TRANSFORM YOUR EMUNAH!

617 - Transform Your Bitachon! (Part-54)

Let's continue this amazing journey about Bitachon. A very quick recap of what we've discussed in this section. The Bais HaLevi taught us that the outright obligation that the Torah places on us, that Hashem places on us, to have Bitachon is in so many pesukim, there are too many to count. And somebody who is lacking in Bitachon is committing a grave sin. Again, to remind ourselves, it's not about getting there, it's going to take time. But it's about being on the journey. If we realize it's a super great sin to not have Bitachon, we will do everything in the world to do the best we can to get more and more Bitachon each day.
 
We also learned the powerful words of the Chovas HaLevavos right at the beginning of the Shaar HaBitachon where he writes that he is going to discuss now Bitachon, which he calls the one item that is the most necessary for somebody who wants to become a servant of Hashem. The most necessary item of all the Torah, of all the mitzvos, is Bittachon. We then looked at a passage from Rabbeinu Yonah where he taught us that Bitachon is the ultimate expression of all Emunah and all Yirah. And as we've learned many times, the Torah is replete with passages about Emunah being our ultimate purpose in this world. But the main expression of Emunah is Bitachon. And in a similar vein, there are so many passages in the Torah that teach us that ultimately everything boils down to fear of Hashem, Yiras Shamayim. And again, Rabbeinu Yonah teaches us that the ultimate expression of Yirash Shamayim is having Bitachon in Hashem.
 
We're now moving forward to the next passage that we're going to be looking at. The Vilna Gaon in his commentary to Mishle (22:19) writes, “The main purpose that Hashem gave us the Torah, is so that we should place our Bitachon in Hashem.” We have to really digest these words of the Vilna Gaon. He writes for us, black on white, that the whole point of Hashem giving us the Torah is so that we should come to practice Bitachon in Hashem. Period. This is a summary of this whole topic. Bitachon is the point of the whole Torah. The point of everything. So certainly, it's worth our while to make an effort to understand better what Bitachon is truly all about, and thereafter, b’ezrat Hashem be able to incorporate it more and more each day in our lives.
 
And continues the Gra: “And this is because, again, the foundation of everything is complete Bitachon in Hashem. And this is the foundation of all the mitzvot.” In this short little passage, the Vilna Gaon states loud and clear that the whole motive behind Hashem presenting us with the Torah is so that we will have Bitachon in Him. Just to realize and digest just how important it is to have Bitachon. It's not just another mitzvah. It's the only reason Hashem chose to give us the Torah. And the purpose of all the mitzvos ultimately is to place our Bitachon in Hashem.
 
The reason it's so important to highlight a passage such as this is because unfortunately in many circles, the whole concept of Bitachon and Emunah falls by the wayside. And it's almost seen as an added benefit. If you have extra time on top of your normal Torah learning, then bring in this subject as an extra subject to explore. However, we are learning here from the Vilna Gaon a very profound idea. The whole point of all of Torah, the whole point of all of the mitzvos is ultimately for the sake of Bitachon.
 
So, B’ezrat Hashem, let us all just take to heart that the more efforts we're making in our Bitachon journey is ultimately making more of an effort to fulfill the reason that Hashem chose us as His nation for; that Hashem gave us all the mitzvos with all its details. It's all for the sake of Bitachon, so certainly to do our best to understand this mitzvah as best as we can and do our best to grow in this journey is more than worthwhile. B’ezrat Hashem, let's move forward in this incredible journey together and transform our Bitachon.

616 - Transform Your Bitachon! (Part-53)

Guys, we discussed previously, the Beis HaLevi taught us, somebody who is lacking in bitachon is committing a great sin. It's not just that the main thing in Yiddishkeit is learning Torah and doing the mitzvos and bitachon is a by-the-way thing. Unfortunately, in many circles, bitachon is not focused on to the correct degree that it is deserving. And while certainly mitzvos and Torah and everything else is of paramount importance and ultimately is an expression of emunah and bitachon, whilst at the same time there's so much of emunah and bitachon that in many ways can be expressed outside of learning of Torah and outside the performance of the mitzvos.
 
