Part VIII
The first parts showed how covert miracles reveal the foundations of emunah and that through these miracles Hashem allocates reward and punishment for our deeds. In addition there is a Divine hanhogo called mazal which, the Ramchal explains, is the handing out of different duties to each person according to his neshomoh's root without connection to the reward and punishment that he deserves or that he gets in this world.
The first parts of this important essay also quoted the Ramban who said that the performance of miracles establishes basic principles of the Torah. However, covert miracles, which are performed by Hashem all the time in arranging the world in an appropriate way in response to the way people act in doing mitzvos, praying and so on, are also a basic foundation of Torah. Nonetheless, the justice in the way the world is run is not always apparent.
There are also sources in Chazal that say that important parts of life are dependent on mazal and not on zechus. One point is that Hashem does not forgo sins so that our reward will be complete. To ignore any sin would cast a severe pall over one's reward in the World of Truth. Also, Hashem established two ways of conducting the world: for those who can meet the high standard He employs the midas hadin as He "originally" thought in making the world, and for those who cannot meet this standard he uses a midas horachamim that is more lenient.
In this final part the Mashgiach zt'l discusses gilgul of neshamos and the role of Mazal.
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VII: The Hanhogo of Mazal for One Returning in a Gilgul Because of His Sins
Until now we have learned that a person's mazal is determined according to what was needed for Creation at the time when he was conceived as befitting his particular neshomoh. Nonetheless we should be aware that there is another, completely different, aspect to mazal which is decreed for him according to his past — the matter of gilgul. We will cite what the Derech Hashem (2:3:10) writes about this:
"There is another fundamental principle in the hanhogo of Olom Hazeh. The Supreme Wisdom arranged it to expedite the rescue of [the neshomoh] as was previously explained. A neshomoh will come to Olom Hazeh several times in different bodies, and in this way it will, at the time [of its return to Olom Hazeh], be able to repair what it had ruined the previous time, or to complete what it needs to complete . . . It is possible that things will happen to a person whose neshomoh is in a gilgul that were caused by a previous gilgul, and his condition in this world will be caused by that. Corresponding to that condition he will be given his mission, as I wrote above . . . "
A Tzaddik Who Has a Bad Life — A Rosho in a Previous Gilgul
We find in the Vilna Gaon's Even Sheleimo (3:5) an example of how a person's mazal is determined when he is conceived, not according to the Creation's need as we wrote above and not according to sechar ve'onesh, but according to what this neshomoh itself was in a previous gilgul.
"A person who was a rosho in a previous gilgul, HaKodosh Boruch Hu brings down into this [world] in the dark of the moon, and therefore he suffers want his whole life, even though he is now a tzaddik gomur. This is a tzaddik who has a bad life, as the Zohar writes. About this [Chazal] write: `It is not dependent upon his zechus but on his mazal.'"
The Ramban alluded to this in several places although in a heavily veiled fashion. He writes (in Sha'ar HaGemul), "It is one of the Torah's secrets that is hidden from all except those who are zoche to it from the kabolo, and it is forbidden to explain it in writing, and to give just a hint would have no benefit." Rabbenu Bechaye, however, reveals this secret to us in Kad HaKemach (the discourse called Hashgocho):
"And what does HaKodosh Boruch Hu, in His kindness, do so that a person will be privileged to see the Supreme Brilliance? Hashem puts that person's nefesh into a body in a gilgul and it returns there just as it was the first time around. This is what is meant by, `His flesh shall be softer than a child's; he shall return to the days of his youth' (Iyov 33:25). The Ramban explains that his flesh will return to being moist and soft and will grow luxuriantly. This is because it will return to the nefesh, as mentioned above in the posuk, `He keeps back his soul from the pit' (v. 18). His flesh will grow for this nefesh as if he were young. When this person matures he will beseech Elokim and appease Him with teshuvah and suffering. Afterwards this person will be rewarded for his present righteousness, because from the time he was born he did not sin at all. His suffering was due to his previous sins, which could have destroyed him. But HaKodosh Boruch Hu thought of plans so that this person would not be expelled from Olom Haboh, and might afterwards see the Supreme Brilliance . . . This can happen twice or even three times, as the posuk writes, `Hashem does all these things twice or three times with a man' (v. 29). Sometimes it is done twice and sometimes three times, in order `to bring back his soul from the pit to be enlightened with the light of the living' (ibid.) . . . Through this explanation we have interpreted the secret of `a tzaddik who has a bad life.' This difficulty has disappeared altogether, leaving no doubts . . . "
The Ramban (in his commentary on Iyov) and Rabbenu Bechaye (ibid.) explain that the argument between Iyov and his friends centered around the problem that, "since Iyov saw the many misfortunes and evils happening to him and knew the righteousness of his nefesh, he thought that perhaps there was no da'as or reckoning before Elokim about what people do, and that Hashgocho had departed from them." Iyov did not accept the answer of his three friends, and he continued to ask questions about the hanhogo of HaKodosh Boruch Hu towards him. "And we see that after Iyov had heard what Elihu said (v. 29) he made no retort. This shows that [Elihu's explanation] was a new [solution], unlike what [his other friends] had offered. Iyov accepted what Elihu had said, since his arguments answered his question, and therefore decided to remain silent." "Elihu did not answer Iyov as [his friends] did. He did not condemn Iyov but justified him and the judgment of Elokim upon him." The answer of Elihu was according to the secret of gilgul, as I have explained.
