I may not have mentioned that the Pesukim of Bitachon that we’re currently going through, as listed by the Maharal of Prague, are based on alphabetical order. The previous list of pesukim that we went through, from Rabbi Yosef of Salant, were based on the order of the Tanach, in case people are wondering what the method to the madness is.
While we’re on the topic, I'd like to share that with Hashem's help, we put out a new book with Artscroll called Daily Dose of Pesukim of Bitachon, which has over 120 lessons cultivated and curated from the classes that we've been giving for the past few years on Pesukim.
If anybody wants to have it in a book style, it's a wonderful thing to learn and a wonderful gift. You can either go to Artscroll.com or we will post a link on the chat when available B’Ezrat Hashem.
Our Pasuk of the day is from Mishleh 14,26
בְּיִרְאַ֣ת יְ֭הֹוָה מִבְטַח־עֹ֑ז וּ֝לְבָנָ֗יו יִהְיֶ֥ה מַחְסֶֽה׃
With fear of Hashem, there is a guaranteed strength, and for his children there is refuge.
Rabbenu Yonah, in his sefer Derashot Al HaTorah on Parashat Vayehi, quotes this pasuk and explains that normally when a person is fearful, he doesn't have Bitachon. Fear is the opposite of Bitachon. But there's one exception: Fear of Hashem brings Bitachon to the one that fears Him. Fear normally means you're afraid of a lion, a tiger or bear, but when you're afraid of God, that means you know that He’s in charge. That fear brings reliance.
He says the Bitachon of Yirat Hashem is not just reliance that something negative won't happen, it's Mivtach Oz. You're in a protective spot. It gives you strength. Strength is the ability to accomplish things.
It's not just a protection that nothing bad will happen. It's something that gives you the positive strength to go forward. And not only will Yirat Hashem be a protection and a power for you, but it will also be a merit to be a refuge for your children.
Rabbenu Yonah, an early Rishon, also makes the point that we've said many a times that the term Machseh/ refuge is less than bitachon. Bitachon is an actual guarantee. That means you were given a guarantee, whereas the term refuge means you seek refuge in that force.
Rabbenu Yonah continues to explain this pasuk with a juxtaposition of the next two Pesukim.
Pasuk 27 says, יִרְאַ֣ת יְ֭הֹוָה מְק֣וֹר חַיִּ֑ים
Fear of Hashem is a source of life itself.
Yirat Hashem is not only going to give you bitachon, which is protection and success, but this Yirat Hashem is the source of life itself. And as we've said in the past, Yirat Hashem is bitachon, so that means bitachon is the source of life.
The next pasuk says,
בְּרׇב־עָ֥ם הַדְרַת־מֶ֑לֶךְ
With a lot of people, there's glory to the King.
What is the connection? He says this man who fears God and has Bitachon has no fear of anybody, because of his bitachon.
“ Yirat Hashem means “Yes, I fear God, and I fear no one else,” because as he says, “The one with fear of God is not afraid of any creature because of his reliance on Hashem.”
But he adds that Shlomo Hamelech is contrasting this man with other people, even to a king. He says, “B’Rov Am Hadrat Melech
The king’s glory is with a lot of people around him.” He may be a king, but he still needs to have his entourage, whereas the one who fears Hashem doesn't need anybody. He could be all alone and his bitachon is there and he's protected.
Rabbenu Yonah on Mishleh says the same thing, that the one that fears Hashem is more guaranteed and more serene than the king, because the one who fears God and his reliance is not dependent on people, but the reliance of the king is dependent on people, as it says B’Rov Am Hadrat Melech
So Baruch Hashem, we have found, in Rabbenu Yonah’s Derashot Al HaTorah, a new understanding of this pasuk
בְּיִרְאַ֣ת יְ֭הֹוָה מִבְטַח־עֹ֑ז וּ֝לְבָנָ֗יו יִהְיֶ֥ה מַחְסֶֽה׃
-that for the one who fears Hashem, this fear of Hashem is a source of bitachon, and that bitachon is the source of life.
Furthermore, that bitachon is more powerful than the bitachon of the king. The president, the king, they all need to have people around them, whereas the Bote’ach B’Hashem is guaranteed and safe all by himself.