For example, a person might be thriving in the Yiddishkeit and learning Torah and fulfilling mitzvos but when a situation that triggers anxiety appears in one's life, not always is one even educated to know that not doing one's best to remove the fear and remove one's anxiety is actually considered a sin. Not only a sin, but actually the exact opposite of bitachon. There is so much to learn about bitachon, it is a whole world on its own and it is so important to realize that this is the foundation of all Torah and mitzvos and to treat it with highest priority.
 
We're now moving forward to look at the next passage, B’ezrat Hashem. Rabbein Yonah to Maseches Barachas, towards the beginning (2b) writes “The main expression of fear of Hashem as well as the main expression of emunah in Hashem is bitachon.” Before the Transform Your Bitachon series, Baruch Hashem for about two years we spent a long time going into the many details about emunah and how ultimately really emunah is the source of everything. However, Rabbeinu Yonah is teaching us here that the ultimate expression of emunah is bitachon. So although the point and purpose of all of Torah and mitzvos is ultimately for the sake of emunah, however the true expression of emunah is bitachon.
 
And as we explained previously, emunah can be summarized that I know and I believe that Hashem can do anything. Hashem is the all-powerful, He created the world. He is certainly not limited by the laws of nature. He can certainly come through for me in any and every area that I might need. Whereas bitachon is taking the next step, not only believing that information, but actually taking practical steps to relying on Hashem. Bezrat Hashem, as we continue in this series, we'll look at more Torah sources and bring more examples in how this can apply practically in each one of our lives.
 
But just for a moment to refer back to an example we've given previously. Consider a person who's very sick and needs the treatment of a very specific doctor. One is led to believe that this doctor can certainly help me. That would be emunah in the doctor. Whereas bitachon would be now, I'm not just going to know that information and then continue with the rest of my life doing nothing about it, but rather I'm going to take practical steps to actually go and visit this doctor. And if he then tells me to follow certain protocols and procedures, I will follow that advice because I'm not only knowing that he can help me, I'm now placing my reliance on him. Of course if I have questions of how I should act, he will be the one I will ask for help because I'm not just stopping at the point of emunah, of just knowing that he can help me, but I'm actually taking the next step to rely on him practically.
 
And the other point that Rabbeinu Yonah mentioned was that bitachon is ultimately the main expression of Yirah. Anyone who's even a little bit familiar with Torah literature knows that the concepts of fear of Hashem, yiras shamayim, are literally all over the place. For example, a passage like”Reishis Chacham Yiras Hashem” - The starting point of all wisdom is fear of Hashem. Rabbeinu Yonah here is teaching us that what is the main expression of fear of Hashem is Bitachon. Let us continue this most incredible journey together and b'ezrat Hashem, transform our bitachon.

615 - Transform Your Bitachon! (Part-52)

Guys, we continue this amazing bitachon journey. We're discussing a really important section in this whole bitachon outline, about what the Meforishim teach us, how important exactly bitachon is. And as we discussed in the last session, the Beis HaLevi teaches us that the obligation to have bitachon, again, notice his words, bitachon is not an added something for the pious to practice, it is an outright obligation for every single one of us.
 
But again, says the Beis HaLevi, there are so many verses that command us to have bitachon throughout all of Tanach, that I'm not even going to give you a source, it's too many to count. And the Beis HaLevi continues his statement by saying that somebody who is lacking in bitachon is committing a great sin. Now again, it's important to remind ourselves, we're not going to get to the ultimate pinnacle of bitachon in one day. However, our take-home from a passage like this should lead us to understand and internalize that although we might not be able to get to a place of having absolute bitachon today or any time soon, however, seeing as the Beis HaLevi is telling us that if I don't have bitachon it is considered a great sin, I am called on to make my maximum effort to excel in bitachon as best as I can. Because the more I do this, the more I'm fulfilling my purpose in the world, and the more I intentionally neglect to make bitachon a priority in my life, God forbid a person can be in the category of what the Beis HaLevi is calling an aveira gedolah - committing a great sin.
 
We now move to the next Torah passage that we're going to be looking at. The Chovos Halevavos, right at the beginning of the Shaar HaBitachon, writes “I sought to now discuss what is more necessary than anything else for a servant of HaShem, and that is relying on HaShem in all areas of my life.” Again, let us not rush these most beautiful and powerful words of the Chovos Halevavos. He is writing here, what is the one thing that is more necessary than anything else for someone who desires to be a servant of HaShem? Bitachon.
 
