We have been discussing how one must rely only on Hashem, rather than relying on people, or on our own wealth, wisdom or strength- for if we do that, it backfires.
The Hovot Levavot tells us:
ואם יבטח ברוב עשרו, יוסר ממנו ויישאר לזולתו
The person that relies on his wealth may feel safe but, it will be removed from him and his wealth will be left to someone else.... Because the rule is, what ever you rely on, if it’s not G-d, it backfires.
It’s okay to have money in the bank, but you must realize every day that money in the bank is not a guarantee. Nothing is guaranteed except Hashem’s protection.
As it says in Iyov-
עשיר ישכב ולא יאסף עיניו פקח ואיננו.
It’s possible for one to go sleep a wealthy man, who hardly closes his eyes, and when he gets up in the morning, he has nothing!
People don’t like to hear these things; that G-d forbid they could lose their money- they may not want to know this, but knowing this is protection.
The more a person realizes that nothing is guaranteed, the safer he is. A person that thinks he’s secure because of a dollar amount in bank, or what he has in the stock market; and checks his stock portfolio thinking he’s secure, that he can weather the storm because of his stocks or bank account, that’s dangerous, because that person is not relying on Hashem.
Rav Shach says the definition of bitachon is NOT “everything’s great”- that is not bitachon.
Sitting in a room and saying “I have bitachon that there will be no volcanoes”- That’s not bitachon. Who ever said there would be volcanoes?!
The only way to have bitachon is to realize that there’s a level of concern about something and then say- Hashem will protect me, it’ll be okay. Without that step, it’s not bitachon, and then you’re in danger.
Knowing that the money itself is not protection, that you need Hashem’s help, even though you have money- that’s protection.
The realization that, ‘Oh no, I’m not secure in my money” is the protection!
To illustrate this point, we can consider the annual Fortune list of the country’s wealthiest people. Last year, Forbes featured an article entitled, ‘Meet the Ex-Billionaires Who Lost their Fortunes This Year” which mentioned 78 members of the prior year’s listed billionaires who fell off the list. The article, dated March 20,2017, states that the “biggest loser of the year was Elizabeth Holmes, whose net worth dropped from $3.6 billion to $0. In 2016, Holmes was barred by federal regulators, from owning or operating any laboratory for two years, after her blood testing company in Toronto was hit with allegations that its products didn’t work as advertised’.
So, we see that a person can be a billionaire and literally lose it overnight.
Therefore, don’t rely on your money. Rely on HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
The more we realize this, the better.
Rav Matisyahu Salomon tells the following story:
There was a once man who prayed a very long Amidah yet was known to be very cut-throat in his business dealings. Rav Matisyahu Salomon was always very bothered by this seeming contradiction. This man prayed with such kavana, but in business he was known as one who crushes his competitors, at any cost. One day Rav Salomon finally approached the man, and said, “With all due respect, you’re known as a tough guy in business. What are you praying for in these long Amidahs? “
The man answered that he tells G-d, “G-d, I know what I’m doing in business, but I know You could get in the way. So please, don’t interfere! “
Some people really do have that “I know what I’m doing attitude”. They realize that of course G-d could possibly bring along some huge calamity , but barring that, or something like it, as long as G-d doesn’t interfere, they’re ok. This is NOT bitachon.
Bitachon is “I need Hashem for my success and I’m relying on Him”. It is not about constantly checking stock portfolios, or bank accounts. Bitachon is not checking anything except, “Where is my Bitachon holding?” and realizing that that is our only protection.