Rabbi Paysach Krohn | Emunah In Challenging Times | CHAZAQ

Good evening everyone. Welcome to tonight's very special shar. We have the great honor to hear from Pesak Kronita momentarily. It's being presented by the Kazak organization. Want to thank of course for opening his doors for Rabbi Alba everyone behind the scenes. Let's give a round of applause for all for hosting tonight. And of course tonight's very special shar is being dedicated leeli nishad in live in memory of of Shosana and Rakhim the mother Dora Bad Zilpa namash and aliyah amen and of course um um um Rahim and Josh they're very close with Khazak this is the fifth year that they're dedicating Mashia in in in her memory and of course they always partnered together with Khazak and they're always looking to do more how we help the community. And just a few words about who Dorabad Zilpa was. She was a very strong woman who went through a lot in her life. Never complained. Very close to a bar to Hashem with a lot of shamay, lot of lots of fear of Hashem, always speaking to Hashem and always praying to him out loud. Very spiritual, always reading to heal him. And she personified strength, pleasantness, and spirituality. And the family wants to thank Hashem for having such an amazing mother. And of course they miss her deep deeply. And of course um tonight as as well as um everyone should take upon themselves when they make bra in the back as well as she tonight they should um it should all be nish dabila. Amen. And um the family asked that um I think on Tuesday night everyone should I'm saying everyone should take tonight before they leave all the women should take uh um one of the tea lightss in the back and light and light it of course Mosaishmas and it's um we're also dedicating it for Leela Nishmat Misha Ben Tamar of Tipor to Bacho Sha and for the Zuk for Sara Yafa Bacho Shaa and just a quick word about Kazak of course everyone knows Kazak for amazing Sherman programs that put Kazak puts on that inspires thousands of people throughout the years, men, women, young and old. And Kazak's main focus, main mission is to inspire tens of thousands of public school students who are neighbors right down the block might be a relative, a neighbor, co-orker, and we all have to say something. What are we going to do about it? So maybe maybe a person who's right here, they might say, "Okay, fine. I'm not involved in Kira. I'm not a cure professional." But everyone knows um somebody in their family, a friend, co-orker and of course they should refer them to Khazak. Um over 20 different after school programs for public school students and transfer over,900 students from public school yes. So of course everyone should get involved and um we actually have a um public service announcement you might have seen outside that um that if anyone's not registered to vote, they can sign up today. Um there's um Izzy, there's Arlene over here. So right after this shear, Arlene's over there, Izzy's is over there in the back. And of course they they can um sign up if they're not registered to vote. Um and um I think we we have a very special topic tonight and I think it's connected um of course to to the great rabbi Rabbi Cronin. So back a few months ago um um when of course cla the Jewish people literally tens of thousands hundred thousand people around the world had one focus what was it that we have to that we that we need Rabbi Pesak Cone to have a full Shala back in all the way back in December now a few months ago and that everybody was gathering together dedicating Shirim and having to heal him and everyone so all the coming together and what happened um Kaz Zach the the first event right after um we heard about Rabbit Cron we were say we're going to dedicate an event it was back in December and um it was it was Rav Gav Freeman there was over 200 people and we dedicated in memory I'm saying for the foolish of Rabbi Crow and where was that year it was literally where I'm standing right here so it's uh coming full circle and I think that's definitely the the amuna that we all have that we um Hashem thank you Hashem that we have Rabbi Chrome back and um let's all um let's all rise and give a round of applause to call upon. [Applause] First and foremost, I want to thank Hashem that I have the strength and that I'm able to come here after a few months of having that terrible illness that struck me. I'm so grateful that I'm able to come to speak to the one of the great organizations in Kagra. Kazak Kazak, of course, the strengthened Kag Israel. And you heard 1,900 children already in yeshivas out of public school. That's the future generations. It's something so very special. Of course, I thank Robbie Abof. And I would ask all of you to give a hand to my dear aid [Applause] [Music] volt. He has a heart of gold. I'm tell if I would tell you what he does for me. It's sometimes it's so embarrassing, you know, how helpless a person can become and and he's there all the time. He's always thinking ahead. Every time I wash, he has salt on the table. Every time I wash my hands, he's got towels ready. He's thinking five steps ahead. So again, I thank Hashem and I thank many of you for coming. Many of you I know for many years. I have a new friend Shrai Mandel who made a special effort to come. I thank you and his mother for bringing him and I hope that we'll be able to all be inspired tonight. This past Friday, I got a devastating text. I was so shocked from that text. I have a dear friend that I know for more than 20 years, and he writes me like this. He said, "I know you're going to feel bad about what I'm about to tell