Daily Bitachon

We are now in Tehilim 28,7. יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ עֻזִּ֥י וּמָגִנִּי֮ בּ֤וֹ בָטַ֥ח לִבִּ֗י וְֽנֶ֫עֱזָ֥רְתִּי וַיַּעֲלֹ֥ז לִבִּ֑י וּֽמִשִּׁירִ֥י אֲהוֹדֶֽנּוּ׃ Hashem is my strength and my shield. And in my heart I trusted him and I was helped. And my heart exulted. And with my song I will praise Him. What exactly is David Hamelech telling us? What's the Hiddush ? The Ibn Ezra explains the phrase Bo Betach Libi, in my heart I relied ( in singular) and V’Ne’zarti I was helped. He explains, “ I relied on Him alone , but many people helped me because He commanded them.” This is an extremely important lesson that the Ibn Ezra teaches, with basically four words: Ki Hu Siva LaHem/because He commanded them. We see this phrase two times in connection to Eliyahu HaNavi. Once in Melachim א perek י״ז when Hashem tells him “ Go and hide in Nachal Krit (on the Jordan) drink from there, and the ravens , Siviti/I commanded them to take care of you and give you food. The Radak explains that this wasn’t a prophesy to the ravens but rather that God placed in the heart of the ravens to feed him. A bit later in that same chapter Hashem tells Eliyahu HaNavi, “ Leave that spot. Go to Sorfata (in Sidon) “ Siviti/I commanded a widow to take care of you .” This widow was not a prophetess. He went there and she offered him the last bit of food that she had. Again,we see the phrase Siviti/ I commanded. The Ibn Ezra is teaching us that when we rely on Hashem, Hashem commands the masses to help us. He's not going to appear to them in the middle of the night in a dream, but nonetheless, He's going to make it happen. The Chafetz Chaim quotes this concept in his sefer Shem Olam, section one, chapter three. He says that anytime someone does a favor for you, you have to realize it's all M’Et Hashem. Hashem put in their hearts to help you , and he cites this pasuk of Eliyahu HaNavi, that this widow was not a prophetess, and yet God put into her the desire to feed him. Therefore he says, if you ask someone to do something for you, to buy something, lend you money, give you a job, make a shidduch or benefit you in any way, and he doesn't do it, don't complain, because it just means that Hashem didn't whisper in his ear that he's the man to do it. He adds, “I heard in the name of a certain Gadol that it's comparable to someone who is looking for a certain man named Reuven. He asks people, “ Can you tell me where Reuven is? ” They tell him that Reuven is a certain place so the man goes there and he says, “ Are you Reuven?” “ No, I'm not Reuven, ” says a guy. Would the man start yelling and screaming at this person that he's not Reuven? No, because he's not Reuven! The Chafetz Chaim says it’s the same when you're looking for someone to give you a loan. That man was spoken to by God, so to say, and told to give you the loan. If this man doesn't give you the loan, that just means you found the wrong man, so you can't complain to him. He's the wrong man. Lest you ask, “ What does this have to do with me? I'm not Eliyahu HaNav i,” know that the Chafetz Chaim, who lived a hundred years ago, brought it down. Additionally, the Hovot Halevavot, in the introduction to Shaar Bitachon, when he talks about the advantages of the Baal Bitachon over Alchemist, says that the Alchemist needs to have certain materials and without them, he can't do what he needs to do. (The Alchemist is the man that was able to turn metal into copper, copper into silver, and silver into gold). But the one that relies on Hashem, his sustenance is guaranteed without any intermediaries. His source for this is Eliyahu HaNavi, so he's talking to me and you and using Eliyahu HaNavi as the example, because this concept of Siviti I commanded, is for everybody . That's what the Ibn Ezra is revealing to us in this pasuk. בּ֤וֹ בָטַ֥ח לִבִּ֗י I relied on Hashem וְֽנֶ֫עֱזָ֥רְתִּיּ and I was helped by the masses. Why? Ki Hu Siva LaHem/Because He commanded them. What a wonderful, beautiful thought.

Today's pasuk of bitachon is a famous one from Hallel . יִ֭שְׂרָאֵל בְּטַ֣ח בַּיהֹוָ֑ה עֶזְרָ֖ם וּמָגִנָּ֣ם הֽוּא׃ Jewish people rely on Hashem. He is their Savior, their Help and their Shield. The sefer Maaseh Hashem , on the topic of Maaseh Mitzrayim chapter 24, says that there are two ways that Hashem can save the Jewish people. One way is that He wipes out the enemy. The other wa is that He protects us in what we’ll call an almost miraculous way. He says the greater praise comes when Hashem is their Magen , their Protector , because when Hashem wipes out the enemy, it could be just because the enemy was deserving of punishment, like it says in Devarim 9,5, כִּ֞י בְּרִשְׁעַ֣ת הַגּוֹיִם / Due to the wickedness of these nations. When Hashem doesn’t wipe out the nation, but rather protects us, that publicizes Hashem's love for us, because He is doing it just to save us. That's the expression of love that Hashem had for Avraham Avinu in Bereshit 15,1 אנכי מגן לך I am your shield . That's why we say, every single day, Magen Abraham , because that publicizes God's love, when He saves us through protection. That actually is what happened when those 300 missiles from Iran came our way and Hashem protected us miraculously with His clouds of glory. Of course, it happened in a semi-natural way that could attributed to the Iron Dome or other technological advances. But those are 90% successful, not 99.9% successful. In any case, God was our Magen , and that's something that's supposed to give us tremendous hizuk . Who exactly merits this level of Magen , when Hashem shows His tremendous love for us in that way? The sefer Zekan Aharon , quoted in sefer Yisaschar Yisrael Parashat Yavashev says that quite often, people feel that they're not deserving of Hashem’s love and protection, because they might have sinned. He says that even if someone sinned in a great way and he has almost no holiness left to him, if all he has left to him is the title Yisrael , then He's a Jew . What does it mean that he's a Jew? There’s a pasuk in Yeshayah 44,5 that says that in the future, when Mashiach comes, there will be different levels of Jews, and one of them is וּבְשֵׁ֥ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל יְכַנֶּֽה / He's called the Jew . The Bet Halevi writes in a manuscript quoted in the sefer Kovetz Yerushun that this refers to a Jew who didn't put on tefilin , and never said a Kaddish. But you know what he still has going for him? He didn't assimilate. He's recognizable as a Jew. And he says that you can't imagine what the great zechut is, for somebody who did not assimilate, who identifies himself as part of the Jewish people . We can't underestimate what that power is. He's not that Rasha from the Hagaddah that took himself out of the group . He says, If all this fellow has going for him is that he identifies himself as Yisrael, that’s enough for him to rely on Hashem, to merit the level that ‘Hashem will be a Magen, a Protector for you.’ It says ‘ Magen Avraham , God protects Abraham ,’ meaning that every Jew who has that little bit of Avraham inside of him, is still protected like Avraham, as long as he identifies as a continuation of Avraham Avinu. And he says, that's why the pasuk starts in the singular form, because this fellow becomes part of the Jewish people. He identifies himself and unifies himself with the rest of the people. This concept is actually a Rashi in Chumash. When they went out to war ( Devarim 23), the Kohen told them, ‘ Shema Yisrael, Hear, Jewish people, you're going out to war. Don't be afraid, don't be broken .’ Why does it say ShemaYisrael ? Rashi says it’s because Even if all you have is the merit of saying ‘Shema Yisrael,’ that's enough to save you. And Rav Wolbe, in his sefer Alei Shor (volume 2, page 360), makes a beautiful diyuk . He says, “It doesn't say ‘ In the merit of saying Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokenu Hashem Echad… ’ it’s just the first two words that warrant protection. That means Shema/Hear Yisrael/Listen that you're a Jew. Realize you’re part of the Jewish people , and that itself earns you the protection for you to go out to war and be successful. This is an unbelievable concept for those people that wonder Who am I? What am I? Are you a Yisrael? Do you identify yourself as a Jew? If so, regardless of what you're up to exactly, if the world recognizes you as a Jew, that is the great level of וּבְשֵׁ֥ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל יְכַנֶּֽה You have the title Jew , and that's enough to rely on Hashem. All the goyim out there, the Arabs, they don't like Jews. They don't care what they look like, they don't care what they keep. They just don't like that Jew, וּבְשֵׁ֥ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל יְכַנֶּֽה and if you have that, that's enough to rely on Hashem. You are part of the Jewish people, and you have that special protection.

