Our Job Is to Focus

Living Emunah By Rabbi David Ashear

Sometimes a person wants something very badly and he tries every which way to get it, but nothing works out. But then afterward, he realizes there was something else he could have done that would have gotten it for him, but now it's too late. Sometimes a person needs money and a business opportunity presents itself, but he is too hesitant to enter it because of the risk involved. Afterward he sees that everybody who did get involved earned an enormous profit from it and all he can think about is, why didn't he enter? At those times, the person has an opportunity to practice his emunah, to believe that he has exactly what Hashem wants him to have. He didn't find out about that other hishtadlut because Hashem didn't want him to know about it. He didn't enter that business venture because Hashem made it appear very risky for him. Hashem knows how to give a person what he is meant to have in a simple way. He knows how to find us and give us the opportunities that we will want to take. By not regretting what could have been, we are showing our emunah in Him. Our job is to focus on doing Hashem's will, that is the greatest hishtadlut we can do and that opens up the Shamayim for beracha to come down. Rabbi Ilan Guzel told a story of a young woman who was traveling to her home in Tiberias in a shared taxi van. At one of the stops, a few boys got in and started using the most foul, disgusting language. The young lady was afraid for her neshama , listening to their vulgarity. She went over to the driver and asked him if he could tell them to stop, but he refused. She then told the driver, "If you're not going to stop them, then please let me off." The driver said he would let her off at the next stop which would be in about 10 minutes. She said she couldn't wait that long and requested to be let off immediately, The driver then pulled over and let her off right on the side of the road. A rabbi on the bus who was listening to a Torah class and didn't hear what was going on saw the driver pull over and let this girl off on the side of the road. He asked what was happening while the driver was pulling away. When he found out, he complained that it was irresponsible to let off that girl there. The driver didn't seem to care and he kept going. The rabbi was worried about the girl. When he arrived at his destination – the kever of Rabbi Meir Baal Hanes, he was surprised when he saw that girl getting out of a car with another woman. He went over to her and asked her how she managed to get a ride. She said, while she was standing on the side of the road she told Hashem she only got off because she was trying to do His will, and then she asked Him if He could send someone to pick her up. Less than 30 seconds later, a car stopped with a religious woman behind the wheel, by herself, asking if she needed a ride. On the road the woman said she was on her way to the kever of Rabbi Meir. She explained, a few years before this, her daughter was diagnosed with a terminal illness and time was of the essence. There was a trial procedure that had not been proven yet that had a 50% chance of working, but there was also a 50% chance of fatality. She went to a gadol for advice and blessing. He told her she had to go forward with the procedure, but at the same time she should do an act of mesirut nefesh as a zechut for her daughter. He suggested that she pay the full wedding expenses of a needy bride. She told the rabbi, "If Hashem heals my daughter, I'll pay for a needy bride's wedding every single year on the anniversary of the day my daughter is declared healed." The Rabbi told her to go to the kever of Rabbi Meir and pray. She went there and while she was there she found a needy bride. Baruch Hashem, her daughter was healed and she paid for the entire wedding of that bride. Every year after, she comes to the kever of Rabbi Meir to thank Hashem. While driving this young lady, she said she was on her way to the kever because today is the anniversary. She then asked the young lady if she knew of any needy brides. The young lady replied, she is a needy bride, her family has no idea how they are going to pay for her upcoming wedding which was going to take place in two months. The lady was so happy to tell her, "I'm going to pay for the whole thing." This young lady was in great need. She did the will of Hashem by protecting her ears from hearing the wrong thing and Hashem connected her with the perfect person who was able to help her. Hashem could help us with all of our needs and He could do it in the simplest way possible.