives. Yaakov's image was ultimately etched on the Kiseh Hakavod, symbolizing the pinnacle of human achievement in this world. Hashem always has the past, present, and future in front of Him at all times. While Yaakov mourned the loss of his son, Hashem was simultaneously envisioning the joyous reunion they would one day have. While Yosef was languishing in prison, Hashem was already seeing the moment he would be rushed out to become the leader of Mitzrayim. When we face difficult times, we must remember that there are glorious days ahead. Everything is designed to help us become great. Turning away from Hashem is never the answer. Instead, by drawing closer to Hashem and facing our trials with emunah, we elevate ourselves and pave the way to that glory. No one should ever think that their troubles mean Hashem is pushing them away. On the contrary, it is Hashem calling upon them to rise and become among the greatest people who ever lived.