Parshas Lech Lecha 5787
ויאמר ה' אל אברם לך לך ... (יב-א)
MASHAL: Early one morning in Yerushalayim, R’ Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld zt”l took a quiet, peaceful stroll. Suddenly, the tranquil stillness shattered when an angry teenager emerged from an alleyway and hurled a decayed, rotting orange directly at the revered sage. While the Rav’s loyal gabbai froze, appalled by the brazen cruelty and unprovoked humiliation, his anger instantly dissolved into sheer bewilderment when he turned to look at R’ Yosef Chaim’s calm reaction.
The Rav’s face was glowing with radiant joy, while his lips were whispering fervent words of gratitude to the Heavens.
“Rebbe,” the gabbai asked in confusion, “what could there possibly be to be thankful for in a moment of such disgrace?”
R’ Yosef Chaim turned his graceful eyes to his attendant.
“When a person is faced with middas hadin, the best way to nullify it is to actively find the hidden good within it,” the Rav explained. “Look at what just happened. Had that boy chosen to throw a heavy stone, my life would be in grave danger. Instead, Heaven arranged for him to throw only a soft, rotten orange. All I suffered was a brief moment of mere shame and a soiled garment. Isn’t having my life spared reason enough to joyously thank Hashem?”
NIMSHAL: Hashem promised Avraham Avinu a blessing upon leaving his home yet immediately tested him with a devastating famine in the Land of Canaan. Rather than complaining, Avraham accepted the hardship with perfect faith. Avraham understood that maintaining absolute trust in Hashem’s hidden mercy transforms life’s most challenging moments into eternal blessings.