When Will Help from Hashem Arrive?
Master of the Universe, grant me the vision to see You through Your creations, to feel and appreciate the constant miracles You perform for me. Give me a sign that You hear me and watch over me.
- הרב יגאל כהן
- פורסם א' תמוז התשע"ז

#VALUE!
I feel the need to share with you, dear readers, what I experience while eating a fruit called a watermelon. When I see its vibrant red color, feel the delicate texture, smell the wonderful aroma, and of course, taste the exquisite flavor, I am overcome with the urge to dance, praise, and glorify the Creator for this masterpiece—a marvelous fruit that Hashem brought from a seed planted in the earth, which bloomed into a new and juicy watermelon.
Dear readers, if a single piece of watermelon has the power to show us the presence of Hashem and His wisdom, how much more can we strengthen our knowledge of the Creator and our love for Him by contemplating every fruit we eat and every flower and tree we see. Also, from the sun that shines so beautifully, such contemplation will surely allow the knowledge of the Creator's presence and love to enter our hearts.
Why Do We Bless?
It was of such importance to our sages, may their memory be a blessing, that they instituted a special blessing for each wonder of creation: Therefore, when seeing a great mountain or a vast sea, we must bless "Whose strength and might fill the world." Similarly, when seeing beautiful animals, we must bless and praise Hashem "Who has such in His world." The reason is so that we pause, contemplate, and see Hashem in the wonderful creation. As Rabbi Akiva said, "Just as when you see a beautiful building, from its beauty you understand the architect's wisdom, so from the world's beauty, you understand the wisdom of its Creator."
In summary: To "know" there is a Creator of the world, all one has to do is gaze at His wonderful creations surrounding us every moment and ask ourselves: "Who created these?" The answer promptly emerges: "Hashem created all these!" Furthermore, from them, we can understand the greatness and extraordinary wisdom of Hashem. Therefore, permit me, dear Jew, to suggest that you take a few moments each day to pause the rush of life and contemplate the creation around you, to see Hashem and His greatness. By doing so, you will always remember that there is a Creator of the world, accompanying you at all times, sustaining you every moment.
How Can One Receive a Sign from Hashem?
Another beneficial way to see Hashem is through requesting from Him, that is, speaking to Him and pleading before Him: "Master of the Universe, grant me the vision to see You through Your creations, and to feel and appreciate the constant miracles You perform for me. Give me a sign that You hear me and watch over me." This process is called "Building Faith."
Over the years, I have felt that whenever I think of Hashem, believe in His ability, and trust Him to solve a seemingly complex problem, He has shown me He hears prayer and resolved my issue. This instilled a greater faith in my heart that Hashem truly is with me, hears me at every moment, knows my thoughts, and waits for me to reach out to Him at any time.
This is akin to an employee and employer, where the employee frequently requests favors from the employer, such as a loan or unexpected leave, and the employer always responds gladly. Over time, the employee strengthens their knowledge that they can trust the goodness of their employer, feeling a certain sense of peace knowing that when help is needed, there is someone to turn to.
So too, a person who has tasted the sweetness of Hashem, who answered in their time of distress and solved their problems, will feel more confident to approach Him the next time. Thus, after several times of seeing Hashem fulfill their heart's wishes, the Jew feels a stronger sense of trust in the closeness of Hashem and His abundant love.
What Should We Ask For???
It is crucial to know that before a person speaks to Hashem and requests anything, they must carefully consider if it is truly right for them. Often, the inclination may lead a person to ask for things not beneficial, such as a specific woman, thinking she is suitable, but the match does not succeed. The person might think Hashem is not listening to their prayers since their request was not fulfilled, while in truth, Hashem had pity and prevented the match, for she was not suitable. Similarly, when asking for wealth, not knowing that the trial of wealth is more challenging than that of poverty, and the money could blind them from seeing Hashem, God forbid. Therefore, Hashem withholds the riches.
When Does Help Arrive?
Often, a Jew feels that the Creator is not hearing their prayers because they lack the insight to see how Hashem has already assisted them with the matter they asked about. Like the story of a Jew who made a deal with the Creator, promising that if he found a parking space in Tel Aviv during the busy morning hours, he would wear a kippah all day long. As he approached the place he wanted to park, a car exited a nearby spot, freeing a space for him. At that moment, he raised his eyes to the heavens and said, "Thank you, I managed on my own," thus canceling the deal.
Many times, I've been asked why Hashem seems not to hear prayers after I've asked for so much help to strengthen my service and reverence for Him. Yet, they don't realize that we were in the middle of a reinforcement discussion at that moment, and I replied, who do you think sent me to talk with you if not Hashem?
The purpose of this section is to help us know Hashem's presence visibly, be very joyful in fulfilling His will and learning His Torah, without doubts entering our hearts that perhaps everything happens by chance, and why strive much in observing mitzvot. Because as our faith in Hashem grows, so will we understand the wonderful privilege we have to rejoice in the Creator of all worlds. We shall pray and hope only to Him, and most importantly, understand there is nowhere to escape from Him, for His glory fills all the earth; on the contrary, we can only escape to Him. As Rabbi Solomon Ibn Gabirol wrote in the awe-inspiring poem for Yom Kippur, "From You, to You I flee."
The book 'Yagel Libi B'Yeshuatecha' is available at select stores and at Hidabroot Shops.