Is Suffering a Blessing in Disguise?

The Power of Faith to Face Adversity

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Is Suffering a Blessing in Disguise?: The Power of Faith to Face Adversity

Faith is the ability to accept that painful experiences can actually be a form of goodness that is beyond the mind's ability to grasp.

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Topics:	Concealed Good, Bitachon, Pain, Suffering & Tragedy

By Ben-Tzion Krasnianski

Rabbi Ben-Tzion Krasnianski is director of Chabad Lubavitch of the Upper East Side in Manhattan

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7 Comments

Marita December 18, 2018

Thank you HaShem, and thank you Rabbi for this awesome teaching and inspiring encouragement! Reply

Adele Boston June 27, 2018

Thank you Rabbi for this beautiful teaching . In trusting HaShem completely in our suffering, may we be comforted to know and feel this spiritual closeness to G-D, especially in our prayers. Reply

Eliezer Zalmanov for Chabad.org September 20, 2015

To Anonymous "Tangible good" doesn't necessarily mean a sudden windfall, like sinning the lottery or something like that. Asking G-d for tangible good means that we want to be able to actually see the good in everything, and not just accept it with blind faith. Reply

Anonymous September 8, 2015

What if I don't care about the reward when meshiaj comes. what if the suffering is spiritual and not material not about bank accounts or material? what if the suffering is only coming due to practicing religion.
One of the questions I have on bitachon is as follows, let's say someone is broke , who is to say he should have faith that he will have money perhaps the faith is that even if I stay broke that's the best for me (depressing thought), or if I'm single who is to say trust is that I will get married, perhaps G-d has different plans for me and the faith is that I should be happy single for life .. so how can I ever hope for anything to change, perhaps is about surrender to the idea that this is my portion in this world? what are your sources that I can trust that things will become tangible good? and what about all those people who who never got a tangible good? Reply

Ben Tzion Krasnianski November 20, 2012

response to Avraham's question Dear Avraham,
Whoever tells you that they could explain pain and suffering is a fool. We are not looking for explanations the best answer is to remove the question. Nothing less then the coming of Moshiach and an end to pain and suffering could possibly satisfy us. Besides all the explanations are regarding our own suffering not G-d forbid for someone else's pain especially that of a baby! Even regarding our own pain we are commanded to pray to storm heaven and earth to avert the terrible decree because we have a deep inner sense that something is amiss, in a perfect world in G-d's world there should be no pain and suffering period.
The Alter Rebbe is addressing the initiate who is up to chapter 26 in Tanya! explaing the inexplicable mystery of the suffering person paradoxically feeling a greater intimacy with G-d then the one who's obviously blessed.

May you only know from joy!
Ben Tzion Krasnianski Reply

Avraham July 2, 2012

Not always a "blessing in disguise" This argument is not applicable to that baby who suffers from an illness immediately after birth and who goes on to die soon afterwards. For that person, no amount of "spin" about the "blessing in disguise" will have helped him/her to understand and cope with the agonizing suffering he/she endured. Your argument is only helpful to those who have the intellectual maturity to reflect upon the ideas you convey. It is not applicable (and therefore fatuous) for those who either lack the capacity to understand or have no opportunity (time) to reflect. Further, waiting for Moshiach is of no comfort for that baby, so do not present that argument!
No Rabbi, sage or teacher has ever been able to provide a satisfactory counter-argument. Reply

Laurie Julian Winnetka, CA/USA January 15, 2012

Is Suffering a Blessing in Disguise Thank you for this lecture. It was very thought provoking, I really enjoyed listening to your comments. I have had shoulder replacemtn surgery and am not recovering as had hoped so this was very helpful to me. Reply

Psychology of the Soul

A series of video classes that expound upon mystical themes from the classic Chassidic work of Tanya.

Is Suffering a Blessing in Disguise?: The Power of Faith to Face Adversity

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