Question: Why did Hashem create bacteria which cause disease to man? Which means, why did Hashem create disease?
Answer: Rashi explains in one place, disease comes for a very important purpose. There's a bigger sickness that disease can overcome; that sickness is arrogance. Hagaavo Rosh Kol Chatos, the worst of all disease is arrogance, when people are conceited. But when a person comes down with a heavy cold, he's not arrogant anymore. His chest is heavy, he's coughing, he can't sleep at night, his mucous passages are irritated, it feels terrible, he's not arrogant anymore.
A sick man is not a Baal Gavaah, Rashi says that, and the purpose of illness is to tame your arrogance. That's a very important lesson. So therefore when a man is lying sick in bed, it states that the Shechina comes down and rests on him. Why does the Shechina rest on a sick man’s head? Because Hakadosh Baruch Hu likes humble people. At that time you're humble, you're broken. Oh, Hashem says, Ani Es Dakoh, I am with the broken man. But when you’re healthy and everything is going well, you're cocky, you’re arrogant, you have to know that's a bigger illness. And now come along the nice bacteria, and they help you out to take away your arrogance.
By the way, bacteria makes all the good things in life. Without bacteria you couldn't eat, in our stomachs we have bacteria to help us digest the food. Bacteria makes cream, otherwise it would never turn into cream. Bacteria causes everything to happen in this world. You'd be surprised, bacteria causes food to grow out of the ground. Bacteria are one of the most important functions in all the physical things that take place in the world.
But those bacteria that cause us to be deprived of arrogance are among the most beneficial of all of them.
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Answer: Rashi explains in one place, disease comes for a very important purpose. There's a bigger sickness that disease can overcome; that sickness is arrogance. Hagaavo Rosh Kol Chatos, the worst of all disease is arrogance, when people are conceited. But when a person comes down with a heavy cold, he's not arrogant anymore. His chest is heavy, he's coughing, he can't sleep at night, his mucous passages are irritated, it feels terrible, he's not arrogant anymore.
A sick man is not a Baal Gavaah, Rashi says that, and the purpose of illness is to tame your arrogance. That's a very important lesson. So therefore when a man is lying sick in bed, it states that the Shechina comes down and rests on him. Why does the Shechina rest on a sick man’s head? Because Hakadosh Baruch Hu likes humble people. At that time you're humble, you're broken. Oh, Hashem says, Ani Es Dakoh, I am with the broken man. But when you’re healthy and everything is going well, you're cocky, you’re arrogant, you have to know that's a bigger illness. And now come along the nice bacteria, and they help you out to take away your arrogance.
By the way, bacteria makes all the good things in life. Without bacteria you couldn't eat, in our stomachs we have bacteria to help us digest the food. Bacteria makes cream, otherwise it would never turn into cream. Bacteria causes everything to happen in this world. You'd be surprised, bacteria causes food to grow out of the ground. Bacteria are one of the most important functions in all the physical things that take place in the world.
But those bacteria that cause us to be deprived of arrogance are among the most beneficial of all of them.
Thanx Devoiry! You're always coming up with great ideas and great topics to share with everyone! Thanx so much for sharing! Wow! I never knew the good side of bacteria and how much it does for us!!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your point- just an aside- colds are caused by viruses. Better to change your mashal a bit.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise- very nice :D
smiley-glad you liked! There's something good to take from everything :-)
ReplyDeletenmf#7-I didn't write this up, it's from R' Avigdor Miller zt"l so I prefer not to change his wording.
Also, I just read that Although the initial infection that causes a cold is due to a virus, the symptoms that can be attributed to virus infection only last 1-2 days. Colds can last a week or two and this is because the damaged cells in the airways become susceptible to a secondary infection by bacteria already present there. from this page. So there is a connection!