Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Aish Kodesh on Hastarat Panim

The Piaseczner Rebbe HY"D brings down the Zohar (ח"א נח.) which says that every Jew must realize and believe that everything comes from Hashem, and that He does not do anything without cause. Besides for that, it is also one of the 13 ikarei emunah: "אני מאמין...שהבורא יתברך שמו גומל טוב למי שישמור מצוותיו ויעניש למי שיעבור על מצוותיו." Through this, one can come to chizkut and joy, even during times of suffering. The Baal HaTanya writes (Iggeret HaTshuvah 12) that when a person comes to recognize his aveirot and the flaws of his heart at a time of yissurin, and sees why this punishment has come upon him, then he will not become upset and think these yissurin are bad. He will have bitachon in Hashem, that just like He has punished him, so too He will do good with him. This person will realize that Hashem desires him like a father to a son, and through this he will be mechazek and mesameach himself.
Aside from that, yissurin are a form of hastarat Panim. Therefore, when a person can see through them and realize the Yad Hashem in everything, that everything is His righteousness and truth, he removes the hastarah! And when a person removes this hastarah and reveals Hashem, it is a chesed and a hitgalut Or Panav Yitbarach. But how can yissurin be hastarat Panim? It says in Tehillim (91:15) "עמו אנכי בצרה"! Kivyachol Hashem suffers with us! Rather, it is when the sufferer himself is not mekabel yissurin with submission and reckons them unjust, that the hastarat Panim is created, chas v’shalom. The person creates the hastarah! It is like he is turning away from this notion that Hashem suffers with him.
(Aish Kodesh Re'eh 5701)

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