We are now quoting a pasuk from Divrei Hayamim ב (16,9)
כִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה עֵינָ֞יו מְשֹׁטְט֤וֹת בְּכׇל־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ לְ֠הִתְחַזֵּ֠ק עִם־לְבָבָ֥ם שָׁלֵ֛ם אֵלָ֖יו נִסְכַּ֣לְתָּ עַל־זֹ֑את כִּ֣י מֵעַ֔תָּה יֵ֥שׁ עִמְּךָ֖ מִלְחָמֽוֹת׃
God's eyes are searching all over the land to strengthen those who have complete hearts in bitachon.
You were foolish, and now you will have wars.
God is talking to King Asa who wasn’t relying on Hashem. He was relying on Aram.
A little before this, the prophet Chananiah tells Asa, “You relied, you leaned on the king of Aram and you didn't lean on Hashem?
Therefore, you're going to have problems now with war. Didn't you see in the past that you were successful against greater armies?
The prophet was pointing out, Why don’t you learn from your good experience to rely on Hashem? It works.
Regarding the words,
כי יְהֹוָ֗ה עֵינָ֞יו מְשֹׁטְט֤וֹת בְּכׇל־הָאָ֙רֶץ
the simple meaning is that God knows what's going on, but what is added here is that part of what it means that God knows what's going on is that He knows if you have bitachon or not. Are you trying to rely on Him?
The sefer Mesudat David says regarding this pasuk that God is Mashgiach on everything, and gives strength to the person who's trying to rely on Hashem.
God gives him strength to continue the reliance.
So Asa, why'd you give up on the bitachon plan? God knows what's going on in your heart. He knows if you're relying on Him or not.
These words of כִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה עֵינָ֞יו מְשֹׁטְט֤וֹת בְּכׇל are brought down throughout our writings. The Kuzari brings them down In Maamar Shelishi as a source for the way the pious man acts.
He doesn't do a deed, think a thought, or say a word without the realization and the belief that there's an eye that's watching over him, seeing what he's doing, rewarding and punishing him for everything that he does. That's what it means that God's eyes are everywhere.
In the mussar sefer Orchot Chaim L’Rosh, by the Rosh, Rabbenu Asher, one of the Rishonim, he brings down that one of the fundamentals is to rely on Hashem with all your heart, to believe in God's Hashgacha Pratit, God’s individual supervision.
He says this is the true belief in what he calls Yichud Hashalem/ God's Oneness.
How do you believe in God's Oneness? When you believe
כי עיניו משוטטות בכל הארץ
That He’s watching everything. There's nothing that escapes Him.
ועיניו על כל דרכי איש ובוחן לב וחוקר כליות
His eyes on the on the paths on every man, and He is checking and testing your heart.
He knows what's going on in your heart.
That's a fundamental belief. He adds the famous line that if you don't believe in
אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים
If you don't believe in God's Divine providence that was demonstrated as He took us out Mitzrayim,, then you don't believe in the first half of the statement, באנכי ה' אלקיך
I am Hashem your God.
That's not a believer.
כי זה היה [נ"א הוא] סגולת ישראל על כל העמים
For what do the Jewish people have over other nations? Our understanding that God's eyes are everywhere.
וזה יסוד כל התורה כלה
And this is the foundation of our entire religion.
So, this is a powerful pasuk.
כִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה עֵינָ֞יו מְשֹׁטְט֤וֹת בְּכׇל־הָאָ֙רֶץ
God's eyes are watching everything that we do
But more than everything we do, God's eyes are watching everything that we think. God knows if we have bitachon or not. And if we're trying to have bitachon, He will help us with our bitachon.
That’s what we're supposed to have in mind when we read this pasuk of bitachon: An understanding of Hashem’s Hashgacha and His knowledge of everything that we do and think.
Have a wonderful day.