Delight in Hashem’s Wonderful and Efficient Machine

From Ten Aspects of Shabbas (#791) by Rabbi Avigdor Miller 

A man stopped me on the street today; he said, “Isn’t it hot to wear such a long coat today?” I said, “Look at the beautiful blue sky. Isn’t it a wonderful day? Look at the bright sunshine!” He was smiling and shook my hand he thanked me. 

We have to teach ourselves the happiness of life. Life is happy! Hashem wants us to enjoy this great gift of Olam Hazeh (This World). Know that Hashem is all kindliness. “Olam chessed yibaneh — The world was built for kindliness.” That’s bitachon (trust in Hashem’s kindness). He’s a kindly father. Instead of complaining, instead of ignoring all the blessings, let’s utilize shabbas to sing about the work of Hashem’s hands: Summer and winter, spring and fall. Always let’s be happy in Hashem’s phenomena each one is a separate course in that great banquet that he serves us in this life. 

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We have to teach ourselves the happiness of life 

Weather provides different forms of enjoyment. Rain is wonderful; we pray for it. Winds are wonderful. Cold is very good. Cold causes the earth to stop producing. Otherwise the earth would become arid. It would overproduce; and lose all the fertility. Winter time cold says stop, and the earth regains all of its lost materials in preparation for the coming spring. Cold is a great blessing. 

Night time is a blessing. “Bichachma posaich shiarim uvisivunah mishaneh itim” (Maariv)  — Hashem brings a darkness with wisdom. Don’t think darkness is such a simple thing. Darkness is a wonderful arrangement. Hashem makes the world turn in such a wonderful system. It can’t be beat for simplicity, for accuracy, for efficiency.

The way Hashem arranges the system of the seasons and of the days and nights is a wonderful mechanism. Nothing could be better. We don’t begin to appreciate how great is the wisdom that’s put into this wonderful and efficient machine of Olam Hazeh! 

A sense of the happiness of this world, and the bitachon, the confidence in the kindliness of Hashem, should be results of shabbas. Shabbas should make you happy. Try to appreciate that great gift. That’s part of the function of shabbas. 

Climb the Ladder: The cycle of day and night should remind us that time slips away swiftly. Resolve (without a vow) for one week to make one small improvement in your mitzvah observance each day and each night.