Dealing with Rejection
She lets out a heavy sigh. She wants to cry from frustration. She feels rejected.
Why?
She keeps trying to go somewhere and doesn’t get there.
She keeps trying to do something and it doesn’t get done.
She keeps waiting for change and it doesn’t come.
She tries to approach the situation from a different angle but gets nowhere.
Why?
Why didn’t she get that job? Why didn’t they accept her into that school? Why did he say no?
She doesn’t understand why the test came back negative.
Was all her effort in vain?
God's wrath flared because he was going, and an angel of the Lord stationed himself on the road to thwart him, and he was riding on his she-donkey, and his two servants were with him (Bamidbar 22:22).
to thwart him: It was an angel of mercy [as the Name vuvh denotes the attribute of mercy], and he wanted to prevent him from sinning, for should he sin, he would perish. — [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 8, Num. Rabbah 20:13]
The she-donkey saw the angel of the Lord stationed on the road with his sword drawn in his hand; so the she-donkey turned aside from the road and went into a field. Balaam beat the she-donkey to get it back onto the road. The angel of the Lord stood in a path of the vineyards, with a fence on this side and a fence on that side. The she-donkey saw the angel of the Lord, and she was pressed against the wall. She pressed Balaam's leg against the wall, and he beat her again. The angel of the Lord continued going ahead, and he stood in a narrow place, where there was no room to turn right or left (ibid 22:23-26).
You turn to the right and you feel like you’re getting
nowhere. You turn to the left and it’s the same. You try every direction and you’re stuck. Or so you think. You’re being rejected. Or so you think.
But don’t you see. Sometimes the very thing that impedes your way is the very thing that was sent to protect you. The obstacle is really there to help you.
The Lord opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a sword drawn in his hand. He bowed and prostrated himself on his face…Balaam said to the angel of the L
ord, "I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing on the road before me (ibid 22:31-34).
If only Hashem would open our eyes with such clarity to see that no means yes.
If only we could see how He closes one door, to open another.
If only we could see how that thing we wanted so much, but didn’t get, wasn’t good for us or wouldn’t be good for us-whether it be physically, mentally, or spiritually.
If only we could see.
If only we could see that it truly was, is for our good and that it comes from a place of mercy.
If only we could see.
May we be blessed to see.
Shabbat Shalom,
Elana