The Wine or Vinegar Option

During one of my trips abroad, I had the privilege of meeting an amazingly interesting military analyst who specializes in strategic studies for a para-governmental organization. He told me that he has a superb track record in second-guessing global conflicts and their outcomes. But as far as Israel goes, he sighs in frustration. “You gentlemen ruin my track record. Everything that happens over there defies all logic. It’s not the natural course of events…”
 
So true. The Jewish People defy both nature and logic. The Gemara, Zohar, and our sages all confirm the fact that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their offspring are above the stars.
 
Our beloved Rebbe Nachman of Breslev emphasized the importance of simple faith over intellect. In the words of our contemporary teacher Rav Shalom Arush, “If you believe in Hashem, you’ll do His will – it’s that simple.” Continuing this line of thought, the Gemara illustrates that if we do Hashem’s will, it doesn’t matter what we do – we’ll succeed! Unfortunately, the opposite is also painfully true.
 
The Gemara (tractate Berachot 5b) relates an account of Rav Huna’s four hundred casks of wine which had turned into vinegar. On hearing of his misfortune, Rav Yehudah, the brother of the Holy Rav Salla, or, as some say, Rav Adda bar Ahavah, came and visited him, accompanied by the Rabbis. They said, "Let the master examine himself carefully."
 
"What!" said Rav Huna, "do you assume that I have been guilty of wrong-doing?"
 
"Shall we then," said the sages, "suspect the Holy One, blessed be He, of executing judgment without justice?"
 
"Well," said Rav Huna, "if you have heard anything against me, don't conceal it."
 
"It has been reported to us," said the sages, "that the master has withheld the sharecropper's share of the prunings."
 
"What else, pray, did he leave me?" retorted Rav Huna; "he has stolen all the produce of my vineyard."
 
The sages replied, "There is a saying that whoever steals from a thief smells of theft."
 
"Therefore," said Rav Huna, "I hereby promise to give him his share."
 
According to one opinion in the Gemara, right there on the spot, Rav Huna’s vinegar miraculously turned back to wine again. According to a second opinion, the price of vinegar rose to the price of wine, and Rav Huna cleared a handsome profit. The Gemara concludes that either way, Rav Huna came out a big winner.
 
The stern and immediate judgment against Rav Huna only shows how much of a pious and righteous man he was. The fact that his wine went sour was a loving catalyst from Above to stimulate a process of self-evaluation and subsequent teshuva.
 
Yet, the most salient lesson from the above-mentioned story from the Gemara shows that it doesn’t matter what we do; what matters is how we do it – in accordance with Hashem’s will, or not, Heaven forbid. In this case, it didn’t matter whether Rav Huna was dealing in wine or in vinegar. The fact that he lived his life while strongly connected to Hashem, he succeeded in whatever he did. Painfully, the opposite holds true too.
 
This, I told the esteemed military analyst, explains Israel’s success or lack of it, both in the diplomatic arena and on the battlefield. When we live our lives according to Hashem’s will, everything succeeds. Hashem has no problem turning Hanina ben Dosa’s vinegar into oil or Nachum Ish Gamzu’s dirt clogs into ballistic missiles. Similarly, He can certainly turn our flub-ups into shining triumphs. But when we don’t, we become a nation that looks like Abbott and Costello – comical, but sorely pathetic.
 
If Hashem so desires, a $50,000 highest-tech state-of-the-art Israeli-designed and produced Arrow missile won’t be able to stop a Kassam rocket that was made in a Gaza garage for the price of $132 a piece, and less even if the Gazans can succeed in stealing enough scrap metal. But, if we all return to Hashem with all our hearts, the combined nations of the world won’t be able to touch a hair on a Jewish head.
 
My esteemed and beloved rabbi, teacher, and spiritual guide Rabbi Shalom Arush, may Hashem bless him always, describes the concept of free choice in a nutshell: “You can either live your life with Hashem, or live your life without Hashem. If you choose the latter path, then don’t cry about getting kicked in the teeth all the time.” Once again, the decision doesn’t matter; a person that walks with Hashem will succeed and one that doesn’t will ultimately fail, just like the vinegar-wine option of Rav Huna.
 
Rabbi Shalom has an uncanny way of describing the loftiest concepts in one simple nutshell that anyone can understand. The principle of living one’s life with Hashem is the key to success – or the opposite, G-d forbid, explains everything that’s happening in our current events.