We continue with Pesukei Bitachon starting with the letter ט . Weq are in Tehilim perek 118,9 ט֗וֹב לַחֲס֥וֹת בַּיהֹוָ֑ה מִ֝בְּטֹ֗חַ בִּנְדִיבִֽים׃ It's better to seek refuge in Hashem, than to rely on the generous ones. This is very similar to the previous pasuk, which says, ט֗וֹב לַחֲס֥וֹת בַּיהֹוָ֑ה מִ֝בְּטֹ֗חַ בָּאָדָֽם It’s better to seek refuge from Hashem than to rely on man. What is the meaning of this additional point of relying B’Nidivim/on generous ones? The commentaries say that relying on man comes with two basic problems: The first is that he may not necessarily have the resources. The second is that even if he has the resources and he guarantees you, he can change his mind. But what if he’s a Nadiv / generous man? If he has the money, and doesn't change his mind, why should I worry? Rav Giktlia, a Mekubal and Rishon who lived in Spain in 1248 wrote a sefer called Sefer HaMishalim/ Book of Parables . In parable number 69, he says, Relying on a human being is is like relying on a spring that comes from rainwater. He explains that reliance on a person, even if he's generous, will not necessarily come to fruition because it's possible that even though he wants to fulfill it, and even though he has the money right now, it might dry out. There are many stories of people who were very wealthy and successful but overnight something happened, because ultimately, their wealth is not from an independent source. That's why it's compared to a wellspring that comes from rainwater. When the rain stops, the spring that comes from it slows down and eventually stops flowing. It’s the same thing with relying on people- because ultimately, it’s only when Hashem wants them to be successful in their business deals that their springs flow. Once Hashem stops sending it, everything stops. That's what it means. ט֗וֹב לַחֲס֥וֹת בַּיהֹוָ֑ה מִ֝בְּטֹ֗חַ בִּנְדִיבִֽים׃ Better to rely on Hashem than on the generous. This is also a pasuk in Yirmiyah 2,13, which we read during the three weeks. Yirmiyah, in the name of God, bemoans the situation and says, כִּֽי־שְׁתַּ֥יִם רָע֖וֹת עָשָׂ֣ה עַמִּ֑י אֹתִ֨י עָזְב֜וּ מְק֣וֹר ׀ מַ֣יִם חַיִּ֗ים My nation did two things wrong. They left Me, the source of Mayim Chayim/ living waters. Living waters replenish on their own. They're independent wellsprings. Nothing is independent but God. But what did the people do? לַחְצֹ֤ב לָהֶם֙ בֹּאר֔וֹת בֹּארֹת֙ נִשְׁבָּרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יָכִ֖לוּ הַמָּֽיִם׃ They dug for themselves pits, broken pits that don't hold water. That means anyone else but God that you’re relying on is what we call Kli Sheni . He is the second level. He's not the independent source. He filled up his well from somebody else. There’s dealing direct and dealing with a distributor. The mom-and-pop stores don't buy from General Mills, they buy from the distributor, the fellow that has the rights to sell to smaller store chains. That's the way we have to look at all people, says the pasuk in Yirmiyah. They're all what we call jobbers . They don't produce the goods. They are intermediaries because ultimately, God is the real supplier. That's the mistake of relying on Nedivim . What if the supply source is suddenly cut off? You're relying on this fellow to provide for you, but something happens with his supply chain. This is currently a real issue in America. There are broken supply chains. A car needs a certain chip, but they can't get the chip, so now everyone's in trouble. You're relying on your supplier, who gets it from somebody, that somebody has a problem and so on. The Ultimate Source for everything is Hashem. We have to really understand that. In business, we're always looking to get to the real supplier. We don't want to have to deal with intermediaries and middlemen. That is the message here. ט֗וֹב לַחֲס֥וֹת בַּיהֹוָ֑ה מִ֝בְּטֹ֗חַ בִּנְדִיבִֽים Go to the Ultimate Supplier.

We are now in Pesukim of Bitachon that start with the letter Tet . This one, Tehilim 118,8 is found in Hallel , so we can apply it this week. ט֗וֹב לַחֲס֥וֹת בַּיהֹוָ֑ה מִ֝בְּטֹ֗חַ בָּאָדָֽם׃ It's better to seek refuge in Hashem then rely on man . The obvious question is, Of course you're better off relying on God than relying on people! Rav Yosef Trani, in the Derashot Maharit on Parashat Vayishlach (second derush ), makes an important point in the difference between the words Bitachon and Hisayon. He says that bitachon works when you are relying on a person because you're deserving . It could be God that you’re deserving of, because of your great deeds, or it could be a person that you went out of your way for, who therefore owes you one. You think, “ This man is going to help me because he owes me…..How can I rely on Hashem if I don't really deserve it ? I'm better off relying on this person who owes me one. Based on nature, he'll come through, so I’ll rely on him rather than relying on Hashem because Hashem doesn't owe me. I'm actually a little behind in my responsibilities to Hashem .” So what happens when a person realizes, “ I don't have the deeds?” For that, we have this additional concept, which is, in his words, “ If you look up to Above and you subjugate your heart to your Father in heaven, ‘Even though I don't deserve it, He should save me,’ It's good. It will work.” That's what David Hamelech is saying, ט֗וֹב לַחֲס֥וֹת בַּיהֹוָ֑ה מִ֝בְּטֹ֗חַ בָּאָדָֽם It's better to seek refuge in Hashem even though you're not deserving of it, than to rely on a human being that owes you. He says this concept is extremely important because if we rely solely on our deeds, who can possibly say, “I deserve it! Hashem owes me. ” He says Hisayon is when the person doesn’t deserve to get anything. He's seeking refuge under God's wing, that He’ll have mercy on him. In his words, “ He looks above and subjugates his heart to his Father in heaven,” a term that comes from Masechet Rosh Hashana 3,8 where it talks about when the Jews went to fight against Amalek. When Moshe Rabbenu lifted his hands, they would win. The Mishna asks, ‘ Does Moshe’s hand make or break the war? Rather, it’s to tell us that when the Jewish people looked above and subjugated their hearts to their Father in heaven, they'd be successful.’ Similarly, when the snakes were biting us in the desert after we spoke Lashon Hara , we deserved to be bit, but Hashem told Moshe to make a copper snake, and everyone who looked at it would live. Again, the Mishna asks, ‘ Do snakes bring life? Do snakes bring death? Rather, when we look above, and we subjugate our hearts to our Father in heaven,’ they would be healed. In both of these cases, the Jewish people had sinned. We sinned in the case of Amalek, and we sinned in the case of the snakes that came to bite us, and yet the advice that’s given is You're not deserving but look up to your Father in heaven. Subjugate your heart to Him. Focus on Him and Him alone. In Nefesh HaChaim, Shaar 3, perek 12, Rav Chaim Volozhin brings down the famous concept of En Od Milevado /If you focus on God alone, all bad decrees are annulled. He cites this mishna about subjugating your heart to heaven. He asks, why do I have to look at the snake ? And he explains that when you look at the snake and see how evil and powerful it is, you should say to yourself, “ It's nothing ,” and annul it in your heart. Don't pay attention to it. Subjugate your heart to Hashem and realize that only He can do it. That's what makes everything turn around. ט֗וֹב לַחֲס֥וֹת בַּיהֹוָ֑ה מִ֝בְּטֹ֗חַ בָּאָדָֽם . The way the Maharit explains it is fascinating. It means that I have the right to look above, to subjugate my heart to my Father in heaven. I realize there’s nothing else but Him . That's the power of the ultimate bitachon, of going above everything, annulling everything in your heart. It's easier said than done, but that's the power of even if you're not deserving, and that's the secret of Hisayon . Have a wonderful day.

We’re now in Pesukeh Bitachon starting with the letter ח . Today’s pasuk is Mishleh 29,25 חֶרְדַּ֣ת אָ֭דָם יִתֵּ֣ן מוֹקֵ֑שׁ וּבוֹטֵ֖חַ בַּיהֹוָ֣ה יְשֻׂגָּֽב׃ Fear of a man will add a stumbling block, but one who trusts in Hashem will be encouraged. There are two approaches to this pasuk. In our previous work on Pesukeh Bitachon , we quoted from the approach the Bet Halevi and others that when a person is afraid, that fear creates a stumbling block that would not have been there, whereas someone who relies on Hashem will be saved from an existing problem. The Mesudat David gives a more practical explanation, which is that when a person is afraid of something that comes upon him, that causes an additional trap. Why? Because when a person is afraid, his heart is not with him. He's frazzled. He's in a state of panic, and that causes him to stumble on something small and trivial that he may not have stumbled on. We see that when a person is in a state of panic, he makes mistakes. On a practical level, the fear causes a stumbling block because the fear doesn’t let the person think correctly. You need to be calm. On a practical level, the one who relies on Hashem, besides the help that he gets from above, is calmer and therefore his decisions will be more correct. That's how the Mesudat David explains this pasuk , on a more practical level. The Malbim adds that the term חרדה herdah refers to, in his words, a sudden panic that causes a stumbling back. I'd like to just take out a moment to give a little science class on how panic works in our heads and why it shuts down our thinking and causes us to make mistakes. Hashem, in His great mercy, created something in our minds-we'll call it panic. If a person is walking across the street and they hear the noise of a bus screeching toward them, they’d run. We call that flight or fight . That's a state of panic. If you think there's a fire, you run. That's a state of panic. Panic is good for us because if a person, when he hears the screeching bus, starts making mental calculations, ‘ Should I run? Should I stay here? Should I jump,’ by the time he finishes making that decision, it’s too late. So Hashem put the amygdala in our brains. When it senses danger, it releases a chemical called cortisol , which is like an adrenaline of sorts, which suddenly gives us additional energy. That's why you can run and suddenly start breathing deeper and so on. The only caveat is that when this happens, the part of your brain that goes through thought processes, called the frontal cortex, shuts down. That's why you run when you hear the screeching sound of a bus. That's a good thing. If you see a tiger and run, that's a good thing. But what happens when a person is afraid of things that we shouldn't be afraid of- things that are not immediate dangers, which is what anxiety is really about. That state of unnecessary panic is going to cause stumbling blocks. It sometimes happens that people suddenly panic, and they run, slip and hurt themselves. It was an unnecessary fear. On the other hand, וּבוֹטֵ֖חַ בַּיהֹוָ֣ה יְשֻׂגָּֽב , the person that has bitachon has a calmer demeanor because he doesn't get into a state of panic when it's unnecessary. The example the Malbim brings down on this pasuk in Mishleh is the famous Hillel, who hears a scream coming from his house, and says, “ I'm sure it's not from my househol d,” and he quotes the pasuk. Hillel doesn’t panic when there's nothing to do about it. He's not panicking because he's at a loss. That’s what bitachon does for us. Bitachon helps us in situations where, quite often, there is nothing immediate to do. If one has to do CPR, of course do CPR immediately, but we're talking about when there's nothing to do immediately, and your mind is just playing tricks on you. That’s what a panic attack is, lo alenu . During a panic attack all of that adrenaline and cortisol is released, and because the person isn't running or fighting, but has that energy inside of him, his heart starts beating faster and his body is taken over. The panic is the unchanneled energy that would be expended running or fighting, but since there's nothing to run from or fight for, the person's heartbeat goes up and he starts breathing deeply due to all that extra energy inside of him. Sometimes he gets stomach aches because the blood that goes to the stomach is not necessary. That's a panic attack. And again, bitachon is helpful in preventing unnecessary panic which causes us to function improperly. This is a more practical approach to this pasuk of חֶרְדַּ֣ת אָ֭דָם יִתֵּ֣ן מוֹקֵ֑שׁ , aside from what we started off with, from the Bet Halevi and Rabbenu Bachye, that fear creates problems that weren't there and relying on Hashem gets rid of them. Of course, both of these explanations apply on a simple, practical level. On a practical level, the fear will cause a person to make mistakes and the calmness will cause a person to make the right decisions to get out of his problems.

