For the Asking
A wealthy New Yorker, who is an old acquaintance of mine, sadly informed me that his son was ill with a terrible sickness. He suffered greatly from this illness, which had no known cure. The distraught father turned to me in desperation. “Honored Rav,” I will give you whatever amount you ask of me. A hundred thousand dollars, two hundred thousand, three hundred thousand; you name the price. Just make my son healthy!”
I blessed his son warmly with a speedy recovery. I watched the man leave my room with pity in my eyes. There are some things which one just cannot buy with money. Health and life cannot be bought with cash. They are in Hashem’s hands alone.
Freedom is another thing to which Hashem alone holds the keys. How many people are imprisoned, rightfully and not! How many POWs are languishing in foreign prisons! No amount of money can extricate them from their bondage. Even the dreadful despot, Sadaam Hussein, may his memory be obliterated, the president of Iraq, spent his last days caged in a bunker in the bowels of the earth. He did not see the light of day, in spite of his dazzling wealth.
Childbirth is also solely in Heaven’s hands. All the money in the world cannot buy a baby.
Hashem holds the keys to these things. But He is a loving Father. He awaits our prayers, which have the power to draw down Heavenly blessing. Let us place our trust in Him alone, and ask for our needs from His broad hand.
