We’ve been going through different Pesukeh Bitachon as listed by Rabbi Yosef of Salant. We are now in Mishleh, chapter 3, pasuk 5:
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בְּטַח אֶל ה׳ בְּכָל לִבֶּךָ- וְאֶל בִּינָתְךָ אַל תִּשָּׁעֵן: |
Rely on Hashem with all your heart, and on your understanding, do not lean.
Firstly, Rashi says, Rely on Hashem with all your heart and spend money on a rabbi to learn from. And don't rely on your own understanding- Meaning, people sometimes try to save money, and they don't want to hire a teacher or tutor. But Rashi says, Don't lean on your wisdom. Rather, find a rabbi.
How can I afford the rabbi? Rely on Hashem.
That's how Rashi learns it.
But Rabbenu Yona says that
בְּטַח אֶל ה׳ בְּכָל לִבֶּךָ means, with a full heart, rely on God.
He says that a full heart means that you believe in God, without any doubts. He says that complete bitachon means you don't rely on anybody- not even yourself. As we say, Kochi V’Otzem Yadi/my strength and my power. But that’s wrong. It’s not my strength, not my power, not my intellect, not my understanding.
And therefore, Rabbenu Yonah learns that it’s a contrast: Rely on God, Don't rely on yourself. This is unlike Rashi’s explanation, which is not a contrast – Rashi is saying, “You need a teacher. You're not so smart. And how are you going pay for it? Rely on God.”
Rabbenu Yona continues, saying that many people make a mistake and rely on their wisdom. The pasuk could have said, Don't rely on your money, but he says that people rely on their wisdom more than anything else, and that's a mistake. That's number one.
Number two, it says wisdom because ultimately, even with money, you need wisdom to know how to spend it. So the main thing that we are being warned about is not to think we could get by with our own smarts. And he quotes a pasuk in Yeshaya:
משיב חכמים אחור ודעתם יסכל
God can take the wisdom of the wise and turn it backwards. And with their wisdom and their understanding, He’ll make them foolish.
This Gemara is brought down in reference to one of the greatest of rabbis, Rav Yochanan Ben Zachai. While he was having a discussion with the Caesar and trying to save Yerushalayim, he was negotiating. But the Gemara says that he asked for something, but he could have asked for something else and saved us… And it brings this pasuk down, that God can make even the wisest of men make a mistake, because that was God's plan.
Another pasuk in Yeshaya is quoted:
רבות מחשבות בלב איש
Man has many thoughts in his heart…
And another:
אם ה׳ לא יבנה בית …
If God does not build the house the people that are trying to build it are wasting their time.
And another…
כי לא לקרים המרוץ
The light footed do not win the race.
And finally, Rabbenu Yonah quotes the pasuk,
לאדם מרכב לב
Man can only set up his heart
ומה׳ מענה לשון
And from God the words come out
This is the pasuk that the Hazanim say before their prayers on the high holidays. They’re saying, All I can do is prepare my heart, but what comes out of my mouth- that’s up to Hashem,”
Rabbenu Yonah adds, If my tongue is not in my control, then it’s surely so for my actions and what I want to accomplish.
These are two explanations of this pasuk- One is, rely on God to spend money needed for your education and don't think you can do it on your own.
And number two, is rely on Hashem totally, without any doubts, and realize that without Hashem, all your wisdom and all your wits will get you nowhere.
Have a wonderful day.