We are now in Pesukeh Bitachon, Zephaniah 2,15 זֹ֞֠את הָעִ֤יר הָעַלִּיזָה֙ הַיּוֹשֶׁ֣בֶת לָבֶ֔טַח This is the joyous city, that sits in security with bitachon reliance There are many words for happiness in Hebrew and one of them is עליז Aliz . The Hebrew name, Aliza comes from this word and means to be happy . What exactly is the nuance of Aliza that connects to bitachon? The Malbim, in Habakuk 3,18 (and in other places) explains that the term עלז Alaz , is a happiness that shows up physically , to the point that one dances. That's his explanation of that nuance. It's a happiness that brings one to dancing, which means that an indication of real bitachon is that a person is actually dancing. He's so thrilled, he can't keep it inside. “ Let's just get up and dance. ” That expression of dancing, the ultimate physical expression of happiness, like you dance at a wedding, that’s the dancing of bitachon that Aliza refers to. The Gemara in the beginning of Masechet Megila tells us that when Rav Yonatan ben Uziel translated the Navi, the earth shook because he was giving out secrets. This is a very early commentary by the Tanaim, and Rav Yonatan ben Uziel gave over this translation. In more than 10 different places in Navi, he translates the word alaz as takif , which means strong, powerful . The word Takif is connected to the term in the Gemara, Matkif , an attack question . In modern Hebrew, an attack is called a hatkafa . So takif means very strong. It’s interesting that many times in Aramaic works, like the Zohar, the word takif is used in connection to bitachon . So, we're learning a new lesson with a new word. There's a level of bitachon where the person is so strong and confident in his bitachon that it brings him to a happiness, and not just a plain old happiness, but a happiness of confidence . That's what the term Aliza refers to. There's actually a pasuk in Yeshaya 3,13 that says, עַלִּיזֵ֖י גַּֽאֲוָתִֽי׃ which means simply means The happiness of my arrogance, but the Targum says it means, My strength and my confidence . So, there's a strength that person has when he's confident. That's what Ga’avah means- Confidence . There's another pasuk in Yeshaya , 23,7 that says, הֲזֹ֥את לָכֶ֖ם עַלִּיזָ֑ה מִֽימֵי־קֶ֤דֶם Is this to you, the Aliza/the happy one from the days of old ? Here the Targum explains it as the strong one, the rock. So he adds another word- it’s not just a strength, but a rock solid strength. Like we say, Tsuri, God is my rock . This person has a real strength, like a rock that doesn't break. The rock of Gibraltar is solid. This is probably the lesson that the Maharal wants us to get from this pasuk- That bitachon brings with it a happy confidence. I'm behind a rock. I'm protected. I'm solid, I'm strong. That is the feeling of bitachon- happy confidence. So one of the indicators of our bitachon is whether we have that happy confidence. Are we whistling in the street with happy confidence in whatever our needs are?

We are now in Pesukei Bitachon starting with a zayin . Tehilim 4,6: זִבְח֥וּ זִבְחֵי־צֶ֑דֶק וּ֝בִטְח֗וּ אֶל־יְהֹוָֽה׃ Slaughter offerings of righteousness, rely on Hashem . What does slaughtering offerings have to do with relying on Hashem? The Alshech says this refers to people who believe in learning Torah, but say, I can't learn Torah right now because I don't have the money. First I'll work, and when I have enough money, then I'll be able to set a time for learning… at whatever level of learning that is. To this, the Tehilim tells us, First make the sacrifice (that’s what the slaughter refers to) and then rely on Hashem and He'll come through. In the words of the Alshech, “ Start learning Torah under duress and trust Me, and I'll take care of you.” First do yours and then I will follow. This is a fundamental rule for everything- not only learning Torah. The Chida learns the pasuk as referring to Sedaka ( sedek and sedaka have the same root) which counts like a korban . And when you give Sedaka, you have to give first, then believe that Hashem will fill in. Towards the end of Shaar Bitachon , the Hovot Halevavot dedicates a full chapter to people that he calls Baalei Mishkonot/ people that want take a collateral from Hashem- like when you give person money on credit, but you don't really trust him, so you take a collateral. So too, this person wants to take a collateral from Hashem. He says, “ First give me and then I'll give You. ” The Hovot Halevavot goes through a few reasons why this doesn't make sense. One reason that you ask someone for a collateral is because you're afraid he won't be able to pay you back. He may lose his money. The second reason is, maybe he'll renege or change his mind He may leave the country, disappear or die. When it comes to Hashem, however, none of these concerns exist. Hashem will never run out of money. He'll never renege, He will never disappear. Like the Navi Hagai says, “ Mine is the silver and mine is the gold , so there's nothing to worry about. You can , so to say, lend God. I can take the risk and Hashem will come through for me. It's interesting that this happens quite often to people collecting money for organizations. They often have to give out the money before they get the money. One such organization is Lev Chana , which I am currently trying to raise money for. I gave out clothing cards to over 250 families before I got all the money. Why does it work that way? Because you start collecting after Purim, when people need to start shopping. You have to put your neck out and hope it happens. My father-in-law Rabbi Nosson Scherman draws a nice analogy from a relative of his; before she went on a diet, she would buy the dress that she wanted to fit into. That way she knew that she had to make it. Similarly, sometimes when a person commits to something, he just has to do it. You force yourself into the situation, because otherwise, you might not do it. I therefore remind everyone out there once again that if you still have any money to give out, Lev Chana is ready and able to receive your donation. You can send an email with your pledge, or a QuickPay to rabbisutton@gmail.com Or mail it to: 1059 East 10th St, Brooklyn NY 11230 The pasuk says, Betach B’Hashem V’Aseh Tov”/Rely on Hashem and do good. Why does it say rely on Hashem first and then do good? The Rambam says it’s because you can't say, “ I'll do good when I have everything set up… then I'll give.” No, you have to first rely on Hashem, and that will help you in doing the Mitzvot. Then you go ahead and do it. There are limitless examples of people who take that step. They don't have the funds; they don't have the money. When Rabbi Moshe Malka a’h from Bnei Brak first opened his yeshiva, he didn't know anything about money. He didn't have enough money to start. He had to buy mattresses and whatever it may be, and he overheard someone say, “check dachui, ” Hebrew for a post-dated check . He asked what that was and the person explained that you write the check for a later date, when you'll have money in the account. He said, “ Wow, that's an unbelievable invention.” And he went and bought everything he needed, all with postdated checks. But now what would happen? That’s where the bitachon comes in. Baruch Hashem, he filled it in. He started his Yeshiva with postdated checks. That's this concept of Betach B’Hashem V’Aseh Tov”/Rely on Hashem and do good and our pasuk, זִבְח֥וּ זִבְחֵי־צֶ֑דֶק וּ֝בִטְח֗וּ אֶל־יְהֹוָֽה׃ First, go ahead and sacrifice the sacrifice and rely on Hashem that He will fill in and the sacrifice. will be repaid. Don't be like those people that ask God for collateral. Have a wonderful day.

We are now in our last pasuk of bitachon that starts with a Vav- Devarim 33,8 וַיִּשְׁכֹּן֩ יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל בֶּ֤טַח בָּדָד֙ עֵ֣ין יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב The Jewish people will dwell alone just like Yaakov When person is safe and secure, he doesn't need to have other people around אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ דָּגָ֣ן וְתִיר֑וֹשׁ אַף־שָׁמָ֖יו יַ֥עַרְפוּ טָֽל׃ to a land of grain and wine, and the dew will come from heaven. This pasuk is describing beautiful tranquil life. How do you get there and what is the secret called BeTach Badad En Yaakov/The bitachon solitude of Yaakov Avinu? I'd like to share a very nice thought from the Bet Aharon, the original Stoliner Rebbe of Karlin, on Parashat Re’eh from his sefer Bet Aharon . He says that on one hand it says, ‘ Eineh Hashem el Sadikim / The eye s of Hashem are to the righteous .’ But then it says, ‘ En Hashem al Yereav/The Eye of Hashem is on those that fear Him .’ Regarding Yaakov it says One eye , and also, Bet Porat Yosef, Ben Porat Aleh Eyin Why one eye here, two eyes there? He answers that this world has good and bad, represented by the two eyes. You can look at it two ways. But really, everything comes from Above- from the good, from the right side, which represents the good. Each of the Avot had a Middah. Avraham Avinu’s is Hessed/kindness, where everything looks good. Then we have the Middat HaDin of justice , strict justice, which is Yitzhak Avinu’s Middah, and seems to look only bad. And then we have Yaakov Avinu who's in the middle. He puts it all together and sees everything in the proper, harmonious way. We can't only have good because only good really isn't good. We need the bad, or we can say, the justice to temper the good. Yaakov Avinu works everything out. That's what the eye of Yaakov means. It’s really like the Eyin Tova , the good way of looking at things . That's what Eineh Hashem Al Sadikim means. God gave us two eyes. He gave us the ability to look at things in two ways. But our goal is to turn everything around and see that everything is really coming from the right side. That's the bitachon outlook- to able to see and understand everything is ultimately for the good. That's what Yaakov Avinu did. That was his greatness. We say, “ The God of Yaakov should save us.” Because Yaakov Avinu was the one that went through the most trouble, and he was the one that saw everything for the good. He was the one that confessed at the end of his life, “ I made one mistake when I said, ‘Why did you do bad to me? Why did you tell Yosef about another brother to bring down to Mitzrayim? Why'd you do bad for me?’” The Midrash says that was the only thing Yaakov Avinu ever said that was out of place, in his life. God says, “ I'm preparing your son to be the leader in Mitzrayim, and you're saying, ‘Why did I do bad to you? Yaakov Avinu was held accountable on that level because he was able to see everything for the good. He understood that everything is good. He understood that when he wants one wife and it turns to four wives, it’s good. It brings him his 12 tribes. Yaakov Avinu is the power to be able to see everything the right way. It's interesting that what is said when you bring the Bikurim is the reading that we say on Pesach. We go back to Yaakov Avinu and say “ Arami Oved Ami, ” Lavan tried to destroy Yaakov, but Yaakov Avinu came out stronger- Four wives…12 children... wealth. We say that at the Bikurim reading because as the man is standing there with his basket, not everyone's so successful. Not everyone had a good year. And yet the Torah commands us, You have to be happy with all the good. That's why we bring in Yaakov Avinu- because he's the one that gave us the ability to look back and see everything was good. Rav Matityahu Salomon says that at the end of Yaakov Avinu’s life, he says, “ Elohim HaRoeh Oti/ God (of judgement) was my Shepherd. And the word רעה Ro’eh is written without a Vav, like רעה /evil, to indicate, “ God, that I thought was being just and evil with me, I see was only being my Shepherd at all times. ” We say Shema Yisrael , not Shema Avraham or Shema Yitzhak , because that ability to see there's only one eye, there's one good, that’s the Ein Yaakov , the one eye of Yaakov, that sees everything for the good, that flips everything around. The Zohar says something very powerful. There are two words that are ultimate opposites but have the same letters. Nega / נגע which is leprosy, the worst possible disease , and Oneg ענג which is the greatest possible delight . They have the same letters. The difference is that נגע Nega has the ע Eyin at the end and ענג has the ע Eyin at the beginning. And when the Torah is describing the, Tzara’at/leporosy, it says (Vayikra 13, 55) וְ֠הִנֵּ֠ה לֹֽא־הָפַ֨ךְ הַנֶּ֤גַע אֶת־עֵינוֹ֙ / The disease did not change the way it looks ,” but the Chiddushei Harim, quoted in his sefer Imre Shamai, reads it as The נגע nega didn't move its ע Eyin. If it would've taken the ע Eyin from the end of נגע Nega and put it the beginning, it would've spelled ענג Oneg . So you have to flip it and put the Eyin in the right place. That's what we're saying here. You could have Oneg and Nega total opposites, but if you have the right Eyin / eye , the right way to look at it, you could took take Nega / Leprosy, the worst disease and turn it into the greatest of pleasures. If you just look at it right. Nachum Ish Gamzu used to say Gam Zu LeTovah/This too is for the best, because he looked at it right . He turned it around. That's the En Yaakov/ the Eye of Yaakov. It’s the Eye of Bitachon. Yaakov symbolizes bitachon. Have a wonderful.

