Even When it's Hazy | Rabbi Joey Haber

We live in an incredible time. And I want to tell you why. I once heard a fascinating question, that for some reason, I never thought of. You know how they say that נתקטנו הדורות, that the generations are getting less, getting worse. We always know this, we live this, that when you talk about from the days of Matan Torah till today, each generation is less. The Achronim are not the Rishonim, and today we're nowhere near even the earlier Achronim. When it comes to men, it makes a lot of sense, because in the previous generations, they learned better, they learned deeper, with more conviction and more focus. But what does נתקטנו הדורות mean in regards to a woman? Women don’t have an obligation to learn. In many cases, women might be learning more things today, than they did two or three or four hundred years ago. So I understand how men have had ירידת הדורות. How does this happen with women? And I heard a beautiful answer said in the name of R’ Shimshon Pincus. He said: The difference is that in the days of old, women saw Hashem as real. Hashem was a fact. Just like this is a jacket and this is a finger, that's how real Hashem was in front of them. And today, the presence of Hashem, our acknowledgment of Hashem, our realization of Hashem is not as real. When you sometimes talk to a grandmother, a great grandmother, they talk about Hashem, they might not be able to even read well, but they talk about Hashem as if they could see Him in front of them. Which is what makes our time an incredible time. Because there's a lot of people today who can't see Hashem as vividly and sometimes even have difficulties and have questions, Why am I not married yet? Why am I not making an income yet? I am married, why am I not satisfied with the marriage? And then all of a sudden, an image walks before them, that's tempting, and in their mind, because their realization of Hashem is a little hazy, they're more tempted. If in a moment like that, when you don't know Hashem is there, you know, but you don't know that He’s there, and you don't feel His presence and sometimes you’re even frustrated by what's happening around you, and you feel like there's a הסתר פנים that's unique to our day and our age, and you still overcome the test, and you still overcome the challenge, and you're still able to look away, we have an opportunity today, that they haven't had in generations before. Because when you could see Hashem clearly, it's like your father is standing right behind you. You’re not that tempted to turn the wrong way. But when you don't see Hashem clearly, and you still do what's right, that moment is so much more powerful. And a lot of people look for Segulos and they look for things to do, like maybe say Shir HaShirim for 40 days or Nishmas for 40 days or wear a קמע around their neck or daven in Kevarim of great people. Do this one thing. There's no greater power than that.