Our Main Job
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The pasuk says, "עם זו יצרתי תהילתי יספרו"-our main jobs in this world is to praise and thank Hashem. We should always see the good, because there is nothing else besides good. Sometimes the good is obvious, when a person has everything he needs and life is smooth. Other times, when there is hardship and difficulty, it is not so obvious. Yet, we know, that too is also good, and we will eventually see how. During the hard times, the response of a Jew is, גם זו לטובה-I know this is also good. I know Hashem loves me and is doing this only for my benefit. Every Jew has it inside of him to love and believe in Hashem, even during the most difficult times.
When Moshe Rabbenu saw the Jews suffering in Egypt, he asked Hashem, "למה הרעותה לעם הזה" -Why are You doing bad to this nation? Rabbi Lugassi explained, of course Moshe, the greatest מאמין (believer) in history knows that Hashem only does good. He was asking Hashem, why are you dealing with the Jews in a "גם זו לטובה" fashion, where it looks so bad and they have to believe that it's good? Moshe knew that every extra ounce of hardship was benefiting the Jews and redeeming them earlier. Yet, he was worried about them. He was worried they wouldn't be able to handle; they might lose their emunah.
Hashem responded, don't underestimate the Jewish People. They have a rich heritage and great people to learn from, Avraham, Yitzhak and Yaakov. They all endured difficulties that looked so bad. With their emunah, they got through it and reached the highest levels. We eventually saw how everything that happened to them was good; going through the periods of darkness is what made them so great.
Hashem also told Moshe, וגם אני שמעתי את נאקת בני ישראל"-I have also been listening to their cries. They have such emunah; they are calling out to Me every single day. The Vilna Gaon explains that there are different terminologies the Torah uses to describe prayer. One is צעקה, which connotes crying out with the mouth. Yet, here the Torah uses נאקה, which means to cry out from the depths of one's heart. Although it looked like the Jews were giving up, they were holding on to their emunah very strongly. That was their merit to leave Mitzrayim.
At times, life can be hard. During those times, our emunah makes us great. Every single day that a person maintains his emunah and keeps saying גם זו לטובה, this also is for my good, he becomes infinitely greater.
The glory of a Jew is to praise Hashem under all circumstances. In reality, every circumstance that we face is the best thing for us. We pray to Hashem to help us with this emunah, until we see the revealed good.
We say every day in the Amidah, "ומלוך עלינו במהרה ה' בצדק ובמשפט"-Hashem should rule over us with righteousness and justice. Rabbi Lugassi asks, it doesn't seem right that we have to ask Hashem to act with righteousness and justice. After all, that is His essence. Isn't it obvious that He's going to deal righteously with us? He answered that we are talking about ourselves. We pray to understand in every situation that it is Hashem ruling over us, whether it's צדק (righteousness) and we see open good, or משפט (justice) and we have to say גם זו לטובה.
Hashem does everything for us. Even if a person's life seems to be total darkness, it's also good. Soon we will see how, but for now, our job is "תהילתי יספרו"-to keep thanking and praising Hashem. If we continue giving ourselves chizuk that everything is good, we will be fulfilling our purpose.
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