We continue with the Maharal’s alphabetic list of Pesukei Bitachon and we are in letter Vav. Devarim 12,10 says, וְהֵנִ֨יחַ לָכֶ֧ם מִכׇּל־אֹיְבֵיכֶ֛ם מִסָּבִ֖יב וִֽישַׁבְתֶּם־בֶּֽטַח׃ God will put aside all your enemies from around you. And you shall dwell in peace On the simple level, the Tiferet Yonatan is bothered-Isn't it obvious that if you have no enemies, you'll dwell in security? He answers that it's possible to have peace from your surroundings, but internally everyone doesn’t get along. That's why we need an additional blessing that not only will the enemies from around leave you alone, but you'll have internal peace, and achdut / unity amongst each other. This is related to bitachon because, as the Gaon of Vilna tells us, the source of all Sinat Hinam/baseless hatred is jealousy and hatred, which come from a lack of bitachon. If one truly relies on Hashem that He's in charge and controlling his life, he has no complaints against anybody. That’s the reading of the pasuk on a simple level-that the enemy is the physical enemy. However, the sefer Pri Sadik on Re’eh (letter 6) tells us that whenever the term enemy is used in the Torah, it can refer to the Yeser HaRa , as the Midrash in Bereshit Rabah chapter 54 tells us. On the pasuk ‘ His enemies will get along with him,’ the Midrash tells us this is the Yeser HaRa. The Hovot Halevavot tells us this as well, when he talks about the group of people that were coming back from a war (returning from Gaza after six months). They met up with somebody who said, “ You've left the small war, welcome to the big war.” What does that mean? What's the big war and what's the small war ? He says the small war is the war against the physical enemy, and the big war is the war against the Yeser HaRa. He's out to get you. He's out to destroy you worse than any other enemy. Other enemies sleep. He doesn't sleep. If you beat other enemies, they eventually give up, but the Yeser HaRa never gives up. The Yeser HaRa is the worst possible enemy. And that, says the Pri Sadik , is what the Torah referring to here. והֵנִ֨יחַ לָכֶ֧ם מִכׇּל־אֹיְבֵיכֶ֛ם מִסָּבִ֖יב וִֽישַׁבְתֶּם־בֶּֽטַח׃ We must remove from you all of your enemies . What are the main enemies? The three traits that take a man out of this world- Kinna/jealousy , Ta’ava/ desire and Kavod/honor. They take you out of the world. What does that mean? That eventually you're going to die from it. But the Ramban, in his commentary to Pirkeh Avot, says they take you out of the world, means they take you out of your Emunah. They take you out of your bitachon , your faith and reliance on God. This is an important point. The Ramban writes a bit about this in his Igeret HaRamban . He says certain middot/character traits are contrary to our beliefs. That means inherently, jealousy is anti-Emunah. Like the Ibn Ezra tells us when he asked the famous question, How can you tell someone not to covet his friend’s things? He answers that the farm boy does not have any interest in marrying the princess. It's not in his league. I'm not thinking now about going on a deep-sea scuba diving trip in my privately owned submarine. That's not even on my radar. That's for a different league. And it's that way with all the bad middot , namely jealousy, desire and honor. Taavah-desire: I want something. I'm deserving . I need to do….You don't need to do , you don't need to be deserving Hashem will give it to you. You're not deserving of anything. Kavod - I deserve honor . Why? What did you do? These three Middot are anti - Emunah and bitachon. It's not the simple way of reading it, but as we've said in the past from the Bat Eyin וִֽישַׁבְתֶּם־בֶּֽטַח means, not that you'll live securely, but that through this, you will live with bitachon. How? This is a big hiddush in how to read it. וְהֵנִ֨יחַ לָכֶ֧ם מִכׇּל־אֹיְבֵיכֶ֛ם מִסָּבִ֖יב / God will remove all of those enemies . Who are the enemies? Jealousy, desire, and honor. Then, when those are removed from you, וִֽישַׁבְתֶּם־בֶּֽטַח / you'll be able to have Bitachon. Because the biggest interference to bitachon is these Middot, because they take you out of your world. What's your world? Sadik B’Emunato Yihyeh/The Sadik lives in the world of Emunah . Desire, jealousy and honor send you off on a trip to Mars, they take out of this world. You're not in this world anymore. In order to get back into your world, back into your bubble of Emunah and bitachon, you need to remove the enemy- Desire, jealousy and honor. That’s a big hiddush in how to read this pasuk. B’Ezrat Hashem, the first thing we do on the holiday of Pesach is uproot Ga’avah and kavod with the matzah versus hametz . Have a wonderful day.

We are now in Pesukei Bitachon, starting with a Vav , Vayikra 25,18 וַעֲשִׂיתֶם֙ אֶת־חֻקֹּתַ֔י וְאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַ֥י תִּשְׁמְר֖וּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֣ם אֹתָ֑ם וִֽישַׁבְתֶּ֥ם עַל־הָאָ֖רֶץ לָבֶֽטַח׃ You will keep My statutes. My laws you'll observe and do. And in reward for that, you will dwell in the land with security. Rashi says this is referring to keeping the laws of Shemittah . Keep My statutes and laws refers to the laws of the sabbatical year. Measure for measure, if you keep the laws of the sabbatical years, you’ll stay on the land and have success in the land. But if you don't keep the laws of the sabbatical years, you’ll get sent out. The commentaries ask a question about this: There is a rule that there is no reward in this world for Mitzvot. So how can we say that if you keep the statutes, then you'll end up getting all of these wonderful things, if there's no guaranteed reward in this world? On answer, based on the sefer Bat Ayin on Parashat Behar , says that the secret for success in the land is bitachon . That's why Hashem put us in Eretz Yisrael- so that we would stay there and keep the mitzvot. But it only works if you rely on Him. He has a novel way of reading the pasuk. He says, וִֽישַׁבְתֶּ֥ם עַל־הָאָ֖רֶץ לָבֶֽטַח ׃ Doesn't mean simply You will dwell on the land with security , but rather, ‘ When will you dwell the land? Labetach / when you have the Middah of Bitachon .’ Through the trait of relying on Hashem and having faith in Hashem, you realize that everything comes from His will, and that is what brings us success. He continues with another novel explanation of the well-known pasuk that we say three times a day in Ashrei , “ Pote’ach Et Yadecha U’Masbia L’Kol Chai Ratzon/You open your hands and You satiate every living thing with Your will,” which means His will is what causes us to be satiated. We don't do anything. It's our reliance on Hashem that opens up the gates of bounty, and it's His will, not our worthiness, but His will, that gives it to us. That attitude and approach brings us success in Eretz Yisrael. The sefer Ahavat Shalom on Parashat Behar shares a similar concept and he reads it into this pasuk- וִֽישַׁבְתֶּ֥ם עַל־הָאָ֖רֶץ לָבֶֽטַח׃ You'll dwell in the land with security עלידי הבטחון החזק והאמיתי ישבכוחי נו להמשיך חסד הטוב ממקורוהצפון והגנוז / Through strong, solid bitachon, we have the ability to bring down God's good and kindness from the upper hidden places. We have the ability to bring down God's bounty through our bitachon . That answers our original question. How could it say that if you do something in this world, you'll be guaranteed reward? The answer is, it's the bitachon that brings the reward of the success. As we’ve said in the past, the Hovot Halevavot says that one of the sources for bitachon, is Test Me with this, which talks about keeping the laws of Ma’aser . Test Me, God says. And the question is , I thought we're not allowed to test God . It says, Don’t test God. But one of the answers the rabbis give is that you don't get rewarded for Mitzvot.That's true. But you get rewarded in this world for bitachon because it’s not a payback. Hashem is reliable. If I rely on Him, He’s going to give me what I need, because He is reliable. So, I'm not getting it because I did mitzvot. When you keep Shemitta, for example, and you leave your land fallow for a year and let the poor take and do nothing, that's an expression of bitachon. The reward is not because you kept the Mitzvah of shemittah , but because you exercised your bitachon, and when you exercise your bitachon, all the wonderful things happen. That's what this pasuk is telling us. Keep My laws and keep My statutes - but with bitachon , and the bitachon that you exercise will bring down all of the bounty. This is another important bitachon pasuk to keep in mind always. As we keep Ma’aser or Shemitta or close our stores on Shabbat or do any one of the myriads of things that we are doing and exercising our bitachon on, the merit of the bitachon will open the bounties of Above and bring down all of that wonderful goodness upon us.

