We are discussing Rav Hanina Ben Dosa.
Hanina Ben Dosa is our example of a Baal Bitachon who protects and brings blessing to the generation and is a pleasure to be around.
What does it mean exactly that he brings beracha to his generation?
As we mentioned previously, the Gemara tells us that the whole world received parnasa on account of Rav Hanina. He lived simply, and often had to do without but he was content. At one point, however, his wife complained. They had been living in a difficult situation and didn’t have bread for Shabbat. She told him she couldn’t handle it anymore. “If you want, I’ll pray for you,” he told her.
That morning a long gold bar appeared at their doorstep. She was excited. He had relied on Hashem and got it!
That night she had a dream that the all the righteous people in Gan Eden were sitting around a table with 3 legs while she and her husband were sitting at a table that had only 2 legs.
She was very disturbed and told her husband her dream. He said, yes that’s where their gold bar had come from. It came from their table in Gan Eden. She said if that was the case she didn’t want it anymore. He prayed, a hand came down and the gold bar was taken back. It says that the return of the golden bar was a bigger Ness/miracle than getting the gold bar in the first place, because Hashem gives, he doesn’t take.
The Yaarot Devash, a commentary, has questions about this episode. He asks: Why does the table in Olam Habah have only 3 legs? Wouldn’t it be more comfortable to sit at a table with four legs? He answers that it’s because the world stands on three pillars and our future in Olam Habah stands on these pillars as well: Torah, Avodah/Prayer and Gemilut Hasadim/Hessed.
Their table had only two legs. That means they had lost one of those pillars. Which one? He answers that they lost the pillar of Hessed. Why? It would seem that now, with the gold bar in their possession, they’d be in a better position to do hessed, to give more Sedaka, etc.
He answers that their whole lives they wished they could give charity on a grand scale. For those of us that can’t afford to build buildings or donate large sums to charity, this is a tremendous lesson. Where’s our hessed? Rav Hanina sat in shul and every time there was drive, he said I wish I could give, I want to give. When we want to give, that’s powerful.
We want to give so much and sometimes the wanting accomplishes more than the actual giving.
מחשבה טובה מצרפה למעשה
Good thoughts, G-d links with an action. When you want to do good things, you are doing a great deal. Rav Hanina supported the whole world with his good eye and his Bitachon. He was a humongous Baal Hessed, even though he didn’t see what he was doing. With his prayers and wishes for others, he was doing himself and the world great kindness. His wife didn’t see it, which is what made it difficult for her, as we often don’t. We have to understand our Bitachon does tremendous things.
We are constantly helping people with our prayers and kind thoughts. A Baal Bitachon can support the world regardless of his finances. He can be the biggest philanthropist around just by thinking and wanting to give.
As poor as he was, Rav Hanina was the most philanthropic person around.
As long as he didn’t have money, he had the pillar of gold in shamayim. With the desire to help others you can support the world. The Yaarot Devash says that with the actual money, you can’t always do as much. Who says you’re going to give to the right causes? Even with millions, you could never completely fill the need. But with our Bitachon and yearning, we are accomplishing great things.