We all experience situations that we wish we didn't have to go through. Our natural reaction during those times is to think, "Why is Hashem doing this to me?" or "Why did this have to happen?" When Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai came out of hiding after thirteen years, the Gemara says his body was filled with cracks and sores from being under the sand for so long. His father-in-law, Rebbe Pinchas ben Yair, saw this and cried, "Woe unto me that I have to see you like this." Rebbe Shimon replied, "אשריך שראיתני בכך"-Fortunate are you to see me like this; without this, I never would have become the person that I am now. Rabbi Lugassi explained that this is a statement we should always have on our minds and apply to our own lives. We are so fortunate to be in the position that we are in right now; no matter what we are going through, we would not be the people we are supposed to be without it. Hashem gives everyone the exact lives that they need to have to be successful in this world. He measures how much intellect a person should have, how much pride, how much of an inclination towards anger, how much money he should have, and the list goes on. Every aspect of our lives is carefully planned out for our benefit. If we have to experience a hard time, it is because that is the only way we will accomplish what we need to accomplish here. So "אשריך שראיתני בכך"-fortunate are we every second of the day that Hashem is guiding us and giving us exactly what we need. The tests that we encounter all day long are also from Hashem to bring us to where we need to be. Rabbi Lugassi gave a Mashal of a school teacher who had thirty students in his class. He would give written tests once a month to make sure they were grasping the material. One day, the principal came in and said, "You really have two different tracks of students here. I want you to make two sets of tests from now on, one for the honor students and one for the regular students." Then the principal came back and said, "On second thought, there are really three tracks of students, I want you to make three different sets of tests." This would obviously be much more work for the teacher, and he would not be to happy about it. But what if the principal said, "After further investigation, I decided that every single student is on a different level, and they need to be tested accordingly. I want you to make thirty different tests each time." The teacher might quit after hearing that. And that's just for making tests once a month. What if he would be asked to make tests every week, or even every day? Hashem, in His infinite wisdom, gives tests not to just thirty people, and not just on a daily basis, but He gives millions and millions of different tests every minute of the day, to the entire world. Every single person is tested; each one is carefully planned and tailor made for each individual to achieve the growth that he needs to achieve. When giving each test, Hashem takes into account how much Torah each person knows, how much of an inclination towards anger he has, or towards pride. All of his capabilities are factored in before a test is given. And this is done to the entire world every second. "לתבונתו אין מספר"-we will never be able to fathom the great wisdom of Hashem. But we should be delighted to know that every second of our lives is being planned out by the One who loves us and knows what we need better than we do. How beneficial it would be for us to realize in advance that we're being tested all the time. If someone came over to us and said, "In two minutes from now, a man is going to walk in and try to annoy you. He's going to say some nasty things; his goal is to get you angry. If you don't respond and you keep your cool, you'll be rewarded immensely." How easy would that test be? We'll be prepared. This is the way it is with every test. Hashem doesn't have to come and tell us each time we're being tested. Whatever he sends our way is a test for us to overcome the way the Torah tells us to overcome it. And if we do, we're a success. If we're asked how life is going, no matter what's happening, we should say, "Baruch Hashem, I am so fortunate to be living the life that I am. "אשריך שראיתני בכך"- fortunate are you to see me like this." If Hashem is putting us through it, it must be the way that we are going to achieve our true purpose.
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