Did you hear the one about the fellow who bought a new horse? The guy who sold it to him tells him that this particular horse is different from all the other horses. It is trained to start moving when you say “Baruch Hashem,” and stop when you say “Shema Yisroel.”
How unusual! But sure enough, “Baruch Hashem!” he declared, and the horse broke into a trot. “Shema Yisroel!” he announced, and as advertised, the horse stopped on a dime. So, after getting in a little bit of practice, he felt confident enough to take it out onto the open trails.
All was going swell until he noticed that at the end of the road is a steep cliff. He tried to veer the horse into a different path, but the horse was adamant and continued to forge ahead. Panic-struck, he desperately tried to remember the words needed to stop the horse.
“Ashrei yoshvei veisecha!” But the horse kept going. “Adon olam!” But the horse raced onward. “Aleinu l’shabeiach!” “Shalom Aleichem!” “AMEIN YEHEI SHMEI RABBAH!?” But the horse kept on galloping, nearing the edge of the crag. Realizing that he is about to die, he did what any good Jew would do when confronted with certain death. He screamed out, “Shema Yisroel!!” As trained, the horse stopped suddenly – barely a hoof and a half from the edge of the cliff. “Phew!!” he sighed, as he pulled out his handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead. “Baruch Hashem!”
Oy. All right – on a more serious note…
The Mishna in Brachos (9:5) teaches us “Chayav l’vareich al hara’a k’sheim she’mivareich al hatova” – which means that one is obligated to make a bracha for the bad that occurs just as he recites a bracha for the good that he experiences. It is significant that Chazal do not obligate us to thank (l’hodos) Hashem for bad just as one thanks Him for good, but rather to bless (l’vareich). To thank Hashem for something one is not really thankful for would be dishonest.
So, what exactly is the difference between l’hodos and l’vareich? What exactly do we mean by “blessing Hashem?”
When we say, “Baruch Hashem” as we do at the beginning of every Bracha we make, we are not thanking Hashem, but rather we are recognizing and acknowledging that Hashem is the origin of all sustenance: Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam… – You are The Source from which all sustenance flows.
By blessing Hashem for the good and for the bad, we acknowledge that Hashem is the source of everything. Ultimately, we come to realize that even what we perceive as bad ALSO comes from Hashem, and thus MUST, in the grander scheme of things, be for our good – even if it is sometimes difficult to see how. As the famous expression goes, “Gam zu l’tova” – Even this is for the good. Still, because it feels bad for us, it’s not possible to thank Hashem for it. However, by blessing Hashem even when it hurts, we affirm that our belief in Hashem is stronger than our feelings, emotions and limited perceptions.
Now, what if I told you that we learn this very lesson from Yisro, of Parshas Yisro fame?
It’s true! When Moshe (14:8) described the downfall of Pharaoh and the destruction of Mitzrayim to his father-in-law, Yisro found it painful and distressing to hear. To Yisro, it was a bittersweet event. This country had once been his home. He was once an adviser to Pharaoh. He had lost thousands of acquaintances throughout the plagues and the destruction. Although he had by all means distanced himself from their evil and corrupt ways, in his heart he had hoped that they would submit to Moshe’s request for freedom, thereby recognizing Hashem and saving themselves from destruction.
But what was Yisro’s response? בָּרוּךְ הַ’ אֲשֶׁר הִצִּיל אֶתְכֶם מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם וּמִיַּד פַּרְעֹה – Baruch Hashem Who has rescued you from the hands of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh (14:10). Things hadn’t worked out the way he had hoped. Nevertheless, he garnered up enough courage and conviction to state “Baruch Hashem.” These words could both allow room for his pain; yet at the same time recognize that this, too, was from Hashem.
When the Bnei Yisroel saw the destruction of the Mitzrim at the Yam Suf, they immediately sang out in praise of Hashem. The shira focused strictly on the salvation and miracles, but they were not yet on the level of blessing Hashem for everything they went through. At this point in time, they were not able to verbally acknowledge that Hashem was not only the One who saved them from their oppressors, but He was also the One who put them there in the first place.
Yisro couldn’t bring himself to sing songs of thanksgiving. The news gave him the chills! However, he was able to see that this was all the Yad Hashem, and it is for this reason that it is specifically through Yisro that we are shown the importance and significant implication of saying “Baruch Hashem.”
To bring this idea home for us, today’s timely tune is a classic. Boruch Hashem was composed by Yerachmiel Begun and sung by his Miami Choir Boys on their Miami Live! record released in 1980. The album does a fine job of capturing the geshmak and excitement that would surround a Miami concert performance in the decades to follow. The song itself is the perfect partner to today’s post, and prepares me for the next time someone comes over and asks: “Nu Yankel’e – vi gait du, how are you?” Now I’ll be ready and able to answer – and really mean it when I say: “Baruch Hashem!!”
Wishing each of you a sensational Shabbos!
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