By Rabbi Moshe Dov Heber
In the eighth perek of Megillas Esther, the passuk tells us that Haman’s estate was given to Esther and Mordechai. The Satmar Rebbe explains that had Mordechai been provided with the resources—materials, money, and skilled professionals—to build a home, he would have constructed a simple dwelling, as the righteous are content with less and have no desire for extravagance. However, Hashem orchestrated that Mordechai receive Haman’s grand and elaborate home.
Imagine asking the workers building a house who they were building it for. Of course, they would answer, “Haman!” But it was really Hashem orchestrating everything behind the scenes. Now, picture if the workers would have shown up each day if the house was being built for Mordechai!
Throughout history, we have seen similar instances of divine orchestration. For example, the shul in Shanghai that housed the Mir Yeshiva was built with precisely the right number of seats long before it was needed. Hashem arranged its construction for a purpose that only He knew at the time, ensuring that it would later serve as a refuge for Torah and its scholars in their time of need.
The following remarkable story is yet another instance where the hashgacha of Hashem was evident.
Almost a quarter-century ago in 2001, Yeshivas Kochav Yitzchok/Torah Institute of Baltimore moved into what was then a sprawling campus in Owings Mills. The beautiful building and open fields were a far cry from the rented school they had been using for decades. I vividly remember the excitement of moving in when I was in fifth grade—everything felt fresh and exhilarating, especially the brand-new beis medrash. The Boehm family, owners of Seven Mile Market, generously donated the beis medrash, and a memorable chanukas habayis celebration was held.
At the time, Seven Mile Market was operating out of a 28,000-square-foot space on Seven Mile Lane, offering a selection of kosher products. Just a stone’s throw away, Safeway, a nationally recognized chain, had opened a 55,000-square-foot store at 201 Reisterstown Road. Safeway planned to compete by offering its own kosher section, which raised concerns—how could the smaller, community-focused Seven Mile Market survive with such a large competitor nearby?
I vividly remember a speech given by Rabbi Velvel Rosen, the former Menahel, zt”l, at that event. He said, “Everyone thinks a competitor is moving into our backyard, but perhaps they are really just building a nicer location for Seven Mile Market.”
Over the years, the Safeway that had opened in that location struggled significantly and failed to thrive. Despite being a nationally recognized chain, it couldn’t make a success of that spot. However, sometime after Safeway closed, with minimal work done on the building, the space right behind Seven Mile’s original location was transformed into the spacious, bustling Seven Mile Market we know today—just as Rabbi Rosen had predicted. The store doubled in size, vastly expanding its offerings and enabling it to do much more for the Baltimore community. What initially seemed like a setback, even a challenge, turned out to be part of Hashem’s plan, paving the way for a much brighter future. What had appeared to be a bad situation was, in reality, a stepping stone to even greater things.
When you walk into Seven Mile, you’ll see the letter “S” prominently displayed on the walls throughout the store—now representing Seven Mile. However, for a newcomer, it might be hard to recognize that this same “S” once symbolized Safeway. For the owners, though, it’s a powerful, constant reminder of the brachos and guidance they receive from Hashem.
How often do we find ourselves stressed by competition or troubled by situations that seem to be going wrong? We can’t understand why Hashem is doing it, but just as in the story of Purim, what seems like a setback can actually be building something greater. Haman’s estate became Mordechai’s because Hashem wanted him to have that house. Sometimes, we don’t understand the ways of Hashem, but what appears to be difficult or challenging may be exactly what’s needed to build our future.
V’nahafoch Hu!~
Rabbi Moshe Dov Heber is a rebbe at Yeshiva K’tana of Waterbury and a division head in Camp Romimu. Rabbi Heber can be reached via email mdheber@ykwaterbury.org.
{Matzav.com}The post What Seems Broken Could Really be Building first appeared on Matzav.com.