There are so many areas to Yiddishkeit, Baruch Hashem it's a very vast Torah, with so many beautiful mitzvos, and really the sky is the limit to the whole sea of Torah and mitzvahs and everything else that it encompasses. But ultimately, if you have to boil it down to one thing, the Chovos Halevavos is teaching us the sole most important thing for somebody who is looking to serve HaShem, is bitachon in HaShem bechol devarav - relying on HaShem in any and every area of my life.
 
As we've discussed previously, and I'm sure it's very easy to realize when we just take a few moments to think about it, there are literally a billion levels to what it means to have bitachon. God forbid at the bottom of the spectrum there could be somebody who really doesn't live with HaShem, and just makes his own efforts in this world thinking that he's calling the shots. And then right at the top there is somebody who has absolute clarity that there is nothing in this world except for HaShem. And there are a billion levels in the middle of to what extent are we relying on HaShem.
 
And as the Chovos Halevavos taught us previously, when somebody relies on HaShem with absolute sincerity, one lives with complete menuchas hanefesh - with complete tranquility and peace. And that doesn't only mean when things are tranquil and peaceful, but even if I'd be surrounded by bombs falling all around me, or other situations in my life that are really anxiety-triggering and seem to have no solutions, even under those circumstances I can reach a place of absolute bitachon in HaShem, not just in one area of my life, but in all areas of my life, because ultimately the point of my life is bitachon. When the problem is too big for me, putting it on HaShem's back and realizing that not only can I do so, but HaShem desires that I do do so. B'ezrat Hashem, let's move forward in this incredible journey and transform our bitachon.

614 - Transform Your Bitachon! (Part-51)

Guys, today we're moving forward, B’ezrat Hashem, to the next section that we're going to be discussing about Bitachon. We discussed in part one a bit of an introduction to what Bitachon is all about, going through numerous specifically chosen Torah sources that give us a nice introduction. Then we discussed in part two, numerous Torah sources that discuss what exactly the source for the mitzvah of Bitachon is. Before we move forward, B’ezrat Hashem, into the nitty-gritty details of how exactly we can apply Bitachon in our lives. We're going to be exploring in this section, part three, how important is Bitachon. And we begin today, B’ezrat Hashem, with the Beis HaLevi in his Kuntres Habitachon, right at the beginning.
 
Now before we even mention the words of the Beis HaLevi, I'd just like to highlight that this sefer, known as the classic essay of the Beis HaLevi on Bitachon, is something that's available in today's day and age in English and really easy to get our hands on. If it's not possible to get the sefer itself, then certainly online one can find very valuable resources that go through the sefer.
 
The Beis HaLevi writes right at the beginning - The obligation to have Bitachon is enumerated in so many pesukim that it is too many to count. And this is really a nice summary to what we discussed in the previous section, that although numerous commentaries outlined to us that Bitachon might be based on certain psukim in the Torah as the ultimate Torah source and obligation to have Bitachon in HaShem, but ultimately there are so many verses in the Torah that command us to have Bittachin. And as the Beis HaLevi opens his classic essay on Bitachon, he therefore does not even give a source for the mitzvah of Bitachon. He just says there are too many verses to count, I cannot even give you a source because it's too many.
 
And that is the bottom line about Bitachon. Bitachon is the foundation of all of Yiddishkeit, of all of Torah, of all of mitzvahs, something to internalize. Bitachon is the point of everything. So much so that there are verses left, right and center, commanding us to have Bitachon. The Beis HaLevi then goes on to say - And somebody who is lacking in Bitachon is committing a grave sin. It is important to read these words carefully and slowly and digest and internalize what we are being taught.
 
