Bitachon Chapter 1

"Trust in Hashem with all your heart, and do not lean on your intellect at all” (משלי ג ה). The Gra explains this to mean that a person's heart should be wholly devoted to Bitachon and you should not use your intellect as a crutch. A person should not say that he will trust in Hashem, while simultaneously supporting all his endeavors with his intellect. That is why the pasuk says, "Do not lean," meaning, do not use your intellect as a means of support.

The rabbis were unsure how to translate the pasuk, "Throw your Yehav upon Hashem, and He will carry you." One day, Rabbah bar bar Channah was carrying a package and traveling along the road with an Arab. The Arab turned to Rabbah bar bar Channah and said, "Take your Yehav and cast it upon my camel" (ראש השנה כו). Now, it is impossible that the rabbis did not know what the word Yehav meant and the Arab did. Rather, they were unsure of the proper parameters of Bitachon: Is a person supposed to utilize his intellect while dealing with problems while having Bitachon in Hashem, or should he not depend on his intellect at all and trust solely in Hashem?

At first, the rabbis assumed the former--utilize intellect while having Bitachon. However, they wondered why the pasuk said "Yehav" instead of "Tzarchacha" (your needs). But when the Arab offered Rabbah bar bar Channah to transport his package without even being asked to do so, while using the word "Yehav," Rabbah bar bar Channah inferred that the pasuk teaches us: If something is decreed from Heaven, it will happen without the person having to ask for it.

It is clear from the aforementioned passage, that without any impetus from the person himself, whatever is decreed for him shall come to pass, as the Ramban concludes (ראה להלן פרק ג).

The Navi Yirmiyahu elucidated the nature of Bitachon when he said, "So says Hashem: Cursed is the man who trusts in man and places flesh as his strength, while from Hashem, his heart veers. And blessed is the man who trusts in Hashem and Hashem is his source of confidence" (ירמיה יז ה). We have to pay attention to the double language of the verse from Yirmiyahu.

When we look deeper into the essence of Bitachon, we find that it has two benefits. The first, it provides peace of mind. The second, it saves one from a scattering of the soul. Bitachon also saves someone from a life of wandering in body and soul, protecting him from the dangerous and perilous paths, which can damage him physically and spiritually. If someone has enough food and money for today, he will not be worried by his needs of tomorrow. He trusts that he will attain all of his needs without great exertion and toil, or through a life of falsehoods and trickery.

A person with Bitachon knows that he requires nothing from his fellow man, therefore he doesn't endeavor to ingrate himself with others or to flatter them. He doesn't budge from what is proper in his eyes and he doesn't relent on his principles, even for a simple bowl of lentils. Instead, he thinks little of his worldly needs, and he is confident that he won't go wanting. This person can live with inner serenity regardless of his apparent circumstances, because it is perfectly clear to him that there is no addition or subtraction from what Hashem has decreed for him--not even a hairsbreadth of a difference.

Even when G-d forbid there is a time of destruction brought upon the world, the Ba'al Bitachon remains unaffected and he doesn't feel for his own personal circumstances nor does his heart tremble, because he is secure in his knowledge that only the events that Hashem has decreed upon him will come to pass. He was found to be walking on his path with trust, and happy with his lot without worry or sadness. He lacks nothing from Hashem, he doesn't worry about tomorrow, and he feels in his mind that he has everything if he has Bitachon. All the questions of life that will come to him, he will solve them all within the framework of Bitachon.

The second benefit of Bitachon is that he acquires the "Way of Bitachon." Knowing the way of Bitachon is, in fact, a greater asset than Bitachon. Consider how the attribute of strength possessed by an exceedingly strong man and with which he can subdue anyone in the world. That is greater than the mere monetary profit he can earn by utilizing the strength on the behalf of others. This is because the money he earns is simply an "effect" that demonstrates the existence of the asset, but he is not sapped of his strength in exchange for the money he earned from it. His strength remains with him, and the money is merely an added accruement of it.

Aside for gaining tranquility from preoccupations and inner turmoil, which the immediate benefit of Bitachon, the Ba'al Bitachon gains the way of Bitachon, which is the greater and primary benefit that Bitachon brings. And even on the occasion that he is missing something, it doesn't worry him. This is similar to someone who runs a large, successful business who suffers no worries from going one day without profit, because in the long run, his business will thrive despite any momentary setbacks.

