I’d like to share a thought that I heard from Rabbi Steinhardt:
In our Shabbat Amida of Mincha, we say,
כי מאתך היא מנוחתם
Which literally means, “from You comes our Menucha,” our serenity, our peace of mind
But if this were to be an exact translation, it should say
ממך From You,
Because אתך or אתי means “with you” ,for example, שב אתי means sit with me ,אתי or אתך actually means, “with someone”And if that is the case, we read it as follows
כי מאתך
When we are with G-d,
היא מנוחתם
That (our being with G-d) is the source of our peace of mind.
The Hovot HaLevavot says the indicator and goal of bitachon is Menuchat Nefesh- peace of mind, being calm and never worried, just being serene and at peace. The only way to feel that is with bitachon - reliance on G-d. But it’s more than reliance on G-d. It means that you are with G-d. The fact that you are sitting with G-d is in itself a source of menucha. We have to realize that. We are extremely close to G-d. That is why the Meshech Hochma says that the source of the Mitzvah of bitachon is ובו תדבק - Cleaving to G-d.
This Mitzvah, he says, is not only for the “high and holy.” It’s for every person, when he relies on G-d. This can mean relying on G-d to find a parking space, which shows that you feel G-d right next to you, that He is aware that you need a parking spot and He’ll get it for you. That is the source for cleaving to G-d, and that’s what מאתך With you, means.
If you realize that you are with G-d at all times, that is a source for Menucha. Imagine that.
A few analogies will illustrate this:
No one should ever need a Hatzalah member to come to their house, but I have needed their services in the past. Sometimes there’s a situation such as when a child has a high fever, lo Alenu, or a child faints- things like that happen. And for that split-second you feel nervous, so you call Hatzolah. When they arrive with all of their gear, there is a certain sense of calm, that someone is there that can take care of the problem. Then, when you get to the hospital, there is a greater sense of calm. Then when the doctor walks in and hooks the patient up to the right machinery, there is an even greater sense of calm. There is always a sense of calm when you are around people that you feel can take care of your problem.
If you’ve been trying to get to a certain lawyer because he can plead your case, when you get to that lawyer and you’re sitting in his office, finally speaking to him, there is a sense of calm that comes with that.
Anytime you get to the person that is the right address for your problems, and you are actually sitting with them, when you are there with them, you feel that calmness.
If you were afraid that you’d miss your flight but then you ended up on the plane, you sit in your seat and everything is fine, you feel that sense of calmness and serenity.
The goal is to feel that way always. Because
כי מאתך היא מנוחתם
“With You is my peace of mind.”
I am with G-d. G-d is watching over me. He is the source of all my salvations. And He knows exactly what is going on with me at this split second. We say this line on Shabbat, in our Minha prayers, because Shabbat is a source of Menucha. Shabbat is the time when we realize this very strong lesson.
One of our favorites, the Bet HaLevi asks in his commentary on Shabbat- What does it mean that, “on Shabbat is Menucha by G-d?”
He answers that throughout the week G-d was involved in creation. For example, on the sixth day of creation He made your heart. He made your legs. He made your stomach. He made your brain. G-d was active. But on Shabbat came Menucha. He was no longer active. But do you know what He was doing? G-d turned into the constant caretaker, or energizer of creation. Now G-d is not making your heart, He is pumping it. He is not making your vision, He is allowing you to see. Now G-d is pumping energy in a constant continuation of the world, which is a creation of its own. And that happened from the time of creation and on. So how close is G-d? G-d is צוּר לְבָבִי-Sor Levavi- our heart.
Our heart is pumping because G-d is there. It says, “The sound of my beloved one is knocking.” The word for דפק, can mean pulse or pounding. Who is that pounding? That’s G-d knocking on the door. He is inside of you. That is how close G-d is. If you think about that, it’s a little scary. There is no running away from Him. He is watching everything that happens. When you sin, you are using the energy that He gave you, to sin. Pretty scary.
But that is the source for Menucha.
G-d is with us. As David HaMelech said, “Hashem Li…”“G-d is with me. I am not afraid.”G-d is right here. He’s watching me.
He’s on the train, He is in the dark alley, He is with me wherever I go.
כי מאתך היא מנוחתם
“With You is my peace of mind.”
That’s a high level
That’s Diveykut.
But that’s the ultimate Bitachon.
Have a wonderful day.