Make an Effort, and Hashem will Help

By Rav Elimelech Biderman, shlita

From “Torah Wellsprings”

      The Baal Shem Tov, zt”l, once told the following mashal: 

     A father once told his son, "I want you to have the privilege of seeing a king who lives far away.” 

     So, the son walked a long distance to get to the palace, but no sign appeared that that he was getting closer. The son considered turning back home, but he thought, “I’ve walked so far; I’m certainly near the majestic castle.”

     But when, suddenly, soldiers carrying fearful weapons appeared, the son felt afraid and ran the other way.

     When he returned home, his father admonished him, and said, “Seeing the soldiers means that you were very close to the king’s palace.”

     The lesson we learn is that the times when we encounter struggles are exactly the times when we should strengthen ourselves to better serve Hashem. Difficult tests indicate that we have reached Hashem, and by facing the tests, we can achieve high levels.

     In Parshas Pekudei, for instance, the Torah lists the items that Yidden donated to the Mishkan in descending order of preciousness: (38:22), "gold, silver, and copper."

     But many psukim later, we read about the most exquisite gems, which more are precious than gold and silver, and used for the bigdei kahuna. Why are the gems listed last?

     The Or HaChaim (Terumah 25:7) at first points out, "Because the stones were more precious, it would be proper to write them first, before the metals that were donated to the Mishkan.”

    However, the Or HaChaim answers that the Gemara tells us that in the midbar, precious gems came down with the mon, and although they were beautiful and expensive, the gems had lesser value because the Clouds of Glory retrieved them, and so to collect them, the nasiim only had to pick them up.

    The Yidden found the precious stones without toil, therefore, the stones did not compare in value in Hashem’s eyes, to the metal donations that people gave from their own pockets.

     From this we learn that when we find avodas Hashem difficult, we should be happy because that is how avodas Hashem is meant to be, and our struggles are what Hashem values the most.

    Rebbe Asher of Stolin also said that avodas Hashem is meant to be a challenge, and a feeling of too much ease is a sign that something is wrong and that something is lacking.

     We should be facing struggles. We should feel like we are working hard and putting in an effort. 

    Furthermore, if avodas Hashem is easy, the reward is far less.

    "Performing the mitzvos once with tzaar is equivalent to a hundred times without hardships," say Avos d'Reb Noson (3:6).

    And Sefer Chassidim (145) states, "When Jews triumph over their yetzer haras, the reward will be greater than the reward given for 100 mitzvos, performed without hardships."

    As Chazal (Avos 5:23) say, לפום צערא אגרא, "the reward is in accordance with the hardships."

    But from the precious gems, we also learn the power of desire. When Yidden yearn to serve Hashem, Hashem helps them to succeed. 

   After Hashem commanded that the בגדי כהונה should have precious stones, the Yidden asked, “Where will they get them? How can we find gems in the desert?”

    But when a Yid has a will, Hashem helps. He rained down precious gems along with the mon: parnassah and sustenance.

    Just as the Clouds of Glory and the nesi'im gathered the precious stones and donated them to the Mishkan, we should similarly dedicate our struggles, talents, and efforts to Hashem.