We recently completed a Siyum on the seven prerequisites someone needs in order to be reliable. We learned that only Hashem has all seven. Now we start the third chapter. However, those looking for something new will be not getting it today.
The Hovot HaLevavot says there are further hakdamot/introductions necessary to master this concept of Bitachon. People often skip the introductions of books. But the Rambam says that the reason most people aren’t successful in their endeavors is because they skip the introductions. An introduction is like the foundation of a building. It may not look exciting- it’s just a big hole with some concrete, and we don’t see the production, but it’s the foundation - it’s a very important component.
The Hovot HaLevavot says that to be complete there are 5 introductions we need have.
For all, you need it to be ברור clear in your head and אמת true in your heart that you believe and have clarity on these 7 prerequisites required to rely on a Being.
He says, I said them but I’ll repeat them.
What? After we spent a whole chapter on this he’s going to repeat it?
The answer is yes. The Hovot HaLevavot is a master pedagogue. He knows the rule of teaching: that practice makes perfect it’s a proven rule, and modern science backs up his claims.
We now know from brain scans and modern science that practice and repetition have a real and measurable impact on the brain.
For example, brushing teeth is an automatic act that requires no thought. The way you learned to do it at six is the way you’re doing it now. The same holds true for showering- we don’t need to think as we shampoo, use soap etc.
Driving becomes automatic too. When you’re a new driver you tightly grip wheel, and make full, careful complete turns as the instructor taught. Later on things become automatic. How does this automaticity occur?
Every time you perform an action, a chemical called myelin wraps itself around what can be understood as the circuits in our brains. The myelin acts as an insulator, and the more insulation, the faster the impulses fire.
So, for example, the first time a person shoots a basketball, he’ll be clumsy. But after hundreds and thousands of shots, it becomes automatic. A professional basketball player doesn’t have to think about dribbling. This is true of both physical activity and of thought processes as well.
Mindsets become automatic too. We have a certain wiring in our thinking as well.
When a child grows up with a parent who reacts to rainy days with negativity, they too learn to feel doom and gloom when they see rain. They’re wired that way.
But the good news is we can rewire our brains.
Rabbi Miller reframed our outlook on rain and we can work on this. We can learn to look at rain and see watermelon, cherries, and even grandchildren in the rain drops.
Rain can become something positive.
But the only way to have that automaticity in our mind set is from repetition.
A beautiful story about Rav Pam illustrates this concept.
Rav Pam zsl was once at a wedding, where the father of the bride had commissioned a world class artist to draw up a beautiful, costly ketuba. It was a work of art. However, the person filling it out inadvertently made an made an error and thus it was now pasul (invalid). There was no backup ketuba, so Rav Pam quickly wrote up a new one on a simple piece of paper. The father of the bride was distraught. It had been a big project and a big expense. He was so upset at everyone that it threatened to ruin the happiest day of his life.
Rav Pam then whispered something in the man’s ear and he was completely consoled. What did he say? Someone later asked the man. Rav Pam had told him that his daughter was destined to have two ketubot. What are the usual reasons someone would have two ketubot? Because the first marriage didn’t work, either because of divorce or Lo Alenu, death. But here, Hashem had redeemed her. She got the two ketubot at one wedding.
The man was happy.
That’s an automatic Bitachon reaction.Rav Pam didn’t have to sit there think about it. Rav Pam automatically thought “Hashem is there to help, He’s my loving Father, who takes care of me.”
Therefore, we will spend more time repeating until practice makes perfect with our Bitachon.