Rabbi Yigal Cohen – Who Truly Loves Hashem

It is said in the name of the holy Baal Shem Tov that a Jew must love three things: first, love of Hashem; second, love of Israel; and third, love of the holy Torah.

One cannot love one without the others. If we see a Jew who brings merit to the public and is more famous than we are, and is very well-liked by the community but we feel discomfort, and even consider disparaging him, then we lack all three types of love. Certainly, we do not love Hashem, for His joy is immense when a Jew enriches the people of Israel with Torah and pure fear of Heaven. If we wish to reduce a fellow's success, then the love of the Creator is absent in our heart.

A true lover of Israel is incredibly happy for a friend's success and even prays for his continued prosperity, just as we wish the success of our own children. This is the opposite of envy.

Certainly, he does not love the holy Torah if he envies a fellow's success in Torah. If he had true love in his heart, he would run to assist his friend, collect more students for him, and strengthen him with good words to encourage him to continue spreading the holy Torah among the people of Israel.

Imagine if you could read people's thoughts, and when you were hurt, you overheard your study partner thinking, "He deserves it; I always knew he wasn't as perfect as everyone thinks. This is proof that Hashem is striking him, and finally, everyone will see that I am better than him." You would feel profound personal hurt that your friend wishes for your downfall. The next time he asks you for a favor, it would be very difficult to want to help him.

This is exactly how the Creator feels, knowing all our thoughts, about a person wishing for a friend's downfall. It's direct pain to Hashem. When we pray and ask for various things, the adversaries created by these negative thoughts come before Him, saying, "Master of the Universe, you wish to bless one who always desires his friend's failure?"

Hashem grants me the opportunity to give a class every Tuesday night at the Yabia Omer study hall, with about fifty to eighty participants attending. Then the organizers asked me to come and see how the study hall is packed to the brim during a new rabbi's class that captivates the audience. So I went.

When I arrived, I saw people standing outside for lack of space, as the study hall was full with about two hundred and fifty Jews eagerly listening to his sweet words.

You can imagine how the evil inclination jumped within me at that moment, saying, "See, your class has less than half the participants this one does, etc."

I paused and reflected on the delight Hashem must feel at this moment, how many Jews are smiling and becoming stronger, how much joy the Divine Presence feels at such a holy gathering, that I wanted to kiss the rabbi who brings such joy to Hashem.

Since then, whenever the time for that rabbi's class comes, I get excited thinking about how good it is for Hashem right now.

Sometimes a husband comes home tired and finds, no less, his wife deeply asleep, thinking, "I work so hard, and she rests in peace."

And vice versa –

On Fridays, when the wife is busy with preparations for Shabbat, and the husband suddenly announces, "I am going to rest for Shabbat."

"To rest?" - replies the wife. "I work so hard, and you relax?"

"Do you need help?" - asks the husband.

"Yes! I need you to do this and that..."

And of course, only when the husband finishes the first task does the wife find more chores, so the husband does not sleep while she works.

Let's reflect!

Even when we are tired and working hard, if our spouse sleeps peacefully, then Hashem is happy at that moment when it is good for our spouse. May all of Israel be at ease and joyful, for Hashem deserves joy from us, and even more so, if the spouse sleeps and is happy, when he/she wakes up, they will be refreshed and joyful, and we will benefit from it even more than them.

Also, when traveling in a car, our minds busy with various worries, we see a person in the next car simply smiling to himself endlessly, some might wonder why he's happy as if it's at their expense. Has he not heard how the country's security situation is tense, or how the economic state is dire? (With Hashem, there's no such thing).

Let's look at things from the outside. Not only do they sadden Hashem by not rejoicing in His kingdom, but also when they see someone who makes Him happy through their joy, they begrudge him.

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In Summary – If a friend's son is born, Hashem makes a great joy in Heaven, bringing the redemption closer, and bringing another Jew into the world who will fulfill Torah and commandments. It's worthwhile to join Hashem's joy for another servant of Hashem coming into the world.

If our friend buys a pleasant and well-lit house, Hashem rejoices that now our friend can study Torah with peace of mind and raise his family properly. We too should join this joy, for Hashem deserves much more satisfaction.

Even if the neighbor buys a luxurious new car when we have an older car, if the neighbor's heart rejoices due to his new car, it likely brings joy in Heaven too, and we should share in Hashem's delight.

The book 'Yigal Libi B'Yeshuatecha' is available at selected stores and Hidabroot Shops