Q: Why does it seem that everyone is suffering so much now?
A: The world is full of suffering. The Kuzari devotes an entire chapter to the question of why animals suffer, and why we find suffering at every level of life on earth. According to Kabbalah, suffering is part of the rectification of the world. When the world will be rectified, there will be no suffering at any level. As we approach the revelation of Mashiach, suffering peaks, as all the fallen sparks must be redeemed. These are last-moment rectifications, similar to the last-minute "pressured" preparations immediately preceding Shabbat candle lighting.
When people go through difficult situations, rectifications take place.