This hanhogo is fitting to be included too in the hanhogo of mazal, as we have cited above from the Even Sheleimo. Although a person's suffering can be defined as a punishment for his previous sins, as we have cited from Rabbenu Bechaye, it is not because of what he has done in this gilgul but was decreed before he was born.
VIII: The Hanhogo of Mazal Complements the Hanhogo of Reward and Punishment
It has been explained above that the hanhogos with which Hashem conducts the Creation are two: reward and punishment, and mazal. Nonetheless, the hanhogo of mazal, although not controlled by rules of reward and punishment, works together with that hanhogo, and in fact completes the hanhogo of reward and punishment. This is because the hanhogo of reward and punishment is dependent upon the constant potential of people to choose what they want to do, and that nothing should force them to any one side.
Now, if a person does something because he is forced to do it, he does not deserve reward if it was a good deed nor punishment if it was a bad deed. If tzaddikim never lived the sort of life that reshoim who do aveiros deserve, i.e. a hard oppressive life, and reshoim never lived the life that tzaddikim who do mitzvos deserve, i.e. a life of peace and contentment, no one would even think of sinning, and likewise no one would rightfully deserve reward for choosing correctly. Moreover, if all the tzaddikim were to suffer and the reshoim to be delightfully immersed in the pleasures of this mundane world, this would also impinge upon the free choice given to people.
The Da'as Tevunos (section 170) writes about this issue of bechirah:
" . . . This would cause the tzaddikim to have more zechus. If Hashem constantly tormented only the tzaddikim this would be a Divine test — but not such a great one. People would console themselves by thinking that their suffering proves they are tzaddikim, and every intelligent person would choose the suffering belonging to tzaddikim, since reshoim are the ones who do not suffer [and they do not want to be reshoim]. Nonetheless Hashem wanted a greater Divine test, namely that people cannot perceive clearly what HaKodosh Boruch Hu does in the world with each individual. What a person will apparently see is that, `All things come alike to all: there is one event to both the righteous and to the wicked' (Koheles 9:2) . . . This lack of clarity when the hanhogo is reward and punishment or when it is mazal, is done to allot more reward to tzaddikim, who strengthen themselves in their emunah . . . since it is impossible for a person to understand clearly what HaKodosh Boruch Hu does with him, since Hashem sometimes acts according to the way of reward and punishment while other times through mazal . . . and each event can be explained as belonging to either hanhogo, until the heart storms with numerous thoughts and doubts . . . "
We see that the hanhogo of mazal complements that of reward and punishment, so that in this way the possibility of choosing evil and good will be enhanced, and tzaddikim will thereby receive more reward.
