We left off last week discussing that the type of Bitachon attitude one has can have an impact on their interactions with others.
The man with the Bitachon attitude is not jealous of anyone, and knows that no one can impact him negatively. No one did anything to him, and no one can do anything to him. He knows that, so he gets along with everyone.
Based on this concept, the Sefer Marpeh Lashon quotes the famous story found in Masechet Shabbat, where a gentile once came to Shammai and said, “Convert me if you can teach me the whole Torah while I stand on one foot.” Shammai pushed him away. Then the gentile went to Hillel and said the same thing. Hillel converted him and taught him the principle of “What you don’t want done to you, don’t do to your friend. That’s the whole Torah and the rest, finish off.”
So, it sounds like the the whole Torah stands on one pillar, of VeAhavta L’Re’echa Kamocha- Love your friend like you love yourself.
זה כלל גדול בתורה.
But the Sefer Marpeh brings down that the Gemarah in Masechet Makkot that says
בא בחבקוק ועמדין אל אחת שנאמר צדיק באמונתו יחיה
Habakkuk the prophet went and put the whole Torah into one principle which is “The Sadik lives on his Emunah.” Which means that Emunah is the whole principle of the Torah.
Which is it?
He explains that in truth, the only way to achieve the Torah principle of VeAhavta Re’echa Kamocha- love your friend like you love yourself, is if you have the Emunah/belief that Hashem runs the world and no one can do anything to you.
Hillel could not preach this concept to the convert who was new to the religion, so he started with the basic umbrella concept of “love your friend like you love yourself.” Easier said than done. How can we do it? We can do it only once we realize that our friend can’t do anything to us- neither hurt not harm us. We have to stop blaming people.
The Marpeh Lashon said this makes VeAhavta LRe’echa easy, and he quotes our Hovot Halevavot. This a rule that we have to remember. Don’t get jammed up thinking that people have Bechira (free choice) and their bechira can affect you. You have to choose one rabbi. You can’t go running around asking different questions to ten different rabbis. Our rabbi for Bitachon is the Hovot HaLevavot, and he clearly states, time and time again, that no one can do anything to you. And It’s a Gemarah in Masechet Yoma:
Ben Azzai said,
בשמך יקראוך במקומך יושיבוך ומשלך יתנו לך
They’ll call you by your name, put you in the place you belong, and give you what’s yours.
אין אדם נוגע במוכן לחבירו ואין מלכות נוגעת בחברתה אפי' כמלא נימא
No one can touch what was prepared for his friend, and one kingdom doesn’t touch another kingdom, not even a hairsbreadth.
The Marpeh Lashon tells us to have this on our minds at all times, in all our dealings and everyday activities, and this way, we’ll love everyone. We won’t worry about competition, or someone stealing our parking spot, etc, because no one can do anything. It’s just you and G-d.
He uses this to explain why baseless hatred is the worse sin- because it’s for naught. The guy reported in your to building department? That guy didn’t do anything to you! And Sinat Hinam is a problem, because it comes from a lack of emunah.
As the pasuk says:
ואהבת לרעך כמוך, אני ה׳
Love your friend like you love yourself, I am G-d. Why is that added on? Because it’s only when you believe that G-d is in control, that you can love others as you love yourself.
The Gaon of Vilna says a similar thought regarding why the first Bet Hamikdash was destroy but rebuilt after every 70 years, whereas the second was destroyed we are still suffering. He explains that regarding the first Bet HaMikdash,
ולבם היה טוב מאוד, שמעלת הבטחון על כולם
- their hearts were very good. They had Bitachon.
But the Second Bet HaMikdash was destroyed, even though they were involved in Torah and Hessed, because they had Sinat Himan. And that baseless hatred comes from
מחוסר הבטחון-
A lack of reliance on Hashem
שכל הקנאה והשנאה ממנה
For all jealousy and hatred stems from that (lack of Emunah) .
As we come up to Asarah B’Tevet (unless Hashem has mercy on us and the Bet HaMikdash is rebuilt by tomorrow beH), we recall that the enemy had already surrounded Yerushalayim and the Churban was starting. We have to focus on the destruction of the Bet HaMikdash and how we can rebuild it. How can we do that? By fixing Sinat Hinam. How? By working on our Bitachon and realizing “he” didn’t do it. It had nothing to do with him. If you get that clear, there’s no reason to dislike him. (Of course, he’ll be punished/rewarded for what he did- but that has nothing to do with you.)
Be’ezrat Hashem, we will strengthen our -VeAhavta L’Re’echa Kamocha
Have a wonderful day.