"In distress you called and I rescued you..."

Yom chamishi, 21 Elul 5769.

My dear, dear friend,

I have been thinking a lot about the tsooris you are going through.  You have to know that the stress you are under with this problem weighs heavily on my heart, because you are so dear to me, and I hate to see you suffer.

Hashem doesn't clue us in as to why and how He decides to distribute troubles.  We won't understand until the end of days.

So of course, it seems terribly unfair from my limited perspective that someone as fine as you, whom I care about so deeply, must endure this pain.  I have asked Hashem frequently to lift it off your shoulders, to ease your burden.  I am ever hopeful that whatever it is that He wants to accomplish with this test will be accomplished very soon.

Sometimes, I try to make myself feel better about your situation by pulling concepts from our meforshim you yourself have introduced me to.  You know -- that it's all a test; that Hashem won't give us a greater trial than we can successfully pass; that He loves us, and is helping us to improve our position in Olam HaBa by meting out our grief bit by bit...  Sometimes, it helps me to realize how great a person you must be in His eyes, that He has chosen you to bear a burden not for yourself, but for our entire generation!

The fact is that we know nothing. 

But I want you to know that I love you so very much, and that I hurt for you.  More importantly, I want you to know how much I learn from watching you deal with this burden with uncommon grace.  Thank you for continuing to teach me how to be a good and noble Jew.

May Hashem lift the suffering from your shoulders, and from all of our holy people, very soon -- and in so doing, may He also lift the suffering from all the diverse peoples of His world.

K'tiva v'chatima tova, dear one.  May we together celebrate our redemption, m'yad!

Glossary:
 Tsooris:  Yiddish for trouble
Meforshim:  sages, commentators on the Torah and Gemara
Olam HaBa:  The World to Come
K'tiva v'chatima tova:  May you be inscribed and sealed for good [traditional greeting prior to Rosh Hashana]
M'yad:  immediately


Happy 15th birthday, Sports Guy!  May you know only joy, and no suffering, till 120!