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Shemini

Last week, I was privileged to be in Lezhensk, Poland, for the yahrtzeit of the famous Rabbi Elimelech of Lezhensk ztvk"l. Since I had no internet connection there, I couldn't send out this vort on the weekly parashah.

While in Poland, Thursday night, I experienced a major disappointment. Though I tried very hard to encourage myself that Hashem knows best and everything He does is for our benefit; the pain of the frustration was too great to bear. Friday morning, I learned the portion of Rashi in which he comments that Aharon and his two remaining sons were rewarded for lovingly accepting Hashem's decree to kill the other two sons.

I took the lesson to heart, and was comforted.

In general, the thought that I had, seeing thousands of people return to Poland to pray, was that Jews are a very special people. What other nation would still remain loyal to their god after suffering a terrible Holocaust? Yet Jews never question Hashem and certainly never reject Him. On the contrary, we feel privileged to be able to serve Him. And if we are punished, we believe that we surely must have deserved it; whether or not we understand why.

That is why Hashem chose us from all of the nations of the world. He remains loyal to us, because we remain loyal to Him. And so it will always be; until Moshiach comes to redeem us, speedily and in our days, Amen.


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