ויצא יעקב מבאר שבע וילך חרנה. ואיתא במדרש (רבתי פס"ח סימן ב') דאמר מה אנא מוביד סברי מן בריי ח"ו לית אנא מוביד סברי מן בריי אלא (תהילים קכ״א:א׳-ב׳) עזרי מעם ה' עושה שמים וארץ ע"ש, שמעתי ממורי כשרוצין ליפרע העונש למי שהוא ראוי לעונש אזי נוטלין ממנו מדרגת הבטחון, על כן ראוי להתפלל לפניו יתברך שיתחזק בבטחון בו וכו' ודפח"ח: (ס' תולדות יעקב יוסף פ' משפטים דס"ג ע"א).
And Jacob went out from Be’er Sheva, and went toward Haran. (Genesis 27:10) The Midrash quotes Jacob as saying: “‘I will lift my eyes to the mountains. From where will my help come?’ (Psalms 121:1). What! Have I lost hope in my Creator? G‑d forbid, I certainly have not lost hope in Him; rather ‘My help comes from G‑d, who made heaven and earth’ (ibid. 121:2).”36Bereishis Rabbah 68:2. This teaches us that when the heavenly court wants to mete out punishment to a person, they first take away his trust in G‑d.37This teaching reflects a central chasidic idea that faith in G‑d as the one, true Ruler of creation can actually draw down His beneficent guidance into our lives. As long as a person completely believes in G‑d’s Providence, no other force in the world can harm him. Thus, when heaven seeks to punish someone, they first take away this trust. How good if we could have it always! The Degel Machane Ephraim, parashas Ekev, adds to this teaching (in the name of the Baal Shem Tov), that G‑d never sends afflictions to a person, unless He first throws them into depression. It is therefore wise to beseech G‑d to strengthen out trust in Him. Toldos Yaakov Yosef, Misphotim
ויצא יעקב מבאר שבע וילך חרנה. ואיתא במדרש (רבתי פס"ח סימן ב') דאמר מה אנא מוביד סברי מן בריי ח"ו לית אנא מוביד סברי מן בריי אלא (תהילים קכ״א:א׳-ב׳) עזרי מעם ה' עושה שמים וארץ ע"ש, שמעתי ממורי כשרוצין ליפרע העונש למי שהוא ראוי לעונש אזי נוטלין ממנו מדרגת הבטחון, על כן ראוי להתפלל לפניו יתברך שיתחזק בבטחון בו וכו' ודפח"ח:
(ס' תולדות יעקב יוסף פ' משפטים דס"ג ע"א).
And Jacob went out from Be’er Sheva, and went toward Haran. (Genesis 27:10)
The Midrash quotes Jacob as saying: “‘I will lift my eyes to the mountains. From where will my help come?’ (Psalms 121:1). What! Have I lost hope in my Creator? G‑d forbid, I certainly have not lost hope in Him; rather ‘My help comes from G‑d, who made heaven and earth’ (ibid. 121:2).”36Bereishis Rabbah 68:2.
This teaches us that when the heavenly court wants to mete out punishment to a person, they first take away his trust in G‑d.37This teaching reflects a central chasidic idea that faith in G‑d as the one, true Ruler of creation can actually draw down His beneficent guidance into our lives. As long as a person completely believes in G‑d’s Providence, no other force in the world can harm him. Thus, when heaven seeks to punish someone, they first take away this trust. How good if we could have it always! The Degel Machane Ephraim, parashas Ekev, adds to this teaching (in the name of the Baal Shem Tov), that G‑d never sends afflictions to a person, unless He first throws them into depression. It is therefore wise to beseech G‑d to strengthen out trust in Him.
Toldos Yaakov Yosef, Misphotim