The Rambam talks about the benefit of stories in the Gemara. There are many different types of stories in the Gemara, with various reasons for them. One main reason for stories, says the Rambam, is to teach us the fundamentals of Emunah that Hashem listens to the prayers of the Sadikim and answers them when they’re in trouble. It’s a general pasuk for the Jewish people large and teaches us the power of prayer.
The story of Nakdimon ben Gurion is one such story. It clearly connects to Bitachon, but furthermore, Rabbi Moshe Malka (zichrono l’bracha) of Bnei B’rak, one of the Sadikim of Bitachon of our generation, used this story to help explain the theme of the first chapter of Shaar Bitachon, which we have just learned.
We learned from the Hovot HaLevavot that the definition of Bitachon is
Batuach/guarantee. When you have Bitachon, you feel guaranteed. If you don’t have that sense of being guaranteed, you don’t have Bitachon. You’ll still get rewarded for trying, and what you have maybe nice, but it’s not Bitachon. It’s a mitzvah, it’s Emunah, you believe in Hashem, which is one of the greatest mitzvot, but Bitachon is reliance. To have that, you need to feel guaranteed.
The story of Nakdimon took place, עליה לרגל, during the time when the Jews went up to Jerusalem three times a year. There was a terrible drought and there was no water for the people to drink. Nakdimon Ben Gurion went to a wealthy gentile to borrow 12 vats of water from him (think of the gentile as Mr. Poland Springs of the time). Nakdimon told the gentile he’d like to borrow the water and if he couldn’t return it by the end of the agreed upon time, he’d give him 12 silver bars, which were worth much more than the water.
The entire year passed and there was no water. In the morning of the time they’d agreed upon, the gentile sent a messenger to Nakdimon and told him to pay the debt, either with the water or with the silver.
Nakdimon told him it was only morning and there was still time. Around 12 pm, he sent a messenger again. And Nakdimon again said that there was still time for the rain to come.
Around Mincha time, the gentile again asked for the money. Again, Nakdimon said there’s still time.
Then, as the sun started setting, the gentile met up with Nakdimon, laughed and said it hadn’t rained all year, why would it rain now, and he went into a bathhouse, happy to celebrate his pending windfall.
Nakdimon Ben Gurion went to the Bet Hamikdash, wrapped himself in talit and prayed. He said:
“Master of the Universe, You know I didn’t do this for my own honor nor for my family. It was for Your honor, for the people to be able to drink”
Clouds then filled skies, the rains finally came and the wells overflowed.
The gentile approached Nakdimon and said that although he recognized that Hashem had sent the rain for Nakdimon, it was too late. The sun had already set, so the year was up. He wanted his silver.
Nakdimon went back into the Bet Hamikdash and prayed once more. He said,
“G-d, let it be known that there are people in the world who love You.”
Just then, the sun broke through the clouds once more, and the gentile conceded the debt. .
We learn that this is how Nakdimon acquired this name.. He was previously known as Buni- son. Nakdimon” comes from the language “nikud/to pierce- as the sun pierced through the clouds.
Rabbi Malka was bothered by this story and had a question. Why did Nakdimon wait so long to pray? Why didn’t he get nervous?
The answer is that he felt guaranteed. He was relying on G-d.
While we can’t be reckless, Nakdimon knew it was likely that it would rain over the course of the year. He was relying on Hashem.
The question then is asked: Why did Hashem wait until the last minute? It’s not good training to delay.
The answer is that you shouldn’t wait for the last minute only when you’re not the one in control. G-d is in full control.
A mashal can help us understand this:
If you have a flight on Motzei Shabbat at 8pm and your ride pulls up at 7:15, and the airport is thirty minutes away, someone might think you’re being totally reckless. How can you possibly make that flight? But what if the pilot himself is picking you up?
You’d know then, with certainty, that you won’t miss the flight. And the pilot knows the plane can’t leave without him. He’s in total control.
Well, G-d is our pilot. He is not worried about the last minute. He can do things at any time.
That’s batuach.