A Moment Gone Viral | Rabbi David Haber

We have a very unique directive given to us from the Chachamim, and that is that Chazal tell us that every day we should say, that the world was created for me. That means that all its contents and all its beauty and all its essence was created for my betterment and my advancement. Which begs the following question, If that's the case, then why in the world did Boreh Olam put in His world so many obstacles and so many challenges relating to the issue of Shemirat HaEinayim? The reason, I believe, is this. A few weeks ago, a remarkable event took place in Deal, New Jersey. It was an event to fundraise for Keren Olam HaTorah, one of the greatest efforts in the history of all of Judaism. And many Gedolim came that day to partake in this fundraiser. The event, of course, was hosted in a beautiful, beautiful home on the ocean. As the event was about to start, the great Rosh HaYeshiva, R’ Dovid Cohen shlit”a, from Chevron Yeshiva, walked into the home. And what was unique about this particular moment is R’ Dovid walked straight to the backyard, directly to the ocean, solely so he could say the Beracha of עושה מעשה בראשית. ברוך אתה אדוני אלוהינו מלך העולם עושה מעשה בראשית. -אמן! Somebody videoed this particular moment and it went viral across the Jewish stratosphere. Why? A rabbi saying a Beracha warrants this video to be seen by thousands, if not tens of thousands? The reason, I think, is this. You see, this home is beautiful. It's perhaps one of the most opulent and magnificently furnished homes in all of the United States. And yet, all of that did not catch the rabbi's attention. The only thing that caught his attention was the ocean, so he could say a Beracha. You see, the world was created for us. Even the things that we're not supposed to see were created so that we deliberately don't look at them. We can walk around and we can fly and we can drive and we can walk on the street and we could ask a simple question, Hashem, why did You put this here? What's the purpose of all of these challenges? Why must I avert my eyes at every corner? Why must I look away? Why must I hinder my ability to move forward all because these things are in my way? The answer is בשבילי נברא העולם. Hashem specifically created these things, specifically put these challenges in our way so that we can avert our eyes. It's a gift that's given to each and every one of us. You see, when we can maintain our focus, when we can keep our eye on the prize, when we can avoid looking at all the things that the world has put in our way, then that moment, in the Heavens, goes viral.