Tag Archives: suffering

Quoting: Never Give Up Hope

“Even if you are in the midst of great suffering, do not give up hope” (Pirkei Avos 1:7; Rashi). Life situations might at times seem so bleak and desperate that you see no hope for the future. You might tell yourself things like, “My life is a terrible mess, and I don’t think it will ever improve.” Such thinking leads to very painful feelings. The Sages advised us never to give up hope. Ask yourself, “What proof do I have that things will never improve?” While you might not have a guarantee that things will be better, you can never be certain that they will not improve. Don’t give up hope when in a very short time your whole situation might change dramatically for the better.

-from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s “Gateway to Happiness,” p.372

Quoting: Who’s Calling Whom?

When we pray due to suffering, we usually think that the suffering comes because of external situations and hence we have to pray.

But this is not correct. The very purpose of the suffering is that we should pray. By pouring our hearts out to the Almighty, we become closer to Him. Hence the suffering is a tool for our elevation.

Sources: Nachalas Yosef, Torah, p.125; Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s Gateway to Happiness, p.255

Quoting: Be Respectful No Matter What

The Torah gives us an important rule in relationships: Even though you are suffering, you have no right to cause suffering to others. Whatever your distress, you still need to speak and act with respect. If you are ever in a bad mood, be especially careful not to speak or act to others in a way that will be distressful for them.

Sources: see Rabbi Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler – Michtav MaiEliyahu, vol.4, 246; Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s “Consulting the Wise”

This definitely has applications in the blogosphere and social media in general, but I’m not sure what the result would be. I suspect each group would interpret it to mean “listen to me and anyone who disagrees with me should shut up,” but that’s just a guess. Oops. I think this means I may not have taken the Rabbi’s advice to heart.