By: Rabbi Shlomo Ezagui
Our sages say, “The gates of tears were never closed.” Why then does there need to be any gates at all if they are never closed? Every once in a while there are people who cry alligator tears, and for them the gates come useful.
When it comes to the entryway, the entrance to G-d of thanks and song, the books of mysticism tell us, there are no gates there at all , it’s always a way in.
When Adam the first human being was created on the first Sabbath of his life he said, “It is good to praise the Lord and to sing to Your Name, O Most High.” Our sages’ say, this Psalm which is said in our prayers on Sabbath, takes the place of the daily Psalm we say throughout the week, “Enter his gates with gratitude, his courtyards with praise.”
Thanking G-d, praising G-d, singing to G-d, besides giving the person who is praising and singing a sense of acceptance and focus on what is good, it puts a person in a state of serenity calmness and peacefulness. These activities are all sure ways of getting in with G-d and improving our lot in life.
Before I continue on let me explain what I mean by, the law of thank you.
The law of gravity states, that every particle in the universe attracts every other particle with the force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
It’s very simple and it will happen every time, because it’s a law of reality. Something with more mass will weigh more and fall faster than something with less mass.
The same is with the laws in our G-dly given Torah. The laws that tell us to rest once a week and to follow the dietary laws are for our own good because, that’s just the way G-d sets things up. It’s unbreakable and must always work to give us a most healthy and happy life.
The same is with acknowledging and thanking G-d for everything even what appears to be bad!
Jewish Law states, we must bless and thank G-d for the bad just like we thank and acknowledge G-d for the good. G-d “takes pleasure (all the time) in songs of praise.”
How exactly does this work? And how can a person say,” thank you G-d that I am poor, or single, or sick”? Aren’t these conditions negative and undesirable ways to live even according to the Bible?
The answer is. When G-d decides to dispense for reasons only He knows negative strictness and severity to a person, the truth is that this is only to the naked eye. On the inside the reason behind this must always be positive because G-d by his very nature is giving and loving. He withholds only because He sees at this moment and for this person a greater good acting in this harsh way. Only for the moment.
When a person has developed the kind of faith that he can with a full and sincere heart say, “even though G-d I may not understand, but thank you for the condition I am in now, that I am in today.” The person is acknowledging the goodness and kindness in G-d at this moment and in this event. It is this approach and attitude that bypasses the element of bad to connect and draw out the good intended in this harshness.
The Holy Baal Shem Tov said. “A person with absolute faith in G-d can walk over water on his prayer sash just like I am able to. But he must have a genuine and truthful faith in G-d.” Thanking and praising G-d even in adverse situations, out of a firm sincere faith that it is all good, connects the person with the motivating force within the occurrence and then the event become good in an open and revealed way.
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