We Are Not Alone

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One of the most difficult parts of any hardship is feeling that we are going through it alone. We often think that nobody understands what we are experiencing. However, there is a remedy. We would have so much comfort if we internalized the fact that we are never alone. Hashem knows exactly what we are experiencing. He knows how hard it is, and He feels it even more than we do.

David HaMelech said, no matter what he was going through, he was never afraid, כִּי-אַתָּה עִמָּדִי, because he knew that Hashem was with him. This is true in general, not only with our difficulties. Sometimes we are overwhelmed. We aren't sure how we are going to be able to accomplish our goals. Here too, the realization that Hashem is available to help should be so soothing.

When Moshe Rabenu asked Hashem, "Who am I to go to Pharaoh and take the Jews out of Mitzrayim?" Hashem did not respond by saying, "You have capabilities" or "I know you'll do a great job." Rather, He responded, כִּי-אֶהְיֶה עִמָּךְ, I will be with you. The Chozeh of Lublin explained that Hashem was saying, it doesn't matter what your capabilities are, because I will be with you every step of the way. That is all a person needs to be successful. We don't realize how much Hashem is there for us all the time.

A man once went to the Rizhener Rebbe for a beracha for help with his problems. When he came out the Rabbi's son asked him, "What did my father tell you?" He responded, "He gave me a beracha and said that Hashem is going to help." The boy then asked, "But what's going to happen until Hashem helps?" The man said, "I don't know." So he went back to the Rebbe and asked, "Who's going to help me until Hashem helps?" The Rebbe said, "Hashem will help you until Hashem helps." When we recognize that Hashem is there for us it is the biggest chizuk.

A Rabbi shared that he was going through a tough time financially. He didn't have a job and the market didn't look promising. So he made a small card with two verses from the Torah on it to remind him that Hashem could help him in an instant. One phrase was, הֲיִפָּלֵא מֵה' דָּבָר; "Is anything beyond Hashem?" And the other one was, הֲיַד ה' תִּקְצָר, "Is Hashem's hand short?" Hashem could do anything. And he would constantly tell himself, Hashem is in charge, He could easily give me the best job.

Not long afterward, he received a phone call with a job offer from a high school inviting him to be their twelfth grade Rabbi. The school had just decided to split their twelfth grade into two classes, and although it wasn't in the plans or the budget, Baruch Hashem, it worked out perfectly for the Rabbi.

Eventually, the Rabbi misplaced the card. Since he wasn't really in such need of salvation any more, it wasn't his priority to find it. However, later that year, he needed to buy a larger house for his growing family. Once again he required Hashem's salvation. He really wanted that card back but couldn't find it anywhere. One day, he found a potential house and went to the mortgage broker to see if it would be affordable. Unfortunately, the monthly payments were way beyond his means. He didn't know what he was going to do. He needed Hashem. He left the mortgage broker's office and came to his car. He was shocked to find that somebody had broken in and emptied out all of his belongings. Everything in the car was turned upside down. Then he looked at the driver's seat and saw it staring right at him-the card that said, הֲיִפָּלֵא מֵה' דָּבָר; "Is anything beyond Hashem?" and הֲיַד ה' תִּקְצָר, "Is Hashem's hand short?"

He later said, "That was the greatest chizuk for me. I felt Hashem was with me. He was telling me, don't worry, I'm here for you. I was no longer nervous about finding a house."

לֹא-אִירָא רָע כִּי-אַתָּה עִמָּדִי ,Wherever we are, whatever we're going through, we should always feel at ease knowing that Hashem is with us.

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