In this week's parsha we read another census of the Jewish People. The Chafetz Chaim points out that we find in the numbers of the Jewish People as each tribe is counted, that the tribe of Binyamin had 45,600 men, while the next tribe listed Dan had 64,400 men. We know that Binyamin had ten sons while Dan had only one son who our Sages taught us was deaf and mute. This is astonishing when we look at what should naturally have happened. How is it possible that from one son who is deaf and mute there could be so many offspring whereas from ten sons there numbers are significantly less.

The Chafetz Chaim explains that our problem is that we look at things from a natural perspective and don't internalize that Hashem is in control and not bound by nature. Hashem can bring about a tremendous dynasty from a son who is deaf and mute. It doesn't matter how many children someone else has if Hashem wants there to be many offspring there will be regardless of how it looks from a natural perspective. 

R'Elimelech Biderman related a story to illustrate this point. There was a boy in yeshiva who was not very smart and was a real "shlamazel". He wasn't successful with anything while many of his friends were very smart and successful. One day though this boy won the lottery and became tremendously wealthy. His friends all asked him "how did he do it" how was he able to pick the winning numbers? He told them that it is very easy because he had a dream in which he saw the three winning numbers. He said that he saw in the dream the numbers 17, 18, 270. His friends asked him though that there are seven numbers and not three, how then did he know which numbers to pick? He responded that here is where you need to use your brain, "I simply added up the numbers and chose the total 315". His friends thought for a moment and said we don't understand,  if you add up the numbers you only get 305, why did you choose 315? He responded that it is a good thing he doesn't know math very well otherwise he would have chosen the wrong numbers.

We shouldn't look at other people and think because they are smart or have some other attributes that they are therefore successful, nor should we ever think that if we are missing some positive quality we can't succeed because our success in everything is dependent on Hashem. 

May these words be a merit for a speedy recovery for Miriam bas Gittel

Shabbat Shalom,

Heath