We are now in chapter 146 of Tehilim, pasuk ה:
This is the last pasuk of Tehilim from the Pesukei Bitachon that we have been studying. After this, we will continue on to Navi and Ketuvim).
אַשְׁרֵי שֶׁאֵל יַעֲקֹב בְּעֶזְרוֹ שִׂבְרוֹ עַל ה׳ אֱלֹקיו
Praiseworthy is the one whose help is Yaakov’s God, whose hope is in Hashem, his God.
The Zohar asks what it means that He’s the God of Yaakov, and not of Avraham or Yitzhak- why Yaakov?
Because Yaakov was in a situation where he could not rely on his parents, neither his father nor his mother, when he was running away from Esav. He was all alone and he had no money. As it says, “I crossed the Jordan with my stick alone.“
Yaakov had total reliance on Hashem.
As it says, Im Yihyeh Elokei Imadi UShmarani”
That’s why we use this pasuk. Because Yaakov Avinu was stuck, and he relied on Hashem. And it says that he asked everything from Hashem.
We find a similar discussion with Yaakov Avinu in the Bet HaLevi on the Torah, where it says, “אשא עיני….
מאין יבא עזרי
From where will my help come?
The term Ezer/help shows up with Yaakov Avinu more than anyone else.
The Midrash says that Yaakov Avinu looked up to the heavens and asked, “Meayin Yavoh Ezri? Where will my help come from? When my father Yitzhak had to get married, Eliezer went with ten camels.
But I have nothing to bring.
But then Yaakov Avinu said,
“Am I going to give up hope on my Creator?
עזרי מאם ה'
עושה שמים וארץ
My hope is from Hashem, the One that makes the heavens and earth.”
The Bet HaLevi explains that this doesn’t mean that Yaakov Avinu gave up hope- has v’shalom.
Yaakov Avinu initially thought that he had no plan. Where would it come from? But then he realized that he did not have to figure it out for Hashem. All he had to do was rely on Hashem that it would happen, regardless of whether or not he had any understanding of how.
The Gaon of Vilna says that we say
מלך עוזר ומשיע ומגן
Melech Ozer UMashia Umagen.
These terms refer to Avraham, Yitzhak and Yaakov.
Avraham is Magen Avraham/shield of Avraham, because God shielded him when he was in the fiery furnace.
Yitzhak Avinu was Moshia- because Hashem saved him from the sword of the Akedah.
And Yaakov Avinu was Ezer. He was involved and doing things- of course, B’ezrat Hashem- with Hashem’s help. But with all of his hishtadlut, Yaakov realized that he was relying only on Hashem, and he had nothing else to count on. All the years that he was alone and counting on Hashem carried him through later situations, where he had all types of seemingly outside activities.
He realized that he was relying on Hashem alone.
The sefer Degel Machane Ephraim says that
בָּרוּךְ הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר יִבְטַח בַּה׳ וְהָיָה ה׳מִבְטַח
He who relies on Hashem, Hashem is his reliance. He has nothing else.
There are no intermediaries, there is nothing else. That is Yaakov Avinu’s level,
אַשְׁרֵי שֶׁאֵל יַעֲקֹב בְּעֶזְרוֹ שִׂבְרוֹ עַל ה׳ אֱלֹקיו
Praiseworthy is the one whose help is Yaakov’s God, whose hope is in Hashem, his God.
He relied only on Hashem.
The Elder of Novardok says that this concept isn’t only for Yaakov Avinu. Every person has a responsibility to reach these high levels. He quotes a midrash that says,
“To Yaakov and future generations, every generation has in it, someone like Yaakov.” And he says that we see from here that everybody can reach some level of this bitachon where it’s El Yaakov- Without any intermediaries without any plans or knowing how it will happen. It’s just relying on Hashem.
אַשְׁרֵי שֶׁאֵל יַעֲקֹב בְּעֶזְרוֹ
Praiseworthy is the one whose help is Yaakov’s God.
Have a wonderful day.
