We are still reflecting on our beautiful Pesach holiday. One of the Sephardic customs is to read Shir Hashirim at the end of the seder night, and the Ashkenazim have a custom to read it in shul. Either way, Shir Hashirim is directly connected to Pesach. The commentaries tell us that it’s because Shir Hashirim is all about Diveykut/Connecting to God, as a husband and wife connect in the most intimate way. Shlomo HaMelech uses that mashal of a husband and wife to describe the love of God and the Jewish people.
Although we learn about Diveykut/Connecting to God, it’s hard for a regular person to relate to that concept.
In the final chapter of Hovot HaLevavot, he talks about the ten levels of bitachon. The tenth and final level is that a person realizes why he’s here in this world, and that this world is only temporary. He is not focused on this world, all he thinks about is connecting to God. He delights by thinking about God. He’s bored when he’s not thinking about God, and that is all he thinks about. He quotes a from David HaMelech, (Tehilim 42/3)
צָמְאָ֬ה נַפְשִׁ֨י ׀ לֵאלֹקים֮
My soul is thirsty for God
He says that this is the level of the Baalei Bitachon, the prophets, and the pious ones. That is how he ends off Shaar Bitachon, and this always bothered me. What does this have to do with bitachon? It’s very nice that a man realizes that this world is temporary; That is what Kohelet is all about. But what does this have to do with bitachon? What does it have to do with connecting to God?
Then it hit me, based on a beautiful Meshech Chochma.
One of the 613 commandments, found in In Devarim (10/20) is U’Bo Tidbak/ Connect to God. The Meshech Chochmah is bothered by a similar question. We are talking to everyone. Can everyone connect to God? While there are definitely levels, there are no special Mitzvot for high and lofty people. How do we even connect to Diveykut?
He answers that if you rely on God, that is the best way to connect to Him. You are thinking at all times, “God is feeding me, He is watching over me when I’m hungry. He is giving me every little thing that I need. When I’m in pain He is in pain. He is the only one that can take care of me, He knows every detail of my life, He is more concerned with me than I am for myself..“
That person is connected to God at all times, because he is constantly thinking about God. He is realizing God’s supervision in his life. And he realizes that God is aware of his needs more than he is aware of his own. Those feelings are the feelings of bitachon. Therefore, Bitachon and Diveykut are really one in the same. Cleaving to God and relying on Him, is the same thing.
And he says that this includes all Jews, without exception- even a person that is not doing everything right. So in essence, the ultimate level that the Hovot HaLevavot calls Diveykut/connecting to God, is the highest level of Bitachon, because that is what bitachon is about.
Bitachon is about feeling God in your life, and that is the way we connect to God. Of course, there are levels upon levels, until you are totally connected with Him, and you don’t think about anything else but Him. But for us regular people who have wants and needs, this is also a level of connecting to God.
Somebody just told me that he experienced an open miracle this past Shabbat. He is an elderly man and was walking from Avenue T to Avenue J. When he got to Avenue N, he realized he needed to use a restroom. It was an emergency.
And then a truck suddenly came by and dropped off a portable restroom, literally right in front of him!
A marathon was scheduled for Sunday and the truck was dropping them off for the runners.
As truck pulled away, he was the first one to use the restroom!
That is Diveykut.
He realized that God is connected with him. Like we say in Asher Yatzar, Galui V’Yadua Lifne Kiseh Levodecha/It is known in front of your holy throne.
When we have to go to the bathroom, it is known in front of the holy throne.
That is Diveykut.
This may sound strange but this is what it is all about.