We continue in Pesukei Bitachon starting with the letter Vav , Melachim א 5,5 discussing the era of Shlomo Hamelech: וַיֵּ֩שֶׁב֩ יְהוּדָ֨ה וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל לָבֶ֗טַח אִ֣ישׁ תַּ֤חַת גַּפְנוֹ֙ וְתַ֣חַת תְּאֵנָת֔וֹ מִדָּ֖ן וְעַד־בְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י שְׁלֹמֹֽה׃ (The Jewish people) Yehuda and Yisrael dwelled in security , a man under his grapevine and under his fig tree. We have previously discussed the other-worldly level of tranquility that comes to a person through bitachon. We said that you really need to be in Olam Haba / the world to come without interferences, evil, or death, in order to have that level of tranquility, which is Olam Haba on Gan Eden, and this is why we're always yearning for tranquility. God put that into us in order to endear to us the ultimate tranquility of the future. However, there were times in history that we reached that, such as the time of Shlomo Hamelech. That was the ultimate era of shalom , where even in this world, everyone reached that future level of each one sitting under their grapevine, or fig tree. This is the term used in the sefer Beer Mayim Chaim on Yitro (perek י״ח ) where he says, “In the time of Shlomo Hamelech, due to the building the Bet Hamikdash, everyone sat under his grapevine and fig tree, me’en Olam Haba. Shlomo Hamelech’s era was an era similar to Olam Haba. The Chida , in his sefer Chomach Anach, points out that it says, וַיֵּ֩שֶׁב֩ יְהוּדָ֨ה וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל when they dwelled Israel, in the singular form rather than plural. There are two parts of the Jewish people, Yehuda and Yisrael. But here it says vayeshev in the singular because there was peace among them. They were one and that's why they had this peace in serenity. We've been discussing peace a lot. The shalom of the future, the Brit shalom , the covenant of the future . And this comes about interestingly, through Shlomo Hamelech. The root of his name is shalom . Due to that shalom, the people got along. Where does that shalom come from? The Midrash Rabba in Shir Hashirim says in 1,69, that until the Bar Hamikdash was built, we were bouncing from place to place. Once the Bet Hamikdash was built, the Bet Hamikdash allowed us to sit in peace and therefore to have this security and tranquility. There are a few more nuances to, “Each man under his grapevine and under his fig tree. ” Rashi discusses this in Devarim , 33,28 where it says the Jewish people in the blessing of Moshe Rabbenu will be secure and alone. Normally, in order for people to feel secure, they need a lot of people together. They can't be alone because they need someone to protect them. But here it’s saying each man can sit alone under his grapevine and fig tree, because we don't need to gather together. We're not afraid of the enemy. What is so special that we single out the grapevine and the fig tree? אִ֣ישׁ תַּ֤חַת גַּפְנוֹ֙ וְתַ֣חַת תְּאֵנָת֔וֹ /Each man under his grape vine and fig tree. This is a famous term of security that shows up quite a few times in the Navi . The Arizal says, as we've mentioned the past, in order to have the perfect peace and tranquility, there has to be a situation where there's no Satan , there's no evil, like in Shlomo Hamelech’s times. He says, we use these two trees because the opinion in Chazal is that these were possibly the tree of the Etz HaDaat , where Adam and Chava sinned. Either the grape vine, because it says all woe comes to the world through wine, or the fig tree, because it says Adam and Chava covered themselves with fig leaves from the tree that they sinned with. And in that era, where the contamination left the world, we'll be able to go back to that Etz HaDaat in the proper way without any evil. We will have the ultimate Gan Eden from before Adam HaRishon. That's what we're trying to get to. And the truth is, as we’ve said, we can get to it in this world. We say to every chatan and kallah , “ These beloved friends should be happy like God made you happy in Gan Eden of old.” We bless every couple that they can create their own Mishkan , their own Bet Hamikdash in their home, which has in it peace and serenity, which is focused on the Torah ideals, which frees itself from the evil of the Satan of the Yetzer Hara; a home built on Bitachon, on realizing that I get exactly what I need and exactly what I want. That household of peace and shalom that is the goal of every Jewish household. We are trying to get that to the level of the וַיֵּ֩שֶׁב֩ יְהוּדָ֨ה וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל לָבֶ֗טַח This is, of course, the future in Olam Haba and it was in the time of the Bet Hamikdash of Shlomo Hamelech, that’s all true. But we have the ability to build that in our own home. The Maarit, in his Derashot in Parashat Beshalach of Shabbat HaGadol asks why it says, “ a man under his grapevine,” in singular. It should say a man under his grapevine s . He says it’s because they're going to get enough parnasa from that one grapevine. Again, this is the life of tranquility where I'm happy with less. It's me and my wife and our own little surroundings. I don't have to be like the Joneses. That is the ultimate level of peace and tranquility that comes through a Bet Hamikdash, whether it's the actual Bet Hamikdash or one that comes through a husband and wife that are able to use their Etz Hadaat properly, and eat it at the right time. Adam and Chava could have waited until Shabbat, and everything would've been fine, saving their delicacies and enjoyments for Shabbat. That's the perfect home that we can reach in our times אִ֣ישׁ תַּ֤חַת גַּפְנוֹ֙ וְתַ֣חַת תְּאֵנָת֔וֹ of man under his grapevine, under his fig tree.

We continue in Pesukei Bitachon starting with the letter Vav , Melachim א 5,5 discussing the era of Shlomo Hamelech: וַיֵּ֩שֶׁב֩ יְהוּדָ֨ה וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל לָבֶ֗טַח אִ֣ישׁ תַּ֤חַת גַּפְנוֹ֙ וְתַ֣חַת תְּאֵנָת֔וֹ מִדָּ֖ן וְעַד־בְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י שְׁלֹמֹֽה׃ (The Jewish people) Yehuda and Yisrael dwelled in security , a man under his grapevine and under his fig tree. We have previously discussed the other-worldly level of tranquility that comes to a person through bitachon. We said that you really need to be in Olam Haba / the world to come without interferences, evil, or death, in order to have that level of tranquility, which is Olam Haba on Gan Eden, and this is why we're always yearning for tranquility. God put that into us in order to endear to us the ultimate tranquility of the future. However, there were times in history that we reached that, such as the time of Shlomo Hamelech. That was the ultimate era of shalom , where even in this world, everyone reached that future level of each one sitting under their grapevine, or fig tree. This is the term used in the sefer Beer Mayim Chaim on Yitro (perek י״ח ) where he says, “In the time of Shlomo Hamelech, due to the building the Bet Hamikdash, everyone sat under his grapevine and fig tree, me’en Olam Haba. Shlomo Hamelech’s era was an era similar to Olam Haba. The Chida , in his sefer Chomach Anach, points out that it says, וַיֵּ֩שֶׁב֩ יְהוּדָ֨ה וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל when they dwelled Israel, in the singular form rather than plural. There are two parts of the Jewish people, Yehuda and Yisrael. But here it says vayeshev in the singular because there was peace among them. They were one and that's why they had this peace in serenity. We've been discussing peace a lot. The shalom of the future, the Brit shalom , the covenant of the future . And this comes about interestingly, through Shlomo Hamelech. The root of his name is shalom . Due to that shalom, the people got along. Where does that shalom come from? The Midrash Rabba in Shir Hashirim says in 1,69, that until the Bar Hamikdash was built, we were bouncing from place to place. Once the Bet Hamikdash was built, the Bet Hamikdash allowed us to sit in peace and therefore to have this security and tranquility. There are a few more nuances to, “Each man under his grapevine and under his fig tree. ” Rashi discusses this in Devarim , 33,28 where it says the Jewish people in the blessing of Moshe Rabbenu will be secure and alone. Normally, in order for people to feel secure, they need a lot of people together. They can't be alone because they need someone to protect them. But here it’s saying each man can sit alone under his grapevine and fig tree, because we don't need to gather together. We're not afraid of the enemy. What is so special that we single out the grapevine and the fig tree? אִ֣ישׁ תַּ֤חַת גַּפְנוֹ֙ וְתַ֣חַת תְּאֵנָת֔וֹ /Each man under his grape vine and fig tree. This is a famous term of security that shows up quite a few times in the Navi . The Arizal says, as we've mentioned the past, in order to have the perfect peace and tranquility, there has to be a situation where there's no Satan , there's no evil, like in Shlomo Hamelech’s times. He says, we use these two trees because the opinion in Chazal is that these were possibly the tree of the Etz HaDaat , where Adam and Chava sinned. Either the grape vine, because it says all woe comes to the world through wine, or the fig tree, because it says Adam and Chava covered themselves with fig leaves from the tree that they sinned with. And in that era, where the contamination left the world, we'll be able to go back to that Etz HaDaat in the proper way without any evil. We will have the ultimate Gan Eden from before Adam HaRishon. That's what we're trying to get to. And the truth is, as we’ve said, we can get to it in this world. We say to every chatan and kallah , “ These beloved friends should be happy like God made you happy in Gan Eden of old.” We bless every couple that they can create their own Mishkan , their own Bet Hamikdash in their home, which has in it peace and serenity, which is focused on the Torah ideals, which frees itself from the evil of the Satan of the Yetzer Hara; a home built on Bitachon, on realizing that I get exactly what I need and exactly what I want. That household of peace and shalom that is the goal of every Jewish household. We are trying to get that to the level of the וַיֵּ֩שֶׁב֩ יְהוּדָ֨ה וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל לָבֶ֗טַח This is, of course, the future in Olam Haba and it was in the time of the Bet Hamikdash of Shlomo Hamelech, that’s all true. But we have the ability to build that in our own home. The Maarit, in his Derashot in Parashat Beshalach of Shabbat HaGadol asks why it says, “ a man under his grapevine,” in singular. It should say a man under his grapevine s . He says it’s because they're going to get enough parnasa from that one grapevine. Again, this is the life of tranquility where I'm happy with less. It's me and my wife and our own little surroundings. I don't have to be like the Joneses. That is the ultimate level of peace and tranquility that comes through a Bet Hamikdash, whether it's the actual Bet Hamikdash or one that comes through a husband and wife that are able to use their Etz Hadaat properly, and eat it at the right time. Adam and Chava could have waited until Shabbat, and everything would've been fine, saving their delicacies and enjoyments for Shabbat. That's the perfect home that we can reach in our times אִ֣ישׁ תַּ֤חַת גַּפְנוֹ֙ וְתַ֣חַת תְּאֵנָת֔וֹ of man under his grapevine, under his fig tree.

