05 Aug VAESCHANAN: THE GREATER THE HARDSHIPS, THE GREATER THE GOODNESS THAT FOLLOWS.

The rule is that after
a difficult period,
better times follow.
For example, the
Ramchal teaches,
“After a hunger year,
Hashem brings a lot
of rain to the world.”
Also, there is a saying:
“After a fire, Hashem
sends wealth.” Rebbe
Pinchas of Koritz zt’l
says that this is true.
Hashem shows us open kindness after
suffering hardship.
The Baal HaTanya says (quoted in
Tzemech Tzedek, Derech Mitzvoseicha,
228), “Many people say, ‘After a fire,
we become wealthy.’ I heard from holy
tzaddikim that this is because the order
of the middos are chesed, din, rachamim
(kindness, strict judgment, and then
compassion). Therefore, since there was
the din, strict judgment, evidenced by the
fire, rachamim, Hashem’s compassion

will follow. Rachamim (compassion)
is greater than the initial chesed, as is
known.”
The Avodas Yisrael compares it to a father
who rebukes his child harshly, but then he
draws him near and shows him how much
he loves him. The great kindness makes
up for the hard times that preceded it.
On Tisha b’Av, we put on tefillin only
in the afternoon. The Avodas Yisrael
explains that tefillin on the head represents
acquiring wisdom, and Tisha b’Av in the
afternoon, we acquire the knowledge and
awareness that Hashem loves us.
This week’s parashah has the Aseres
HaDibros in it, another indication of
Hashem’s kindness that follows after hard
times. Hashem gives us the Torah again
and tells us that He wants to renew our
relationship.
The following illustrates how Hashem’s
kindness follows a difficult moment.
Reb Tuvia Weiss zt’l was a Rav in
Antwerp (before he became the Gaavad

of Yerushalayim). Antwerp’s
rabbanim arranged a rotation
system among themselves for
the honor of siddur kiddushin
(to preside at a chuppah).
Once, someone asked
Reb Tuvia to be mesader
kiddushin, and he accepted.
He was so engrossed in his
learning, he lost track that it
was really another Rav’s turn
for this honor.
At the chuppah, someone
embarrassed Reb Tuvia for
being mesader kiddushin.
It was humiliating, and Reb
Tuvyah turned red and white
from shame.
Later that evening, Reb Tuvia
was learning with a chavrusah. The phone
rang at 9:30. Reb Tuvyah instructed him
not to answer. Every night, they learned
until 10:00 pm, and he didn’t want to
interrupt their studies until then.

At 10:00 the phone rang again. It was
the Eidah Chareidis of Yerushalayim,
inviting Reb Tuvyah to be the gaavad of
Yerushalayim.
This is the pattern. After enduring
humiliation or any difficult period,
excellent times will follow.