We are now in the pesukim of Yehoshefat. He's praying as he’s surrounded by three enemies and he says to Hashem, “Please judge them. We have no strength to fight against them.
וַאֲנַ֗חְנוּ לֹ֤א נֵדַע֙ מַֽה־נַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה כִּ֥י עָלֶ֖יךָ עֵינֵֽינוּ׃
We don't know what to do, On You, are our eyes.”
We say this pasuk every single day in our prayers. After the Amida and Vidduy, after we sit down and say Netilat Apaim, we say these words.
The Tur explains that the reason that we say this is that we are telling Hashem, “We've done everything that we can do. We prayed standing, we prayed, sitting, we confessed. We have nothing else to do.
וַאֲנַ֗חְנוּ לֹ֤א נֵדַע֙
V’Anachnu Lo Neda
We don't know what else to do. We're stuck. And we take the words of Yehoshafat.
But the question is, what exactly did Yehoshafat mean when he said, V’Anachnu Lo Neda
We don't know what to do?
What was his question? And what does it mean that, “ I can't fight?” That's your responsibility. You have to do your Hishtadlut and Hashem helps.
So why didn’t he know what to do?
The sefer Ner Yisrael, written by a student of the Ramchal, in his commentary on the Navi, says that this war was connected to the splitting of the sea. When the Egyptians were running after the Jewish people, Hashem told Moshe, “God will fight for you.”
There are certain times when Hashem says, “Use your Bitachon alone, and don't fight.” There are certain times, for people on that level, when they'll just wait for Yeshuat Hashem.
That's what it means that he didn't know what to do. He didn't know whether he should fight or maybe wait for Hashem to make a miracle. He didn’t know if he should do his hishtadlut or not.
The Midrash in Yalkut Shemoni Shemuel ( letter 163) says that there were four kings, David, Asa, Yehoshafat and Hizkiyah, and each asked for help differently.
David said, “I want to chase my enemies and catch up to them.” And that's what Hashem did.
Asa said, “I don't have the strength to kill them. I'll just chase them.” And that's what he did.
Yohoshefat said, “I don't have the strength to to kill them. I don't have the strength to chase them. I'm just going to say Shira, I'm just going to sing.” And that's what he did.
And Hizkiyah said, “I can't do anything. I'm just going to sleep, and You take care of the rest.”
And the rabbis explain that seemingly, one would think that the highest level is what Hizkiyah said, I'm going to go to sleep.” David was actually running and chasing. But the rabbis say it's just the opposite. When a person is on a higher level of Bitachon, he can actually do the hishtadlut, do the effort, and not be afraid that he's going to take credit. David said, “I'll chase them, I'll kill them and I still know that You did it.”
Asa was afraid and said, “If I kill them, I'm going to take the credit. I'll just chase them.”
Yehoshafat said, “I can't even do that. I'll just sing songs.” And finally, Hizkiyah was even afraid of taking credit for that.
So what Yehoshafat was really saying here is an important lesson for us. People always ask, How much hishtadlut should I do? I don't know what I should do…
It’s one of the struggles of Bitachon, and that’s really what Yehoshafat was saying..I don't know what to do. I don't know how much hishtadlut I should be doing. I don't know how much Bitachon I should be doing. Am I doing too much? Am I doing too little?
That was Yehoshafat’s difficulty. He was lucky that he got an answer from Hashem. He got a direct response to his question, I don't know what to do.
God told him what to do. God said, “It's not your fight. It's not your war. Sit back and I'll take care of the rest.”
We don't get that response, but it's comforting to know that even the greatest of the greats weren’t sure of exactly what to do. How much hishtadlut. how much Bitachon… it’s an ongoing struggle.
Of course, we have to ask Hashem for help. We might not get a direct answer from Him, but He will guide us in how much hishtadlut and how much Bitachon we have to do.
Have a wonderful day.