This class is dedicated for the Refuah Shelemah of Bolisa bat Chana, Mrs. Priscilla Sutton.
The Ben Ish Chai, in his Sefer Derashot, called Ben Ish Chayil, brings out an interesting thought. We know that Jewish people are called Yehudim. The term Jew is short for Judah which is the Anglo-Saxon, English term for Yehuda. So we are called Jews because we are called Yehudim. Why are we called Yehudim? One explanation is that it’s because many of us come from the tribe of Yehuda. But that’s not enough, because Shevet Yehuda is not the majority of the Jewish people. Another reason given is that the word Yehuda means that he is “Modeh” he “admits” to the existence of G-d. That’s why Esav called his wife Yehudit, even before there was a Yehuda, because Yehudit meant someone admitting or recognizing G-d. That’s not the Ben Ish Chai’s point, but it’s the classic reason for why a Jew is called a Jew. The Ben Ish Chai says that the numerical value of the word Yehudim יהודים is 75, which is the same numerical value as בטחון Bitachon. He says that Jew is called a Jew because what makes him a Jew is Bitachon. That is a beautiful Hiddush.
But I would like to suggest that there is a connection between Yehuda as in Thank you/Hoda’ah, and the concept of Yehudim being based on Bitachon, based on a thought from the Rosh Yeshiva of Chaim Berlin, Rav Yisrael Hunter z’lb, in his sefer Pachad Yitzhak on Chanukah. Chanukah is a time dedicated for saying Thank You. The rabbis made it into an eight day holiday, not of feasting, but, as the Gemarah says, of Hallel and Hoda’ah - praise and thanks to G-d.
Rav Hunter explains the concept of Hoda’ah, and points out something very interesting. In the Hebrew language, there are three words have the same root, but in English you won’t find them connected in any thesaurus. They are confession, thanks and admitting. Confession is Vidduy, Thanks is Modeh, and Admit is also Modeh. Someone who admits half is called “Modeh b’miksat”. So a Hoda’ah can be understood as a thank you, an admittance or as a confession.
How is it that these three concepts, which are seemingly not related, all have the same root word in the Hebrew language? He explains that deep down, every person wants to feel that he’s independent, that he can survive on his own, and that he doesn’t need to depend on others. Every child wants to be independent. They want to make their own money. They like to be independent. That goes back to Adam and Chava. The reason they ate from the tree is because the snake told them that G-d ate from that tree, and became a Creator, and if they would eat from that tree, they would also become creators.
No one wants to be under someone else’s supervision and jurisdiction. We want to be independent. And that comes from man’s greatness. Because we are Tzelem Elokim, we are a piece of G-d, we have within us that G-dly concept of being independent. But we want to be totally independent, which is a mistake.
Saying thank you to somebody is not just a thank you, it’s an admittance. And just like if someone stole something, they wouldn’t want admit that they did something wrong, saying thank you, means admitting. It means you’re giving in and saying something you would rather not say. A real “Thank you” means, “I admit that I need you. I couldn’t do it on my own.” A confession is also an admission- of wrongdoing.
So if that is the case, then Bitachon and Hoda’ah are really connected as well, because we rely on Hashem when we realize that we can’t do it on our own, that there is no one else to rely on. Only He is in charge.
Thus, Bitachon is the essence of a Yehudi. Realizing and admitting to oneself that only Hashem can take care of me. This is the theme of Chanukah, which is coming up. It’s the theme of saying, “thank you” and realizing that we can’t do it on our own. When we say the word Modim/ Thank you, to G-d in the Amidah, we bow down, because the root of saying thank you is a level of humility, of humbling oneself to G-d.
My Ga’avah/arrogance says I’m in control, I’m in charge. But the Baal Bitachon has to have the humility to admit that “I can’t do it, I didn’t do it. I didn’t make the money, and I can’t make the money in the future. I am constantly dependent on Hashem.”
This short lesson gives us a deeper understanding of what it means to be a Jew, and what it means to exercise your Jewishness.
Being Jewish means “Thank you.” Being Jewish means Bitachon.
It’s all based on the same concept, which is the understanding and realization that I can’t do it on my own. Therefore I rely on G-d, and when things happen, I thank Him for that. Have a wonderful day.