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knowledge in whatever you are doing to
be lucky. In other words, luck does not
just happen. In most cases it is based
around skill.
To some commentators, these verses
teach us that how we deal with the
things that happen to us will determine
our real success and failure. In other
words, what we do when success or fail-
ure, health and happiness meet us on
t first glance, this Torah por-
the road of life is what will determine
tion sounds like a divine ver-
our real spiritual "centeredness" and of
sion of the cause and effect
well being or being off balance.
relationship. If we only do
There is a belief that each com-
what God demands of us, good things
mandment and every mitzvah is based
will happen. If we don't do what we are
around training ourselves to
told, we'll be sorry. If taken to
be good to people under any
its natural conclusion, it could
circumstance. No one should
be the meaning behind all
be glib about suffering. A
reward and punishment in life.
very wise teacher once taught
It would also mean that
that whenever you are hurt
behind everything bad that
or you fail or have a sickness,
happens to us, we must have
you should say "gam zu rtova
done something wrong.
— this, too, is for the best."
Using that logic, when an
But there is a gam zu ground
accident occurs, it must be
because some mezuza parch-
RABBI DANNEL rule. The ground rule is this:
You can only say gam zu
ment is no longer intact or we
SCHWARTZ
about your own tzouris and
are being punished for some
Special to the
not someone else's suffering.
past error in religious judge-
Jewish News
So when someone else falls ill
ment. When death darkens
or fails we cannot say it was
our doorstep, we must have
beshert or karma, that it was for the
done something terribly wrong; and
best. It is too easy to dismiss another's
when our year goes well, we must have
suffering by saying, "Oh, you'll learn
done everything right. I believe to say
from it; it will help you; it was meant
this would be cruel. And Judaism is any-
to be!"
thing but cruel.
On the contrary, it is our job to help
The rabbinic commentators over the
the sufferer to relieve his pain, not to sit
centuries have had a great deal to say
in judgement and speculate that all suf-
about suffering and wellness, failure and
fering is purposeful. When we hurt our-
success and the reasons why some pros-
selves, when we ourselves have pain or
per while others fall short. To some,
suffer, we are told that it does us no
these verses had nothing to do with why
good to say "ah, poor me." Instead,
we suffer. To them, illness and health
that's when the gam zu la tova rule
were natural occurrences. To them, the
should go into effect. We should use the
divine presence was not a simplistic
suffering and the pain somehow in the
Santa Claus who rewards the nice and
spiritual side of who we are and what we
punishes the naughty. Success might
will be to create a better result from any
have more to do with being in the right
and every situation.
place at the right time or the skill we
Every trial and every joy are all part
bring to all situations.
of gam zu la tova on a personal level. If
There is a wonderful midrash that
we can live that way in our hearts, in
says the word mazal, meaning "luck,"is
our souls and in our minds, than this,
really an acrostic. Each letter of the word
too, will be good. ❑
signifies another word: mem is for
makom, which means place — that all
luck is based on the skill of knowing
and being in the right place. The zion is
for z3nan, which means time — that
you have to learn how to have the right
Can you cite examples of bad
timing for all that you do in order for
things that have happened when
luck to bless your efforts. And last but
we have not done any wrong?
not least, the letter lamed is for limud,
How did "spiritual centeredness"
which means learning — you have to
affect those in the Holocaust? In
study diligently in order to have enough
what ways can pain and suffering
Shabbat Behar
Bechukotai:
Leviticus 25:1-27.•4;
Jeremiah 16:19-17•14.
Dannel Schwartz is rabbi of Temple
Shir Shalom.
IN THE ORCHARD MALL
WEST BLOOMFIELD
help us to be better people?
• ".%,..yst,..