The Bet Halevi tells us, “Now that it's clear to the person that there's no one worthy relying on other than Hashem, he should do so, moreover that it is one of the 613 Mitzvot.”
And although the Bet Halevi doesn't tell us which Mitzvah it is, he does tell us that at the Shaat HaDin/ at the time of judgment, they ask a person
Sipita LeYeshua/Did he look forward to the salvation? There is a Gemara in Masechet Shabbat that says when a person leaves the world, he'll be asked a certain number of questions, one of which is Sipita LeYeshua. Simply speaking, Sipita leYeshua refers to the final redemption. Are we looking forward to Mashiach, the final redemption? But the Bet Halevi adds, and this is found in other writings as well, “Did you look forward to the salvation, not despair from it and strengthen yourself in Bitachon, on every detail that came your way during your lifetime?”
So Sipita LeYeshua doesn't just apply to the global salvation, but to every person, in their own personal life, in every little situation that comes up. We all have challenges…financial, medical, marriage, children, whatever they may be. We need Geula, we need a Yeshua, and as we said, this doesn't only mean the global one.
David Hamelech says (and it's in our Friday night prayers), “
קרבה אל נפשי גאלה
Bring my soul close to you and it will be redeemed.”
The Pele Yoetz, citing the Arizal, says that in our daily Amida, in Et Semach David, when we say,
כי לישועתך קוינו כל היום
For we have hoped (or looked forward) to Your salvation all day,
we should have in mind that we anticipate Hashem's help in our own personal challenges.
He goes on to say that this is a Segula for Hashem's assistance, to look forward, to hope for the Yeshua. That means that during difficult times, you should imagine the Yeshua and look forward to it.
So if you have to marry off your daughter, when you're saying Le’yeshuatcha, picture standing in the middle of the circle dancing at her wedding. And you can do this with any other issue you have. That's the command of Sipita L’Yeshua.
We mentioned previously, that the sefer Mitzvot Hakatzer proves that relying on Hashem is one of the Mitzvot, from this Gemara. How could they possibly ask you, Did you look forward to Hashem salvation, if it's not a command to do so?
We are asked about the most fundamental points in life:
-Did you set aside time for learning? Of course, that's a fundamental.
-Did you involve yourself in trying to have children?
That's also a fundamental Pru Urvu, it’s the first Mitzvah in the Torah.
-Were you honest in business? Of course, if a person works, they have to be honest in business.
So where does Sipita L’Yeshua come into the picture, that it's one of the fundamental questions? The answer, says the Smak, is that it is a mitzvah.
Where is it?
It's the first words that we heard from God, when Hashem said, Anochi Hashem Elokecha Asher Hotzeticha me’Eretz Mitzrayim/ I am your God, that took you out of Egypt-
which means, I'm Hashem your God that when you were in trouble, I saved you then, and I will do the same now.
This is especially important in the times that we're in now, with our challenges of the war that's going on in Israel. We have to really strengthen the concept of Sipita Y’Yeshua-
Just like God took us out of Egypt then, He will save us now and show us wonders. We have to really think about that and believe that.
Et Semach David
Bonei Yerushalayim….
these are parts of the Amid a that we might not necessarily have focused on, on a regular day. On a regular day, it’s Refaenu, Berechenu, Shema Kolenu…My health, my wealth, my general personal requests…. where does Et Semach David, or Bonei Yerushalayim fit in?
It's our responsibility now to focus on that, and to look forward and yearn for Hashem’s salvation on a personal and global level.
Have a wonderful day.