Ashrei - part 2
אשרי העם שככה לו – Fortunate is the nation that such is its lot;
אשרי העם שה' אלוקיו – Fortunate is the nation that Hashem is its G-d.
We are truly fortunate that Hashem chose us as His treasured nation and gave us His Torah,1 which is our guide for living a fulfilling, meaningful, and happy life. This should infuse us with much joy.
We are also fortunate to be beneficiaries of Hashem’s goodness and kindness, which He bestows upon us. Even when we feel we are lacking, we are comforted that Hashem, who is all-powerful and all-capable, can fill our needs instantly, if that is what is truly best for us.2
Fortunate are those who can say and feel “ככה לו” – the way it is now is the absolute best it can be for my eternal good. Hashem knows exactly what I need for my growth and development. One who can internalize this is truly fortunate, because Hashem is his G-d. He feels personally guided by Hashem and is confident that his life circumstances are directly orchestrated by Hashem for his ultimate benefit.3
One may wonder, if everything is best just as it is, why am I asking Hashem for anything in Sh’moneh Esrei? How do I presume to have a better understanding of what is for my benefit than Hashem, who at this very moment is already doing what is in my best interest?
One approach to this question is that it is absolutely true that at this very moment Hashem is doing what is best for me. However, Tefilah provides a vehicle for us to become more worthy and receive that which we seek. If we are genuine in our tefilah, believing each time we say “Atah” when making our requests in Sh’moneh Esrei that Hashem is all-powerful and all-capable and that ONLY HE can heal me or give me that job, then we will elevate ourselves to the point of becoming worthy of receiving our salvation. In retrospect, we will even be thankful for the need that caused us to reach out to Hashem, because it brought us closer to Him. Of course, sometimes what we are asking for is simply not in our best interest, despite how convinced we may be that it is.
1 רוקח חלק א:קל"ט
2 מצודת דוד תהלים קמ״ד:ט"ו, של"ה הקדוש תהלים קמ״ד:ט"ו
3 ספר נפשי חולת אהבתך, מיוסד ע"פ דובר צדק מהרה״ק ר' צדוק הכהן מלובלין