G-d Intends the Good
Yosef Hatzaddik was in a terrible situation. Sold into slavery by his own brothers, he had every reason to feel wronged. Surprisingly, when finally reunited with them in Parshat Vayigash, Yosef told his brothers that they were not responsible for where he was. Though they sold him into slavery, Hashem orchestrated the outcome.[1] In Parshat Vayechi, Yosef adds that although his brothers had bad intentions, Hashem planned a positive result.[2]
We might have viewed Yosef’s miraculous rise from prison to viceroy as uniquely providential. Nachum Ish Gamzu and (his talmid) Rebbi Akiva saw things otherwise. They teach us that all occurrences are (from Hashem and) for the good.[3]
Everything we experience, even what seems bad and even things done to us by other people, is ultimately for the good. Even yisurin (suffering) that are intended to punish have a positive outcome. In addition to earning us reward in the next world,[4] yisurin benefit us in this world as well.[5]
This idea should help us maintain our simchat ha’chayim (happiness with life). The Torah emphasizes the importance of being happy.[6] The Ba’al HaTanya[7] explains that this happiness should flow from our realization that nothing bad comes from Above. We should celebrate the fact that everything we experience eventually benefits us.
The Lalover Rebbe saw this as the significance of Mizmor 126’s mention of the Jewish people’s happiness during exile.[8] When Hashem redeems us at the end of days, other nations are surprised by the incredible kindness He shows us. The Jewish people respond that Hashem rewards us for having been happy even while in exile. Our ability to use our faith as a basis for celebration, even in difficult times, merits our redemption.
How It Is For the Good
What good does suffering bring?
Chazal give a few examples.
Relatively minor inconveniences often save us from grave danger. For example, the extinguishing of Rebbe Akiva’s candle and the deaths of both his donkey and chicken saved him from marauders (who would have otherwise noticed and killed him). Most people would have been upset by the deaths and loss of light. Rebbe Akiva immediately responded that it must be for the good, and, indeed, it turned out that way.[9]
Chazal give another example of this phenomenon: someone who misses a boat that ends up sinking.[10] The person is initially upset when he misses the boat but appreciative later when he realizes what missing the boat saved him from.[11]
Experiences that seem negative can do more than just protect. They often enrich. Chazal explain that the Torah presents tzara’at on the walls of homes in Eretz Yisrael positively[12] because it helped the Jews discover the treasure the Emori had hidden in the walls.[13]
This tzara’at is a major inconvenience but well worth it. The Lubavitcher Rebbe[14] saw the tzara’at as representative of a broader phenomenon: suffering often reveals the “treasures” hidden in the world around us and within ourselves.
The death of Boaz’s wife at the beginning of Megillat Rut is an excellent example of this phenomenon. The city of Beit Lechem was aghast.[15] The wife of Boaz, the city’s leader, had suddenly passed away.[16] People were shocked and saddened. They did not realize that Hashem arranged for this to happen so Boaz could marry Rut (who arrived in Beit Lechem that very day) to start the line that would eventually lead to the birth of Dovid HaMelech.[17] Like the people of Beit Lechem, we often focus on events occurring in the present without realizing the future implications.
The Ramchal[18] adds that growth pangs are the only way to grow. The most important objectives, such as Torah, Eretz Yisrael, and Olam Haba, are only attained through yisurin.[19] Reaching these goals hinges upon the personal growth we achieve only once we are forced out of our comfort zone.[20]
The downs of life are how we reach new heights. This is how the Seforno[21] explains the deeper meaning of Hashem’s words to Yaakov Avinu on his way down Mitzrayim: “Anochi eireid imcha Mitzrayimah, v’Anochi a’alcha gam aloh (I will go down with you to Mitzrayim, and I will surely bring you up).”[22] Hashem emphasizes (a’alcha gam aloh) the aliyah that Yaakov’s descendants will experience after leaving Mitzrayim to teach him that his yeridah (descent) will eventually facilitate a higher level.[23] This is true for us and our yeridot as well.
How We Can See It
Obviously, while suffering, it is hard to anticipate and appreciate the eventual good. Even Yaakov Avinu struggled with this. When Yosef disguised as the Egyptian viceroy harassed his family, Yaakov described the situation as “bad.” [24]
Even once Yosef resolved the crisis by revealing his true identity, Yaakov still summarized his life as “bad.” When Paroh asked how old he was, Yaakov responded that he had lived 130 “few and bad” years.[25] Though the family had been reunited under Yosef’s regal care, Yaakov still felt the pain caused by Eisav, Lavan, Shechem, and his sons.[26]
The medrash[27] tells us that Yaakov’s life was cut short as punishment for his words. Ya'akov should have used his past experiences to strengthen his faith.[28] He should have focused on the happy ending, not the difficulty, of his struggles with Eisav, Lavan, and Shechem.
