In this week's Parsha the Ribono Shel Olam commands Avraham Avinu "Lech lecha". Rashi says, "go for your own good and your own pleasure". There is a beautiful thought from the Beis Yisroel. But before we get to it, there is a story with Rav Nachum of Chreynoble.
Rav Nachum was one time inexplicably placed in prison. He was taken and thrown into prison. He didn't know what he did wrong and he had no idea how long he was going to be there. An Eliyahu Hanavi type figure came to visit him in prison. Someone he never saw before and someone he would probably never see afterwards. He asks him, "Why am I here? What am I doing here?" And he said, "Rav nachum I want you to know, you are destined to become someone who will be great in the area of redeeming and helping prisoners, and those held captive. In order for you to fully appreciate what those individuals are going through, you must first experience what it is like to be a prisoner. And after that, only after that will you be able to really help those people as much as possible. Tomorrow you will be freed", and indeed he was.
Says the Beis Yisroel a beautiful thought. The Ribono Shel Olam told Avraham Avinu, "Go. Go on the way". Where? When? How? The Ribono Shel Olam didn't tell him. Why? Because Avraham Avinu, you are destined to be great in many areas but in one area specifically, hachnasas orchim. In order for you to fully appreciate what it means to host a guest, you have to know what it is to be a guest. You have to know what it means to be lost on the road, to be without food, without drink, to be desperate for a place to sleep and somewhere to eat. So the Ribono Shel Olam says first go and be a guest, be lost on the road, go and wander. Ill show you where to go, but you will have to have trust and faith in me. Once you know what it is to be a guest, then you will be able to host guests and help others.
This is a very practical application for each and every one of us. The Ribono Shel Olam knows that we each have greatness within us. But in order for us to maximize that greatness, we must first go through certain specific challenges that will help us overcome. The satan knows we can be great, and therefore, those challenges come in ways that make it seem like we are overwhelmed. But if we stop for a moment and realize that this is just the training ground, then when the true ability that we have within us is revealed we will be able to help those because we have walked through it ourselves.
If you are faced with a certain challenge; whether it's in learning, davening, being sensitive, lashon harsh, hosting people, whatever that challenge may be know that it's because Hakadosh Baruch Hu knows how great you can be in that area. He needs you to first go through the training to get there. Good luck on your training mission. Have a great day and a great rest of your week.
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