Relax, Have Bitachon
By Rabbi Levi
Yitzchok Ginsberg
We are obligated to believe that there was hidden good in every event that ever
happened. * Concerning the future, we must have absolute bitachon that we will
experience only revealed good. * How bitachon itself brings salvation and
redemption.
The Baal Shem Tov
was once directed from Above to travel to a certain village with his disciples
to learn about bitachon from the local revenue collector. When they
arrived in town, the collector was happy to see them and insisted that they be
his guests.
The next morning, as
the Baal Shem Tov and his talmidim were preparing to daven, a
policeman walked into the house and did something strange. Without uttering a
word he walked over to the table and banged on it three times with a heavy
stick. He then left the premises.
The guests, who had
no idea what was going on, looked anxiously at their host. But as the revenue
collector seemed unconcerned, they too put it out of their minds.
A few hours later,
after everyone had finished davening, the same bizarre scene played out a
second time. The policeman walked through the door, banged on the table three
times with his stick, and left. Again the revenue collector didn’t bat an
eyelash, but this time the guests could not contain their curiosity.
“It’s a warning,”
the tax collector explained. “I have to pay the paritz a large sum of
money by this evening. The custom in this village is that on the day the money
is due, a policeman comes and bangs on the table three times as a reminder.
According to law, the paritz will imprison me and my family if I don’t
repay the debt by then.”
“Well, you don’t
look too worried,” they replied. “It must mean that you have the money already
saved up. But why are you waiting till the last minute to deliver it? Why don’t
you go pay the paritz now, so at least it won’t be hanging over your
head?”
“To tell you the
truth,” the man confided, “I don’t have a cent. But surely Hashem will send me
the money by then. Come, let’s sit down and eat. There are still another three
hours till the deadline.”
Everyone enjoyed a
leisurely meal, including the tax collector, who sat and conversed with his
guests as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Completely relaxed, one would
never have known that he was only hours away from being thrown into jail.
At the end of the
meal the policeman arrived for the third and final time. Again it failed to
elicit even the tiniest response.
It was only after an
unhurried Birkas HaMazon that the collector stood up and put on his
Shabbos coat and gartel. “I’m off to pay the paritz,” he
announced.
“You do have the
money?!” the guests asked in surprise. “Well, no, not yet. But I have no doubt
that Hashem will provide me with all my needs.”
The Baal Shem Tov
and his disciples went out onto the porch and watched him walk down the road. A
few minutes later they saw a wagon come to a halt and its occupant call out to
the tax collector. The two men had a short conversation, after which the wagon
resumed traveling. A second later it stopped again. This time the driver handed
a bundle of money to the tax collector, who continued walking.
As the wagon passed
by, the disciples intercepted the driver and asked him what happened. Why had he
stopped to speak to the tax collector, and why had he given him money the second
time?
The driver explained
that he had approached the collector with a business proposition. “I told him I
was interested in buying whiskey from him,” he said, “and named a certain price
for the entire batch he would produce this coming winter. Then we started
haggling, because he insisted on more money than I was willing to pay. When he
told me he didn’t have time to discuss it as he was in hurry to pay the rent to
the paritz, I told him to forget it and continued traveling. But a minute
later I thought it over and regretted my decision. Everyone knows that the
revenue collector is an honest and reliable man. Why should I haggle with the
man? It just wasn’t worth it. I decided to call him back and seal the agreement
before someone else got to him first. And because I happened to have the money
on me, I paid him everything in advance.”
(The tax collector,
of course, used the money to pay the paritz…)
Upon hearing this,
the Baal Shem Tov pronounced to his disciples: “See how great is the power of
bitachon…”
* * *
Over the past few
weeks this column has dealt with the subject of emuna - literal,
unshakable faith in Hashem - and how it is rooted in the soul of every Jewish
person. Every Jew believes in his heart of hearts that “no evil descends from On
High.” Sometimes, however, the highest level of good is imperceptible to our
physical eyes, simply because it is too sublime. When a person uncovers the true
good that is hidden in something that appears its opposite, he causes the
concealed good to be revealed openly.
This principle holds
true on both the personal and communal level, encompassing everything that
happens to the individual and the entire Jewish people. Whenever something
happens that doesn’t appear to be good externally, we must always remember that
on the innermost level, it is. Training ourselves to look for the inner reality
and thinking accordingly has the effect of bringing out the good concealed
within.
Chassidus demands
that we go one step further. Not only are we supposed to believe that everything
comes from Hashem and (as “no evil descends from On High”) everything contains
hidden good that will later become apparent, but we are obligated to trust that
all will be good on the revealed level - and not just at some future time when
G-d will decide to reveal the truth, but now and for always.
A Jew must believe
that everything that already happened is good on the innermost level, even those
events that seem to be the opposite. And as for the future, a Jew must have
total bitachon and confidence that everything will be good in the
literal sense, rather than just containing hidden good.
