IT’S ALL IN THE SMALL MOMENTS

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IT’S ALL IN THE SMALL MOMENTS

Harav Y. Reuven Rubin Shlita

The weather reports were not promising, rain was forecasted that seemed to be threatening everyone’s safety. Forty days and nights? You must be kidding, no one wanted to believe it possible and everyone went about their business as usual. Said business was to corrupt the world with vicious anger against Hashem, and turn their backs on everything holy. One person heeded Hashems warnings, Noach, a solitary figure built a massive boat and called out to anyone within earshot that Hashem was about to flood the world and create a reset for the entire creation. Of course, we all know what happened, the rains fell, the oceans swelled and all the naysayers perished.

A new world was born in the wake of the disaster, and all seemed destined for peace and tranquility. Except mankind doesn’t always follow the lessons of the past, and since that time, Hashem has had to reset His creation on several occasions.

We live today in a different world, ours is pervasive with great knowledge and wisdom, we have flown to the moon, conquered many a foe, and, well once again ruined much of the beauty of the Eibishter’s creation.

As each generation takes us closer to our ultimate Redemption, we seem to attract ever greater challenges sometimes slipping further away from what it is Hashem seeks for us. Chazal tell us that in the last moments before the coming of the Moshiach, the challenges will be enormous, and that Bnei Yisroel will have to hold on by their fingertips just to remain focused on the will of Hashem. We learn that just at that juncture, the neshomahs of our people will be the weakest. Throughout all history Hashem has sent down neshomahs that were most suited to face the challenges of each generation. As the world spins closer to the final tikun, Hashem has sent down neshomahs that in truth seem the weakest, hardly capable of facing the difficulties of the world bestowed to them.

We are there for faced with a huge quandary, how is it fair that the weakest neshomahs should be sent into the fray of the most challenging of times? The Eibishter knows who He has sent to this world at every given moment, yet, really? Is this an even challenge?

Perhaps the answer lies in the question. Yes, it is a difficult moment, an epoch with its own worldly reset through the agency of Covid. Yes, the provocations are complicated and scary. Technology seems overwhelming, our lifestyles have changed, not always for the better, and yet, we hold on. Yes, we are of weak souls, our forbearers were definitely greater than us in so many ways, yet, it is davka to our generation these challenges have been presented. Why? Because despite our weak state, we try, and every time we do a mitzvah, each time we show chesed to someone, we create Malochim that take the energy of our feeble efforts and energies the world with it.

Previous epochs would never have been able to withstand the difficulties we face today. Their holiness would have crumbled in the face of what we consider the everyday. It is in the Eibishter’s plan that his creation go through these times, and it is His will that we, the humble struggling generation have been gifted to do miraculous things despite it all. Our tikun is being woven in the small acts, the moments in which we find clarity, the shared goodwill and kindnesses.

Certainly, we are sometimes tempted to throw up our hands in despair, how can we stay true to our goals within the storm that buffets us from all sides? Perhaps just by taking small steps of goodness despite the distractions that rain all around us will give us the courage to create ever more illumination. 

We are in the final throes of our long golus and our weak souls are being dragged through the mire of the last throes of the darkness of golus. The good we do, the miraculous mitzvos created by our stumbling steps with be the light of the future glory. Take heart, be strong, and be positive.