The Arizal, in the introduction to his sefer Shaar Mitzvot, brings up a question: We see many promises from our rabbis in the Gemara: If you do such and such Mitzvah, you’ll have it good, you’ll have a long life, etc. And yet we see people that do these Mitzvot, and it doesn't seem to come true. It’s as if, heaven forbid, the promise of the Gemara is not true.
He answers that in order for these promises to work, when a person does the mitzvah, the mitzvah cannot be like a load that he's trying to remove from himself. Rather, he should imagine, while doing the Mitzvah, that he is profiting millions of gold coins. He should be happy when he does the mitzvah, with a happiness that has no end; with a heart and soul that's full of enthusiasm. It should be, as if, in his words, not just imagination, but with the feeling that they’re actually giving you million gold coins.
What is a gold coin worth? I have no idea. Let’s just say that today, it’s worth $20. So that’s $20 million for one mitzvah- not for a whole day's mizvot. So when you put on your Tefilin, you're happy as if you actually got $20 million in your hands. And he says, that's the meaning behind the pasuk in last week’s Parashat Ki Tavo, that says the curses came because you didn't serve God with happiness and gladness of heart.
He says that was the secret behind the great rabbi in the Gemara, Rav Bruna who prayed Netz, and did not stop smiling the entire day.
What does this have to do with the topic of bitachon? The following words from the Arizal hit me. What does that smile show? The Arizal says,
היות אמונת בטחונו בבורא יתברך בתכלית האחרון יותר משאם היה השכר מזומן לפניו בפועל
His faith and reliance in God is such, to the nth degree, more than if money was set in front of him in actuality.
That means, and this is, to me, the real bitachon takeaway:
I am so convinced in God's reward and I rely on Him so much that his word is true. His guarantees are true. That's what bitachon really means, I feel guaranteed. I am so convinced in that guarantee, that I feel as if it literally is there.
This is not a just a mashal. It’s so clear that I have it in my hand. More than if it was real. We have to imagine what it feels like to have $20 million in hand. And again, not for the years of Mitzvot but for one individual mitzvah, for a pair of tefilin. When you feel like that, then all the promises of the Mitzvah are there.
This is a very, very important lesson, and it shows us how necessary our Emunah and Bitachon is, for our Mitzvot to get the most bang for our buck.
And he says, “The more real simcha and inner happiness you have, if you keep that up, I have no doubt, that you’ll have with Ruach Hakodesh.”
I have no doubt that God's Divine spirit will come upon you.
And he says this applies to every Mitzvah we do. When you learn Torah or do other Mitzvot, it must be with tremendous enthusiasm, with passion, as if you're standing in front of the king and serving him and trying to find favor in his eyes, because you know you're going get something very special.
To be on this level every day of the year is almost impossible, but on Rosh Hashana it's easier, because the whole point of Rosh Hashana is that you're standing in front of the King. And that's what we have to visualize the whole Rosh Hashana, I'm standing in front of the king. I'm serving Him. I'm happy. I'm full of joy.
Hopefully, we will be able to internalize this lesson and be full of happiness that we merited to serve the great King.
Have a wonderful day.