Bitachon is not an added benefit to bring in inner peace and calm and serenity into our lives. Of course it also does that and that it's an amazing fringe benefit. But rather the Beis HaLevi is teaching us, if somebody performs all the mitzvos beautifully and learns Torah and is trying his best to be a good Jew but does not have Bitachon, this is classified as a great sin. It's not something that is just an extra nice thing for the extra pious people to excel in. It is the foundation of Yiddishkeit to have Bitachon. In one line the Beis HaLevi has given us, the bottom line about Bitachon:
 
A. It is so foundational to the Torah that Hashem commands us about this mitzvah of Bitachon in so many verses that I'm not even going to begin to enumerate them to you because it's literally all over the place. And B. One who is lacking in Bitachon is committing a great sin. Bitachon is not an added part of our Yiddishkeit, it is the point and foundation of Yiddishkeit. So B’ezrat Hashem let's move forward in this journey about Bitachon and each one of us in our own way make our maximum effort to bring more and more Bitachon into our lives.

613 - Transform Your Bitachon! (Part-50)

We continue this incredible journey about Bitachon. What an incredible opportunity each one of us has. We're literally exploring the treasures of the world. Thank you Hashem for this amazing opportunity to be learning Torah, but not only to be learning Torah, to be learning the foundation of what all Torah, what all mitzvos, what all Yiddishkeit, what all Judaism, what all my life is ultimately about.
 
We now move forward to the next Torah source that we're going to be looking at. The Meshech Chochmah, who comments on the verse in Devarim (10:20) where the verse states that we are to cleave to Hashem. Now the obvious question is, how can we be commanded to cleave to Hashem? Hashem is not a tangible being. He's not someone we can hug. He's not even someone that we can just try staying close proximity to. And writes the Meshach Chochmah, that this verse is a mitzvah that commands every single individual in our nation, everyone according to his level.
 
And this is the reason why though throughout Torah literature Bitachon has mentioned many times and is literally all over the place, however, we do not find an explicit command, commanding each one of us to have Bitachon and it is not mentioned explicitly in the Torah, because each one of us applies cleaving to Hashem, applies Bitachon and in a different way. There are so many different levels of what it can mean to have Bitachon and Hashem.
 
He's now gives us examples now, how you see that literally Bitachon and is all over the place. Where the prophet Yirmiyahu tells us that a person who trusts another human being is cursed in Hashem's eyes. And David HaMelech throughout all these praises, throughout Tehillim, speaks about Bitachon and all over the place. And here the Meshesch Chochmah brings an example from another verse from Tehillim, where the verse in Tehillim (26:1) states that David HaMelech trusted in Hashem. And another verse in Tehillim (115:9) states that the Jewish people are called on to trust in Hashem. And another verse in Yeshayahu (26:4), that we looked at this verse previousl, states that we are to trust in Hashem forever. And again, there are countless verses. So the Meshech Chochmah is teaching us that this verse in the Torah calls on us to cleave to Hashem.
 
How exactly are we to cleave to Hashem? The Meshech Chochmah is teaching us that the way to cleave to Hashem is to have Bitachon in Hashem. And again, he's pointing out to us that there are a billion levels to Bitachon. But that should inspire us and motivate us. That although, yes, David HaMelech on his level of Bitachon, and the greatest of the greats throughout the Torah, would have had a much higher level in many ways in the way they applied their Bitachon to Hashem. But little me, in my own little way, has the same opportunity to apply bitachin. And that's all Hashem expects from me according to my level. B’ezrat Hashem, let's move forward in this incredible journey and transform our Bitachon.

612 - Transform Your Bitachon! (Part-49)

We're now moving forward to the Sefer Charedim in the section Mitzvos Hateluyos Balev, section 21, where the Sefer Charedim writes that attaining the level of complete bitachon, of complete reliance on Hashem, is a biblical mitzvah based on the Pasuk in Devarim (18:13), where the Torah states “Tamim Tihyeh Im Hashem Elokecha”. And as the Meforishim explain, this Pasuk is referring to living with simple emunah according to the things that Hashem sends in our lives. We are not to look at other avenues such as trying to look into the future to work things out for ourselves, but rather to live with simple faith, accepting and trusting that what Hashem will do for us will certainly only be for our best, because Hashem loves us more than we even love ourselves.
 
We've mentioned previously a beautiful example where the verse states that the Jewish people are compared to a baby being held by its mother. And as the Meforishim explain, just like a baby never feels worried because he knows that his mother is going to take care of all his needs, and even when he's finished his current meal, he doesn't cry anymore. When the baby's fed, he stops crying. Why? Is he not concerned what's going to be in a few hours time when I'm hungry again? No, because he knows that his mother will always take care of him, and she will do anything to make sure that he's taken care of.
 