We continue in Pesukei Bitachon starting with the letter Vav , Yeshaya 32,18. We're talking about the future, and we have a very important lesson. וְיָשַׁ֥ב עַמִּ֖י בִּנְוֵ֣ה שָׁל֑וֹם וּֽבְמִשְׁכְּנוֹת֙ מִבְטַחִ֔ים וּבִמְנוּחֹ֖ת שַׁאֲנַנּֽוֹת׃ My Nation will dwell in the abode of peace (which the Abarbanel says refers to Yerushalayim) and in dwellings of reliance, peace of mind, serenity and calmness. On this description of the future, Rav Saadia Gaon, one of the Geonim , who came before the Rishonim , in his sefer Emunot V’Deot , 10th essay, letter 16, quotes our pasuk to tell us that Olam Haba is dwellings of reliance with peaceful serenity . That is Olam Haba -a picture of serenity, whatever serenity means to you, whether it's sitting in front of a Gemara or looking at a beautiful sunset. Whatever gives you the most calming, relaxing feeling, that is what Olam Haba will be. Rav Saadia Gaon asks what it is about the hustle and bustle of life that takes us out of ourselves, whereas calmness and serenity bring us Menuchat Nefesh . He explains that God made us this way, to remember the calm and serenity that Olam Haba will have and to become endeared by it. God made it so that we naturally feel good when we walk through a garden. When you walk through the Botanical Gardens, there's something about nature that suddenly calms you. You're supposed to think, “Ahh, I love nature. I'm looking forward to that future Garden of Eden. I love calm relaxation. That's dear to me. I'm looking forward to that in Olam Haba. The real, ultimate calm and serenity is Olam Haba. We use the term rest in peace based on pesukim . There's rest and calm. The Hovot Halevavot, in his first chapter of Shaar Bitachon, says the essence of bitachon is Menuchat Nefesh, which is translated as peace of mind, but it means, menucha/serenity , calm to the nefesh . The essence of Bitachon is feeling calm and relaxed, whatever that picture is for you, whether sitting on the beach with a perfect breeze, watching the sunset, being in the mountains in a waterfall…or whatever it may be. That is what bitachon is supposed to get you to. And what that means is that bitachon is only possible in Olam Haba. Olam Haba is just me and Hashem, without any interference or disturbance- just calm relaxation. So, what we're really asking with bitachon, is to be have an Olam Haba lifestyle in this world. That's why it's almost impossible to have full bitachon here- because of all the interferences. That's why the ultimate bitachon, the rabbis tell us, is rooted in the concept of En Od Milevado/There is nothing else but God, which is really Olam Haba , which is the Garden of Eden before the snake comes in. The snake destroys our bitachon. He's anti- bitachon. He tells you, “ You could be a creator. Eat from the tree.” The ultimate, perfect world is the world of Adam and Chava without the snake, in the Garden of Eden. That’s what we're trying to get to with bitachon in this world. Bitachon is other-earthly. The sefer Batei Midrashot , citing a Midrash called Otiot Rabbi Akiva, quotes our pasuk, וְיָשַׁ֥ב עַמִּ֖י בִּנְוֵ֣ה שָׁל֑וֹם / My nation will dwell in an abode of peace, and it explains every step of the way. It says, וּֽבְמִשְׁכְּנוֹת֙ מִבְטַחִ֔ים /dwellings of reliance means there's no Satan, וּבִמְנוּחֹ֖ת שַׁאֲנַנּֽוֹת / in serene peace of mind means no angel of death or Yetzer Hara. What allows us to be in that perfect bitachon status is a world without anything but Hashem. It’s unbelievable to think about the pasuk, to read and study it וְיָשַׁ֥ב עַמִּ֖י בִּנְוֵ֣ה שָׁל֑וֹם וּֽבְמִשְׁכְּנוֹת֙ מִבְטַחִ֔ים וּבִמְנוּחֹ֖ת שַׁאֲנַנּֽוֹת My nation is going to be Yerushalayim, which will be known as the abode of peace . Part of the word Yerushalayim is shalem , which is shalom . Peace is really shelemut / perfection . So, I will be in Yerushalayim, the dwelling of peace; I will be in a dwelling of reliance and serenity and peace . That's what I'm trying to get to down here in this world. I'm trying to get to Olam Haba in Olam Hazeh . That's why Shabbat is also about bitachon - because Shabbat is Me’en Olam Haba. What an unbelievable thought that Rav Saadia Gaon is telling us. For all the people going on vacation, every time you’re in a relaxing situation, sitting in total relaxation and calm, think to yourself, ‘ This is just a mashal. This is just an example of Menucha of Olam Haba, ’ and that menucha comes through bitachon . Have a wonderful day.

We continue in Pesukei Bitachon starting with a Vav . We're now in Yeshaya 32, וְהָיָ֛ה מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה הַצְּדָקָ֖ה שָׁל֑וֹם וַֽעֲבֹדַת֙ הַצְּדָקָ֔ה הַשְׁקֵ֥ט וָבֶ֖טַח עַד־עוֹלָֽם / The activity of charity brings peace, and the work of Sedaka brings serenity and reliance and security forever . This pasuk talks about Sedaka and mentions the word bitachon . The first point is that there are two kinds of charity. One, the Malbim says, is the Ma’aseh/ the action and, the other, Avodat Hasedaka means harder work . The simple action of charity brings shalom , and when it takes a little bit more effort, which requires bitachon on your part, it brings with it serenity and bitachon. One has to believe when you give Sedaka. The Rambam, in Yad Hazaka , in the laws of charity, chapter 10, says, No one ever gets poor from charity, and nothing bad can come from Sedaka, and he quotes our pasuk . This doesn’t only apply to giving, but the Rambam quotes, based on the Gemara, that making others give Sedaka is even bigger than you yourself giving Sedaka! That's what Ma’aseh me ans- you cause others to give. We have to understand that when it comes to giving Sedaka, you have to believe . The Ramban says that one of the Lo Ta’asehs is that when a person gives charity, he shouldn't feel bad about giving charity and he shouldn't think he’s going to lose out. He should look at it like he's making an investment, and making money on his investment. Because God is going to pay him back multiple times, and that's what it means- Give charity, and don't feel bad when you do it, for God will bless you in all your actions. Regarding the need for bitachon when it comes to charity, the Hovot Halevavot (chapter seven), says something fascinating. He says that the reason people don't rely on Hashem is that they don't know that Hashem commanded them to rely on Him. Where did Hashem command us to rely on him in the Torah? The first source he cites is the Navi Malachi, 3,10 where he says, “ Give charity, and test Me. ” We know that you can't test God when it comes to other Mitzvot, but when it comes to giving charity, Ma’aser , we can test God. and the Hovot Halevavot learns that this “Test Me,” means rely on Me, and believe that when you give Sedaka you're going to see success. Therefore, the beracha that comes from the charity, according to the Hovot Halevavot, comes from the bitachon of relying on Hashem, and believing that the charity is going to bring you beracha. This is especially true, says Rav Chaim Pilaggi in the introduction to his sefer Me’od L’Kol Chai , when it comes to holiday times. There's an extra inyan to give charity to the poor at holiday times. He quotes the Rashi in Chumash that says “ Be happy in the holiday, you, your son, your servant, and your maid servant.” That's four. And he lists another four- the Levi (which is the clergy today) the convert , the orphan , and the widow . And God says, My four correspond to your four. If you make My four happy, I'll make your four happy.” Rav Chaim Pilaggi says this is a segula that a person is happy in the holiday season. When he gives to and makes other people happy, his children will be happy. He says, that's what our pasuk means. וְהָיָ֛ה מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה הַצְּ דָקָ֖ה שָׁל֑וֹ ם / Sedaka brings shalom. That means shalom in your own household. Shalom bayit. You're going to get along with each other. There won’t be fights or arguments in your household. Rav Pilaggi says, “I witnessed many successful people that had houses full of everything and had a miserable holiday.” And he said, “I showed them this Rashi, I showed them that in order to be blessed, you have to make sure that you make other people happy.” That's what it means וְהָיָ֛ה מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה הַצְּדָקָ֖ה שָׁל֑וֹם But it takes bitachon. You have to believe it. I believe it. I've seen it work. Therefore, every holiday season I make my Lev Chana appeal, because I believe that not only does the one that gives get beracha , but the one who asks others to give gets blessed as well. So I believe and rely that it’s going to bring peace, and that no one will get upset at me for asking a second time. Not everyone has responded yet. I am trying to reach my budget to be able to clothe many families in our community. Before the holiday season, we give clothing cards to many families. We have a list of 60 widows with many orphans under them, lo alenu, besides another 200 families. So, we are asking you to please give generously. You can- -click this link, https://www.rayze.it/levchana/ -Send an email to rabbisutton@gmail.com and request to be billed, -QuickPay or Zelle to rabbisutton@gmail.com -mail a check to: 1059 East 10th Street, Brooklyn, New York, 11230. Please give generously and believe that it will bring peace to your home.

