Thoughts that are in my head going 'swirl'

Divine providence


Life is not easy. At least that’s what we’re always told by the adult figures in our lives.

Is it? As young, lively human beings, still immune to pain and suffering, will we ever come to experience the hardships of life? What do the difficulties entail? Will we be able to handle them efficiently when they come? Or will we lose our sanity to the endless challenges that we are told will inevitably torment our conscience sometime in the future?

Judaism explains that before every challenge, Hashem sends the necessary strength to persevere. Nothing is outside our reach. If we grab onto that determination, faith and strength that G-d almighty gives to us, then we can handle anything.

In fact, with the small, microscopic issues that have been hurdled to me in my lifetime, I’ve always found that Hashem somehow injected me with the strength to crawl through.

Whether it be financial, medical or emotional difficulties… Hashem helps us.

So several weeks ago, when we got a substantial donation to our Jewish Center, I was thrilled that we had some extra cash to go around. We would not be so tight anymore with funds and stuff like that. It would be nice to know that we have some money in the bank, to be able to spend on trips to the U.S. or wherever we end up. I looked at it as a bonus from the heiligeh Aibishter, Boruch Hu uvoruch Shmoi.

However, several weeks after receiving this donation, we see that Hashem had prepared us for yet another challenge. He gave us this donation, not as a bonus to our lives, but rather as a very direct assistance to an upcoming issue that we will face.

Sonia just came out of a minor, yet critically important surgery. She’s doing fine and we are so glad that Hashem keeps blessing us with so much all the time. Yet, the price tag on such a surgery and stay at the clinic is not cheap. Here in Mexico, if you are a foreigner, you are automatically considered wealthy… Considering the way a chunk of the Mexican locals live, indeed we are very wealthy. That wealth gives justification to the medical clinics around Cabo to charge arms and legs when treating foreign patients. There is no choice. One must pay the amount demanded, or the patient will remain in his/her room, nourishing their medical bill to grow to tremendous numbers each day, until the full amount is paid and the unfortunate account closed.

Well, Baruch Hashem we were given what to pay with. Yes, perhaps we are now left hanging dry in the wind. Perhaps our Pesach budget for this year will not be as easy to pull together as I had thought and hoped… But we are going to all be healthy and we are sure that Hashem and our dear Rebbe will not leave us alone. We are in great hands!

Ashreinu ma tov chelkeinu uma noim goiroleinu!

Incidentally, yesterday, before we went to the surgery, we wrote a letter to the Rebbe and placed the paper inside an Igros Kodesh.

I opened up the Igros to read the Brocho of the Rebbe. Yet instead of opening a letter addressed to someone many years ago on the exact date as we wrote it (typical for miracle letters), I opened the letter to Igros Kodesh, volume 18, page 117, letter 6,619, dated 1 Teves, 5719.

I began reading to Sonia.

The Rebbe begins by mentioning a blessing that he will ask at the Frierdike Rebbe’s kever. Then he begins talking about the month of Teves (which, in my mind is connected to Chanukah, especially since it’s the first day of the month, which is on the holiday of Chanukah itself).

But then, all of a sudden, for some unexpected reason, the Rebbe begins explaining Purim. He explains how Achashveirosh and Esther are compared to the Jewish people and Hakodosh boruch hu (acharis vereishis sheloi). That G-d (Achashveirosh) loves and takes pleasure in the Jewish people (Esther).

It is our job to brighten the dark, as that is our entire life’s purpose here on earth.

Then the Rebbe blesses us all with continued brightness in our lives.

Sonia and I sit there shocked! Purim was even mentioned in the letter and here we sit, three days away from Purim.

As I said before, the surgery was a success baruch Hashem and we look forward to many bright and happy days in the future.