And when we are working on our Bitachon journey, we are to make an effort to aim to get to a place of such reliance on Hashem that is actually much greater than a baby relying on his mother. Because again, as great as the extent that a mother would go to even put her life on the line to make sure that her baby is okay and taken care of, however a mother is still a human being and limited, and sometimes as well-meaning and loving as she might be, her resources might be limited, which could be detrimental for the baby. Whereas Hashem is the all-powerful, the one who created the world, the one whose source of resources can never run out, and whose love for us knows no bounds, way more than a mother has for a child. And again, although there are countless pesukim in the Torah itself as well as throughout Tanach and throughout all of Torah literature that have similar messages to this verse. The Sefer Charedim is teaching us that this particular verse is the source of the command to have Bitachon. We are commanded to walk wholeheartedly with Hashem in everything that we do.
 
Before we continue B’ezrat Hashem to the next Torah source, which we'll do in the next session, let's just take a few moments, each one of us in our own way. I'm going to use my own words, and the point is just to inspire and give a little bit of direction to those who are looking for an idea of how to apply bitachon practically. But ultimately it's your own personal relationship with Hashem. Hashem desires that you talk to Him in your own way. So take this as an example, as inspiration, but B’ezrat Hashem, the real work and the real point is you in your own way, finding your own time to be with Hashem and take this bitachon journey, not just to be something theoretical, but rather something truly practical that can be with us and walk with us wherever we go in our lives.
 
“Hashem, my dear Father, thank You so much for teaching me these incredible sources about bitachon. But Abba, it's really, actually, really, really, really difficult in this world that we're living in to apply bitachon truthfully and sincerely. There's just so much distraction all around us. In the Western world philosophy, it seems absurd to live according to the values of bitachon. Everyone's just running around trying to make things happen. And in fact, You have actually given us a mitzvah of hishtadlus, which makes it even more complicated, because I'm also called on to run around and try and make things happen. But at the same time, much more important than any hishtadlus, than any of that, is to truly digest that it's not any of that that makes things happen. Abba, it's only You that calls all the shots, that runs every single detail in my life.
 
And Abba, if You are commanding me that the source and foundation of the whole Torah is to have bitachon in You, this is the point of the Torah, this is the point of the mitzvah, this is the point of my life, please, Hashem, help me to succeed in this journey, not just to know this information in my head as theoretical information, but rather, Abba, I'm asking You, please help me to truly digest bitachon, me in my own life. Help me to find things that speak to me, to inspire me to have more bitachon and more emunah in my life.” And in this way, B’ezrat Hashem, let me move forward in a deep, sincere way in my journey of bitachon. B’ezrat Hashem, let's move forward together in this incredible journey and transform our bitachon.

611 - Transform Your Bitachon! (Part-48)

Guys, let's continue this amazing Bitachon journey. We were discussing in the previous session how Rabbeinu Yonah teaches us that the source for Bitachon is actually explicit pesukim in the Torah itself, where the Torah commands us that we are not to fear. And Rabbeinu Yonah teaches us that these pesukim are actually commanding us not only not to fear in war, as the pesukim explicitly state, but also with regards to each and every one of us in our particular and specific details in our lives, that we are called on and commanded to have Bitachon in Hashem.
 
And we discussed that it comes out, according to Rabbeinu Yonah, that the opposite of fear is Bitachon, because again, the reason I fear is because I'm scared of something else or someone else, whereas when I'm choosing to rely on Hashem, in a sense there is nothing to fear anymore. But again, very important to mention, the Steipler that we also discussed in the previous session, where the Steipler states that automatic and natural fear is not something that we should feel bad about. We are human beings, we feel pain and we do feel fear. However we are called on to do whatever we can to move towards a place of living with absolute Bitachon and reliance on Hashem, rather than living in a place where we fear people and circumstances around us.
 