Today’s pasuk of Bitachon comes from Yehezkiel 34,29 וְלֹא־יִהְי֨וּ ע֥וֹד בַּז֙ לַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְחַיַּ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ לֹ֣א תֹאכְלֵ֑ם וְיָשְׁב֥וּ לָבֶ֖טַח You will no longer be plundered by the nations of the world. The animals of the field will not eat your bodies. You will sit and dwell in tranquility, וְאֵ֥ין מַחֲרִֽ יד there will be no fear. Those last two words, V’En Machrid/there will be no fear , are seemingly superfluous. I'm sitting with with reliance. All is well, so what is there to tremble about? It's interesting that the words, V’En Machrid show up both in the positive, in the blessings in Vayikrah 26,6 and in the negative, in the curses in Devarim 28, 26. When it comes to the blessings, it says, I will put peace in the land and you will rest, lie down with no trembling, no fear. That's the ultimate blessing. When it comes to the curse, is says, Your carcasses will be the food of the birds and the animals and no animal will be afraid ( of eating Jewish bodies). That's how far it will go. In Yehezkiel, in the positive, it says, there will not be eating and there'll be no fear. So it seems that there is something about V’En Machrid that’s obviously a high point in the future. But as long as we're in this world, in the current status, we're in a status called Machrid . There are always fears. There's always something to tremble about. There's always something to be concerned about. Rav Wolbe, in his essay on psychiatry and religion, on page 65, quotes secular psychologist Martin Heidegger, who says that fear is the most fundamental feeling that exists in the human being. Rav Wolbe says, notwithstanding how much psychoanalysis and psychiatry focuses on fears and phobias, fear is possibly the stigma of our generation. What's the cause? A lack of reliance and confidence in the economy, and the development of nuclear weapons. But he says, without a doubt, the lack of Emuna is also a strong cause for the underlying fears that we have. Our job, he says, is to create an existential feeling of calm, without fear, with this feeling of I'm amongst a Yedid/beloved one, God is my beloved One, I am in this beloved world. I'm in a safe world. Modern psychology says that a lot of the unwanted and obtrusive thoughts that people have comes from an underlying feeling of not being in a safe world. This may be a bitachon class, but as we always say, there's a crossover between psychology and religion. We need to feel like we live in a safe world, and ultimately, we need bitachon to get there. But even with all the bitachon that we have, the world that we live in doesn't feel safe. That's why the pasuk in Yehezkiel, when talking about the beauty of the end of time, uses the words En Machrid/ without fear, which is our pasuk ,. וְיָשְׁב֥וּ לָבֶ֖טַח וְאֵ֥ין מַחֲרִֽ יד We have to look forward to the times when we will live in that perfect world where there are no fears, not of disease (that’s a big one), nor of financial collapse or familial collapse. There is a expression waiting for the next shoe to drop, which basically means something negative and inevitable is going to occur soon. The origin of this phrase dates back to when people lived in tenements where the insulation was poor. When you heard the first shoe come down, you’d be waiting for the next shoe to drop. It means that something is going to happen eventually, that you're really not looking forward to. That is constant dread. That's really what the word Harada is-a dread (although in modern Hebrew, Google translates it as anxiety) . We're looking forward to that perfect world of En Machrid. That's our pasuk of the day.

We continue in Pesukei Bitachon from the Maharal . We're now in pesukim that start with a Vav. This one, not as familiar as many others, is from Zachariah 14,11: וְיָ֣שְׁבוּ בָ֔הּ וְחֵ֖רֶם לֹ֣א יִֽהְיֶה־ע֑וֹד וְיָשְׁבָ֥ה יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם לָבֶֽטַח׃ They will dwell in it ( Yerushalayim ) There will no longer be any herem (which refers to destruction) Jerusalem will sit in security, in reliance. This is a haftara that we read on Succot and it's talking about the final war of Gog U’Magog. It’s a Day of God. It describes the destruction and the obliteration of all those enemies of the Jews. In pasuk 9 it says וְהָיָ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־כׇּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יִהְיֶ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶחָ֖ד וּשְׁמ֥וֹ אֶחָֽד׃ And Hashem will be King over the whole world. On that day Hashem will be One and His name will be One, which means today His name is not One with Himself. The Gemara in Pesachim explains that we don't always react the same way to events. For good events, we say HaTov U’Metiv/ God is good and let Him continue bestowing good upon us, but when a bad thing happens. We say Dayan HaEmet/God is a just Judge , because it's hard to accept it. However, in the future, everything will become clear. It continues to describe how all around Yerushalayim , the land will be flat. The Abarbanel, in his sefer Mayaneh Yeshu a (literally the Wellsprings of Salvation ) section 11,8 explains that even though we say Yerushalayim Harim Saviv la/ Yerushalayim is secure normally in the fact it has mountains around it, in the future it will be totally flat, and Yerushalayim will be totally out in the open. And with all that, וְיָשְׁבָ֥ה יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם לָבֶֽטַח׃ we will sit in peace and tranquility because Hashem Echad UShmo Echad/Hashem is One and His name is One. That is the blessing that we're waiting for. Even though we might be living in Yerushalayim now, we do not have that final beracha of וְיָשְׁבָ֥ה יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם לָבֶֽטַח׃ This is one of the Pesukeh Bitachon for the fact that it arouses in us the belief in that guarantee of the Geula . The time will come, against all odds. With what's going on today, who would ever believe that there will be a time when Yerushalayim will sit securely, just relying on Hashem Echad U’Shmo Echad. No terrorists, no enemies, no United Nations. That's the ultimate beracha that we're waiting for. That's the final beracha of Sim Shalom. We're waiting for that blessing of shalom/peace. And now all we can do is rely on it. One of the reasons we read these pesukim from Navi is because we need to believe that those prophecies and promises will come true. Just like in the time of Mitzrayim, when we had difficulties. The commentaries explaini that the goal of those difficulties is to arouse in us and give us, the opportunity to have bitachon. So too today. we have to walk around with this pasuk and be confident in the fact that the time will come when וְיָשְׁבָ֥ה יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם לָבֶֽטַח׃ And it will not happen through any of our devices or through any of our ideas. The only way for Yerushalayim to be secure is that, like it says in pasuk 9 וְהָיָ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־כׇּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יִהְיֶ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶחָ֖ד וּשְׁמ֥וֹ אֶחָֽד׃ And Hashem will be king over the whole world. On that day Hashem will be One and His name will be One, That's what we're waiting for. Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokenu Hashem Echad. Rashi says there that we know that now, but it's not apparent to the world. The nations do not realize that. Rashi says the same on the pasuk in Zechariah as well. All the goyim will recognize and say Hashem is One . This is an important concept because a lot of times when people work on bitachon, or pesukeh bitachon, they're working on their own personal problems. But we have to realize the ultimate bitachon is for the all-inclusive redemption. And we have to have that in mind as well, especially in these times when it doesn't look like we have any natural way to get there. We have to believe, וְיָ֣שְׁבוּ בָ֔הּ וְחֵ֖רֶם לֹ֣א יִֽהְיֶה־ע֑וֹד וְיָשְׁבָ֥ה יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם לָבֶֽטַח׃ They will dwell in it, There will no longer be any destruction and Jerusalem will sit in security.

We continue with Pesukeh Bitachon that start with a Vav . Todays pasuk is Tehilim 40,4 וַיִּתֵּ֬ן בְּפִ֨י ׀ שִׁ֥יר חָדָשׁ֮ תְּהִלָּ֢ה לֵאלֹ֫הֵ֥ינוּ יִרְא֣וּ רַבִּ֣ים וְיִירָ֑אוּ וְ֝יִבְטְח֗וּ בַּיהֹוָֽה Hashem put into my mouth a new song, Praise to our God. Many people will see this and become fearful of Hashem and will rely on Hashem. What is this new song that God puts in my mouth, and why does it say Praise to our God? It should say Praise to my God . Additionally, what does it mean that many people will see this and fear Hashem and rely on Him? The Radak explains simply that when God saves me from a challenge, by doing this kindness to me, which I have a responsibility to thank Him for, it's like He put a song into my mouth. God didn't put the song in my mouth, but God saved me, and that puts the responsibility upon me to sing a new song to Him. So, whenever something out of the ordinary happens, we have to, so to say, create a song. What is meant by a new song? The Radak says, Man has a responsibility to sing a new song for every miracle that happens. It's not enough to say thank you. A whole new presentation has to be done, like a hit single from the new album. We have to do that every time something extraordinary happens. That's why people make a Seudat Hodaah . But it's not enough just to make the party. You have to sing the song. Why does it say our God? Because it's not enough just to be on your own and say thank you. People must be present to praise our God. We have to praise Hashem to a crowd. And then that crowd will say, “ Wow! Look how He saved you! Look how He took care of you!” And they will also come to rely on Hashem. That's our responsibility, whenever something happens-we have to sing a song. Rav Sadok says, what are these new miracles? The miracles that happen to us every single day. Every day, miracles happen. There's a famous explanation that the food of the Korban Todah/Thank you Korban had to be eaten in just one day whereas other Korbanot could be eaten for two days. Two reasons are given, both of which connect to our pasuk. Reason number one is that there were 40 loaves of bread in this Korban . How can you possibly finish 40 loaves of bread in one day? The answer is that you have to invite other people so that we should thank God with the masses. That is lesson #1 The second reason it needs to be eaten in one day is that- How could I eat this offering for two days? It’s for today's miracle. Tomorrow is for tomorrow's miracle. Every day needs a new song, for every day has new miracles. That's the concept of Shira Hadasha: New Song. Furthermore, our rabbis tell us, Shira Hadasha is used in the following context. When nature goes on automatic pilot, so to say, and the sun rises and sets, that’s not called a Shir Hadash . That's called a Shir Yashan because it’s just the same old, same old. Hashem wants a Shir Hadash when we see something happen in our life that is extraordinary. That deserves a Shir Hadash . Every day we say Shira Hadasha, a new song, those that will redeem, will sing. That is Az Yashir, and it refers to when Mashiach comes. Where do we get this term, the new song ? The Avudarham says it’s from Tehilim 40,4. וַיִּתֵּ֬ן בְּפִ֨י ׀ שִׁ֥יר חָדָשׁ֮ Hashem put into my mouth a new song It’s not an old song. Yes, there are golden oldies. But we also need those new hit singles, for the fresh new miracles that just happened to us. Have a wonderful day.