you, but he said about himself, I'm going through a difficult medical condition." He said, "I he said he was diagnosed in 2011, and at that time it remained dormant. His illness remained dormant. So the doctors felt that they didn't have to do anything for 13 years, they felt they didn't have to do anything. But then in November 2024, he said that they said that they have to give him six rounds of chemotherapy. And now he's about to take his second one. But he said, "Don't worry, all is good. He doesn't have terrible pain." And then he said something which is so amazing. And that's going to be the theme for tonight. He said there is a reason why the windshield the front mirror of the car is much bigger than the rear view mirror when you look backwards. And he said the reason is because you advance by looking at what is in front of us. So when you look at what's in front of you, you need a big perspective, a big windshield wiper, a big windshield glass. But to look at what's behind, that's not what's important. That's why the rear view mirror is much smaller. And then he said like this a person should never say oh what was in the past a person should always say no what let's see what I could do how I could grow from now that's what the attitude that a person should have we have a big perspective somebody goes through a challenge and we all go through different challenges let's not look back and say oh boy what the way it was in the past how wonderful it was no that's not how you're supposed to look at it you're supposed to look at that Hashem put you in this position and what can I do? How can I grow from this and I want to show you how in the Rabi Aka did the same thing. Imagine if you were raka and you had 24,000 and they died. So what would you say? Okay, Hashem, I get it. Obviously you don't like my Torah. I'm out of here. I'll go do something else. That's not what he did. What yaka did was that he said to five it's also in the medish and he said look we made a mistake we didn't teach them properly we didn't teach them to give honor to their friends the way they were supposed to let's start over again we're not going to say oh what was in the past we had 24,000 tid no let's see how we can grow in the future and he held that in so much Israel Torah was rebuilt in a way that it was never rebuilt before. And so therefore, that's what Akiva had. He had that big windshield glass in front of him. He looked to see what he could do, how he could grow in the future, not only to say, "Oh no, look what happened in the past and you know, we lost so much." That's not the way to do it. And I think that the way we can look forward is when we have hope, it's with and that's what we're going to talk about tonight. how a person should have trust and faith in Hashem and to look forward and be confident that Hashem can help him. So I want to tell you a story I it's very painful for me to tell you the story as you'll see in a second and I've told it many times but I think it's a very important lesson. We said that to look through that big windshield the perspective is with a person has to have faith and trust in Hashem that things can work out. So I remember when I was 21, my father was very sick. He never had lung cancer. I'm the oldest of seven children. I was learning in Turboas and I knew that if my father dies, I'm going to have to leave the yeshiva and I'll become a moil. He had taught me already how to be a Moil and I would have to support my mother and my six younger brothers and sisters. Now my father was in a hospital right outside Washington Heights. And in Washington Heights, the one who was the rub at that time was R of Shiman Schwab, who was a good ladder and a brilliant person. And he had taught in many many years ago. And my father was one of his students. And my father admired him very much. And when he knew that he was going to be in a hospital outside Washington Heights, he called him and he said, "Would it be okay if my two sons would be with you for Shabas and then they could come visit me after Musaf or after the meal?" And Raf Schwab said of course fine. So after Musaf I went to the hospital. I went to visit my father and I came back and Raf Schwab was sitting with his wife at the table. They were waiting for me that I should come that they could begin the meal. And my and Rav Schwab said to me, "So how's your father?" So I said, "I have bet that he'll be well." That's what I said. I have that he'll become better. And he got very stern with me and he said does not mean that your father's going to get better. I thought I would die. Here I'm I'm a frightened 21-year-old kid waiting for my father to get better so I don't have to leave the yeshiva and I don't have to go out into the world and support my mother and younger brothers and sisters. And here the god is telling me doesn't mean that your father's going to get well. He said I'll tell you what means means that hashem has a master plan and one day hopefully you'll be able to understand it. Bad things happen. If somebody loses a child, somebody loses a spouse, that's awful. And anybody who says it's awfully good, is crazy, is out of their minds. Bad things happen. But at the end of time, we'll be able to understand why it had to happen. That's what means means that we have trust and faith that Hashem knows exactly what he's doing. And that's why certain things that happen even though that we don't understand it. Of course, we would like to understand it. I could just tell you a small thing. This Shabbat, I'm going to be at an organization that is so painful. It's called Samu. Samu is for widows. At