Worry is one way to deal with reality. It’s also the more unhealthy way. Doing something about it is far more productive. We can train ourselves to ask, “What am I going to do?” instead of wallowing in the despair of asking, “What’s going to be?” You get to choose which question you’re going to ask. You can 100 reasons why you deserve to ask, “What’s going to be?” All of the reasons in the world will not make it a more productive question.
Rabbi Yisrael Lau, former chief Rabbi of Israel, related a part of a conversation he had in 1974. He was then a rabbi in a small synagogue outside of Tel Aviv and came to Brooklyn to visit the Lubavitcher Rebbe. In the middle of their conversation, the Rebbe asked him what Jews are saying these days in Israel. It was immediately after the 1973 Yom Kippur war when Israel experienced devastating losses. Rabbi Lau replied that Jews are asking each other: “Vos vet zein”? “What will be?”
The Rebbe grasped Rabbi Lau’s arm, and vehemently said: “Yiden fregen nit vos vet zein; zei fregen: vos geit men ton!” Jews don’t ask what will be; they ask: What are we going to do!
The Rebbe was emphasizing that asking “What will be” is the question of a victim. “What are we going to do” is a proactive question.
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