We continue our series on family life through the lenses of Mishlei and the wisdom of Shlomo HaMelech, alav hashalom (peace be upon him). Today we will be discussing a Pasuk in Perek Tet Zayin (chapter 17), Pasuk Aleph (verse 1). Shlomo HaMelech says, “Le'adam ma'archei lev, u'me'Adonai ma'aneh lashon.” Which means, “Le'adam ma'archei lev”: To man belongs the arrangements of his heart. The thoughts of his heart are in the hands of man. “U'me'Adonai ma'aneh lashon”: But from Hashem comes the language of the tongue. The tongue's expression is in the hands of Hashem.
Shlomo HaMelech was teaching us that there are times when a person sits and plans. His heart has thoughts, his heart has plans, and it has all different types of arrangements. But says Shlomo HaMelech, in the end of it all, all those thoughts that you're planning on saying, and all those ideas that you're planning on presenting. But in the end of it all, says Shlomo HaMelech, u'me'Adonai ma'aneh lashon: From Hashem come the words of the tongue. This means a person could plan on saying something, but in the end of it all, what comes out of his tongue is directly from Hashem.
And this is a tremendous, tremendous lesson that Shlomo HaMelech is teaching us: not only are a person's actions the product of Hashem, and not his plans, but even the words that come out of his mouth. A person prepares a beautiful presentation that he'd like to say over. A person prepares a speech that he wants to say over. A person prepares certain things that he wants to say, that he wants to deliver. He plans and thinks about them. Le'adam ma'archei lev: His thoughts are there in his heart. But, says Shlomo HaMelech, the words that will actually come out of your mouth are from Hashem. U'me'Adonai ma'aneh lashon. The words that came out are only what Hashem wanted you to say.
And this is a tremendous idea for us to keep in mind. Many, many, many times people feel, “You know, I planned on saying it the right way. I don't know what happened. I completely messed up. How do I say what I say? There I was for hours; I prepared and planned, and I had exactly the right words to say. Then, when the time came for me to say it over, I just completely messed up.” Shlomo HaMelech says you have to know that what came out of your mouth was from Hashem. U'me'Adonai ma'aneh lashon. You could prepare and prepare, but in the end of it all, what comes out of a person's mouth is only the words of Hashem.
So a person should never feel, “How was it that I said what I said? I planned it. I worked so hard. Why did this happen? I messed up.” It wasn't you that messed up. What Hashem wanted to happen happened. What Hashem wanted you to say is what you said. U'me'Adonai ma'aneh lashon. The tongue produced what Hashem wanted it to produce. The tongue said over what Hashem wanted it to say over.
And therefore, we always have to remember that as much as we plan, and as much as we make arrangements in our mind and thoughts to do what we want to do or say what we want to say, we always have to pray to Hashem: “Please, Borei Olam (Creator of the World), help me succeed in executing my ideas the right way. Help me succeed in saying over what I need to say over the right way.” Because in the end of it all, it is all in the hands of Hashem. Le'adam ma'archei lev: The thoughts of a person's heart are in his hands. U'me'Adonai ma'aneh lashon: But from Hashem comes the language and the words of the tongue. It is all in the hands of Hashem.
So whenever a person plans, whenever you are sitting and thinking of thoughts about what to do and how to do it, just remember: as you are planning, talk to Hashem and ask Hashem to execute. Ask Hashem to help you succeed. Ask Borei Olam to help you reach your goal. Because in the end of it all, it is all in the hands of Hashem. Have a wonderful day.