And how exactly do we get to that place? Well, this is exactly what we're trying to do here, building our Bitachon, working on our Bitachon, learning about Bitachon, and thereafter taking the concepts that we learn throughout our day and doing our best to apply them and meditate on them and live by the values of Bitachon. Again, as we've mentioned many times, Bitachon is our life's journey. It's one step, and a very important step, to learn the information and to do our best to have clarity about what Bitachon is all about. But then the real work starts, after that, to try to take the things that we learn and not only just know the information, but truly try to digest it in our hearts and live by the values of Bitachon through all our encounters in life. And the more we sincerely digest Bitachon, the more B’ezrat Hashem will be able to move to a place of less fear. And as Rabbeinu Yonah is pointing out to us, in this way we'll also be fulfilling the command of the Torah to not fear other people, to not fear other nations, but rather to trust in Hashem exclusively.
 
Just something practical that every single one of us can do right now, today, is talk to Hashem in our own words and ask Him, “Hashem, my Father, please, I don't want to fear other people, I don't want to fear other circumstances. Please, Hashem, I'm going through something now in my life that can potentially lead me to feelings of anxiety and fear. I don't want to feel those feelings. I know that I'm just feeling them because I'm a human being, but I'm trying my best, Hashem, to move towards a place of real reliance on You. And I know that when I rely on You, I'm in the safest hands in the world, and it's actually ridiculous to fear anything and anyone else, because You are looking after me, and You are only always going to do what's best for me, and You are certainly more powerful than anyone and anything else. So, Hashem, please help me to move forward in my journey of Bitachon and to really rely on You. I'm asking You, Hashem, I don't want to fear other things. I don't want to fear other circumstances.”
 
So although today most of us will not be able to be in a place of absolute, sincere reliance on Hashem to the point that we don't fear anyone or anything, however, each one of us certainly does have the opportunity and choice to ask Hashem and tell Hashem, “Hashem, this is my desire”. What's actually going to happen - it's a big world; life is complicated. To get to a place where I really don't fear, with my whole makeup, with all my background and everything else that makes up my life, this is not a simple feat. But “Hashem, I'm telling You, this is my desire” - this I do have bechira about. I certainly have free choice to tell Hashem, “Hashem, I desire to choose not to fear anyone and anything else, but rather to have Bitachon in You. Please Hashem, continue to help me in this amazing journey of Bitachon and that not only do I learn the information, but b’ezrat Hashem, I'm able to take the information that I'm trying to learn and truly inculcate it and truly apply it in my life in a sincere and deep way, that I can truly trust You, Abba, and reach a place like the Chovos Halevavos teaches us, that true Bitachon ultimately leads to menuchas Hanefesh, to tranquility, peace and calm. B’ezrat Hashem, in the next session, we're going to move forward exploring the next Torah sources in this section about Bitachon and b’ezrat Hashem, transform our Bitachon.

610 - Transform Your Bitachon! (Part-47)

Guys, let's continue this amazing journey in Emunah and Bitachon. So we're up to part two of the series, Transform Your Bitachon, where we are yet to discuss the ins and outs and nitty-gritty about Bitachon and the many details, but first we need to discuss an introduction to where Bitachon comes from. And in the previous sessions we began discussing what exactly is the source for the mitzvah of Bitachon.
 
It's also important to highlight that as best as we're going to do, Bitachon is a journey in its own right, and maybe one day we can do it on this platform, otherwise I encourage each one of you to further this Bitachon journey of your own, and you can look either online or alternatively there are also English books available, which go through and explore Pesukei Bitachon - the many, many, many Pesukim that we have throughout Tanach, and really if we're paying attention, what we're saying throughout all of our davening, through the benching, through the brachos, we're really stating the Torah's perspective on how Hashem wants us to act - to really rely on Him. Bitachon is literally all over the place, but for our purposes right now, we discuss three Pesukim, which kind of summarize the many Pesukim which discuss Bitachon, and really in these Pesukim, Hashem tells us that we are called on to trust in Hashem forever, we are called on to trust in Hashem through any and all circumstances, and we are also called on to trust in Hashem with all our hearts, with absolute confidence that He will come through for us. Hashem is the only truly reliable thing in the world.
 
