How can a person not be depressed when he hears about so many people who are dying young?
ANSWER:
Let me tell you, it's an excuse, it's an alibi. People are looking for a tirutz to be unhappy, that's all it is. The truth is, you don't care much about them, you're looking for an excuse to be unhappy. On the contrary, you should say Baruch Hashem that You protected me. All day long think about that, Hashem protected me! Of course what can you do? Pray for them. Are you praying for that person? No, you're just showing that you're dissatisfied, asking questions. Why don't you pray for him? In shmonei esrei, in refaeinu, are you praying for him?
And in addition to that you should thank Hakadosh Baruch Hu, Modim anachnu luch, we thank you Hashem, You saved me and my wife, and my sons and my daughters, and my grandchildren! We don't have such things among us, Baruch ata Hashem ha'gomel chasadim tovim le'amo yisroel! Are you thinking that? That's one of the purposes. When you hear tzaros, you have to rejoice that you didn't get the tzaros.
Rejoice you say, I have to rejoice? Be mispalel for them, if they need money, help them get money, but you should not lose sight of the fact that Hakadosh Baruch Hu has protected you, and you have to utilize that to have more simcha in your life. Whenever you hear of a misfortune, think that Baruch Hashem it didn't happen to me. You stand shmonei esrei, you bow down Baruch Ata Hashem, you think, I thank you Hashem.
For what am I thanking You? Nothing at all, you bow down like a robot! Bow down and think, You saved me from what that person has.
Now, we don't know why Hashem did it to that person, Hashem has His reasons, but Baruch Hashem He didn't do it to me. That should be your reaction, and be happy and enjoy it.
How can I enjoy somebody else's tzaros? No, I'm not enjoying it, I'm praying for him. You know what else you can do? You can contribute to his health by giving some money to bikur cholim. Whatever it is you should do...but at the same time, utilize it and understand that Hakadosh Baruch Hu rescued you from that trouble.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures.
To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
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