PETULANCE
issue 7 : updated  20 Iyar 5766 (May 18th, 2006)

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Dear Friends,

This past Tuesday was just about the saddest day in the lives of the Karfunkel children. I came home to announce that our well planned evening of festivities was being called off because of the rain. “What happened to Lag B’Omer? “We were supposed to have a BBQ, play games and watch the biggest bonfire ever. It’s just not fair!”

I found myself saying, “Of course it isn’t fair, but that is just the way it worked out. Sometimes things are not fair. I’m sorry to say that we will have to wait another year for Lag B’Omer fun. Let’s just deal with the disappointment and get over it.”

We often minimize our children’s feelings. Of course, this doesn’t satisfy them nor does it make the sadness disappear. My children were very disappointed and I felt that they were upset with me because it was I who cancelled the “most fun program ever!!!” But of course, I wasn’t the one who made it rain.

Often, we are upset about disappointments that befall us. We complain about how unfair things are. But we must learn from what we teach our children. Sometimes things do not seem justified, and although they really may not be fair, it is our Father who tells us that we must accept what has happened and go on.

Hashem sees and hears all and we must believe that there are reasons why we encounter these disappointments, we must deal with that what has happened and we must move forward. What has occurred may not be explainable in the physical world, but our faith in Hashem guides us in the spiritual world to the understanding that it is His will.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Elie