Distress As Spiritual Birth
במדרש אשר לו א' קרובים
In the Midrash on the verse, "He has those who are close to Him."
The Sfas Emes opens by citing a Midrash on the phrase that speaks of those who are close to Hashem.
יענך ה' ביום צרה מה ביום צרה מלה"ד ליושבת על המשבר מי שענה לאמך יענך כו' דכ' ביעקב העונה אותי ביום צרתי כו'
On the verse, "May Hashem answer you on the day of distress" (Tehillim 20:2) — why specifically "on the day of distress"? The Midrash offers a parable to a woman sitting upon the birthing-stool: "May He who answered your mother answer you," as it is written regarding Yaakov, "the One who answers me on the day of my distress" (Bereishis 35:3).
The Midrash asks why the verse promises help specifically on a "day of distress," and answers with a parable of a woman in labor, linking it to Yaakov who declared that Hashem answers him in his time of distress.
פי' כי יום הוא ע"ש אור כי טוב
The explanation is that "day" is so called on account of the light, as it is written, "And Hashem saw the light, that it was good" (Bereishis 1:4).
He explains that the word "day" inherently denotes light and goodness, as in the creation account where the light is called good.
א"כ מה ביום צרה
If so, how can there be a "day of distress" — how can distress be called a "day"?
This raises a difficulty: if "day" means light and good, the term "day of distress" seems self-contradictory.
ומתרץ כי כל צרה שלא תבוא על בנ"י היא רק לטובה כצרת היולדת שהיא הכנה אל הלידה
And the Midrash resolves this: that every distress which befalls Bnei Yisrael is solely for their good, like the distress of a woman in labor, which is itself a preparation for the birth.
The resolution is that any distress that comes upon Bnei Yisrael is really for their benefit, just as a mother's labor pains are the very means that bring the birth.
לכן אמר מי שענה לאמך כי כן סדר הלידה ע"י צרה זאת
Therefore it says, "May He who answered your mother" — for such is the order of birth, that it comes about by means of this very distress.
The parable of "He who answered your mother" fits precisely, because birth itself happens specifically through that painful distress.
כמו כן אך טוב לישראל אלקים כו'
In the very same way, "Surely Hashem is good to Yisrael" (Tehillim 73:1) — even the distress is ultimately for their good.
So too with Bnei Yisrael, Hashem is fundamentally good to them, and even their hardships are channels for their ultimate good.
וכמ"ש ביעקב ביום צרתי כי כל הצרות שעברו על יעקב הי' הכל הכנה לטובת בנ"י
And so it is as it is written regarding Yaakov, "on the day of my distress," for all the troubles that passed over Yaakov were entirely a preparation for the good of Bnei Yisrael.
Yaakov's words about his "day of distress" teach that all the troubles he endured were really a preparation for the future good of Bnei Yisrael.
וכ"כ ועת צרה ליעקב היא להיות וממנה יושע
And this is the meaning of, "And it is a time of distress for Yaakov" (Yirmiyahu 30:7) — its very purpose is, "but from it he shall be saved."
The verse calling it a "time of distress for Yaakov" continues with "but from it he shall be saved," showing that the salvation emerges from within the distress itself.
לכן כ' אלקים קרובים אליו שגם מדה"ד לבנ"י היא לקרב ולא לרחק
Therefore it is written, "Hashem is close to him" — for even the attribute of strict justice, when directed toward Bnei Yisrael, comes to draw them near and not to push them away.
Therefore even the attribute of strict justice, when applied to Bnei Yisrael, functions to bring them closer to Hashem rather than to distance them.
וכל התחדשות שצריך להיות נולד בישראל היא בחי' לידה וזהו יענך ביום צרה
And every renewal that must come to be born within Yisrael is itself an aspect of birth, and this is the meaning of, "May He answer you on the day of distress."
Every new spiritual growth that must emerge within Bnei Yisrael is like a birth, which explains why the answer comes precisely on the "day of distress."
ישגבך ש"א יעקב:
"May the Name of the God of Yaakov fortify you" (Tehillim 20:2).
The piece closes with the verse's continuation, that the God of Yaakov should fortify and strengthen us.
Summary: The Sfas Emes asks why the verse promises that Hashem answers "on the day of distress," when the word "day" denotes light and goodness, as in the creation account where the light was called good. Drawing on the Midrash's parable of a woman in labor and on Yaakov's words about "the day of my distress," he resolves that every distress which befalls Bnei Yisrael is solely for their good, just as a mother's birth pangs are the very means that produce the birth. Thus all the troubles Yaakov endured were a preparation for the future good of Bnei Yisrael, and "a time of distress for Yaakov" itself becomes the source from which "he shall be saved." From here we learn that even the attribute of strict justice, when directed at Bnei Yisrael, serves to draw them near rather than push them away. Every renewal that must be born within Bnei Yisrael is an aspect of birth, and this is precisely why Hashem answers on the day of distress.