The Hovot HaLevavot teaches us to rely on Hashem, not on others or even on ourselves. We have to make clear that this doesn’t mean a person should sit home and do nothing. As the saying goes, “G-d blesses your handiwork”.We are talking about someone who’s working.
Even in the times of the desert, people had to go out and collect the manna. Even the great tzadikim, who got the manna delivered right to their doorsteps still had to open the door, chew the manna etc.. There was some type of effort involved, even as Hashem provided for them.
So we aren’t talking about a person who’s not working. We have to work and put in the effort but we have ask ourselves: What is our mindset? Hovot HaLevavot is training us in the fundamental of relying on Hashem even as we go to work and do our hishtadlut.
Whatever we do, we have to realize it’s only Hashem that’s making it happen- not us. That is the mindset we must have.
The Bet Halevi says: המן היה סימן לדורות -The manna is a sign/omen for the generations, that our efforts don’t make a difference.
In parashat Beshalach, we read about the miracle of the manna, so there are people who are careful to read Parashat HaMann at that time. What is so special about Parashat HaMann? - Why do people read it? How does it work? Reading it is known as a segullah for parnassa but we know there’s no magic power in our religion. We don’t tie yellow ribbons around oak trees. There’s always an understanding behind[r1] things. You may not know or understand what it is, but there’s a reason.
Rav Haim Palaggi’s son explains that when a person reads about the manna and remembers Hashem’s kindness in the desert and how the people got their parnassa without great effort, he’ll come to consider all the hessed that G-d does for us and think about G-d and realize G-d is wonderful and powerful. He’ll therefore want to cleave to G-d and want to connect to Him. When Hashem sees these feelings in someone, it arouses Hashem’s mercy upon that person and brings him his parnassa easily. Of course, any time you read from divrei torah it does something, even if you don’t understand it, but you get more bang for your buck if you understand what you’re doing.
Similarly, Sefer HaHinuch says that the Perek 91 of Tehilim
יושב בסתר עליון…(תהלים צא ) -One who seeks refuge in Hashem…
Has protective powers. How? A person reads that Hashem saves us and protects us from all kinds of dangers and tribulations and it arouses feelings of love for Hashem and feelings of refuge, and that brings the protection. It’s not magic, it’s the mindset involved in the reading.
The same holds true with the korbanot: When they were given they certainly had mystical powers, as does every mitzvah we do, but when the people understood that the animal was there as a sacrifice in place of them (because they were sinners) and that G-d in His mercy allowed them to see what became of the animal so they could fix themselves, there was much more meaning attached to it.
We have to mindful of what we’re doing.
If we read the Parashat HaMann, we should realize why we are doing it.
Maran says in Shulhan Aruch that it’s good to read parashat HaMann every day. Rav Chaim Palaggi’s son says not everyone is capable of reading it every day, but in his opinion, it’s nice to read it on Fridays because the manna came down in double portions on Erev Shabbat.
The bottom line is, the more we understand and think about what we’re doing the more Bitachon we will get out of it.
The manna is still around today. Davie Mizrahi A’h used to keep a jar of cotton balls on his desk to look at every time he had a challenge in business, to remind himself that all of the miracles of the past are still around today.