WHY DO WE SUFFER? | "Likutei Etzot" | Rabbi Israel Yakobov

A Torah Lesson on Patience and Faith (by Rabbi Nachman of Breslov) Why does life sometimes get harder after a person starts doing teshuvah? A person begins keeping Shabbat, eating kosher, praying, or trying to come closer to Hashem — and suddenly, challenges appear. Financial pressure. Family tension. Embarrassment. Confusion. Inner struggle. Rabbi Nachman explains that this does not mean the person made a mistake. Sometimes it means the healing has begun. Just as bitter medicine can heal the body, hardship can sometimes heal the soul. When a person has damaged his soul through sin, Hashem may send a cleansing process — but only according to what the person can handle. Hashem does not give a challenge beyond your strength. The key is patience. Do not run back to the old life just because the beginning is hard. The difficulty may be the washing machine that is cleaning the stains of the past. But there is also an important balance. When pain happens to me, I should strengthen my faith and say: “This is from Hashem, and it is for my good.” But when someone else is suffering, I should not coldly tell them, “Everything is from Hashem.” I must feel their pain, support them, and help them. True emunah means seeing Hashem in everything — while still being kind, warm, and responsible toward others.