Bless for the Bad

About two hundred years ago, the famous Chassidic Rabbi, Zushia of Anapoly lived a pious, simple and God fearing life.

In a rabbinical college, near to rabbi Zushia, two students were studying the Talmud. They got puzzled about a statement (Berakhot 54a, 60b Mishnah (9:5)) that said:

"A person must bless God for the bad just as one must bless God for the good"

Thanking God for the good, that's understandable and reasonable, but thanking God for the bad? That didn't make any sense.

So they went to the dean of the college for an answer. Th dean stroked his long beard and pondered the question. "This..... is a question that only Rabbi Zushia can answer. Go to his house and ask him!"

The students decided to go immediately. Rabbi Zushia lived outside of the town. They walked beyond the town's limits and entered into the wooded forest. Following a narrow path, they soon arrived at a run-down shack that was Rabbi Zushia's abode. The windows were broken, the roof looked in need of repair and the walls were badly cracked. As Rabbi Zushia greeted them and led them in, they saw the abject poverty in which Rabbi Zushia lived. The chairs were wobbly and few. The other furnishings were shoddy and in poor repair.

Rabbi Zushia apologized for not having any thing to offer them to eat but perhaps a glass of hot water would be sufficient.

The students explained that they had come to ask him this question. "Why does it say in the Talmud that we must thank God for the good as well as the bad?"

Rabbi Zushia asked them, "Why come to me to ask me that question? I also can not understand it. Nothing bad has ever happened to me. Is it possible that God does anything bad?"

Links:
The Shepard's praying (more stories)
Tosefta
Mishna-Brachot