Have you ever had something bad happen, and said a quick (or not so quick) prayer?
The truth is, it’s really not supposed to be that way. [It’s not? What do you mean by that?] Let me explain:
The Torah tells us that G-d wants to bless us. G-d wants to give us everything, as our kind and beneficent Father. And most of all, He wants us to come close to Him, rise spiritually, become more “godly” throughout our lives.
Unfortunately, due to our own failings, these often don’t travel together: if our lives are blessed with material success, we are not as focused upon G-d! This is what Moshe warns us about in this week’s reading: “Guard yourselves, that you don’t forget Hashem your G-d, to not observe His commandments and judgments and laws which I have commanded you today; that you don’t eat and drink, and build good houses and dwell in them… And you will say in your heart, my might and the strength of my hand have made for me all of this wealth” [Deuteronomy 8:11-12, 17].
When that happens, when we forget G-d after receiving His blessing — well, that’s when He needs to remind us Who is really in charge. But we shouldn’t need something bad to happen before we turn to Him. Our goal should be to recognize His kindness when we receive blessing — so that we don’t need less pleasant reminders to turn to Him at every moment.
With all due respect, Surely if something bad did happen(which isn’t always a personal punishment to my knowledge) then we SHOULD daven. I can’t believe that necessarily precludes a person doesn’t already daven either. We can always work to improve, but “bad things” happen to the biggest tzaddikim and the biggest russa.
I think I understand your point, but I feel like it is made in a rather peculiar way. Perhaps you mean this example on a klal rather than a personal level? Am I misunderstanding?
A lot of times the so-called “bad” things that happen to us are really blessings that HaShem is giving us. (Besides, He controls everything in the world.) I do NOT view them as punishments, but challenges to be overcome and to learn from. Then we develop further faith and trust in HaShem.
All that we have and all that we are is because of God, but so many people either don’t realize or forget.
Thank you Rabbi for shiur. Israel’s history sadly shows exactly what Moshe rabbenu feared. In spite of having Hashem in our midst, we sinned terribly. Do we recognise the words of Jewish prophecy today? Do we take our prophets seriously? Are we not finding ourselves addressed today by the infallible words of Yirmeyahu ch.16:16. The hunters openly curse and threaten us in the galut! We have to make aliya or else…Hashem does know the end from the beginning, said Yeshayahu.( 46:10)
Wishing you much chochma..
Be blessed
Shalom
Ruth Nussbaum
I’d rather say that G-d doesn’t want you to draw closer. He wants you to let Him in. He is the kingdom, take Him in, and go about doing good works…..