Kiflei Kiflayim (a multiplicity of reward)

What the Rav said:

This is the way of Hashem Yitbarach, that on every suffering that a person experiences, he can be certain that Hashem will give him back manifold on every type of suffering he faced.

And, not only does Hashem pay a person back manifold for every type of suffering, but even if a person lost the chance to do some mitzvah it is certain that Hashem will return to him the mitzvah that he lost in a far greater and more powerful way.

My thoughts:

Sometimes we may think that we suffer, down here, for no reason (G-d forbid). That’s just the way it is, that’s life, what can you do…?

When we have a bit more ‘yishuv daat’ (settled mind), we can understand that our suffering is a kapparah (an atonement) for sins or transgressions we’ve done – in this life or a previous life.

But, there’s a higher level too. The understanding that not only is the suffering wiping away our sins, and cleaning the slate, but it’s also storing up for us an even greater reward.

There’s a story of a man who the king wants to reward. So, they let him enter into the king’s treasury and take whatever he wants. The place is filled with gold, silver, diamonds, jewels, you name it…

He looks around and grabs some handfuls of gold coins, some diamonds a few precious stones, whatever he can hold, and heads to the exit. At the door, he sees a guard. He looks at him nervously, but continues for the exit. As he passes the guard, the guard looks at him, begins to laugh, and knocks him down to the floor. He drops everything.

He gets up and the guard simply laughs at him, and tells him he can go back if he wants and get something else. This happens repeatedly. He keeps getting knocked down. He keeps losing everything. The guy is broken, what’s the point. Every time I try to take something, he just knocks it all out of my hands, and takes me out too.

Eventually, after repeatedly knocking him to the floor and losing all of his precious reward. He makes one final journey towards the exit, his hands full with diamonds and pearls. He knows what’s coming but what else can he do?

This time, the guard doesn’t knock him down. Instead, the guard, still smiling, hands him a huge empty box. He points to all the spilled gold and jewels on the floor and tells the man. ‘Now pick up all you have collected and take everything with you.’