The Hovot HaLevavot continues with the theme that we can’t be negligent in our health and safety and then rely on Hashem. He proves this from a story with Shemuel Hanavi.
Shemuel HaNavi originally appointed Shaul as the king, but after Shaul failed to kill out all of Amalek, G-d told Shemuel to anoint a new king. In Shemuel Hashem told Shemuel to stop mourning over Shaul, and that he should fill a horn with oil and go to Yishai because one of his sons would be king. Shemuel then tells Hashem,
שמואל א טז ב) איך אלך ושמע שאול והרגני
How can I go? If Shaul hears what I’m doing (appointing another king, which is rebellion), he’ll kill me.
So Hashem tells him,
עגלת בקר תקח בידך ואמרת לזבח לה׳
באתי
Go take a calf and if Shaul asks, tell him you’re going to bring an offering.
Invite Yishai and his family to the ceremony and you’ll do the anointing then.
And Shemuel does so.
The Hovot HaLevavot learns from this:
Shemuel was a prophet. G-d was telling him to do something. Shemuel responded that it would dangerous, and this is not considered a lack of Bitachon. He’s not held accountable for this.
Furthermore, G-d says this is a good idea. Had it been a lack of Bitachon, G-d could’ve told Shemuel, “Don’t worry- it’s up to me. אני אמית ואחיה I bring life and death.” Or He could’ve answered him like He answered Moshe when Moshe was reluctant to go to Pharoah because of his stammer. To that, G-d answered Moshe,
“ מי שם פה לאדם Who gave people mouths?”
G-d didn’t say this to Shemuel.
This story of Shemuel is brought up by many in addition to the Hovot HaLevavot, to make this very point.
The Ralbag, on Shemuel, says the same thing as the Hovot HaLevavot. He says that one should not rely on miracles, even if he’s perfect and totally connected to G-d like Shemuel HaNavi. Even in his greatness, Shemuel used regular ideas and ways to avoid death. Therefore we regular mortals, who did not get a commandment from G-d, even though we are doing something proper, we have no right to put ourselves in danger.
The Rashba, one of the Rishonim, in his Teshuva chapter 418, says that G-d doesn’t make miracles as the norm. Therefore, one has no right to rely on miracles, because that is not the way G-d set up the world. He brings a proof from Yetziat Mitzrayim. Although it was a miraculous time and we learn from those miracles, once Bnei Yisrael left Egypt, it says G-d did not take them on the path of the Pelishtim because G-d was afraid they’d turn around. Why didn’t G-d just make a miracle to ensure the Pelishtim wouldn’t attack? We see from here that G-d doesn’t work that way. He wants us to act in a regular way.
Another proof from the Torah: The Radak (Rav Dovid Kimchi) says the same thing about why Yaakov Avinu originally didn’t want to send Binyamin. In Bereshit מ״ב,ד Yaakov said פן יקראנו אסון - what if some accident befalls him on the way?
Traveling the roads was dangerous, with risk of thieves, wild animals etc. Yaakov Avinu understood that if he wanted to keep Binyamin protected, he had to keep him in a safer area. This rule applies even to a Sadik like Binyamin.
So we have multiple proofs of this principle, from Shemuel Hanavi, from Yaakov and Binyamin and from Hashem.
This principle of not putting ourselves at risk is not considered a lacking at all. It’s considered the right thing to do. The Hovot HaLevavot goes on to say that if Shemuel HaNavi, with all of his perfection wasn’t lenient and wouldn’t do it, surely we shouldn’t as well.
We previously mentioned that when someone isn’t careful, there can be two outcomes. The first option we mentioned is that something bad happens. The second outcome is that a miracle does happen. Isn’t that great? No, it isn’t. As the Gemara tells us and the Hovot HaLevavot quotes:
(גמרא שבת לב א)
לעולם אל יעמד אדם במקום סכנה ויאמר שעושין לו נס שמא אין עושין לו נס ואם עושין לו נס מנכין לו
Don’t put yourself in danger. Because if a miracle is done for you, you may have cashed out your merits and used up your zechuyot.
You could have gotten up to pray every day for a year, but then you go skydiving, and your parachute doesn’t release. Hashem has to perform a miracle for you now, and you’ve used up all those merits.
The point is clear: Don’t use Bitachon by putting yourself in dangerous situations and not taking care of yourself.