We continue with the contrast of the two men - the ארור הגבר/ Cursed man and and the ברוך הגבר/ Blessed man that Yirmiyah discusses, depending on their bitachon.
The Chida makes an interesting point. The word used here for man is גבר/Gever, which is a strange term. The root of gever is Gibbor /strong man.
When it says Aror HaGever or Baruch HaGever, we are only blessing or cursing this man if he could have overcome. When a person is scared, he has natural limitations. So the blessing and curse applies only to someone that could have overcome. Hashem only asks from you what you are able to do.
There are levels upon levels of bitachon. Therefore, the blessings and curses are only within your zone. God knows what you are able to do, and what you are not able to do.
In the commentary on the Bet HaLevi ( page 3) it says, “The Steipler Gaon writes in his sefer Birkat Peretz (Parashat Shoftim) that one is certainly not held accountable for natural fear or anxiety that he experiences. This is practically uncontrollable. The Torah was not given to angels, and does not expect us to be superhuman. However, he explains, one must control himself not to think worrisome thoughts on an ongoing basis, as such thoughts cause additional fear. Instead, one must strengthen himself with thoughts of Emuna and Bitachon. Accordingly, he is held liable only for the additional fear that he brings upon himself.
This is the important point of Baruch HaGever. It’s all about your ability to overcome or not, and that will decide the blessings and curses.
The Sefer Marbit, in his commentary on on Perek Shira gives us two reasons why reliance on man isn’t reliance, and why reliance on God is considered something worthwhile, from a logical standpoint, and he ties it to our pesukim.
Firstly, he says that one is cursed when relies on man, because man can change his mind.
Secondly, when you put your strength into flesh, even if he wants to do it, maybe he can’t. These are two lackings of human beings: Maybe they don’t want to do it, and maybe they can’t do it.
On the other hand, when it comes to Hashem, firstly Hashem can do everything. Secondly, even if it’s not happening right now, God never changes His mind. God is willing and able and He will do it. If it might not happen right now, wait. As it says, “If it delays, I will wait.״
God created this world, and God created the next world. It will happen. If you rely on Hashem, you will get it.
You might not get it right here or right now, but you will get it. This is a Hiddush.
We say in Baruch SheAmar that Hashem us Gozer Umekayem/ He makes decrees and fulfills, and we also say that God is around forever, because it doesn’t always happen right away. It may take time, but Hashem always comes through eventually.
It’s important to think positive thoughts in order to strengthen our bitachon, and this is something we can think about:
Hashem is willing and able, and He doesn’t change His mind.
But human beings are not always able, and they are not always willing. So from a logical approach, it makes sense to rely on Hashem. And on top of that, Hashem is full of mercy. The Marbit says that that is the reason for us to strengthen our logical approach to bitachon.
Have a wonderful day.