Q:
You spoke tonight about the benefits of suffering. If a person suffers from worrying about something, does this kind of suffering also have a beneficial effect?
A:
Now let me tell you something. Hakodosh Boruch Hu supplies us with enough tests and trials without our creating them ourselves.
So if somebody, chas v’shalom, is beset by worries that he didn’t create, he’s beset by illnesses that he didn’t create, then it’s a test from Hashem min haShomayim and it’s going to make him all the better for the fact that he’s able to live righteously despite his worries and despite his troubles.
But when somebody starts imagining things and he brings unreal worries upon himself or somebody is careless with his health and he brings artificially induced illness upon himself, he’s not going to get any reward for tests that he brought upon himself. On the contrary, Hashem says, “I didn’t want you to suffer for nothing and you are making yourself suffer in vain; therefore it’s a sin that you’re suffering.”
And therefore, any kind of self-induced suffering deserves no reward at all. Our job is to take care of ourselves because we have to treat ourselves like we treat our fellowman. Can you cause your fellowman suffering? It’s a sin. So you shouldn’t cause this fellowman, yourself, any suffering either. And therefore if you do, you get no reward. On the contrary, you’re held responsible for not taking care of that person who is your own ward, your charge – that’s your own body.
October 1988
