I’d like to share a beautiful thought from Rav Wolbe, where in two paragraphs, he encapsulates what he calls the “ עומק הבטחון depth of bitachon.”
He says the depth of bitachon is when a person realizes he is in loyal hands, the hands of his Creator. The person knows that Hashem is a trustworthy, loyal Creator, and that whatever He gives is exactly measured and judged. The person thinks, “Hashem knows the true me, and He knows exactly what the true me needs, in order to serve Him, to come to perfection and to come to my everlasting, eternal bliss.”
These are heavy words, which mean that I have to serve Hashem, and I need certain to things in order to get to my perfection and everlasting eternal bliss. Hashem is the loyal Creator that will get me there.
When a person “knows” that he’s in trustworthy hands, this isn’t just an intellectual knowledge. It’s something that overtakes emotion and instinct. It’s in his gut. It’s in the real him.
Rav Wolbe says that human nature is to receive Hashem’s kindness on the things that are, so to say, “givens.” We don’t ask why Hashem gave these things to us, or whether we are worthy. We don’t ask whether we are worthy to have a family, or children, or whether we are worthy to have a heart, kidneys, and lungs that are functioning. We don’t wonder whether we were worthy to get a whole night sleep, or wonder why we don’t have a heart murmur or insomnia. The list goes on. Of course, my vision is great, and my hearing is great, my balance is great, and I don’t have vertigo. These are all “givens” and we don’t think that we have to say thank you for them.
We receive all this kindness as if it is a given. But when Hashem has v’shalom, takes something away, we start asking what’s going on.. we look at Midat HaDin ( Hashem’s strict judgment) as some kind of thief, who is taking things that aren’t rightfully his.
That’s what Iyov said, in his famous line, “ה׳ נתן וה׳ לקח
Hashem gives and Hashem takes
יהי שם ה׳ מבורך
Hashem’s name should be blessed
Rav Wolbe adds a few words to this
ה׳ נתן
G-d gave, and I didn’t ask any questions
ה׳ לקח
G-d takes, and has v’shalom, I also don’t ask any questions.
I bless Him in all situations, because I know it’s טוב בשבילי good for me
This is bitachon.
Of course, the high-level bitachon people will come screaming, “What do you mean?! Bitachon means that I can rely on Hashem to get what I want.”
That’s also true, but right now, we are talking about the base level of bitachon, when life isn’t going the way you’d like it to go. How do you react then?
You want to change it? Go ahead.
But how do you react to life when things don’t go the way you like?
עומק הבטחין The depth of bitachon
is when a person knows in his soul, in his gut, that he’s in reliable hands.
ה׳ רועי לא אחסר
Hashem is my Shepherd, I won’t lack, whether He’s taking me to luscious pastures and calm waters or going to through the valley of death. In all situations, I’m never
afraid because of the following three words
כי אתה עמדי
Because You are with me
This feeling that Hashem is with me is a knowledge and feeling deeply rooted in the heart of the Baal Bote’ach, and that’s what brings him his Menuchat Hanefesh/ peace of mind.
That’s always the litmus test. Does a person really have Bitachon? Is he really relying on Hashem? If he feels that he’s in the hands of his loyal Creator, that’s holding him tight, then he’s always calm. That’s why the Hovot HaLevavot’s definition of bitachon is Menuchat Nefesh HaBoteach, which refers to the Nefesh- the soul, or the gut of a person. We aren’t talking about the brain or the heart. This isn’t intellectual or even emotional. This isn’t something you learn in books. This is something that your whole being has accepted. It becomes internalized and synthesized within you.
You live this.
This is Bitachon. And it’s a life’s job. We have to constantly reiterate these concepts.
Hashem always chooses what’s best for us.
It if that’s the case, some ask, than why would we want to change things?
The answer is that we might reach a higher level of Bitachon or closeness to Hashem, where we’d no longer need that thing. It’s like saying that right now a person needs crutches. But if he does his therapy, then he won’t need crutches anymore.
But I have to know that situation that I’m in right now is the best situation for me. Can tomorrow be different? That is a different story. We aren’t talking about tomorrow. We are talking about right now. And if I didn’t rely on Hashem enough, or I’m not worthy that tomorrow should be different, then tomorrow will be exactly what I need. Hashem is a caring, loving G-d, Who always takes care of us. That is the עומק בטחון the depth of Bitachon, says Rav Wolbe, to have that constant feeling.
B’ezrat Hashem we should be zoche to it.
Have a wonderful day.