The Second Path of Thought During Times of Crisis: Seeing the Good

The Pele Yoetz writes the following about joy in the Torah: “The disciples of the Arizal already wrote that when a person says, ‘Blessed is our G-d who created us for His glory, separated us from those who stray, and gave us a true Torah’, and likewise when saying ‘It is our duty to praise the Master of all, who has not made us like the nations of the lands’- he should rejoice greatly, as one who was about to be burned and was not only rescued but made into a king. For there is no fire like the burning of the soul [which one could fall into without the Torah’s guidance for living properly], and there is no greater royalty than being a servant of the Great King and standing before Him.

The same applies when saying ‘Who has chosen us from among all nations and given us His Torah’, or ‘Who has sanctified us with His commandments’. If one reflects deeply and understands the immense value and greatness that our Father in Heaven has bestowed upon us, his heart will rejoice and be glad at every single word.

The greatest reward for such joy is the attainment of wisdom and spiritual perfection. It was revealed by the Arizal that all the sublime wisdom and Divine inspiration he attained was only because he rejoiced so greatly when learning Torah and performing mitzvot- more than one who finds a great treasure.”

Focusing on this deeply and internalizing it is enough to bring one to genuine joy.

Second Path: Seeing the Hidden Good in What Seems Bad

Even though we cannot see the future, one who believes in the Creator of the world knows well that the Almighty- who is unlimited in His power- loves His creations and desires only their good. Especially the people of Israel, of whom He says: “My firstborn son is Israel.”

A person should therefore tell himself: If I have done my part and made reasonable efforts, then surely whatever is happening now, however difficult, is ultimately leading me to the best outcome. In my limited understanding and in my view of the future, I don’t yet know why this difficult stage is necessary, but I trust in my loving Creator that “all that the Merciful One does, He does for good.”

He should strengthen himself by recalling past events in his own life or in the lives of others, which at first seemed harsh or painful, but later proved to bring about great and lasting good. He should also remember that in nature, dawn always follows night. The greatest light often emerges after the deepest darkness.

A parable illustrates this truth:

A king once announced a grand prize for the wisest person in his kingdom. He invited all to a competition, and only 47 people- gray-haired and experienced- dared to participate. Among them stood out a young Jewish boy with intelligent eyes, hoping the prize could help support his struggling family.

The king declared: “In front of you stands a vast palace with dozens of floors, thousands of rooms, and hundreds of hallways. I am hidden in one of them. The first to find me and shake my hand will win the prize.” They were given 30 minutes.

The scholars began calculating probabilities and mapping strategies. But the boy quietly left the palace courtyard, walked around the building, and quickly returned. He climbed to the 13th floor, walked down one hallway, opened the fourth door, and found the king.

At the celebration, the amazed guests asked the boy: “How did you know where the king was hiding?” He answered simply: “I looked at the windows of the palace and all the rooms were lit, except one. My father always tells me, ‘Where there is darkness, that’s where the treasure lies.’ So I knew that wherever it’s dark, the king is there.”

The secret to happiness in life:

In times of darkness, not only will light eventually prevail, but the light is hidden within the darkness itself. The current struggle is preparing the way for the abundant blessing to come.

Often, before a greater construction can begin, harmful and obstructive elements must be removed and even destroyed. Sometimes, pride must be broken before the gates of blessing can open, sins or spiritual stains must be cleansed through suffering, and at times the good is simply beyond human comprehension.

Just as a seed must rot in the ground before sprouting into a beautiful, fruit-bearing plant, so too in the spiritual realm: negative traits or spiritual flaws, such as arrogance, anger, jealousy, or weakened faith, can block the flow of blessing. Hardships often humble a person, strengthen their faith, revive their commitment to Torah and mitzvot, and awaken deep, heartfelt prayer.

Only then can the good begin to flow.