Test of the Heart

Big things are happening in the world. The situation is not simple, either. Many people are panicking. Despite the promises of the government, no one knows if the food supply, or other crucial supplies, will be affected by Coronavirus. Deep down, I think we all know that they will be greatly affected, even if we just look at the complete stop of production in China, which produces just about everything – besides the lack of transportation between countries… in short, the world as we know it just changed. Every aspect of life is, and will continue to be, totally different for the foreseeable future.

In the meantime, we have to deal with all those changes. Many people have been laid off from work, or are on forced unpaid leave for an unforeseen amount of time. All the kids are home. Millions of people around the world are being forced to stay inside, or are in quarantine. And so much more.

It is specifically in these extreme times, the truth inside us comes out. Or Emuna, or Gehinnom (Hell)! Or Emuna, or Anxiety and Panic Attacks! Or Emuna, or Paralyzing Fear! Rabbi Arush said recently that his song on this topic is only all the more true in these times.

Indeed, Rabbi Arush said that the world is currently going through a birur – a clarification process. Everyone is being tested on the deepest level. And the essential test is: Do you have emuna? Do you believe? Or not, G-d forbid? Do you really believe that God, the Creator of this virus, is in control of where every single Corona goes, who gets sick, – or not?

The entire world is being put on two sides – those with emuna, and those without.

With emuna, we understand that God is the Creator and the Master of the World, and we are not. We cannot control if we take our next breath or not – and that hasn’t changed at all with Coronavirus. We are completely in His loving and very capable Hands. Therefore, our essential choice is only HOW we deal with the situations that Hashem sends us.

Even more, emuna teaches us that the essential thing is our ratzon – our desire and our will. Rabbi Arush taught last night in his live broadcast that Hashem judges us not based on our actions, but on our ratzon. That is all the more important in our times, when so little is in our control. Indeed, Coronavirus is a very deep test of the heart: What do you really want? Where are you holding in your spirituality? Where are you really, truly holding in your emuna, now that we are a time of extreme test?

For instance, so many people had to pray quickly in order to run to work. Stories abound of the preciousness of the 5 minute mincha in the middle of the workday. Now, you’ve got time to pray, and there is nowhere to run to (besides maybe to keep cleaning for Passover!). In fact, you can’t even pray in a minyan – gatherings over 10 people are banned, and praying is no exception. So you can’t argue that everyone else prayed so fast, so what could you do but follow them. Hashem is testing you – are you going to pray at length with concentration now, and savor every word – or not? And if external circumstances like taking care of the children prevent you from doing so, do you really want to pray properly? Or is it just an external service that you have to finish, no different than another task at work?

What about learning Torah? Now is your opportunity to prove if all that learning was lishma (for the sake of keeping what you learned and serving Hashem properly) or not. Now, when the Kollel is closed and you aren’t getting anything for your learning, are you still learning? With love and desire? Do you really want to learn? Did you send your son to learn Torah because school is mandatory, or now that he is home, are you doing your utmost to make sure he still learns Torah every day too?

And of course, emuna itself. The essential test of your level of emuna is your happiness. That’s really tough now, with all the uncertainty around us of what is going to be, the looming mortgage payment, and the fear of this virus itself.  Are you happy? And even if you are sunken in bitterness and despair – do you want to get out of it? Do you really want emuna? Are you praying for emuna, and begging Hashem to help you?

Rabbi Arush also said last night that the “Chok Todah” (Law of Thank You – which is 15 minutes saying thank you to Hashem for your problem in your own words, plus 8 times Psalm 100, Mizmor L’Todah) also works for sadness. Thank Hashem that you are depressed, afraid and overwhelmed! He promised: Someone who wants to be happy, and really wants emuna – in the end, he will get it! And in the meantime, he will be judged by Hashem as if he already had it!

The essential test is – what is your innermost desire?

These are turbulent times, but they are also wonderful times. Rabbi Arush has spoken a couple times over the last week about how Coronavirus is doing amazing things. It is reducing the sins of the Jewish people, and increasing our merits! Hashem is using it to execute judgments on those who hate the Jews and want to destroy us, and protecting us from them! It is forcing Israel to not desecrate Shabbat in public! And so much more! Even the air of the world is being cleaned, both physically (lack of cars and buses driving etc.) and spiritually. People are open to learning emuna because it’s true – or emuna, or Gehinnom. If you’re in Gehinnom, you’re open to learning the way out…

This is the time to prove to Hashem what we really want. Pray for emuna. Pray as much as you can, say Tehillim, and learn Torah. Do as many mitzvot as you can, and whatever you are prevented from doing, just tell Hashem how much you wish you could do it!

Thank Hashem for all the good He continues to pour on us. For example, here in Jerusalem, Hashem has done infinite kindnesses for us. In the past couple weeks when everyone was running around, Hashem sent rain every day to clean the air. Now that we are on “lockdown” in our homes this week, we have beautiful sunny days in order to open our windows!

Rabbi Arush promises: Anyone who has emuna and bitachon – faith and trust in God – they will not lack for anything! Use the Chok Todah for your problem, including lack of income, sadness, etc. – and the suffering will be cancelled! It’s a law! Use it! But do you believe in it?

God willing, CORONAvirus will lead to the CORONAtion of God as King of the World, very, very soon! And all the nations will recognize the Kingship of God, and bow to Him on His holy mountain! And recognize His name! Rabbi Arush said that we have been praying and wanting this for thousands of years – and now that it is on our doorstep, we have to pray for it even more! And we have to prepare ourselves spiritually with emuna, with thanking Hashem, and with mitzvot. To cleanse our hearts to really want a deep and real connection with God.

Which brings us to the final test of the heart: Do you really want it?