We, too, should use our past experiences to inspire confidence in the future. Often, our reflection upon past experiences focuses on the suffering and difficulties. Instead, we should focus on the happy endings.
The Staff and the Rod
The Torah compares Hashem’s disciplinary tactics to those of a father[29] because a father comforts his son after needing to discipline him.[30]
Dovid HaMelech presents this complementary comfort through the model of the shepherd’s staff (mishan) and rod (shevet).[31] Though Hashem (like a shepherd) sometimes needs to use the stick as a rod, His use of the same stick to support us reminds us of His love for us.[32]
His comfort and support remind us that the suffering emanates from Hashem, our loving Father.
Looking back at Jewish history, we see that periods of suffering were always followed by periods of success and growth. The middle of the twentieth century is an excellent example. The Jewish people emerged from the Holocaust in a desperate state. The Nazis destroyed a third of our people and our most substantial religious centers. Hashem comforted us with the miraculous founding of the State of Israel, which has fostered our people's physical and spiritual rejuvenation. These comforting periods of rejuvenation should remind us that Hashem is with us through it all.
The Full Picture
The gemara depicts Hashem as the greatest artist.[33] Though a canvas looks like a messy jumble of colors during the painting process, a beautiful picture eventually emerges. Hashem paints our lives in a similar way. We often go through difficult periods when it is hard to see the good. In retrospect, we realize that these periods were part of our growth process.
May we develop the vision needed to see the end while still working through the process and the faith needed to know that the end will be for the best.
May this vision and faith give us the strength to face contemporary threats and challenges in Eretz Yisrael and around the world.
Rav Reuven Taragin is the Dean of Overseas Students at Yeshivat Hakotel and the Educational Director of World Mizrachi.
[1] Sefer Bereishit 45:5-8.
[2] Ibid., 50:20.
[3] In fact, Nachum Ish Gamzu received this unique nickname because he would respond to negative experiences by saying that “this also (gam zu) is for the good (Masechet Ta’anit 21a). Rebbi Akiva used to teach that “everything the Merciful One does is for the good (Masechet Berachot 60b).
[4] Sifri, Ha’azinu 5. See also Sifri, Vaetchanan 7, which explains that yisurin (suffering) confers mechila for sins. See also Shem Olam (of the Chofetz Chaim) 1:3. (Hagahah) in the name of the Gra.
[5] See Ibn Ezra (Devarim 14:1) who uses this idea to explain why the Torah introduced the prohibition to cut oneself when mourning by emphasizing that we are Hashem’s children. We should refrain from cutting ourselves because we know that Hashem is our loving father who must have our best interests in mind.
[6] See, for example, Sefer Devarim 28:47.
[7] Sefer HaTanya, Iggeret Hakodesh, Perek 11.
[8] Sefer Tehillim 126:2-3.
[9] See Ben Yehoyada (Berachot 60b) who explains that it turned out that way because Rebbi Akiva expressed the belief that it would be for the best!
[10] Talmud Bavli, Niddah 31a. See also Medrash Tehillim 136.
[11] There are many contemporary stories of people who were delayed in a way that caused them to miss a plane that ended up crashing.
[12] Sefer Vayikra 14:34. See Vayikra Rabbah 17:1 and 6. The medrash seems to build off the Torah’s usage of the word v’natati, which sounds like a gift.
[13] Vayikra Rabbah (ibid). The medrash describes the tzara’at as “besorah (good news).”
The Ramban (Vayikra 26:16) uses the same phrase about Eretz Yisrael laying fallow during our exile. Though seemingly bad, this was good news for the Jewish people because it kept others from settling our land and was a sign of the land’s continued relationship with us.
[14] Likutei Sichot, Tazria.
[15] Rut 1:19
[16] Rashi on Rut 1:19
[17] Rashbam, Bava Batra 91a
[18] Da’at Tevunot 146.
[19] Talmud Bavli, Masechet Berachot 5a.
[20] See Derech Hashem of the Ramchal for several additional examples of how suffering can be for the good.
[21] Seforno on Bereishit 46:4.
[22] Bereishit 46:4.
[23] See also Sefat Emet (5634, Vayigash, D”H Bamedrash).
[24] Sefer Bereishit 43:6.
[25] Ibid., 47:9.
[26] See Chovot Halevavot (Sha’ar Sheini, Sha’ar Habechina) who presents different reasons why people find recognizing the good that Hashem does for us hard.
[27] Bereishit Rabbah 95:9. See also 91:10.
[28] Da’as Zekeinim MiBaalei HaTosfos, Bereishit 47:8
[29] Sefer Devarim 8:5.
[30] Mishlei 3:12 with Rashi.
[31] Tehillim 23:4
[32] Metzudat Dovid, Tehillim 23:4.
[33] Talmud Bavli, Berachot 10a based upon Shmuel I 2:2.