this Shabaton, there's going to be close to 500 widows. Sometimes when I make kush for them Friday night, I look around and I think how many tears were shed by these poor women, right? But where did I get the sensitivity to go there every year on the Shabbaton? And now they have two shabatons. One for the older uh widows and one for the younger ones. Now, of course, the younger ones, they don't want to be with the older ones. The older ones don't want to be with the younger ones. You know, everybody's got their own hangups. And I, you know, I can't say I blame them, but where did I learn to feel a sensitivity for a widow? Cuz I saw what my mother went through. And I'm telling you, for my mother, it was so terrible to be alone. And I lived that every Friday night. I'm embarrassed to tell you this, but do you know that that Friday night my mother used to set a set a you know a smooth night from four and for my father even though he wasn't there she couldn't acknowledge and and come to come to life with the fact that he wasn't there we made her stop it was too painful to see that at the table but but in other words that's how I got a sensitivity who knows maybe my father had to pass away and I had to be so young and live with my mother for so many years and realize and that's why I'm able to help all these women from some now I want to tell you a fascinating thing that I saw by the way there's a wonderful set of books I mean there's so many they've sold tens of thousands Rabbi Doashir wrote living amuna and they are fabulous books and he has for children and for teens and for adults they're wonderful and in there he tells something very amazing we know that the says in Shabas that at the end of time we're going to be asked certain questions and one of the questions we're going to be asked is Yeshua did you hope for the salvation now the simple theor is did you hope for the salvation that Mashiach was going to come that's the way everybody understands the Gmorra however the says something else he says to peace Yeshua whenever you had a challenge did you hope to Hashem Did you have a bet in Hashem? That's what you're going to be asked. So each one of us, that's part of what being a Jew is all about to have trust and faith in Hashem. And that's why we say Yeshua. That's what the says Yeshua. Did you have faith, you know, in the difficult times? Now, there's an amazing Ramban. Now, if you look in the Ramban, I just want to tell you, if you get a chance, if you could read it in English, He talks about what being a Jew is all about and what am he says the amazing thing. He says if you have a little muza, a muza that cost $1, but you believe everything that says in that muza to Israel and that Hashem took us out of when we thought we would never get out and Hashem saved us and he made us a nation. That's what Hashem wants more than anything else. Now he writes like this more who is up above what he wants more from anybody everybody else that's here in this world is to know that Hashem is here and that's why we go to we go to so that we can say out loud the we say we are your creations that's what hashem wants more than anybody anything else that we should believe in him and trust in him and not have blind faith and say oh everything is going to turn out good because we know sometimes the doesn't work out or you know or the you know the child is not the most healthy so we know that difficult things happen but we have to have that Hashem knows what he's doing and that's what Hashem wants from all of us that we should do in this world have trust and faith in everything about him and just to be able to say that we are his creations. Now, I just want to tell you something that's so amazing. We remember a couple years ago that terrible, terrible tragedy in where 45 people neb passed away in a horrific way. And you know, everybody was trying to define that moment. How could such a thing happen? And who's a great speaker in Israel and you could get his speeches in Hebrew, Yiddish, and in English. And he's phenomenal. He said something that I thought was so fabulous. I don't know if it was his own thought or if he heard it from somebody else, but it was absolutely amazing. And he said like this in the Mishna in it says you should know what's above you and I sees an ears and everything is written down. So we're all familiar with that Mishna. But listen how he said remember 45 that's higher than you. You're never going to understand it. In other words, there are certain things that happen in life and we cannot understand why is Hashem doing it. Why did Hashem do it? You know, sometimes we see good people suffer or we're doing good things and things and difficult things happen and we want to know why. And we'll talk about if a person is allowed to ask why. But the point is we have to remember those 45 are way above you. You'll never understand why such a thing had to happen. And that's what we said. That's what Hashem says. Yeshm just as as the sky is so much higher from the earth. My ways are so much higher than yours that you can't always understand it. So again, does not mean that everything is going to be good. But means that we have a trust and a faith in Hashem that he knows what he's doing, what he's doing, and eventually we'll be able to understand it. That's really how we have to do this. Now, I want to tell you something so amazing. Now, I'm going to say a gar right now that in my life, I would never have the courage to say it except that the Gumar says it. Otherwise you wouldn't be able to say these words out of your mouth. The now all of us everybody here