Today’s learning is dedicated to the refuah sheleima of Simcha Nosson ben Zissel.

When a person knows that everything that happens to him is for his benefit, this perception is a foretaste of the World to Come… As our Sages taught, “On that day, Hashem shall be one and His Name one.” They asked, is He now not one? And our Sages answered, at present, the blessing “Who is good and beneficent” is recited over good, whereas “the truthful Judge” is recited over bad. But in the Future, it will be entirely “Who is good and beneficent.”   —   Likutey Moharan I, 4:1

In this lesson Rebbe Nachman is teaching us that facing difficulties is an inevitable part of life. While we can’t control what happens, we can control how we react. And the way we approach these challenges ultimately determines our happiness.

Sometimes we see happy people and assume that everything must be going great in their lives. But this is far from true. Quite often, the happiest of people have endured tremendous suffering. But they trust in Hashem and know, whether we understand it or not, everything is for the best.

One of the greatest pleasures of the World to Come will be the clarity we attain. Rebbe Nachman teaches that when a person goes beyond logic and places their unconditional faith in Hashem, they are experiencing a foretaste of the World to Come.

Although it can be difficult, we are all capable of this level of faith. Commenting on the verse, “Hashem sends snow like wool” (Tehillim 147:16), the Imrei Emes of Grer expounded, “Hashem provides wool commensurate with the snow.” Meaning, Hashem provides “wool,” the warmth and protection, in proportion to the “snow,” the cold and harsh conditions. Along with any challenge we face, Hashem equips us with the necessary strength and fortitude.

This is when our true greatness and essence shine brightest. Rabbi Yaakov Emden said, “There is no rose without thorns.” As Rabbi Moshe Bamberger explains, this is a metaphor for life. As beautiful as it is, the rose comes with proverbial thorns. And just as thorns do not diminish the rose’s beauty, for they serve to protect its delicate splendor, so are the thorns of life; through them, our true beauty emerges.

Lastly, it’s important to remember that the pain we experience is only temporary. Rebbe Nachman teaches, “In the beginning, Hashem created the heavens and the earth. He created chaos, He created desolation and darkness. He created night… And He created day, He created Light… Man encompasses all of creation within himself. All his thoughts and acts mirror, in one way or another, the Creation.”

We all have good days and not such good days. Rebbe Nachman teaches that this is not happenchance. This is our personal Night and Day…

That said, every nightfall is actually the start of the new day. “And there was evening and there was morning, one day” (Bereishis 1, 5)… Darkness and confusion is followed by light and clarity. Consequently, when times get tough, we need to remind ourselves that it is only temporary; a new day is on the horizon.

Similarly, the verse states, “Hashem covers the Heavens with clouds and prepares rain for the earth.” The Noda B’Yehudah explains, “The cloudy days of life are forecasting a downpour of blessings from Above.”