When a person sees a terrible despair descending upon him

Our Holy Master, the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a for the holiday of Pesach - When Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our Teacher) arrived in the world, the People of Israel began to transform the suffering and afflictions into prayer and a cry to Hashem Yisbarach • Miriam said to Amram: "Pharaoh only decreed in this world, but you [decree] in this world and the World to Come - despair comes as a test a moment before the Geulah (Redemption)"

It is written, "and the Children of Israel groaned" (Exodus 2:23); they began to groan. Before this, they had not begun to groan; they suffered all the pain but were unable to groan. Sometimes a person is in terrible suffering and he cannot even groan. He accepts the suffering as his "strength," but he lacks the power even to aspire for more. He is so disconnected from the ruach chayim (spirit of life) that the suffering only depresses him further, breaking him more. Instead of the suffering awakening him to cry out and think about why this suffering came to him—to realize he is disconnected in some way from Hashem Yisbarach, from the true spirit of life, and that is why the suffering came—instead, the suffering increases his kotzer ruach (shortness of spirit/impatience), increases his kefirah (denial/heresy), increases his lack of emunah (faith), and increases his yeush (despair).

Rebbe Noson says: [Master of the World,] You continue the entire Galus (exile) so that we will awaken to teshuvah (repentance), but it is exactly the opposite—the exile only breaks us more, despairs us more, and distances us further from You. It is even impossible to awaken in teshuvah. The whole purpose of the exile is for us to awaken in teshuvah, yet we do the exact opposite. Rebbe Noson explains that until Moshe Rabbeinu arrived, they were so despondent and broken, they were in a state of kotzer ruach. But as soon as Moshe Rabbeinu just entered the world—when that soul came into the world—it already awakens all the spiritual aspects within it, even if it doesn't speak. And then, "the Children of Israel groaned from the labor"; they began to groan, they began to pray, they began to cry out to Hashem. "And they cried out, and their cry rose up to G-d." All of this happened only when Moshe Rabbeinu arrived; before that, they didn't cry out at all; they were only in despair and brokenness, and they had no cry within them.

The Gemara (Talmud) says that Amram was the leader of the generation. Once the wicked Pharaoh decreed, "Every son that is born you shall cast into the Nile," Amram said, "We are laboring in vain." He stood up and divorced his wife. Everyone else then stood up and divorced their wives. His daughter [Miriam] said to him: "Father, your decree is harsher than Pharaoh's. Pharaoh only decreed against the males, but you have decreed against both the males and the females. Pharaoh only decreed in this world, but you [decree] in this world and the World to Come. Regarding the wicked Pharaoh, it is uncertain if his decree will be fulfilled or not, but you are a tzaddik (righteous person), and your decree will certainly be fulfilled, as it is said, 'You shall decree a matter and it shall be established for you.'" He stood up and took his wife back, and everyone else stood up and took their wives back. Amram had fallen into despair - at the moment the great yeshuah (salvation) arrives, when the soul of Moshe Rabbeinu needs to be brought down to the world, which is the end of the exile—when a person stands at the threshold of salvation, standing right before the yeshuah, at that very moment, he always enters the greatest despair.

When a person sees a terrible despair descending upon him, it is a sign that he is at the threshold of salvation! He is at the peak of despair; there is no despair greater than this—throwing children into the Nile, sixty myriad (600,000) went into the Nile—there is no greater despair than this.

He already sees that everything is lost; they are throwing the children into the Nile, there is no point in bringing more children into the world, he is already at an advanced age, and so is Yocheved. Before Moshe was born, such despair fell upon all of Israel, and upon Amram fell the greatest despair until he divorced Yocheved out of intense despair. When a person sees himself on the brink of despair, seeing that everything is already lost, it's over—specifically that is the moment from which the soul of Moshe descends and comes into the world! The soul of Moshe comes into the world at the peak of despair! When people despair of the Geulah (Redemption). Just as Mashiach will only come b'hesech hadaas (unexpectedly/during a lapse of attention) when they have despaired of the Geulah.

The Shuvu Banim website staff wishes you, the readers and followers,

a peaceful and blessed Shabbat and a kosher and happy Pesach!!!