Finding Light in Darkness: How Jewish Wisdom Reveals Divine Kindness in Times of Suffering

The Torah teaches us to notice the points of light that existed even within Yosef's (Joseph) difficult trial: a young boy, cherished by his father, sold as a slave to Egypt. And yet, in the midst of this harsh decree, God sent a miraculous, unusual caravan to carry him. Typically, such caravans transported petroleum and tar with unpleasant smells, but to spare the righteous Yosef from an offensive odor, God arranged a caravan carrying fragrant spices.

Does a pleasant smell really matter to someone facing such a harsh fate? What is scent in the context of such suffering?

Indeed, God decreed a difficult test upon Yosef, but He wanted Yosef to know that He was with him every step of the way, and that no suffering beyond what was absolutely necessary would befall him. God arranged the spices to teach us that even within pain, one must look for signs of Divine presence — those sweet aromas, the healing prepared before the wound. This gives us strength to endure the trial.

The Exodus from Egypt occurred in the spring, the month of Nissan. Therefore, we are commanded to "guard the month of spring." What is there to guard? Rashi explains: God took them out during a season when the weather was neither too hot nor too cold, so the journey would be pleasant. One might ask, after surviving a place like Auschwitz, would anyone care if it was hot or cold on the day of their release? This is the Torah’s point — everything is measured. When the time for redemption arrives, even one extra drop of suffering is not added. No pain goes unnoticed.

Chazal teach that even if a person reaches into their pocket expecting two coins but finds only one, it is considered suffering and a divinely orchestrated test.

Pain is precise and measured, and within it are points of light — proof that "I am with him in distress." Rav Shimshon Dovid Pincus referred to these rays of light as “kisses from God.” Even in times of suffering, God is with us, lightening the burden.

Every trial carries these points of light. We must disperse the fog of hardship and focus on these rays of Divine kindness which empower us to overcome suffering. Like stars that twinkle in the night sky, so too, in our darkest times, God sends sparks of light to remind us that He is here, we just need to look for them.

I remember when my father passed away, I was overwhelmed with grief. It was a tremendous loss, both personally and for the broader Jewish community. He was one of those truly righteous, honest, and humble Jews of the old generation. Yet even within the sorrow, I merited to see kindness.

At first, we were told there were not enough seats for my mother and all eight siblings to fly back abroad together after the funeral. The idea of flying alone, in that emotional state, just after the eulogies and tears, was unbearable. Suddenly, space opened up, and we all flew together on one plane.

I also saw Divine kindness in the support of my classmates and beloved family. Without their emotional and practical help, I don’t know how I would have made it through that painful period.

Another comfort was that shortly before his passing, my father had bought a burial plot in Jerusalem in the exact location he had hoped for. Days before his death, he blessed me with many blessings, which gave me a deep feeling that although he left this world, his blessings remain with me.

In every trial, one can find rays of light shining through the darkness, if we only seek them.

A righteous woman, whose son died after a long illness, shared that just one year before his passing, she gave birth to a healthy, sweet baby. "How could we have coped without this baby, who brings so much light into our lives?" she said. "God sent her to us exactly on time." What strength! What perspective!

One woman told me, in the late stages of her illness, how deeply she loves God for sending her the right people — doctors, caregivers, and a supportive family who ease her suffering. That was her anchor of hope. When we focus on seeking the light within the pain, the entire experience becomes more bearable.

To find the good, we must also remember that we’re not owed anything. When we expect nothing, we begin to see the blessings hidden even within trials.