Shortly before the
start of the Persian Gulf War in 5751, the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach stated
(Volume 36 of Likkutei Sichos, page 3; free translation):
“The definition of
bitachon is not only to believe in G-d’s ability to bring benefit
or save one from trouble and the like, but to trust that He will actually do so.
One must be so confident of this that he is completely relaxed, unworried, and
unconcerned, as elucidated in Chovos HaLevavos: ‘The essence of
bitachon is tranquility of mind. The person with bitachon trusts that
the One he relies on will do the good and right thing.’”
In other words, a
Jew must believe that not only does everything emanate from G-d and is,
therefore, ultimately good, but that G-d will show him open and apparent
goodness on the revealed level. Furthermore, the person doesn’t even have to
deserve only revealed good, as G-d demonstrates goodness even to those who are
unworthy.
Another excerpt from
Chovos HaLevavos (quoted in the same sicha):
“One must also trust
that Hashem is the epitome of generosity and loving-kindness to the deserving
and undeserving alike; His generosity and loving-kindness are ongoing, without
end.”
From the Rambam’s
Principles: “It states, ‘Loving-kindness shall surround whomever trusts in
the L-rd.’ In other words, even if a person isn’t worthy in his own right,
bitachon means that He will continue to demonstrate unwarranted
loving-kindness to those who trust in Him.”
From the Kad
HaKemach: “Whoever trusts in Hashem will be lifted above trouble as reward for
his bitachon, even if he was deserving of the difficulty.”
How many times has
the Rebbe repeated the famous saying of the Tzemach Tzedek, “Tracht gut,
vet zain gut - Think good, it will be good”? These words, the Rebbe
stressed, were uttered as practical advice (halacha l’maaseh) to a
Chassid who had come to the Tzemach Tzedek about a health problem. By thinking
positively, the Tzemach Tzedek told him, the outcome would be positive.
The Baal Shem Tov
says something even more astounding (Keser Shem Tov, siman 382) -
that bitachon protects a person even from punishment he truly deserves!
As long as a person has genuine bitachon in Hashem and trusts in Him
completely, nothing untoward can happen to him, even if he deserves it on
account of his sins. When Hashem wants to bring punishment on someone, He takes
away the person’s bitachon. “For this reason, it is appropriate to pray
that G-d strengthen one’s bitachon.”
But how can a person
be one hundred percent sure that Hashem will show him only revealed good? What
happens if he is really supposed to be punished (because of undesirable deeds,
etc.)?
The Rebbe answers:
“The obligation to
have bitachon is not just a particular detail (and logical consequence)
of the belief that everything is controlled by Hashem, and that G-d is merciful
and generous. If that were so, there would be no need for a separate positive
command. Rather, this obligation is a service in its own right, the essence and
definition of which is that a person must rely on the Holy One, Blessed Be He,
to the point that he places his entire fate in His hands. As it states, ‘Cast
your burden upon the L-rd,’ meaning that he has no other support in the world
besides Him. This is also the intention of the statement in Chovos HaLevavos,
in which bitachon is likened to ‘a servant who is imprisoned in his
master’s pit,’ i.e., that the prisoner’s trust is focused solely on the master,
‘who is the only one who can cause him harm or bring him benefit.’
“(It is also
understood that this trust in Hashem should have nothing to do with one’s
particular circumstances. Even in a situation where, according to the natural
order, salvation is impossible, one must nonetheless rely on Hashem, Who is not
limited by the laws of nature, etc.)
“This is the
foundation of bitachon in Hashem - that He will demonstrate only revealed
and apparent good, even if the individual is undeserving of this kindness.
“Bitachon
does not mean that a person should believe that because G-d’s
loving-kindness is infinite and limitless, regardless of whether or not one is
deserving, he will automatically be shown G-d’s beneficence without any effort
on his part. (Indeed, this would negate the entire concept of reward and
punishment.) Rather, bitachon necessitates real avoda by the soul,
which brings down G-d’s loving-kindness as a result of the person’s efforts to
trust in Him: When a person relies only on Him, truly and from the depths of his
soul, to the point that he is completely without worry, this in itself causes a
reciprocal arousal from Above that G-d will deal with him in a similar manner,
showing him only goodness (even if he is not legitimately worthy of such
treatment).
“Indeed, this is the
meaning of the commandment to ‘trust in Him,’ i.e., that a person must cast his
burden upon the Holy One, Blessed Be He, that He will only show him revealed and
overt good. When a person relies solely on Hashem (without making any
calculations as to whether or not it is possible to be saved, etc.), the
response from Above will be measure for measure, and Hashem will guard him and
show him mercy even if, according to strict reckoning, he does not necessarily
deserve revealed good.