We thereafter discussed a piece from Rabbeinu Yonah in Shaarei Teshuva, where Rabbeinu Yonah spells out for us where exactly the source for Bitachon in the Torah itself comes from, and we learned that there are numerous verses in the Torah that outline to us that when we are to go to war, even if it seems like our enemies are much stronger than us, and according to the laws of nature, we are completely against all odds, we are supposed to reach such a level of Bitachon - of reliance in Hashem, that we are not even to fear. And we discussed again that in many ways, Bitachon is the opposite of fear, because as the Chovos Halevavos taught us right at the beginning of the Shaar Habitachon, when one has Bitachon, this leads to menuchas ha-nefesh - to the tranquility of the soul, and the reason for this is because if I'm relying on myself or someone else, I know many things could potentially go wrong, even with talented and very well-meaning people; whereas with Hashem, who is the Creator of the world, and runs and oversees every single detail, I am in the safest hands possible.
 
Now sometimes people ask, but there are many things in life that I actually automatically and naturally do fear, and although I am working on this Bitachon journey and I don't want to fear those things, however am I wrong or bad for fearing certain situations when they do arise? And the Holy Steipler in His Sefer, Birkas Peretz, in Parashat Shoftim, addresses this question. He explains that of course we are not accountable for fear that we automatically and naturally experience, however we are accountable to do our absolute utmost to work towards a place that we are completely reliant on Hashem, and that fear of ours slowly dissipates.
 
As we've discussed many times, Bitachon is not about the end result; it's about the journey. It's not about getting there to a place that suddenly we don't fear anything, but rather it's about doing our utmost to work towards moving closer and closer to a place that we are completely reliant on Hashem. Because the more we rely on Hashem, the more we'll feel completely comfortable and confident that He is looking after us. B'ezrat Hashem, let's move forward in this amazing Bitachon journey and transform our Bitachon.

609 - Transform Your Bitachon! (Part-46)

We continue our journey of Bitachon and we're discussing now part two of the sections that we're going to be discussing. And the question here is what is the source for the mitzvah of Bitachon? In the previous session we discussed three Pesukim which highlight the importance of Bitachon, where the verse in Yeshayahu states, “trust in Hashem forever”, and the verse in Tehillim states, “trust in Hashem under all circumstances”, and the verse in Mishlei also states and commands, “trust in Hashem with all your heart.”
 
And as mentioned the pesukim are literally all over Tanach. And these are just three that we're pointing out to highlight the principle. And as we'll see, this is because Bitachon is ultimately the foundation of all Torah and mitzvos. Hashem wants us to build a personal relationship with Him. And not only that, Hashem wants us to realize that on our own we are limited by our human capacity and things are going to be too heavy for us to carry. And like we learned in the previous verse in Tehillim, Hashem desires that we are to throw our needs and wants onto His back so that He can carry our needs for us.
 
We now move to the next Torah source. We're going to be looking at Rabbeinu Yona in his Sefer Shaarei Teshuva (3:32). Rabbeinu Yona brings the verses (Devarim 7: 17-18) where the verses state, “Perhaps you will say in your heart, these nations are much more numerous than me, how will I overcome them? “These nations that I'm supposed to be going to war against are much greater than me. How in heavens am I going to be able to overcome them?” Says the Torah itself, “do not fear them.”
 
So again, we are learning here an explicit verse in the Torah. You're going to go to war and the people you are fighting against are going to be much more than you. The odds are against you. And you're going to say a logical, natural question, how am I going to succeed? The Torah says, you are not to fear. Why are you not to fear? Because again, I don't trust on nature or my own abilities, I trust in Hashem. And Hashem is stronger than anyone and everything in the world.
 
And if I am trusting in Him, I will certainly not fear those people I am going to war against even if the odds are completely against me. And the Torah continues (Devarim 20:1), “when you will go to war against your enemies and you will see an army way greater than you, do not fear them.” Again, illustrating the same principle in another verse in the Chumash itself.
 
Rabbi Yonah comments on these verses, we have been warned by Hashem in these verses in the Chumash, that if a person sees that difficult times seem to be coming about, we must assume that Hashem will send His salvation and we must rely on Him for that. Rabbi Yonah is teaching us that the source of bitachon is a mitzvah deoraysa - verses in the Torah itself which teach that when we go to war, even if all odds seem to be against us, we are not to fear because we are to remember that Hashem exclusively is running the show and there is absolutely nothing to fear. And Rabbi Yonah learns from these verses that this concept is applicable not only to war but to all areas of our lives that we are not to fear when any adversity might seem to arise in our lives because we are to remember that Hashem is way beyond all natural and human limitations. And Rabbi Yonah is learning from these verses that this is the source for bitachon.
 
