BS’D
Today’s daily dose of emuna is dedicated to the hatzlocha and refuah of Shimon ben Elsa. May Hashem grant him Siyatta D’shmaya b’riut hanefesh v’b’riut haguf among all of Klal Yisrael who are in need of yeshuot, Amen.
This week’s Parshah of Vayigash discusses how Yosef and Binyamin cried after Yosef discloses his identity. Yosef wept over the destruction of the two B’tai Mikdash that would be built in the portion of Eretz Yisrael belonging to Binyamin. Binyamin mourned the destruction of the Mishkan in Shiloh destined to be built in Yosef’s portion.
We can derive a practical lesson from this incident. When we experience suffering, we should nevertheless empathize with others’ misfortunes as well. Feeling saddened by another Jew’s plight demonstrates pure love for other Jews. Essentially, this is akin to performing an act of kindness in response to one’s own adversity. Human nature tends to be selfish. This is in perfect alignment with the Divine Masterplan to emulate Hashem’s qualities. In mourning for others we transcend human nature and emulate Hashem’s own Middah of Chesed.
The challenges we are presented aid in self-development. Each is tailor-fit to bring us to the realization that Hashem runs the world and we are 100% dependent on Him. However, perhaps another reason why Hashem gives us so many challenges is in order to enable us to empathize with our fellow Jew and pray for her relief in addition to physically trying to help. One of the fundamental tasks we stand to correct in our generation is achdut (unity). Sympathizing with each other’s feelings helps us to connect with each other another and can help to foster achdut on a national level.
