We continue with the explanation of how Bitachon works, even if person is not deserving. Rav Yehezkiel Levenstein, in his sefer Or Yehezkiel on Emuna (page 123), explains, similar to what we said, that there are different approaches that Hashem has, but he explains it on a less kabbalistic, more simple level. He says, the fundamental is that Hashem’s constantly supervising, which we call Hashgacha Pratit.
But, he says, within this constant Hashgacha, there are two levels. One is, Hashgacha, which means God is watching everything and supervising. Then there's another level, which he calls Hashgacha M’Geder Shmira/Supervision that is also a protection. He says even though Hashem is supervising everything, the Sadikim and the Kasherim have an additional supervision that's going to protect them. He says that this second level of protection depends on your bitachon. The more you turn to Hashem, the more He gives you this additional protective supervision.
Yes, of course there's a rule, that
A person doesn't stub his toe down here unless he's deserving upstairs. What does that mean? Rav Wolbe once illustrated very graphically person walking in his room. He's about to walk past his bed, and now there’s a discussion- Should this man stub his toe or shouldn’t he? One angel says, “Well, he was walking to Shaharit this morning, so that should protect him.” But another says, “But he kicked his friend.” A third angel says, “He's right. He kicked his friend. He shouldn't be protected.” And therefore it's decreed, based on his actions, that he’s going to stub his toe. But, as this man is walking in his room, he has his headphones on, and he's listening to a class and he's saying, “Wow, Hashem’s watching my every step.”
So Hashem says, “Because he realizes I'm watching him. I'm going to protect him from stubbing his toe. Even though he really deserves to stub his toe, but I am now going to protect him.”
Of course, you cant beat the system. If the person is deserving of something, eventually, it will catch up with him. There's no such thing as never getting punished. But it means that for the moment, Hashem will push it off and his Bitachon will protect him.
As we've said in the past, there's an even higher level. The Ramchal says in his Ma’amar HaKivoy that the root of Tikvah is the same as Mikveh. He says, Mikveh Yisrael Hashem literally means Hashem is the One that the Jewish people hope to, but also Mikveh Hashem Yisrael, when we hope to Hashem, that also purifies us. So technically, the Bitachon itself can be a type of Teshuva and a type of connection. But barring that, assuming that's not the case, right now, the man’s bitachon will protect him because that's the level of Hashgacha M’Derech Shmira.
Sometimes people confuse the different levels of Hashgacha/supervision.
Hashgacha means supervision. If I have a camera and I'm watching you, I’m Mashgiach. But watching doesn't mean I'm that I'm going to stop something from happening. That's this other level, called Hashgacha M’Derech Shmira/supervision that's protecting.
Of course, God's watching everything. There's nothing that happens that He’s not watching. But we can have a level of Shmira, and that level of protection comes with Bitachon.