Sublime

Bias: To believe in G-d’s ultimate goodness, to know that blessings await us beneath the surface of our experience, no matter how bleak, to actively seek those blessings out, and to spread their light to the world beyond.

By the same token, the merchant must be sure that his store is clean, well-stocked and appealing to customers. Once that has been done, he prays to Hashem for success.

For the rabbi in distress—and for his oppressed and colonized people—Elijah breaks the rules of the game, in which the Romans governing Palestine (or the Persians governing Babylonia) always win and the Jews always lose. Elijah in disguise opens unpredictable possibilities.

2. To find glory in tribulation is not hard for one who truly loves, for to glory in this manner is to glory in the cross of our Lord. The glory exchanged among men is brief. The glory of this world is always accompanied by sadness. The glory of a good person is in his own conscience and not in the praise of others.