heard of had many many problems and the says to Hashem maybe a whirlwind one got over you and you got mixed up while you don't know how to spell my name. My name is not spelled I'm not your enemy is my name. Well, you forgot how to spell my name. How could somebody dare talk to Hashem like that? I would never have the even to repeat this said that the Gumra is telling it to us. And if the Gmorra is telling it to us, so then obviously it must be a reason and we have to learn a lesson. And the lesson is let's see what Hashem answered when he said such a shelf statement. Hashem said to Where were you when I created the world? I laid the foundations of the world. How can you tell me in your if you're so smart? In other words, you come into a sh and you walk in, right? Rabbi Joey Hab is giving a sh or Rabbi Mansour is giving a shir. You walk in 20 minutes late and then you ask a question. You can't ask a question because you came in in the middle. You don't know the whole story. You're watching a video and then you don't understand part of the plot. You're wondering how could this happen? Well, you didn't weren't there in the beginning. So, you don't know. That's when Hashem says, "I have a master plan from the beginning of the world. A fora where will you be the when I laid the foundations for the world for the world? You tell me if you're so smart." And now I want to tell you something says that you could almost say he's adorable. All of us say ash three times a day, right? So listen to this and listen how said we we say this watches all who he loves and all the wicked people he wipes them out. Now let's say a guy comes late to sh and the starts doubting and he says like this although he loves and he wipes out hashem what are you doing why are you wiping out these people excuse me sir you came in late you didn't hear the first part that says and what happens if a guy leaves sh early what does he hear right he didn't finish the end of the at showing that Hashem wipes them out. Terror says that we don't live long enough. What do we live 60 70 80 90 years but the world is thousands of years and there's a whole story. There's a whole master plan and that's how we have to look at it that we don't understand exactly what's going on because we weren't there around at the beginning of the story now. So, so what are we going to do about it? So of course we have to have trust and faith and how could we make that Hashem should change his mind so to speak is an expression that means as if you were able to say such a thing you know if let's say they are gazot which we know today there are terrible in with the hostages and the soldiers and everything like that so what what could we do so listen to this it's one and Zakai was walking outside and his tal Yeshua was going along with him and they saw the the place where the B mig once stood and now it was destroyed. So Yeshua started crying and he said, [Music] "Rebi, now that we have the and we have this is a place where Jews would get, how are we going to get? There's no way." Now listen what he answered him. He said, "My child, don't worry. There is a way that we could get if you do favors and that's what the says Hashem says I want to see don't worry about the in other words every single one of us if we want to have good in this world so says what can we do to be saved from the pains of Msiah of course to as we said that's what says that's what wants every Jew to have but we have to do every single day and in the writes a person has to be so careful not one day should go by from today that you don't do a favor for every another two now I mean out of the house Just because you make your husband coffee, that doesn't mean you're a big bass. And just because a husband buys a wife flowers, that doesn't mean he's a big bass. That's if you know what's good for you, that's what you're going to do. But the idea is a person I feel, and I said this a thousand times, have a notebook. Write down before you go to sleep one that you did for somebody and write down the date. And then in 5 years, you look back, you know, I didn't waste that. I did something for somebody. And that's what Hashem wants and and of course to learn to every day and that's what stands for all around making sure that there's there's to for the boys and the girls and everything like that. So how are we going to give each other so I'll tell you the way that I feel and I get this way every day. The zohara kadosh writes and brings this the remedy for a person in this world is the way if you're keshma properly I want to teach you now how you should say kisheshma three times a day and I'm telling you you're going to feel good you'll see it's that's what the zoha says it's a remedy and this is what you're supposed to do we know that hashem has many names and each name represents something else. Hashem represents Hashem's orim represents and so we say like this is we close our eyes so we're able to concentrate and we don't see anything else. Hashem now every single one of us every man, woman and child here tonight in every one of us that's going to be watching all around the world. to any time has a lot of good that they have in this world. Just think about it. Whether it's your parents or your spouse, if you still like them, I hope and your children or you have a job or you have a house. We have many, many, many good things. And we have to think of that every single day. Hashem, stop. Make a comma after the word. Hashem is think of all the good things that you have. What I do now, especially since the stroke, every night before I go to sleep, I close my eyes