Anguish That Comes Because of the Hanhogo of Mazal
We must add to what we have written above. What is decreed for a person according to the hanhogo of mazal will happen to him only through incorporating, to a limited extent, the hanhogo of reward and punishment. The gemora (Bovo Metzia 85a) teaches us this:
"Rebbe said: `Suffering is precious to me.' He accepted upon himself thirteen years of suffering: six during which he passed stones with urine, and seven of a severe mouth disease . . . Rebbe's household stable master was richer than even Shvor Malka. When he put fodder out for his many horses their clamor could be heard even three mil away. The stable master arranged to put out the fodder for his horses at the same time Rebbe would go to the toilet, since his pains would then attack him. Nevertheless, Rebbe's cries in his agony would overcome the noise of the horses, and people on ships sailing on the ocean would hear it."
Rebbe's Affliction Brought a Brocho to the World
Rebbe did not adopt this terrible affliction on himself to atone for a sin he had done. The gemora (ibid.) explicitly writes that "during all the years of Rebbe's hardship the world did not need rain [since underground water would nourish the earth] . . . nonetheless, even without rain when they would uproot a radish from the earth the hole would fill up with water." Whether we explain that Rebbe's sufferings were precious to him since they were because of the hanhogo of mazal or because they came to atone for his generation, as we cited above from the Toras Chaim in his explanation of the anecdote of R' Chanina ben Dosa, they certainly did not come because he had sinned.
The gemora continues:
"Nevertheless, the sufferings of R' Elazar b'r Shimon were preferable to Rebbe's. R' Elazar's suffering came through love and went away through love. [The suffering of] Rebbe was caused by a certain incident and went away because of an incident.
"They were caused by a certain incident — and what was it? A calf was brought to be slaughtered. When it went by [Rebbe], it put its head underneath Rebbe's garment and cried. Rebbe said to the calf: `Go; you were created for this.' [Shomayim] said, `Since he did not have pity we will bring suffering upon him.'"
The Eitz Yosef explains in the name of the Toras Chaim that the suffering Rabbenu Hakodosh accepted on himself did not come until after the anecdote quoted in the gemora with the calf.
We must understand this. Why did his suffering only come after that incident? Suffering should have come because he wanted it and not because of the incident.
This shows the principle that we have discussed. The hanhogo of mazal and the hanhogo of punishment function jointly. Although Rebbe's suffering was not decreed for him because of the hanhogo of reward and punishment, a reason was still needed to allow this suffering according to the hanhogo of reward and punishment. Until Rabbenu Hakodosh's action of not having pity for that calf (though that minuscule sin in itself would in no way bring on such a harsh punishment) suffering could not assault him. (Chazal say, "There is no death without fault, and no suffering without a sin." For further clarification see Da'as Tevunos section 170 in the Iyunim 57 and 58, Rav Friedlander edition.)
We also can learn this pivotal principle from the Ramchal (Da'as Tevunos, section 170):
"Even when Hashem decides to lead His world according to the hanhogo of mazal that we mentioned, He brings about causes for these things to happen. This is so even about what is destined to happen because of mazal. Nothing will happen to the person [involved] unless it also fits in somehow with the ways of the hanhogo of reward and punishment.
"We find a matter like Rebbe's suffering, about which the [gemora] writes that they `were caused by a certain incident and went away because of an incident.' These sufferings were nothing other than the type sent to tzaddikim. This is, however, the way HaKodosh Boruch Hu acts. He joins these two hanhogos together, and even a decree because of mazal will not occur until it can be somewhat accounted for in the realm of reward and punishment. It is through the cause of some reward and punishment that all that eventually occurs comes to pass although that cause itself was insignificant."
The different occurrences, especially the suffering of tzaddikim in Olom Hazeh that everyone hears about, is apparently a contradiction to belief in hashgocho. However, through the understanding of the principles discussed, it is easier for us to understand the general principles underlying many of these occurrences, though it is above the power of mortal man to know the specific reason for each incident.
Man's way on earth is continuously strewn with difficult obstacles. Let us strengthen ourselves by believing fully that, "The eyes of Hashem scan the whole world" (Zecharia 4:10) and that everything we request and hope for be granted since, "The eyes of all wait upon You, and You give them their food in due season" (Tehillim 145:15). May we be zoche to the eternal yeshu'ah through the revelation of the Honor of His kingdom upon us, speedily in our days.
HaRav Dovid Kronglas zt'l, was the Rosh Mesivta and Menahel Ruchani in Yeshivas Ner Yisroel in Baltimore for twenty-five years.
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