Recently we mentioned the concept that when a Sadik is relied on by others, Hashem will respond, so as not to, so to say, embarrass the Sadik, which we quoted in the name of Rav Chaim Palagi and others. Thisnis acuLly an earlier source for this concept, in our next pasuk, Tehilim 25,3 which says,
גַּ֣ם כׇּל־קֹ֭וֶיךָ לֹ֣א יֵבֹ֑שׁוּ יֵ֝בֹ֗שׁוּ הַבּוֹגְדִ֥ים רֵיקָֽם
All those that rely should not be embarrassed…
The Midrash Tehilim says David Hamelech is saying to Hashem, God, when I stand in prayer in front of You, my prayer should not be despised. Why? Because the eyes of the Jewish people are on me and my eyes are on You. And when you listen to my prayer, it's like You’re listening to their prayer.
The Midrash adds that we find the same thing with the prayer of the Sibbur. The Shaliach Sibbur represents the people, the eyes of the people are on the Shaliach Sibbur, and his eyes are on Hashem. Therefore, Hashem listens, and it quotes our pasuk, גַּ֣ם כׇּל־קֹ֭וֶיךָ לֹ֣א יֵבֹ֑שׁוּ
This is probably the source that on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, before the Baal Tokeah blows or before the Shaliach Sibbur represents the people, he says, this line.
Now back to our pasuk
- גַּ֣ם כׇּל־קֹ֭וֶיךָ לֹ֣א יֵבֹ֑שׁוּ יֵ֝בֹ֗שׁוּ הַבּוֹגְדִ֥ים רֵיקָֽם
All those that hope to You should not be embarrassed. Only the rebels should be embarrassed. Gam means also, kol means every, it's a term of reboy, of addition. What are we referring to? How far does this hope go? Is it for everybody?
The Midrash says on this pasuk that there was a traveling man who was grabbed by the police. He didn't have the right papers or the right identification. But he said, “Please don't hit me. I am from the king's household.” So they spared him, and in the morning they brought him to the king, who looked at the prisoner and asked, “My son, do you know me?”
The man confessed that he did not.
“So why did you claim that you’re from my household?”
The man replied, “The truth is, I'm not, but I relied on you because I knew if I didn't say that they'd hit me.” The king then instructed his officers, “Because he relied on me, even with no merits and no previous knowledge of me, let him go.”
David Hamelech is saying the same thing. This is the concept of Gam kol kovecha lo yeboshu..it's going to be an embarrassment. I'm counting on the king. He'll come through for me. This is a very important pasuk, it’s the source for this concept called kivoy/hope.
The sefer Shaare Chaim, written by Rav Chaim Sofer, of the descendants of Chatam Sofer, says that there's a difference between bitachon/reliance and kivoy/hope. This is also brought down by one of the Rishonim, Abraham ben Ramoch.
Reliance is a guarantee. Ani mavtiach lecha/I guarantee you, and you are bote’ach/you rely on me with full confidence.
That's one level. But what happens if I wasn't guaranteed? Or I don't feel guaranteed. There's a lower level of bitachon which is called kivoy, when don't have that full level. and this includes everybody, even the one that's not worthy. He's not worthy, but he hopes to Hashem, so he also will be answered.
The Rambam’s son, in his sefer Maspik L’Ovdeh Hashem, in his chapter on Bitachon, goes through all the levels of bitachon. He says the first level is a person who hopes to Hashem. He's counting on Hashem's mercy. He's worried and concerned that he has sins. And this fellow is the Mekaveh/ the one who hopes. He says, David Hamelech’s pesukim are full of descriptions of this man, חִ֭זְקוּ וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ לְבַבְכֶ֑ם כׇּל־הַ֝מְיַחֲלִ֗ים לַֽיהֹוָֽה those that are hoping Hashem,
המיילים לחסדו/ those that hope to Hashem’s kindness,
גַּ֣ם כׇּל־קֹ֭וֶיךָ, קוה אל ה׳….
He says, these are the people of Tikva/hope but they also have Yirah/fear because they're afraid that they're not worthy.
There is a beautiful pasuk that we've quoted in the past, Tehilim 147, 11 which says,
רוֹצֶ֣ה יְ֭הֹוָה אֶת־יְרֵאָ֑יו אֶת־הַֽמְיַחֲלִ֥ים לְחַסְדּֽוֹ׃ Hashem wants those that fear Him, those that are hoping for His kindness.
This is a new way of reading this. He’s afraid, but not a Yireh Hashem/God-fearing man. This man is afraid that he's not worthy, and therefore he's hoping for Hashem's kindness. This man, afraid that he's not worthy and hoping for Hashem, is at the base level of bitachon. That's Mekaveh. He might not be a Bote’ach, but he is also being told, Gam kol Kovecha/ all those that hope to You…he’s on baseline, and Lo Yeboshu/They're not gonna be embarrassed.
But the fellow who's a rebel, יֵ֝בֹ֗שׁוּ הַבּוֹגְדִ֥ים רֵיקָֽם
He Will be embarrassed.
It’s interesting that the term used is boged / rebel or really, traitor. An important point brought down is that even if a person sins, as long as he is not a rebel or a malicious sinner (which is most of us or all of us) he is still in the category of bitachon. That's why David Hamelech says, “Who's the one that's going to be embarrassed? Who's the one that can't have kivoy? The fellow who's a boged. But as long as we're below that status of boged, we're good.
This is brought down by the Chafetz Chaim in Shemirat Halashon (vol 2 chapter 19), where the spies try to tell the Jewish people that they’re not worthy to go into Eretz Yisrael. And that's why Kalev and Yehoshua say, “Don't be rebels.”
The Chafetz Chaim says, as long as a person is not a rebel and doesn't intentionally want to uproot the Torah, in his words, “You can hope for all good.”
This is an important pasuk
גַּ֣ם כׇּל־קֹ֭וֶיךָ לֹ֣א יֵבֹ֑שׁוּ יֵ֝בֹ֗שׁוּ הַבּוֹגְדִ֥ים רֵיקָֽם
All those that hope- which includes me and you.
Have a wonderful day.