Welcome to the daily chizuk (strengthening). The Rosh (head) used to tell his students. That means you should want what Hashem wants for you. If you wanted something, for example, to buy a certain house, and it didn’t work out, you should say, “If this is Ratzon Hashem (Hashem’s will), then I am also happy.” People who accept the way Hashem deals with them in life have much more peace of mind. Our lives are being led by Hashem, and He knows what He’s doing. And if you understand this, you’ll be so much happier.
I once read a mashal (parable) about two people taking an eight-hour bus ride to a business meeting. The first guy gets on the bus, sees the driver, and gets very nervous. He thinks, “Maybe he doesn’t know the best route. This is a very important meeting. I can’t be late.” The bus pulls away, and the guy is on the edge of his seat. “Why did he go left? He’s going to hit traffic that way. Why didn’t he make that light?” The whole way, he’s on edge. They arrive with 15 minutes to spare, but the guy is all bent out of shape and gets to the meeting with a lot of stress. Guy number two gets on the bus and says, “What a nice driver. I’m sure he knows what he’s doing.” He sits back in his chair, takes out his earphones, listens to some music, learns some Torah, takes a little nap, and enjoys the scenery. They arrive seven hours and 45 minutes later with some extra time. He says thank you to the driver and gets to the meeting very calm and happy. Both of these men paid the same fee. They both had the same destination. But one guy didn’t trust the driver and one guy did. Did the worry help? All it did was make his day miserable for nothing. If we would trust our driver, Hashem, it would relieve so much stress. Even when there appears to be a wrong turn, don’t worry. Hashem knows the back roads. It was the right turn.
Rabbi Avraham Shor told the story of something that happened a few weeks ago in Israel. A rabbi was bitten by a poisonous snake and went to a specialist in Ramat Gan and was treated. Ten days later, he went back to the doctor to see how the medicine was working. The doctor told him, “I never believed in Hashem until today. The poison of the snake burnt up the terrible cancer in your kidneys. You are totally healed.” Do we know what good is? How could a poisonous snake be good? Hashem knows. Trust the driver.
Rabbi Avraham Waxman told the story of a yeshiva that was once on the run in Russia. They were terrified because the communists were searching for yeshiva boys who were studying and hiding. One day, a car came by, and they thought it was the police. There was terrible confusion. They were jumping, running, and yelling, and the rabbi wasn’t happy. They all lost themselves. He said, “We have to strengthen our emunah (faith) in Hashem,” and instituted that they would say the 13 Ani Ma'amins together every day. A week later, the police did come, and they arrested the whole yeshiva and took them to prison. They went in chains, but they were humming a Jewish song that says, “Hashem is with us the whole way.” They were all deported to Siberia, and they were humming the whole time. Three days later, the Germans came into the town they used to be in and massacred the whole town. But the whole yeshiva was saved. Hashem knows what He is doing, and if we would follow the advice of the Rosh and accept the will of Hashem as our own, then we will be zocheh (to merit) to have the Mishnah and Pirkei Avot fulfilled in us, as they say: “If you make Hashem’s will your will, then He will make your will His will.” Shabbat Shalom.