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Home > Daily Emunah Podcast - Daily Emunah By Rabbi David Ashear > We Can Do It
Podcast: Daily Emunah Podcast - Daily Emunah By Rabbi David Ashear
Episode:

We Can Do It
Category: Religion & Spirituality
Duration: 00:00:00
Publish Date: 2018-12-23 07:00:00
Description: We Can Do It I recently spoke with different people who have experienced hard times. One was a widow; one was the victim of a bitter divorce; one had a health problem, and the other had financial distress. They all spoke such beautiful words of Emunah. They still feel Hashem's love, despite what they have gone through. I was so inspired by their words. They are all reaching unfathomable spiritual levels. The Shomer Emunim writes in a letter that the final generation, in which Mashiach will come, will be considered the greatest generation of all time, and our Rabbis have told us that we are living in those times. We wonder how that is possible. Weren't the previous generations on a much higher spiritual level than us? Didn't they accomplish so much more than us? The explanation is that it's true; they did tower over us spiritually. They were like flaming torches, but they accomplished in a time that was considered broad daylight. We, on the other hand, are tiny little flames, yet we live in times of thick darkness. The thicker the darkness, the brighter the flame shines. The Ohr Hachaim writes that at the end of days the world will sink to the fiftieth level of impurity, which we are witnessing before our eyes.As well, at that time, Hashem will be so hidden, הסתרה בתוך הסתרה; so many people will experience hardships. If during that time, we can remain connected to Hashem and continue serving Him with Emunah, that will make us so great. The Sefer Orah V'simcha brings down the Pesukim regarding the counting of the children of Levi: Gershon, Kehat and Merari. Regarding Gershon and Kehat the Torah uses the verb "נשא"-to count, which literally means, "to lift up." Regarding Kehat, it says: "נשא את ראש בני קהת למשפחותם לבית אבותם"-Count the heads of the children of Kehat according to their father's households. Regarding Gershon it also says, "נשא את ראש גרשון לבית אבותם." Yet regarding counting Merari, the Torah leaves out the words "נשא את ראש"-to lift up their heads. It just says: "בני מררי למפשחותם לבית אבותם." Why is "נשא" left out? He quotes the Chatam Sofer who explains that each name of Levi's children represents a different period in Jewish history. Kehat represents the time when the Jewish people were gathered together in Israel , living in purity and holiness. This is alluded to in the Pasuk: "ולו יקהת עמים"-the root קהת means to be gathered. Gershon represents the period when they were chased away in exile. The root of the word גרשון-Gershon is גרש-meaning expelled. At that time, the Jewish people were still holy because they had the great Chachamim to lead them in the ways of Hashem. For those two generations, Kehat and Merari, it is appropriate to hope for them "נשא את ראש לבית אבותם"-to lift themselves up to reach the level of their fathers. However, Merari literally means bitter. It represents the generations in which the Jewish people's lives will be embittered, with each person suffering different afflictions. The children of Merari were Machli and Mushi. Machli means sickness, alluding to a time when so many people are suffering from health issues. Mushi means to be moved, being bounced around from place to place. We are living in that time! A woman told me that she had to move houses four times in the last few years. She said that it was so difficult to keep moving. Another woman told me that she is a Ba'alat Teshuva, without much connection to her family. She is an older single; she has to look for another place to eat every Shabbat. She said that she bounces around from house to house every Shabbat, hoping people will take her in. Sometimes they say, "I'm, sorry, our family is coming over this week," or, "we have no room," or, "we're away." It's so difficult for her to bounce around like that. For the generation corresponding to Merari, it doesn't say, "נשא את ראש לבית אבותם"-raise their heads to reach the level of their fathers. In that generation, if the people can still remain religious and stay connected to Hashem, despite their hardships, they will far surpass the level of their fathers. This is the opportunity we have today: To continue believing in Hashem and serving Him, no matter how hard it gets. This will elevate us to become so great. We can do it. We have the potential. May Hashem give us the strength to stay close to Him all the time.
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