We continue with the advantages of the Baal Bitachon.
This next benefit that the Hovot HaLevavot teaches may be upsetting to some of us, because at times the Hovot HaLevavot tells us things that show us we aren’t yet on the highest level of Bitachon. That’s okay. We always have what to aspire to.
This benefit of Bitachon is:
מנוחת הנפש מלכת בדרכים הרחוקים
The Baal Bitachon has peace of mind in that he doesn’t feel he has to travel for parnassa. The Hovot HaLevavot quotes David Hamelech who says
ענה בדרך כחי קצר ימי My strength had weakened from my journey; my life shortened.
Traveling may seem fun when you’re young, but eventually that novelty wears off it’s not that comfortable nor enjoyable anymore The airports, the delays... it’s very draining and body breaking, even in Business class. Most people don’t like it.
Even someone one a very high level may struggle with this, even in the times of the Hovot HaLevavot.
The Hovot HaLevavot describes a very lofty person, whom he calls a Parush (what today we’d refer to as a celibate, someone who lives a very austere, restricted lifestyle and devotes himself to G-d). Even this Parush who lived on very little, still wasn’t on this level of Bitachon.
Again, it’s something to aspire to.
He tells us that this Parush once embarked on a long journey for food. On his way he met up with a gentile, worshipping idols.
He engaged in a debate with the gentile and told him that he had no idea what he doing, worshipping meaningless, powerless idols. The idol worshiper asked the Parush what he served.
The Parush said,
אני עובד הבורא היכול, המכלכל האחד, המטריף, אשר אין כמוהו
I serve the Creator and Provider of all, the Able, One and Only, who brings everyone their food, who sustains us. There is none like Him.”
The gentile told the Parush
“פעלך סותר את דבריך”
“Your action contradicts your words.”
If your Creator was so powerful, couldn’t He supply you with food at home? Why travel? Go back home.
The Parush accepted the rebuke and went home.
This is not just a lesson for the businessman. Rav Yehezkel Levenstein discussed this Hovot HaLevavot with a room full of great rabbis, and said it’s not a onetime thing. He stresses that a person can go through his whole life
יזמר וידבר בטחון
Singing songs and speaking of Bitachon and it still doesn’t penetrate for himself.
In fact I am speaking for myself and I give these classes every single day…
There was a famous Greek philosopher who spoke mainly about morals and ethics. He was once caught in an embarrassing, compromising situation. When asked how he could do such a thing, after all he preached about self-control, he answered: Is Pythagorus (the professor of the famed Pythagorean theorem) a triangle? The Philosopher spoke about morals but it wasn’t real to him. It was just a subject.
Bitachon can be a great subject but it may not be real to us when we are in a challenging situation. The Bet HaLevi says,
מה מאד תגדל הבושה
How embarrassing it is, that we say three times a day:
מכלכל חיים בחסד
סומך נופלים, ורופא חולים
Hashem surrounds us with Hessed, picks up the fallen and heals the sick.
ולא נקבע בלבו But it’s not in our heart.
The minute something happens we panic
שוכח הכל we forget it all,
And we go running for the hishtadlut/efforts.
What happens to our Bitachon?
People have asked why they can’t apply what they’ve learned in all these classes. What can they do, they want to know-But it’s not just them. It’s many of us. We panic.
The answer is that it’s a life’s work. It’s not all or nothing. Even the Parush, whom the Hovot HaLevavot considered to be on a very high level of Bitachon, struggled with it.
It’s an elusive concept.
In fact, Rav Wolbe said that Bitachon is the most elusive Middah in the world.
We can tell if we’re honest people. It’s easy to judge ourselves in that Middah. But to take your pulse on Bitachon is different. It’s a life’s work.
BeH we will continue to work on ourselves, Hashem will help us, and our Bitachon will be real and true.