We continue going through pesukim of Bitachon. Today we will discuss perek ז, pasuk ב
ה' אלקי בְּךָ֣ חָסִ֑יתִי הוֹשִׁיעֵ֥נִי מִכָּל־רֹ֝דְפַ֗י וְהַצִּילֵֽנִי
Hashem my God, I saught refuge in You. Save me from all those that chase me and save me.”
Why is the word “save” repeated ( in the words Hoshea and Hatzil)?
The Malbim explains that a Yeshua/ salvation comes when a person is in trouble, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that the problem has started yet.
Hatzileni is salvation from a problem that has already started, as opposed to when we find refuge before the problem comes, when signals might be on the horizon that a problem is coming up.
Rely on Hashem and find refuge in Him and you’ll be protected.
But if the problem already started, V’Hatzileni- Hashem can save me then as well.
The Radak explains that
בְּךָ֣ חָסִ֑יתִי I sought refuge in You,
means that I wasn’t looking for help from others.
The Chida finds a deeper meaning in this pasuk. Firstly, he says that David HaMelech says ה׳ אלקי Hashem my G-d-before he says, he seeks refuge in Hashem, and makes his request to be saved.
What does Hashem my G-d mean?
The Chida explains, with an important principle:
Someone who is humble has extra Siyata Dishmaya/help from above. And he even adds that the humble person is actually a merkava for the shechina, meaning that when a person is humble, he is a chariot for G-d.
Hashem came down on Har Sinai, because it was humble. And Moshe learned the lesson of Har Sinai, as it says, משה קיבל תורה מסיני Moshe received the Torah from ( the lesson of) Har Sinai- Moshe Rabbenu was humble. The reason Moshe Rabbenu was the greatest of all prophets, and had the shechina on a greater level than anyone else, was because he was the most humble.
That humility is strongly connected to Bitachon. When somebody realizes that he can’t do anything, that he doesn’t do anything, and that Hashem does everything, he is a humble person. An arrogant person is someone who forgets about God. He thinks he’s doing everything.
Rabbenu Yonah has very scary words an arrogant person, from a pasuk in Mishleh, that says, “Someone who is arrogant is abominable to G-d.”
He says a person who is arrogant doesn’t get help from above. Because if Hashem looks at him in an abominable fashion, He’s not there. Hashem dwells on the humble, and removes himself from the arrogance. David HaMelech says, “Hashem Elokenu-Hashem is my God” which means, “I am humbled; I can’t do anything without Him.
Therefore,
בְּךָ֣ חָסִ֑יתִי I seek refuge in Him, and therefore,
הוֹשִׁיעֵ֥נִי מִכָּל־רֹ֝דְפַ֗י וְהַצִּילֵֽנִי
He’ll save me.
The Chida then adds a very important line,
כי מי שהוא עניו אם נגזרה, עליו מיתה ניצול
Someone who is humble, even if he has a death decree upon him (heaven forbid), he will be saved.
That’s some powerful technique! Everybody wants to know how to undo bad decrees. Humility is the secret. David HaMelech says, “I know that I am surrounded by my enemies. I know that I’m in a dangerous situation. I need Hatzala. What is going to save me? The fact that I am relying on You, and that reliance comes from humility. Hashem Elokei Hashem is my God, because I am humble, He dwells with me.
He adds that the words Hashem Elokei have the same numeric value as Hessed.
Because one evokes God’s kindness when he relies on Hashem, in a humble fashion.
He adds, והוא כאלו הקריב כל הקרבנות
when someone is humble, it’s as if he has brought all the korbanot. The pasuk says, “A broken heart, G-d does not despise.” And furthermore, “The offerings to G-d are a broken spirit,” which is someone that is humble, and that is the source of this concept.
We have spoken previously about other ways of bringing korbanot- such as being insulted- which is also related to Bitachon. A person who is humble, when this humility comes along with Bitachon, is somebody who has his sins forgiven, and it’s as if he brought korbanot and merits a salvation.
ה' אלקי
Hashem is my G-d ( He dwells on me because I’m humble)- and I’m humble because I realize I can’t do anything.
בְּךָ֣ חָסִ֑יתִי
I seek refuge in You
הוֹשִׁיעֵ֥נִי מִכָּל־רֹ֝דְפַ֗י
Save me from all those that chase me
(and even if they’ve already caught up to me and I’m in their grips)
וְהַצִּילֵֽנִי
Save me from that situation.
B’ezrat Hashem, we will merit that great level of humility, which is strongly connected to Bitachon.
When we work on Bitachon, we are working on humility.
Have a wonderful day.