Sin: Illness of the Soul?

Hello,
"It is sometimes found with physical illness, that an illness lightens and most of the affliction heals, but the body is not cleansed of it other than by drinking bitter potions and suffering the pain of withdrawal from desirable foods.

"So, too, the soul may be ill from a great transgression, and even though most of the illness will be healed and the multiplicity of aspects of punishment will leave once one repents and HaShem retreats from His wrath, still, the soul will not be cleansed of the illness and her sin will not be fully forgiven until the sinner has suffered…"

(Rabbeinu Yonah, Shaarei Teshuvah 4:1)

 שנראה בנחמת ירושלים,
Mordechai

48 Ways: #25 - Acceptance of personal suffering

Hi,

Pirkei Avot 6:5 teaches that Torah is acquired in 48 ways, which it lists for us. The twenty-fifth of the 48 is kabbalat hayisurin, acceptance of one's personal suffering.

We have already said that one who would succeed in Torah study should minimize his pursuit of pleasure, but kabbalat hayisurin adds the element of kabbalah, acceptance. One who suffers hardship but rails against it will be distracted, in greater or lesser measure, by his rejection of his state and his battle against it. To succeed in Torah study, one must be able to accept his state and shift his focus to his learning.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

When suffering

Hi,

[Note: The following uses a non-literal read of Iyyov 22:25, a passage with which the classic commentators struggled.]

"One who brings the Name of Heaven into his suffering will receive double the support, as it is written (Iyyov 22:25), 'If Gd is with you in your troubles, then you will receive stronger silver.'"

[Rashi explains "bringing Gd's Name into one's suffering" as thanking Gd for our troubles as we do for our benefits, or as praying to Gd for aid in a time of trouble.]

(Talmud, Berachot 63a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Accepting Marror after Matzah

Hi,

"We must also accept the pleasant servitude, the service of HaShem, Gd of Israel, who formed us from the womb to be His servants. This trait was also acquired in our Egyptian servitude, and after all of the negative results of slavery leave us, this pleasant aspect will remain.

"Thereby a person will be able to lovingly endure even that which is against his will and inclination. This is the fundamental principle of Marror: To accept the bitterness of life with love, when one knows that he faces bitterness sent from above, and ethical elevation.

"Therefore, Marror follows Matzah."

(R' Avraham Yitzchak haKohen Kook, Haggadah shel Pesach)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Intricacies of a Divine Plan

Hi,

“Rav Hemnuna said: What is the meaning of ‘Who is like the sage, and who knows the solution of a matter (Kohelet 8)?’

“It means: Who is like Gd, who knows how to produce a compromise between two righteous people: Chizkiyahu and Yeshayahu.

“Chizkiyahu said, ‘Yeshayahu should come to me, as Eliyahu went to Achav.’ Yeshayahu said, ‘Chizkiyahu should come to me, as Yehoram ben Achav went to Elisha.’ What did Gd do? He made Chizkiyahu suffer illness, and He told Yeshayahu (Melachim II 20, Yeshayah 38), ‘Go examine the sick.’”

(Talmud, Berachot 10a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

A response to pain

Hi,

We generally don't teach 'turn the other cheek' philosophy, but note this passage:

"Rav Gviha of Argiza explained a biblical passage (from Yehoshua 15): If one is pained because another has harmed him, but remains silent, then the Eternal One will perform justice for him."

(Talmud, Gittin 7a)

Have a good day,
Mordechai

True strength?

Hi,

[I'm not sure whether my insertion of 'even' below is correct, or not. It depends on your philosophical approach to suffering.]

"Regarding those who embarrassed by others but do not embarrass others, who hear their shame and do not reply, perform [mitzvot] out of love and are joyous [even] in suffering, it is written [Judges 5], 'Those who love Him are like the emerging Sun in its strength.'"

(Talmud, Gittin 36b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

What remains when all has been stripped away

Hi,

"Suffering comes into your dwelling and curbs your presumption and teaches you the limitations of your power. They remind you of the frailty of your health, the feebleness of your wit, the impotence of your will, the instability of your possessions, the inadequacy of your means, which have only been lent to you...

"If they take away from you all that you have in life other than your very self and show you how perishable is everything on which you thought to build your prosperity, at the same time they teach you the lasting character of the greatness which you yourself are, of the goods which alone are yours - the awe of Gd, the love of Gd and trust in Gd."

(R' Shimshon Raphael Hirsch, Horeb, paragraph 79)

Have a great day,
Mordechai