“This is also the
meaning of the words of the Tzemach Tzedek, that it is bitachon itself
that yields positive results, rather than positive results being merely a side
benefit of bitachon. Indeed, this is the definition of the commandment to
have bitachon… The bitachon itself causes and brings about G-d’s
salvation.”
The Rebbe continues
in footnote 42, commenting on the statement in the Zohar (Tetzaveh
184): “The higher world only influences the lower world according to the lower
world’s demeanor. If the lower world demonstrates benevolence, so is it
demonstrated from Above, etc.”
“From this we may
derive a practical directive:
“Whenever a person
encounters difficulties and obstacles preventing him from keeping Torah and
mitzvos, he should know that the ability to overcome them is dependent on
him and his own actions, i.e., having complete trust that Hashem will help him
and everything will be good, so much so that he is totally without worry.
“[It is understood
that at the same time, every effort must be made within the natural order to
remove these obstacles and difficulties. (As is known, there is no contradiction
between having true bitachon in Hashem and working within the natural
order…only great tzaddikim have no need to do this; however, this is not
the place to elaborate.)]
“For indeed, we have
been promised - ‘Tracht gut, vet zain gut’ - in the actual,
literal sense, that all the obstructions and impediments will be nullified, and
that we will experience only revealed and overt good, visible to the fleshly
eye, on the lowest and most concrete level.”
* * *
If this true on the
individual level, how much more so does it apply to the current situation in
Eretz Yisrael!
As frum Jews,
we are obligated to believe that everything that ever occurred in the past was
good (even if we do not understand it, and reality itself seems to be crying out
“ad masai?!”). For the future, we must continue to encourage and
strengthen the bitachon of Klal Yisroel that all will be good on
the revealed level (while simultaneously working within the confines of the
natural order). This includes relentlessly and publicly protesting Israel’s
policy of restraint, which is nothing but the wholesale abandonment of the
security of millions of Jews, G-d forbid. In the merit of our bitachon
alone we will bring the Geula!
Our bitachon
must apply to the entire experience of the Galus, and imminently, to the
Geula. We must be one hundred percent sure, without any doubts
whatsoever, that “Moshiach is on his way.” For even if the Galus would
continue, G-d forbid, our absolute level of bitachon would have the power
to nullify and transform the future into revealed good.
The main point is
that the Rebbe promised that the Final Redemption is imminent, and he is
the only who can make such a promise (see Dvar Malchus Parshas Balak):
“It is certain,
without any doubt or even the hint of doubt, that the time for the Redemption
has already arrived…to the point of announcing ‘Behold, he [Melech HaMoshiach]
is coming,’ for he is already coming. That is, we are already standing on the
threshold of the start of the Geula, to be followed immediately by its
continuation and completion.”
The Rebbe then
appeals to us to learn inyanei Moshiach and Geula:
“This is not (only)
intended as a segula to hasten the coming of Moshiach and the Redemption,
but (also and) primarily so that we can begin living with inyanei
Moshiach and Geula now. We should ‘live with the times’ of the Days
of Moshiach by imbuing the mind with an understanding of these matters that will
extend to the emotions of the heart until it affects the practical aspects -
speech, thought, and deed - in an appropriate manner at this special time (the
threshold of the Redemption) when we can point with a finger and say, ‘Behold,
he (Melech HaMoshiach) is coming’…The first thing, however, is
intellectual contemplation - to recognize that we are standing at the entrance
to the Days of Moshiach (‘Behold, he is coming’) - including in a manner of
‘inattention’ (hesech) that transcends the intellect.”
This is especially
significant in light of the Rebbe’s emphasis (in the famous sicha of
Parshas Shoftim 5751) that his main prophecy about Moshiach’s imminent
arrival was “not being uttered as (only) a scholar or judge, but as a prophet,
meaning that it must then occur.” Had the Rebbe’s prediction been said only by a
scholar or judge, it is possible that the prophecy could be fulfilled solely on
the spiritual level, like the various end dates that were foretold in previous
generations but never made it down to the physical world (as explained in a
maamer of the Alter Rebbe). The Rebbe promised us, however, that his words
will be fulfilled in the literal sense, on the lowest physical plane of
existence.
We must continue to
have absolute faith in the Rebbe’s prophecy. For, as explained above,
bitachon is the vessel for containing the Rebbe’s revelation in the true and
complete Redemption.
The Rebbe concludes
the above sicha:
“In the same way
that it is written concerning the redemption from Egypt, ‘In the merit of their
bitachon was Israel redeemed,’ so too, as stated in the Midrash, will the
Redemption from this final exile occur: ‘They are worthy of redemption as reward
for the hope (itself).’ So shall it be for us: In the merit of the Jewish
people’s bitachon in ‘My salvation is close in coming’ we will merit that
the Holy One, Blessed Be He, will redeem us in the true and complete Redemption,
speedily in our days mamash.”
Yechi Adoneinu
Moreinu V’Rabbeinu Melech HaMoshiach l’olam va’ed! |