Disturbance

25 Tishrei 5782

“A worshipper who finds that his endeavors to concentrate are being disturbed by someone speaking should consider: “Why did G-d bring me here, where this talker is disturbing my prayers? After all, everything is Providential.” Indeed it is, explains the Baal Shem Tov: this man’s talk is a spark of the radiance of the Shechinah that has descended and now “abides” in his mouth in order that the worshipper should exert himself so strenuously that he will be able to ignore the disturbance.” (Lessons in Tanya, Iggeret HaKodesh, beginning of Epistle 25)

In the same way that we must realize the divine origin of a disturbance in prayer we must also realize the divine origin in any disturbance in our life. All comes from G-d, He just has “many agents.” There is no point in getting angry or obsessing with the agent. We should go straight to the source and work on our relationship with Hashem instead.

“And Adam knew his wife again” (Bereishit 4:25)

Similarly, Adam’s third child came about through an unexpected agent. Lemech came to Adam and complained about his wives separating from him after he killed both Cain and Tubal-cain by accident. Adam reprimanded the wives and they replied, “Correct yourself first. Haven’t you separated from your wife already 130 years since death was decreed because of you?” Immediately Adam’s desire for Eve became stronger than ever before. This is how Seth was born, and from him Enoch, a righteous man.

“I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are just; righteously have You afflicted me.” (Tehillim 119:75)

This verse in Tehillim links back to the Tanya portion above. There the Alter Rebbe quotes “Whoever is in a rage resembles an idolater.” He explains that, “At the time of his (a man’s) anger, faith in G-d and in His individual Divine Providence has left him, for were he to believe that what happened to him was G-d’s doing, he would not be angry at all.” This is the true secret to growing in this world. When we take everything that happens to us as Hashem’s just judgement and a chance to get closer to Him, we go above and beyond all disturbances from the outset. “L’chatchila Ariber”