Just as an aside, we've discussed previously how the antithesis of bitachon is removing fear from our hearts and it's worthwhile to highlight how the actual source of bitachon according to Rabbi Yonah is from verses in the Torah which command us not to fear. Just to highlight and realize how important it is to work on minimizing fear in our lives. Again, as we've discussed previously, natural emotional fear which comes automatically and there's nothing we can do about, we don't need to feel guilty about because we're human beings but doing our best to build our bitachon and slowly but surely removing that fear from our heart. B'ezrat Hashem, let's move forward together in our bitachon journey and transform our bitachon.

608 - Transform Your Bitachon! (Part-45)

We are excited to move forward on our Bitachon journey now to part two of the sections we're going to be exploring. In part one we discussed Torah sources that give us an introduction to many of the fundamentals about Bitachon. We now move to part two, where the question that we're going to be discussing is, what is the source for the mitzvah of Bitachon?
 
So we're going to quote three pesukim now that give us an idea of what exactly Hashem wants for us. Does Hashem desire that we rely on Him? Is it something that He really wants? Or is it just an opportunity that if we need something we can choose to tap into this most powerful weapon of Bitachon? So if we look in Tanach (Yeshayahu 26:4) the verse commands, “trust in Hashem forever”. If we then look at Tehillim (62:9) the verse states, “trust in Hashem under all circumstances.” And we then look at Mishlei (3:5) where the verse states, “trust in Hashem with all your heart.”
 
These are but three of many, many verses throughout the whole of Tanach where we are shown loud and clear that it is Hashem's desire that we are to rely on Him. It is not just an opportunity that we can tap into, but rather Hashem is teaching us, “I want you to rely on Me.” Now as mentioned many times, Bitachon is literally all over Torah literature, right from the beginning of the Chumash itself throughout Tanach, throughout all the Gemara and Midrashim, all the way down to contemporary Torah literature.
 
And if you make an effort to consciously pay attention, throughout your davening, benching, brachos, literally everywhere, you will see many, many verses that highlight Hashem's desire for us to place our trust in Him. Now before we move further in discussing these Torah sources about what exactly is the source, I'm trying to highlight that regardless of what type of mitzvah this is, it is very clear throughout all of Tanach that it is Hashem's desire for us to place our trust in Him. We've just quoted three of many verses which are very clearly portraying to us that Hashem is stating, as we read in Yeshayahu, “trust in Me forever”, and David HaMelech teaches us in Tehillim that Hashem is telling us, “trust in Me under all circumstances”, and in Mishlei we learn, “trust in Hashem with all your heart.” And again, these are just three of but many, many, many Torah sources which illustrate this idea.
 
As we continue to explore these sources, it helps just to motivate us to move forward in our Bitachon journey, as we'll see and explore how this mitzvah is so, so important and the fundamental cornerstone of all of Torah and mitzvos. But even before exploring those Torah passages, if you're interested in trying to find some more immediate inspiration, you're invited to research Psukei Bitachon, where you'll very easily online find a collection of pesukim about Bitachon, and again you will see just how many pesukim there are that exist about Bitachon, that are literally all over Tanach. What we're trying to highlight here is that many mitzvos in the Torah have a source to their obligation, but sometimes by reading the Torah and Tanach itself, even more than the obligation to a mitzvah, you get a feel for what is Hashem really interested in.
 
And for certain reasons, which B’ezrat Hashem will discuss at a later stage, Hashem does not always give an outright explicit command for certain mitzvos, even if they might be the most important of the mitzvos. However, when you're paying attention and noticing that in so many verses, throughout all of our daily prayers and Tanach and everything that we have and do, Hashem is telling us again and again, “please rely on Me under all circumstances, come to me”, we get an indication of how Hashem wants us to live our Yiddishkeit. B’ezrat Hashem, let's move forward now and explore some of the Torah sources about exactly what the source is for the mitzvah of Bitachon and gain more clarity in our journey about Bitachon.