25 Nov A MENTCH TRACHT UN G-T LACHT

Last week, I had a
much anticipated family
wedding to attend. My
cousins, Dr. Sharon
and Eric Rosen, were
marrying off a child and,
having already missed
some of their weddings,
I made a heroic effort to
ensure that I should be able to attend. This
meant that before the simcha, I would give a
double daf one night for my international Daf
Yomi zoom shiur (see below*) to free-up the
wedding night so I could attend the simcha.
Unfortunately, even with the best-laid plans, at
the last minute I was unable to attend.
When speaking in my shul that day between
Mincha and Maariv, I commented that the
world has a saying: “A Mentsch tracht un G-t
lacht – A man makes plans and G-d laughs.”
I said at first that this saying doesn’t sit well
with me. The idom usually refers to when
one’s anticipated hopes are frustrated and go
unfulfilled. This, however, is not something
that our Merciful Hashem would laugh about.
When reconsidering, I said that I believe what
this popular saying is meant to convey that
we mistakingly believe when we make plans
that we are in control. That is what Hashem is
laughing about for, as the verse says, “Rabbos
machashavos b’leiv ish, v’atzas Hashem hi
sakum,” meaning that many are the plans,
preparations, and strategies of man, but only

what Hashem wants will be what endures.
It’s vitally important to note, however, that
this doesn’t mean that we are powerless. To
the contrary, we have a profound ability to
influence our outcomes. This ability comes
through the power of prayer. But, we must
master the art of arranging our prayers before
we have trouble. The Gemara says, “L’olam
yispallel adam she’lo yechele – A person
should always pray not to become sick.”
Unfortunately, most people are reactionary in
their prayers. Only when they, G-d forbid, get
a terrible diagnosis or a terrible pain do they
start to pray.
The Gemara in Masechtas Berachos also
shares the vital verse, “Al zos yispallel kol
chasid l’eis mitzo – Every pious person should
pray towards the time of finding.” The Gemara
then offers a variety of meanings for the word
mitzo. It says that mitzo refers to a wife, as it
says, “Matza ish, matza tov,” that one should
pray in anticipation, to merit a worthy mate.
The Gemara continues that mitzo also refers
to Torah success, as it says about Torah,
“Ki chaim heim l’mozta’eihem.” Then, the
Gemara caps it off by saying that mitzo even
implies that one should pray that one’s death
should be smooth, concluding that one should
even pray, “Ad zibula batrisah chalma,” that
the last clod of earth that goes upon their
grave should happen peacefully. This drives
home the message so poignantly about how
much the successes in our life’s endeavors are

determined by advanced, meaningful prayer.
I’d like to share with you an unbelievable
story that I had years ago when I was on a
speaking circuit in Boston. I went to speak
in a certain yeshiva. The Rosh Yeshiva took
me aside saying he had a story to tell me. He
recounted that 11 years before, his father, of
blessed memory, had passed away. They took
him to be buried on Har Menuchos and on
that particular day it was pouring rain. The
son was very concerned as he rode in the
hearse. His father’s body was only wrapped
in shrouds and he feared that, if the shrouds
would get soaked by the downpour, they could
become translucent and this would be a big
disgrace for his father. However, when they
arrived at the burial site and opened the back
of the hearse to remove the deceased’s body, it
suddenly stopped raining completely and they
concluded the burial under totally calm skies.
Then, as soon as they returned to the hearse,
the deluge began once again!
When the Rosh Yeshiva returned to the states,
he and his family began cleaning out their
father’s room. Among his possessions, they
found hundreds of my cassette tapes. On
the bed where the father had passed away,
there was a cassette tape player with a tape
inside. Curious, they rewound the tape to hear
what the last thing their father had listened
to was. Incredibly, in this recorded shiur, I
was relating the Gemara that one should pray
that even the last clod of earth on their grave

should be peaceful and I gave as an example
that it shouldn’t rain or snow as they are being
buried!
It’s amazing that Hashem orchestrated for me
to find out about this series of events so that
I should be able to share with the world the
vital importance of always praying in advance:
Praying to have a safe trip in the car; praying
to have a healthy heart; praying not to suffer
from dementia; praying not to have problems
with one’s marriage and praying not to have
bumps with one’s children or grandchildren!
In the merit of learning and practicing this
skill of praying ahead, may Hashem bless us
with long life, good health, and everything
wonderful.