Today we will share some thoughts left over from Parashat Ekev. In the beginning of the Parasha says,
כִּ֤י תֹאמַר֙ בִּלְבָ֣בְךָ֔ רַבִּ֛ים הַגּוֹיִ֥ם הָאֵ֖לֶּה מִמֶּ֑נִּי אֵיכָ֥ה אוּכַ֖ל לְהוֹרִישָֽׁם
If you say in your heart, ‘There are too many goyim (referring to their soldiers) How will I be able to send them out?’ (i.e. how will I able to win the war?)’
לֹ֥א תִירָ֖א מֵהֶ֑ם
Lo Tirah M’Hem
Don't be afraid of them.
I always understood, from Rabbenu Yonah as well as the Rambam, that this is a command- Thou shalt not be afraid of them. The Rambam says it’s specifically when at war, and Rabbenu Yonah says it's in all situations of challenge.
But the Sefer Maaseh Hashem has a different interpretation. He says that when a person says, “How am I going to be able to do this,” that’s a good thing.
If you said in your heart “They're small…it's no problem,” then you should be afraid. When you think you can do it on your own, then Hashem will hide His countenance. But if you start off and say, “I can't win them in a natural war,” and you realize you can't do it on your own, then,
Lo Tirah M’hem/you have nothing to fear.
So, according to this, Lo Tirah M’Hem is really a promise. And contrary to the way many learn, that it’s a negative question, because we're doubting our abilities-No, that's a good thing. You're supposed to realize that you can't do it on your own. When you realize you can't do it on your own, then Hashem helps. This sefer, Maaseh Hashem was written by a Rabbi Eliezer Ashkenazi, who was born in Italy in 1513 and passed away in 1586. He lived at the same time as the Bet Yosef and was a son-in-law of a famous rabbi called the Maharik. He he was a giant in learning, and had beautiful thoughts. He has a more famous sefer called the Yosef Lekach, on Megillat Esther, which the Gaon of Vilna used.
So he has this innovative way of learning Lo Tirah M’Hem/Don’t be afraid of them, as a positive comment. Don't be afraid of them. ‘Theres nothing to fear because you realize they're more than you and you can't handle on your own.’ And he reads into a perek in Tehilim (chapter 30), that we say it every single day.
“וַ֭אֲנִי אָמַ֣רְתִּי בְשַׁלְוִ֑י בַּל־אֶמּ֥וֹט לְעוֹלָֽם׃
I said, in my serenity, I'll never falter.
הִסְתַּ֥רְתָּ פָנֶ֗יךָ הָיִ֥יתִי נִבְהָֽל׃
You hid Your face and I was panic stricken.
And he explains that because David Hamelech said, “Oh, I'm serene. I'm doing fine.” (You think you have nothing to worry about?) Then Hashem will be Hester Panim. He'll hide His face, and then you will have something to worry about.
You'll be not just worried; you'll be panic stricken.
So that is an important lesson, that when a person realizes the challenge or problem, he is in a better position because he not relying on himself.
Of course, there's a place for bitachon, but it starts with realizing your own inabilities. Because, he says, David Hamelech was relying on the serenity and relying on his power, and that creates the problem.
B’Ezrat Hashem, we will realize,
רַבִּ֛ים הַגּוֹיִ֥ם הָאֵ֖לֶּה מִמֶּ֑נִּי
the situation is beyond my abilities,
And once you realize that,
Lo Tirah M’Hem
You have nothing to fear.
Have a wonderful day.