We have been discussing how humility and arrogance impact our Rosh Hashanah. I'd like to share something I heard more than once from Rav Wolbe, in the name of Rav Dessler
(I don't think it's in print in Rav Dessler’s writings): When a man is arrogant, what he's basically saying (of course, without a verbal statement), is that God should get off His throne; I want to sit down.
That's a very extreme and heavy statement.
But as we've said, Adam and Eve's first sin, on day one of their creation, was eating from the forbidden fruit because the snake told them that if you want to be a creator, this is the way to becoming a creator. That means man's basic sin is I want to be a creator. I don't want someone else telling me what to do. Basically, that's saying, I want to sit down in that chair and I want to run the world. You might say, “Come on, that's a little ridiculous. Who really believes that?”
But let me share a story with you, which might feel little closer to home. There was once a great Hasidic rabbi (I did some research but couldn't find out who it was. If anyone has a good source, you can please send it to me?) who was once asked, “If you were to run the world, what would you do differently?”
Now if anyone asked me, I would say, let's solve the Shidduch crisis. That's a terrible thing. There are so many ladies out there that are waiting to get married and don't have the right person yet. And cure all those people that are sick with dreaded diseases.
Also, bring back to religion, all those teenagers that went off. What a terrible, horrible tragedy for themselves and their families…. Heal people with mental illnesses…Take care of all those people that are suffering from addictions.
Feed the hungry…. All those hildless couples, give them children right now. That's a big one. I'm not sure what I left out on the list of big needs, but think that's basically it. Health, wealth, children….like the acronym GEFEN stands for, which in Yiddish is for Gezunt/Health, Parnasa and
Nachat/happiness from your children. So that's everything. So if you'd ask me, that's what I would fix.
But when they asked this great Rebbe, his answer was, I wouldn't change a thing, because God has been controlling the world until now and He knows exactly what he's doing.
Of course, we have a right to rely on Hashem and ask Hashem to change things. But that wasn't the question. The question was, if you were running the world, what would you do differently?
The answer is supposed to be, “I would do absolutely nothing.” Of course, I can ask God to change things, but ultimately, God's agreeing to change something because He feels that's what's needed now.
So, the next question is, how can we pray for somebody to get better from their sickness if you just told me that God knows what He’s doing?
Rav Ades answers that the reason
why that person is sick is
1-for you to realize you're not in control. And,
2- for you to realize that you need God.
That's why we have any challenge- for us to realize we need God's help. And when you finally reach that level of humility and ask God for change and rely on God for change, then you know what? You don't need the problem anymore. The problem can go away. So, it's never that God changed His mind, rather, you changed, and therefore God changed.
God knows exactly what He's doing at all times.
That's the surrendering that we're supposed to do to Hashem on Rosh Hashana. I surrender to You. Of course I'd like to change things in the future, but again, to change those things, I have to change myself. Everything that happened until now is exactly what needed to happen. And everything that will happen will be exactly what needs to happen. It's not about my opinion. I have no opinion. Like we said once about Yaakov Avinu,, the highest level of is Bitachon, was after he said, MeAyin Yavo Ezri/where's my help going to come from? I have to have a plan, a plot, an idea, a track. And the he said, Ezri M’Im Hashem/my help will come from God.
I surrender to God's will.
I don't have an opinion. That's the highest level. That's the level that David Hamelech says is K’gamul Aleh Imo like a child that's weaned from his mother.
So, we must be humble, as we said, in order to get ready for that great moment of Yom HaDin. Have a wonderful day.
And again, if anyone has the source of the conversation with that great rabbi, please let me know.