Many moons ago we were working on Pesukeh Bitachon. There is a concept to learn and understand a pasuk thar talks about Bitachon and to say it, and that gives the person the proper Emunah. It is said that, after you do so, you can make a request. We went through many Pesukim, but there are some that we didn't do. B’Ezrat Hashem, now that the holiday season is over, we can return to that series.
So we're now in Tehilim 31,25.
‘חִזְקוּ וְיַאֲמֵץ לְבַבְכֶם כָּל הַמְיַחֲלִים לה
Hizku V’YaAmetz L’Vavchem, kol HaMYahalim L’Hashem
Strengthen and make courageous your hearts, all those who hope to God.
Rashi asks why David Hamelech is telling us this, and he explains that
David Hamelech is saying, “You all saw what God has done to me, So therefore , all you hopers to God, Look at how God saved me and strengthen your hearts.”
But Radak says the words should be a command Hizku “You people should strengthen your hearts.” Why? “Because when you strengthen your heart, and strengthen yourself, then Hu/God will make you courageous.”
Hizku V’YaAmetz L’Vavchem, kol HaMYahalim L’Hashem
All those that hope to God should strengthen themselves.
(And then when you do that), God will make your heart more courageous.
So you take the first step, and then God will help out.
Malbim says, Imutz a consistent, constant level of Hizuk.
Rav Wolbe spoke about this concept of Amatz, and he brought down from a story in Megillat Rut, (chapter one) when Naomi was deciding to go back to Israel after she spent many years in Moab. She told Rut and Orpa (her daughters-in-law from her late sons), “Don't follow me. Even if I have children in my womb now, are you going to wait for them? I'm too old. There's no hope for me. Don't even wait for me, just go back home.”
They both cry, she kisses Orpa goodbye, and Rut stays with her. Naomi continues to try and convince Rut to leave, and says, “Your sister- in- law left, go back.”
And Rut says, “Please, I'm with you in everything that you do.” And she goes through a whole description of her commitment. Then it says,
וַתֵּרֶא כִּי מִתְאַמֶּצֶתהִיא לָלֶכֶת אִתָּהּ וַתֶּחְדַּל לְדַבֵּר אֵלֶיהָ:
And Naomi sees that Rut is being Mitametz which means, being courageous at of heart, or being very strong, and then she lets her come with her.
Rashi says that when it says
וַתֵּלַכְנָה שְׁתֵּיהֶם
They went together, the Torah equates them. Rut, this new born Jew, is being equated with Naomi.
The Sefer Shem M’Shemuel
(Parashat Yitro, in the year תרפ ) says that this trait of Ometz HaLev is, in his words, Talui Hakol/Everything depends on this, it opens up all gates.
We see that Rut ended up becoming the grandmother of Mashiach. From what? From that little bit of an extra push, that extra Ometz/that courage.
And the Shem M’Shemuel says that specifically at this time of the year, when we start again the after the holiday season. “When you start anew and you say, I'm gonna go forward, then God says a pasuk from tehilim to you, “I gave birth to you today.” And he says, “And if Rut got such tremendous help, and she was a convert, then surely if we Jewish people, that are Jewish from birth, recommit ourselves, how much is going happen to us and how many gates will be open to us?
And Rav Wolbe said, this line goes back to something that we say in our Rosh Hashana tefilot. “
אַשְׁרֵי אִישׁ֯ שֶׁ֯לֹּא יִשְׁכָּחֶֽךָ, וּבֶן־אָדָם יִתְאַמֵּץ־בָּךְ,
Fortunate is the man that doesn't forget about you, God. And a human that has this trait of Ometz.”
The Sefer Charedim says that his rabbi used to sing this pasuk all year/
אַשְׁרֵי אִישׁ֯ שֶׁ֯לֹּא יִשְׁכָּחֶֽךָ, וּבֶן־אָדָם יִתְאַמֵּץ־בָּךְ,
Never forget God. Hold on tight. Why?
כִּי דוֹרְשֶֽׁיךָ לְעוֹלָם לֹא יִכָּשֵׁלוּ, וְלֹא תַכְלִים לָנֶצַח כָּל־הַחוֹסִים בָּךְ
Those are search for you, they will not forever stumble. They might stumble but not forever. And they won't be embarrassed forever.
(They might be embarrassed, but not forever). All those who seek refuge in You .
That's a line that we say on Rosh Hashana, because that's the secret to our protection- this term of Ometz, which is in our Pasuk in Tehilim, and we say it every day in our prayers
Hizku,
strengthen. But more than that
V’Yaametz/ be courageous.
Of course, we're not going to see God come into our hearts and give us that, but we have to strengthen ourselves to the point of Ometz, that we're courageous and fearless like Rut, who just left everything behind. And then all the gates are opened up.
Have a wonderful day.