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Rabbi, Why Is This Happening To Me?

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Rabbi, Why Is This Happening To Me?

How are we to deal with change in life that appears to be misfortune and cause for pain? A tale of two pails
Topics: Struggle, Challenge & Adversity
Struggle, Challenge & Adversity
More from Chaim Mentz
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Nader Homayouni December 7, 2012

Thanks Rabbi Mentz I was a having a terrible day until I came across this video. Praise G-D!. This really puts life into perspective. Reply

ruth housman marshfield hills, ma May 16, 2012

How interesting this series of commentaries just came back to me now, because my son just sent me an email from his friend Jeremy saying tickets are on sale for a Leonard Cohen concert in December now, and I looked back to see my comment was about this Jewish poet/musician above.

G_d knows exactly how to do this. My life is a dance of visible astounding synchronicity. It's happening for us all. I think when you see it, in your own life, it's a true, Aha! moment. And I say, it's LOVE that powers not parts of the "story" but the entire story, and one day it will all become clear and we will dance together in the streets. Yes, it is, the Messianic Promise.

I KNOW this, and that is, there is nothing random about my life. I can PROVE this. My Diary is in parts at Brown University. I did not write this script but celebrate being me, as you should love, the story that brought you life, and know, it's not over, when it's over. There's another story running that is deeply about us all, about LOVE itself. Reply

Jean Goodwin Hall May 16, 2012

Thank You Today and for some time, I have needed what was just said. With tears I listened. So sweet the melody of the story about the cracked pot. How does God know how to do this? Put just what I need in my path. It's a miracle. And I am smiling now. I want to listen to it again. Reply

Judith Anchorage, Alaska October 12, 2011

Thank you! I needed this lesson today to work on being a better person tomorrow. Reply

antonio sabella providence, r.i. May 25, 2011

Too often we are not happy with what we have or who we are. Todays society imparts the fact that we have to have the latest of everything in order to be happy. Ben Zoma said, Who is happy?, one who is happy with his lot. Reply

Wendy Davita Rosen LA, CA January 17, 2011

Thank you Spoken with perfect timing for a very hurting situation. Once again, you helped piece me together. Chabad, you are, always wonderful. Reply

CD Jerusalem, Israel October 13, 2010

Great story! I love this story and how you told it in such an animated way. It's a real encouragement to hear our challenges put in such a light - I've learned to turn the "darkness into light" thanks to Chassidus and have been following that principle for years b'simcha (with joy), but never heard the flower angle before and it's a great visualization - to see our challenges as opportunities to spread flowers/light and beautiful things to others.

Thanks for sharing it! Reply

Chaya Yehudis Dank Melbourne, Australia February 14, 2010

Rabbi Mentz You've done it again. I have heard and read this story before, but you tell it with such vibrance, such chayis, and so much simcha, that I smiled, and really got it.
thanks again Reply

bobbi kuhn spokane, wa via jewishspokane.com February 14, 2010

why is this happening to me How timely to see this analogy. Just today I was trying for once to embrace the pain in my situation instead of stuffing it, running from it, or dwelling in it....not so easy to be done...but this was beautifully put and a great comfort as well as inspiring. I will embrace. Reply

Judi Goloff Asheville, NC via chabadasheville.org February 13, 2010

what a uplifting story I hope that can I learn from this story and make flowers grow from my changes. Life is always changing and for the better we have to change with it and learn to be grateful for the changes. Reply

Laureen of Santa Fe Santa Fe, NM via chabadsantafe.com February 13, 2010

Leaking pot/leaking eyes Hearing that I am watering unseen seeds with the leak from my pot (or from my eyes), I can imagine the flowers or vegetables that will grow because of the lost water from my "cracks". This helps me to accept my life today, take the time to look for the beauty of our world and accept the greater wisdom that is found beyond my limited "pot" form. Reply

Bernie Bernstein Burbank, Ca February 13, 2010

Why is this happening to me Great.
perspective is so important. Reply

ruth housman marshfield hills, MA February 11, 2010

the pot and the potsherd There is a beautiful line by the poet Leonard Cohen, that's about we have the cracks because that's how the light gets in.

This is a beautiful story. It bears repeating.
And we too, are watered in hearing it.

In deep ways we are all of us vessels that receive and pour. We are also pitchers, and the rabbi is pitching a story to us, that is water for the soul, truly.

Life is a River, and in following the river we all hit the rocks, sooner or later. It's a deep part of life and story. Surely no good story does not, on some level, involve transformation. We change as clay at the hands of a master potter, through our stories, that connect and interconnect.

Pots backwards reads STOP. We don't want to stop, we want to follow the river, to take the problems along the way and transform ourselves and others as best we can. And then we can tell our fabulous stories, around that campfire, that is life. L'chayim! Reply

Anonymous Forest Hills, NY/USA February 11, 2010

Cool video I wish I had the strength to do what he is saying. Reply

Rosemary Brisbane, Qld/Australia via chabadbrisbane.com February 7, 2010

Making Flowers Thank you. I really felt like an old pot today... But now I am more focused on what I still can do. Reply

M Andre cape coral, florida January 27, 2010

2000 Dollar Water Bill Wow, today i recieved a water bill of over 2 thousand dollars because last week I found my yard flooded from of a broken pipe leading to my home next to the main connection to the city water. well when my plummer tried to fix my pipe he had a hard time because not only my side was broke the city's turn off valve is broken and is not shutting off also. I was crying earlier when the bill came in the mail because I don' t have the money to pay this bill, so I called my mother and she told me not to worry and I calmed down. A few minutes i was weeping again and low and behold Chabad sent me "WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME?" Wow! it helped me to deal with my water problem! It is not easy to let go at time, but I will try my best! I needed this tonight! Reply