We are up to the fourth reason that it’s silly to ask G-d for collateral. This refers to people that are not ready to have children, or get married, or do anything they’re supposed to do because they aren’t ready to take the risk, because they don’t have the money in the bank yet. G-d tells us to get married, and raise a family, and that He’ll take care of us. G-d told us to do these things, but these people are worried. They want to have the money in the bank. They want a Mashkon- collateral.
The Hovot HaLevavot tells us that there are three reasons why somebody might want to take collateral in a given situation. For example if someone wants to borrow $10,000 from you, you’d lend it, but you’d ask him to give you his gold watch (which is worth $12,000) as collateral. There are three reasons for this:
The first is that the borrower might not be able to pay you back. He may lose his money, become impoverished etc.
The second reason to take collateral is that the borrower that promised to pay you back may change his mind and decide not to.
Finally, what if the person dies, flies off to China, or disappears and you’re not able to get your money back? People take collateral because they’re concerned that the borrower will not keep his promise. I’ve heard crazy stories about people getting married who are offered support, but they don’t trust that promise so they want collateral. Who knows, they think, maybe the fellow will change his mind? Collateral takes care of these concerns.
But if you have a person who surely won’t be come poor, will remain generous, keep his promise and won’t die, then how dare you ask for collateral?
The Hovot HaLevavot ends off with this point:
והבורא יתברך אשר לא יאותו לו אלו המדות יותר הוא גנאי גדול ומפלא שימשכנו אותו
Regarding Hashem, May He be blessed, none of these things are a factor. G-d will never run out of money, He’ll always be benevolent and He’ll never disappear. He has all these qualities, so it would be a tremendous disgrace to ask G-d for a down payment or collateral.
He quotes from Hagai:
(חגי ב ח) לי הכסף ולי הזהב וגו',
I have all the gold and silver in the world
It’s like your father in-law or uncle promising to help you, and he has a money-printing press in his basement! You wouldn’t worry that he’d run out of money!
Furthermore,
As we say daily in our prayers, (דברי הימים א כט יב) והעשר והכבוד מלפניך. All wealth and glory comes from You.
So if you see G-d as an everlasting source of wealth, and a never-ending source of kindness, then it’s really silly (and the Hovot HaLevavot uses the word disgraceful) to ask for a down payment. This has to be our feeling. Bitachon means walking around with the confidence that our Father has endless benevolence, is going to live forever, and has endless money.
These three factors are important to consider when we look at our source for income.
It is this Being, who never runs out of money, is endlessly kind and will live forever, who asked us do something for Him, which necessitates us laying out money. But it’s like your father asking you to buy him a cup of coffee and you saying, “Wait, first give me a credit card or some money. I’m not laying out money for you.”
He’d say, “What are you worried about? My money is endless, I’m going be here forever, I’m not changing my mind. You can’t buy me a cup of coffee?”
This may sound overly dramatic but if we are real Baalei Bitachon, it’s real. We (and I’m talking to myself) have to internalize these important principles:
We have that benevolent father, who lives forever. He never runs out of money and He never runs out of kindness.
He asks me for a cup of coffee and I say, “Sorry dad, I need the money first.”
That’s the way the Hovot HaLevavot paints the picture of the fellow that says, “Sorry G-d, I’m 22 (or 25) and I can’t get married yet because I don’t have enough money in the bank.” Or, “Sorry G-d, I have two children but I can’t afford more.”
God is asking for a cup of coffee, and He will pay for it.
Have a wonderful day.