and I try to think of 10 good things that happened to me that day. And I feel so good about that because I see that Hashem is helping me. You know, a person who has a stroke, sometimes you want to scream. You get so upset. You know, there's simple things that you can't do. You know, you need two hands to to make your tie. You need two hands to fasten your seat belts. And, you know, to get dressed, I can't do my buttons. You know, it's awful. It's absolutely awful. But then how am I going to get strength? But you look at the good things that you have. Look at the wonderful things that you have. And Voltater, my go my my uh my dear aid, he said to me recently, he gave me mous. He's not Jewish, but he gave me mous. He said, and I appreciate it. I He said, "Rabbi Cron, I want to tell you something, but I hope you won't be upset." I said, 'Okay, B, you know, I love you and you love me, so tell me what do you want to say? He says, 'I know that sometimes you're so frustrated and you get so upset, but just remember you have a great wife and also you're able to go and speak and teach thousands of people. It goes on tour any time. So think about that how grateful and how good Hashem is giving you that opportunity. And he's right. I was wrong. I think he knows what Yashiko meant. [Applause] So you wouldn't think that you could get mus from a Filipino but you can't. But that's really so that's how I believe that's how we should say the shama and when you say the shama that way it gives you strength. So again we know that we have to do. So I want to tell you a great story of and I saw this with my own eyes. It's amazing. In the five towns, they have an organization called Mashl. And what they do is the women, they come to a certain warehouse and they bring the clothes of their children that's used but still in good shape and they send it on a trailer twice a year. Once once in Pes they send it to for poor people. And in there's an organization of course same organization and they take all the clothes they put it in boxes and like this poor people are able to get it. So, you know the story. It's fabulous. Listen to this. So, there was one lady who was opening up one of the boxes that she got from America and it was beautiful children's clothes. And then she noticed that there was a dress for an adult and she wasn't expecting a dress for an adult in that box. So, she took it out and she put it, you know, in front of it to see if it would fit her. And it looked like it would. So she called her husband and she said, "You know, we have to go to Shvas tonight and I don't have a pretty dress, but this looks beautiful. I think this is going to fit me, so we'll be able to go tonight." So sure enough, she puts it on. And as she's about to leave the house, she feels a pin sticking into her skin. And she couldn't believe what is that pin? She didn't see it before. Of course, she didn't try it on before. And you would not believe what I'm about to tell you. When she opened up the pin, she saw there was an envelope stuck onto that pin. And I was stuck on the dress. And in the envelope was a letter and it said like this. If you are wearing this dress, you probably can use the money that I put in. Use it with in good health. In there was $195. That's the amount she needed to pay the rent that month. If I would see that lady from the five towns, I would sit down so I could stand up for her. Of course, vol would have to help me stand up. Okay. But the point is that's what is all about. You have to think out of the box. And you can imagine that Hashem, you know, would take care of a woman like that. And then I want to tell you one more thing and I I love the fact that this is means heart and the says what what is that? What is the surface of the heart? That's so listen. If somebody sees that they and they didn't get answered, don't ever give up again as it says. Hope to Hashem and strengthen yourself. Sometimes you don't get what you want right away. Sometimes somebody's waiting to get married, you know, for years or to have the baby for years or to get the house or to get the job. Never ever give up. Have amuna, have faith and know means that hashem has a master plan and hopefully one day we'll be able to understand it and just keep on ding and if you dab and you're not answered just ding again don't ever give up and that's it's it's interesting. That's what that's what the says and we've come to the organization of so and all those who work deserve a tremendous round of applause. because you're helping so many of us. I I I it's amazing. How many times have I spoken to December 31st at night, you know, and January 1st, so that you know when everybody's in Time Square drunk, you know, we're we're talking Shir and Torah. It's just amazing. And the tish of everything that they do and we're a great nation. We have the greatest people in the nation. And Hashem loves us more than anything else. And as the Raan told us, what he wants is what did to trust in Hashem and know that not everything always good happens, but at the end, but then at the end of time will know that everything was and everything had to happen the way it happened because there was a master plan. Hashem should venture all of you. I thank you all for coming. I thank Hashem again for allowing me to come to speak at this great organization. Hashem should bless all of you, especially all of you that are listening all around the world. Robbie, keep up your great work and I give you a braha. Next year this time you should come here with your wife. Amen. Amen. [Applause] Thank you for inviting me and thank you for listening.