The same applies to one who possess the "Way of Bitachon." He doesn't worry or complain over a temporary lacking of his needs, because he is confident that his path will lead him to physical and spiritual wellbeing. As he cleaves to the Source of Life and the root of all success, he realizes that there is no better way for him to advance his interests than by following the "Way of Bitachon." In fact, all of his life's spirits derives from his proper path in life, for it is the only sure method to attain all of his worldly needs. All of his days he lives peacefully, free from internal turmoil and secure in his path, which is the Way of Life.

Thus, the Navi doubled his expression. First he wrote, "Blessed is the man who trusts in Hashem," that is, he is blessed regarding all the needs of life because he attains everything without toil or work and he is confident both materially and spiritually. He won't be affected by worldly efforts, which often entails trouble, and he doesn't fear evil outcomes.

However, more important is the second half of the pasuk: "Hashem is his source of confidence." This person has a solid support, because just as Hashem is eternal, so too a person's trust in Hashem is eternal. He will be unaffected from external conditions; his way will be impervious to outside events. And even though the enduring mountains of the world might shatter and the high places brought low, his bond is yet stronger and cannot be altered.

Corresponding to the two benefits of Bitachon, there are two disadvantages to trusting in material cause or man. The first, he always has a scattering of the soul. He must often take dangerous courses of actions or engage in falsehoods, which if discovered often carry the death penalty. Even if avoids these practices, he must work excessively all the days of his life until his last strength is spent--this is determinantal to his spirituality. Because of all his efforts, he must flatter and prostate himself full-length to anyone whom he believes can help him. He lives a life full of fear and apprehension, because maybe he hasn't flattered him enough.

Furthermore, since in his mind he depends on others and his benefactors depend on others too, he is always afraid that one of them may fail and will cause all those depending on him to fail as well. Even if he receives what he seeks, his mind still cannot rest because his attainments are small -- perhaps he got them with luck and they don't indicate future success. About such a person the pasuk says: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man, and from Hashem his heart veers." This person has no eternal pillar or foundation for his efforts, he lives on flimsy footing, and he can never be totally secure since his circumstances can easily be upended. At all times, he is afraid that his future will collapse. Perhaps he will be stricken with starvation, or perhaps his peers will dislike him and he will suffer as a result. The result is that all his days are plagued by pain and torment, and he lacks the "Way of Life" since his needs are great and he doesn't possess the "Path of Bitachon," the real method for attaining his needs.

As said earlier, a person without Bitachon lives even at a moment when his needs are met; as the pasuk says, "A righteous person eats to satisfy his soul and the belly of the wicked shall go wanting" (משלי יג כה). This means that a righteous person, as long as has what he needs at the moment, is untroubled by what tomorrow will bring. Therefore, he eats to contentment for tomorrow he relies on his way of Bitachon, which is the key to solving all of his potential problems leaving him without worries. A wicked man, however, who relies on his own efforts is not like this; his belly is always wanting, because he is always worried about tomorrow. Therefore, he is stingy with his needs today, to prepare for the future and his belly always goes wanting. This is the opposite of one who trusts in Hashem. He is always confident and sure, and he is unafraid of what might happen. Therefore, he eats to satisfaction for he sees no reason to worry for tomorrow. Just as Hashem has prepared his needs for today, so will He do for him in the future.

This idea is also taught in the Yershulami. There was a certain convert who was an astrologer. One time he was preparing for a trip, and he thought to himself, "is now a propitious time to venture forth? Based on my calculations, it is a dangerous time!" However, he reconsidered, exclaiming: "Did I join this Holy Nation for any other reason than to purge myself of such impulses?" As the pasuk says, "But for you Hashem has not given to you things like this" (דברים יח יד). You should not listen to diviners and soothsayers. Instead, we will head out with the name of our Creator. While on the road, the convert came across a place with a dangerous animal and he gave his donkey to the animal and he escaped with his life. What caused the convert to stumble across a dangerous place? It was because he thought at first not to travel at such a time. And why was he saved? Because in the end, he resolved to trust in Hashem (שבת פרק ו הלכה ט).

Thus, a person whos trusts in Hashem is so strong in his spirit that even in a place of danger, he is unafraid and cleaves to his trust in Hashem and he is saved from all dangers and calamites.