I'd like to share with you an important Rabbenu Yonah on a Pasuk in Mishlei (3,6)
בְּכׇל־דְּרָכֶ֥יךָ דָעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝ה֗וּא יְיַשֵּׁ֥ר אֹֽרְחֹתֶֽיךָ
Know Hashem in all your ways, and He will straighten out your paths. What does that mean?
Rabbenu Yonah says, “Anything that you want to do, remember Hashem. Hope to Him, to have success in it. And rely on Him, and put your heart towards Him and realize that whatever activity that's going to happen is out of your control.”
An important part of relying on Hashem is realizing that it's not in your control. He says this pasuk is adding on to an earlier pasuk that says,
בְּטַ֣ח אֶל־יְ֭הֹוָה בְּכׇל־לִבֶּ֑ךָ
Rely on Hashem with all your heart…
What are we adding to with this? We already said rely on Hashem with all your heart- what more is there than that?
He says, “There are people that believe in God and rely on God in general.”
In general is something.
We're not diminishing that. I rely on Hashem in general. I know that for me to live, for my parnasa, for my health, for the success of my children and for everything in my life, I need Hashem.
That's wonderful. That is a great level. I don't rely on any person and I don’t rely on my strength , or my intelligence.
What's missing?
“But he doesn't place the topic of reliance on Hashem to his heart when it comes to specifics.” What does that mean? “Every activity that he does.” This is not so simple. Every activity means every activity.
Every detail in every single, specific way and action.
A lady puts a cake in the oven. A man makes a cup of coffee. A man drives to work. A lady goes to the grocery store. Remember Him and place on your heart that you have no strength. You have no ability for that action. It's not in your hands.
You think you can make a cup of coffee? Did you ever make a cup of coffee and the water's lukewarm? Did you ever make a cup of coffee, and the milk's a little spoiled? Did you ever make a cup of coffee and you added too much or too little sugar?
It's not in your control. The coffee's not in your control.
Just because 99 out of 100 times, you make the cup of coffee right, that doesn't mean that coffee making is in your control.
Remember Hashem and place on your heart, that it’s not in your hands at all. Only in the hands of Hashem. Hang on Him. Rely on Him, with all your hope. And hope to Hashem's kindness.
We're talking about every little detail. Getting in the car… the car starts..you drive…you turn… you get there…that's what it means.
I'm bringing this up now because it’s the time that people go on vacation all across the Yeshiva Jewish world.
People place their eyes on Hashem for Maasei Gadol- for the big things. When they go on a business trip over the ocean, or when they're going on a caravan. People get nervous when they go to the airport. But they don't get nervous when they get into the car. Why not?
They think, “Driving is not a big deal. I’m just driving to work, I'm not going to get nervous. I don't have a fear of driving like I have a fear of flying.
I have no question that I'm going to get to work in the morning.”
That's a mistake. You have to rely on Hashem for every thing, big and small.
For all the activities are in the hand of Hashem, and all successes. You have to remember Him in all deeds.
To be continued…