This week’s Lifeline is dedicated by Patrick Carrera in memory of his son, Mattisyahu, who recently passed away in a car accident on December 8, 2010. May his family have a speedy recovery.
If someone knocked on our door collecting money for the homeless throughout the community, most of us would give a token donation to the cause. Although much more money is needed to provide for the homeless, we know that we are small participants in a community-wide campaign.
When it comes to our own needs, we naturally explore all options to fill them. If we have back pain, we might take pain medication, pay a visit to the doctor, perhaps consider ways to relax and relieve tension, and, if necessary, we might then undergo tests at the hospital to find the source of the problem. As believers in G-d we should certainly be praying to the Al-mighty to relieve us of the pain throughout the process.
It’s important to ask ourselves, “Is G-d just another one of the options? Is He simply like one of the neighbors, asked to pitch in for a community need?” If so, G-d responds with a small donation to the cause. If, however, we understand that our lives are completely dependent on G-d, then He responds in kind. G-d says of the widow and the orphan, who have lost their sense of security and desperately turn to G-d as their only hope: “if they repeatedly cry out to me, I will respond to their cries (Ex. 22:22).” If He’s seen as our only hope then He’ll provide for us to the full extent of His ability — with infinite kindness.
Who wouldn’t want to tap into that infinite kindness?
(Tiferes Shimshon by Rav Shimshon Pincus zt”l)
Good Shabbos!
Rabbi Mordechai Dixler
Program Director, Project Genesis – Torah.org
