When my son was about five he had a broken leg and a high fever. I brought him to the pediatrician and the pediatrician said to me this doesn’t look good. Immediately take him to the hospital right now; we have to do tests. It was already late at night. I took him to the hospital. They tried one test, they tried another. Finally the attending physician said to me the only way we can conclude what’s really happening here is we have to draw blood from a very deep vein. And so in fact they arranged the procedure. Two phlebotomists wearing all white walk into the room and they ask me to help hold down my son. He’s a little guy on the table, and one of the technicians pulls out a very long needle. And he holds it over the thigh of my son, and my son begins crying and looks up to me and says Aba, make them stop, please. And my heart melted. I had to let them do it, because it was for his health, but my heart melted. Baruch Hashem it was nothing serious. But I think there’s a powerful lesson in this mashal (parable).
The understanding that a father instinctively loves his son is something that Hashem implanted into the heart of a human. But explains the Chovos Halevavos more than any father will ever love his son is the love that Hashem feels for every one of us. Hashem loves us almost beyond our understanding. Hashem loves us to an extent that’s hard to even imagine. And much like a father feels the pain of his son, Hakadosh Baruch Hu (G-d) feels our pain. Understanding that allows me to trust in Hashem. Knowing that Hashem wishes for my betterment, knowing that Hashem is concerned for me, knowing that Hashem loves me more than I love me, is one of the basic understandings that allows me to trust in Hashem. Even if I don’t understand how this is for my best, I know my loving Father does, and I trust in Hashem to bring me to what’s best for me.
