Stuck in Traffic Behind the Governor’s Motorcade

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In this week's poetry we read where Hashem tells Moshe Rabaynou

to communicate the Klaalisrael, the four leshoinush al-Ga'ulah,

the four languages of redemption. The first expression is where it sasi,

for it sasi, aschem, itachah, sivlois, mitsurain,

Hashem promises to take us out from sivlois, mitsurain,

classically translated under the burdens of mitsurain.

The Mahaim explains that sivlois is from the word savlanut,

patience, tolerance, but sasi, aschem, I will redeem you,

I will save you from being patient and from a willingness

to endure and to persevere in the immoral culture of mitsurain.

Redemption only comes through reaching a place of being

disgusted and repulsed by the degradation and the filament of mitsurain.

When we no longer have sivlois, savlanus,

when we no longer can tolerate and accept the licentious values

and culture of mitsurain, that is when we are in our way

to freedom and redemption. But perhaps,

we can also view sivlois as a positive connotation.

Klaalisrael savlanus, their patience,

was a positive character trait, because despite all the torment

and all the suffering, the Jewish people never lost faith

that what was happening to them was not mere happenstance,

but was in fact part of Hashem's grand plan.

They could endure the sivlois, the burdens and suffering,

and at the same time be patient and wait for redemption,

because they displayed the meadow of savlanus.

They knew that this was all coming from Hashem.

This paradox of suffering and simultaneously,

having the savlanus and the courage to realize

that may asa-shem-hoi-se-zois, that was the motif,

by which our ancestors survived

and eventually redeemed from its rhyme.

The Kammara Masechtus Brachis relates a fascinating story

about the great tan known as Hilla Zakan.

The Kammara says, one day Hil was returning home from a journey

with Shama Kult-savakhabair.

He heard screaming, coming from the direction of his home.

He turns to the people around him and he says,

Muft-tah-hani, I can assure you all,

she ain't zeh-beteuch-besi.

All the screaming that you hear is not coming from my house.

So why was he so confident that it was not coming from his house?

I once heard a beautiful explanation

from rebellisha-harawat.

And the safer Muft-tah-hani has initial explains

that most people misunderstand the true definition of betach-hani.

He says, people think that betach-hani means

I have confidence that all things that happened to me

will all turn out to be good

in the way that I am hoping they will.

If a person says, I have betach-hani

that my job interview or my date or my doctor's appointment

will all turn out fine.

They are misusing the term betach-hani.

This is not what it means.

True betach-hani means that I have full confidence

that what is going to happen to me

is ultimately what is best for me.

Now, I might think that best for me

is that the surgery should be successful

or that I land that job or that the boy says yes

or that my offer on the house gets accepted

or that my daughter gets into the school that I want.

However, maybe that is not what Hashem has in mind.

Betach-hani means that whatever the decree is, I accept it

because even though I may not understand it,

I may not like it, but I have confidence

that this outcome is ultimately for my good.

That mindset says the Khazan-ish is genuine betach-hani.

Says Rebalisha, when the Gomara says

that he'll came into the city and he heard screams

and he said, I know for sure

that this is not coming for my house.

It's not necessarily because his house

was a model of peace and tranquility.

It could very well be that his house was on fire.

It could very well be that there was terrible misfortune

happening in his house.

However, whatever it was, Hill said,

despite all the calamities,

my family would not be screaming about it.

Hill was confident that he had been able to instill

in his family the true definition of Betach-han

that whatever happens in life is part of Hashem's grand plan.

Perhaps there was tragedy in his house.

Perhaps there was a sore backup.

Maybe the roof was leaking, but despite all that,

he was confident that his family would not panic

and cry out in distress.

And since he heard cults of Acha,

he heard yelling and screaming, he immediately knew

that this can't be coming from his house.

Hill and viewed his family with the attribute of Savlannus,

accepting Hashem's decree.

So even what they perceived then as a catastrophe,

they understood that in the end,

it will all turn out to be for their benefit.

This is a story told at one hour of Shabbos,

that told us and Rabnachman, one of the students

of the Balsham traveled to Mejaburs

to be with the holy Balshamta for Shabbos.

They set out on their journey

with plenty of time before Shabbos.

Then they see that the caravan in front of them

was traveling very slowly.

They look inside and it's the governor.

And the law was that you may not pass the governor.

The tolder said,

I'm afraid that we won't make it in time for Shabbos.

And Rabnachman turns to him and he says,

the rabbi taught us that in life,

whenever you encounter a difficulty,

have betachem that this hardship

will actually benefit you in some way.

So I believe that this obstacle

will be for our benefit.

This delay will actually help us reach our destination.

They arrived to the city and it was market day.

Usually we take a very long time to drive through the city

because of all the people and the vendors

clogging up the road.

But since the governor wasn't the coach in front of them,

in honor of the governor,

everyone moved their weirs to the side of the road.

The governor drove right through town unimpeded

and the told us and Rabnachman drove right behind the governor.

And they reached Mejubush well before Shabbos.

The problem proved to be their salvation.

If a person internalizes the true meaning of betachem,

he will likewise never have to scream out in distress

as they will realize that all the hardships,

all the calamities are part of Hashem's master plan.

And now we know.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

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