We are winding down the second advantage of the Baal Bitachon over the alchemist. We were previously discussing the health factor.
The second half of this advantage, says the Hovot HaLevavot, is that:
כל אשר יבואנו מאת האלהים יהיה לו לששון ולשמחה,
Whatever comes to him from G-d will bring him only happiness and joy.
Which means the added advantage here is the mindset. Even if something troubling does happen, with this attitude of Bitachon, you can accept it with tranquility.
It’s important to point out here that even someone with Bitachon for his parnassa may not necessarily have it at the same level for his health, thus his health becomes susceptible. But, if something did happen, to his stomach, for example, with this mindset of Bitachon, he can accept it properly. Bitachon works before and after the fact.
If you have a problem and rely on Hashem, great. But even if you weren’t relying, if something happens, with Bitachon, you know how to take it. So since you have the right attitude, the Hovot HaLevavot continues,
וטרפו בא אליו במנוחה והשקט ושלוה
Your parnassa comes with serenity, tranquility and calmness.
As the pasuk says, תהלים כג׳
בנאות דשא ירביצני על מי מנוחות ינהלני:
G-d places me on luscious pasture and directs me toward the waters of tranquility.
David HaMelech is saying that with the bitachon mindset, you’re able to handle situations. And he continues:
גם כי אלך בגיא צלמות …
.
לא אירא רע כי אתה עמדי
I shall not fear evil for you are with me.
When we speak about mindsets, it’s helpful to use the term “reframe” to help us, as this is a tool we learn from the Hovot HaLevavot as the Bet Yosef’s Maggid had told us.
There is a great reframing story I recently heard about a community rabbi. After a busy night of at a wedding and other events, the rabbi finally got to sleep well past midnight. Suddenly, around 3am he was awoken by a phone call from Hatzalah. They were calling to tell him they had an at-risk teen who needed to go to an ER, but was refusing to get in the ambulance unless this rabbi came along. He was very tired and told the volunteers to tell the teen he’d come to the hospital in the morning. The patient refused and insisted on the rabbi joining them on their way. The drivers then told the rabbi they were in his driveway, waiting. So the rabbi got up and went with along in the ambulance, wondering on the way: Why is this happening? Why is Hashem doing this? Why can’t I just get to sleep?
Suddenly he caught himself and reframed. If it was decreed in heaven that he should have to go to the hospital in an ambulance in the middle of the night, better to be as the support person and not as the patient!
It all depends on how you look at it.
Now, one can say that perhaps if he had been relying on Hashem beforehand, to get a good night’s sleep, its possible the teen may have gone without him. But the Rabbi wasn’t thinking that at the outset, as most of us don’t. That’s okay though. He knew how to reframe and apply his Bitachon mindset after the fact. Our Bitachon works both ways.
A few weeks ago, a member of our congregation who is a friend of mine brought his 8 year old grandson with him to shul on Shabbat. This little boy heard my speech, where I mentioned reframing.
On their way home from shul the boy asked his grandfather what reframing meant?
The wise grandfather asked the boy, “Do you like when it rains?”
The boy replied that he didn’t, because the rain could interfere with his plans to play outside. The grandfather then asked the boy to think of something positive about the rain. The boy answered that the rain waters the flowers and causes the fruits and vegetables to grow.
“That’s reframing,” said the grandfather. The boy’s eyes lit up. He got it. He understood. That’s reframing.
That’s the power of Bitachon.