We continue with the Maharal’s list of Pesukei Bitachon, letter Vav, Tehilim13,6: וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ בְּחַסְדְּךָ֣ בָטַחְתִּי֮ יָ֤גֵ֥ל לִבִּ֗י בִּֽישׁוּעָ֫תֶ֥ךָ אָשִׁ֥ירָה לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה כִּ֖י גָמַ֣ל עָלָֽי I rely on Your kindness. My heart rejoices in Your salvation. I will sing to Hashem because He has bestowed upon me kindness. The Avudarham, who finds sources for our prayers in Scripture, says that this pasuk is the source the Beracha , הגומל לחייבים טובות שגמלני כל טוב God is the Gomel, the One that gives to those that don’t deserve it . It was chosen because of its theme, similar to that of HaGomel , which is that I don't deserve it. That's why after a person gets off a plane, is healed from an illness or safely competes desert or boat travel, he makes this beracha which is saying, I don't deserve it; I didn't deserve it. Rather, וַא ֲנִ֤י ׀ בְּחַסְדְּךָ֣ בָטַחְ תִּי֮ /I relied your kindness. Rabbenu Yonah, in Mishleh 3,26 tells us that in order to have Bitachon, we have to rely on Hashem's mercy, which is abundant, and His kindness, which is tremendous, and strengthen our hearts in that belief in Hashem's kindness. And that's our pasuk, וַא ֲנִ֤י ׀ בְּחַסְדְּךָ֣ בָטַחְתִּי֮ / I relied your kindness. The Rambam’s son, Rabbenu Abraham, in his sefer Maspik L’Ovdeh Hashem , talks about a higher level of bitachon , which is when a person believes, בוודאות ובלי ספקות … guaranteed, without a doubt, I will get that. That's a high level. Not everyone's holding there. Rav Elya Weintraub explains that this comes from the belief in En Od Milevado /There's nothing else but Hashem, so I'm convinced He can do it and He will do it, and I have no doubt it will happen because there's nothing that can stop Him. That certainty of reliance undoes all evil and puts a person in a certain zone of God’s protection and benevolence. The role model of En Od Milevado was Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa. When a witch was trying to cast a spell on him ( Mesechet Chulin) he said leave your witchcraft, It's not going to affect me. En Od Milevado/ there is nothing else but God, even your witchcraft. I always understood that Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa’s main power was his belief in the Oneness of God and nothing else but God. But it’s interesting to note that when Rabbenu Abraham talks about Vada’ut/certainty of reliance , and cites the story of Chanina ben Dosa which shows his belief in En Od Milevado , he adds the following: ועם היות שבעלי המעלה הזאת בטוחים בהשגת מבוקשם, אין זה מפאת בטחונם בצדקתם וזכויותיהם אלא מפאת בטחונם בחסדיו יתעלה, כמו שאמר דויד (תהלים י"ג ו') "ואני בחסדך בטחתי" וכו': / Even though the people on this level are guaranteed in getting what they want, it's not because they rely on their righteousness and merits, but because they rely on Hashem’s kindness, as it says בחסדך בטחתי …. This is a big hiddush . In order to achieve the level of Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa, he says we need two things: - We need to believe in Hashem's all-inclusive powers, but that's not enough. -We also have to believe in Hashem's kindness, and that His kindness is abundantly That is extremely important. The Hovot Halevavot says that one of the reasons why people don't have bitachon is because they don't understand how great Hashem's kindness is. We have to learn that constantly, but the truth is, it's not that difficult. Just look outside. Look at how much food there is, not just for us, but for the animal kingdom. Look how much abundance there is of everything. Hashem's kindness and mercy is unfathomable. Even as people are sinning, He continues to give them life- and not just sinners, but murderers, terrorists, and the like. Hashem has unfathomable kindness. And when we rely on Him, that knowledge is also important- the knowledge of Hashem's kindness. And that's why David Hamelech says, ַאֲנִ֤י ׀ בְּחַסְדְּךָ֣ בָטַחְתִּי֮ “ As for me, I rely on Your kindness .” Y The next time you say Hagomel , realize the important words, HaGomel L’chayavim Tovot… I’m chayav, and yet Hashem gave me kindness. Ki Gamal Alai. Have a wonderful day.

We are are now in Tehilim 119,42, וְאֶעֱנֶ֣ה חֹרְפִ֣י דָבָ֑ר כִּֽי־בָ֝טַ֗חְתִּי בִּדְבָרֶֽךָ I will respond to those who disgrace me and insult me because I rely on Your word. The Midrash Tehilim on this pasuk asks, What do they say? The answer if found in another pasuk of tehilim 42,4 where David Hamelech says, הָיְתָה־לִּ֬י דִמְעָתִ֣י לֶ֭חֶם יוֹמָ֣ם וָלָ֑יְלָה בֶּאֱמֹ֥ר אֵלַ֥י כׇּל־הַ֝יּ֗וֹם אַיֵּ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ My tears were my bread (that means) I was crying day and night. Why was I crying? Because they were taunting me. They tell me all day, Where's your God? “Come on David Hamelech, where's your God? You talk about relying on God all day and I don't see anything.” Hashem’s response is, “ Oh you're insulting David because of Me? Because he relies on Me? Don't worry. I will remove the disgrace.” This is an important principle. If you are relying on Hashem, flaunting it, and that causes people to disgrace you, Hashem says, it's My obligation to remove your disgrace . This is not just on a personal level, but on the global level as well, especially when Klal Yisrael is suffering through difficult times. The Midrash continues and beautifully says, “In the future (Yeshaya, 25,8) בִּלַּ֤ע הַמָּ֙וֶת֙ לָנֶ֔צַח וּמָחָ֨ה אֲדֹנָ֧י יֱהֹוִ֛ה דִּמְעָ֖ה מֵעַ֣ל כׇּל־פָּנִ֑ים Death will be swallowed up forever. (We say this at funerals) This is something that will happen in the future) And God will erase the tears. What tears? Simply it means the tears of death. But this Midrash explains it as the tears that David Hamelech had day and night because people were saying, ‘Where's your God?’ וְחֶרְפַּ֣ת עַמּ֗וֹ יָסִיר֙ מֵעַ֣ל כׇּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ And God will remove the disgrace of His nation . What disgrace? The disgrace of David Hamelech that our pasuk discusses when it says, I will answer those that disgrace me. כִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה דִּבֵּֽר I will answer them . Don't worry. I'm going to have a lot of answers, when the time comes. What will I answer them? It’s the next pasuk in Yeshaya , which is another famous pasuk. I never realized they were back to back: וְאָמַר֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא הִנֵּ֨ה אֱלֹהֵ֥ינוּ זה It will be said on that day, that we, the Jewish people will say on that day, you see, that's our God . At the end of Masechet Taanit 31A the Gemara tells us that in the future, Hashem is going to make a circle of Sadikim around Him in Gan Eden . He is going to sit in the middle and everyone's going to point and say, הִנֵּ֨ה אֱלֹהֵ֥ינו זהּ This is my God. קִוִּ֥ינוּ ל֖וֹ קִוִּ֥ינוּ ל֖וֹ וְיוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נוּ זֶ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ קִוִּ֣ינוּ ל֔וֹ נָגִ֥ילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָ֖ה בִּישׁוּעָתֽוֹ׃ I hoped to Him and He brought salvation. This is Hashem that I hoped for. We're going to rejoice and be happy in His salvation. The Midrash asks, Who are we talking to when we say, “ This is our God?” To those wicked people who taunted us day and night saying Where is your God? To them, we will say, Here is our God. He's right here. Our rabbis tell us that we are going to go around and around in a circle and say the words Nagila V’Nismecha BYeshuatecha which is very similar to the words. Nagila V’Nismecha Bach/Bo which we say both in Tehilim and Shir Hashirim, and the Gaon of Vilna says that according to the Midrash, this refers to Simchat Torah , the ultimate happiness. We go around in a circle around God, point to Him and we say, “ See, that's my God. I hoped to Him. And He brought salvation. The pasuk initially says, Hineh Elohenu Zeh/This is my God , using the word Elohim, which is the God of judgment . Then it says, Zeh Hashem , This is Hashem , the God of mercy . In the future, We're going to realize that the God of judgment was the God of mercy. I hoped to Him and He brought me salvation. I hope to Him and He brought me simha. The tragedies in Eretz Yisrael happened on Simha Torah, the very day that causes the people to ask, Where is your God? We cry and we say Ayeh Elohecha , but we have to know that we're going to have an answer to those people that taunt us. Soon, in the future, we going to say, “ That's my God. I hoped to Him and He saved me.” That goes for the Jewish people at large and the individual as well. Have a wonderful day.

We continue in Pesukeh Tehilim- letter Vav . Todays pasuk, Tehilim 9,11, is familiar to many because it's part of our prayers. וְיִבְטְח֣וּ בְ֭ךָ יוֹדְעֵ֣י שְׁמֶ֑ךָ כִּ֤י לֹֽא־עָזַ֖בְתָּ דֹרְשֶׁ֣יךָ יְהֹוָֽה They rely on You, those that know Your name, because You have not forsaken those that seek You. Orchot Sadikim , in the section on Simha , tells us, based on this pasuk, that the building block of bitachon is Emunah. Without Emuna, you cannot have bitachon. As our pasuk says, וְיִבְטְח֣וּ בְ֭ךָ יוֹדְעֵ֣י שְׁמֶ֑ךָ / Those who rely on You know your name. They know Your name means they recognize Your greatness and Your strength and believe in You with all their hearts. With that belief, they can rely on You. Reliance is higher than belief. Belief is, so to say, a potential state. I know what He can do. Relying on Him is a maximum - we rely on Him to do. That's an important distinction that many are not familiar with. Our main lesson from this pasuk is from the Elder of Kelm. In his essay 9,95 on Bereshit , he discusses the pasuk where Hashem tells Abraham, ‘I know him, ’ which Rashi says means I love him , and one of the signs of love is that you want to be intimately involved in that person's life. Why do I love him? Because I know he's going to continue teaching his son the proper ways, the Derech Hashem. The Elder of Kelm adds the following important principle: He says the main success of man is knowledge of Hashem. Not because you're going to get a reward, but just the nature of knowing God brings with it success. It's not a secondary outcome. Rather, knowledge of God is an immediate success. He explains that knowledge of God, to know God, means to know He's good and that He's constantly doing good. As the Pasuk in Tehilim 89,3 says, Olam Hesed Yibaneh/God built the world of kindness and His kindness and goodness fills the world. Every creature has what it needs. And not just the basic needs, but additional luxuries in an overwhelming way. It’s not just food and water but healing and all kind of delicacies. And the whole goal of creation, with all of those creatures, is just for man. God doesn’t need man. It's all just to be good to man. When you know all of that, you realize, by looking into the world, how kind God is. And once you know God, God knows you. That's the system, as it says regarding Abraham Avinu, I know him . I know him because he knows Me. And he says, that's already a success, because, if you know God, then immediately you're going to understand. If I know God, I'm already in a situation of success because God knows me. What is better than being under the intimate watch of God? Like the pasuk says, God knows the ways of the righteous. It’s not what's going to be, it’s what is right now. If I know Him, He knows me. What better place to be? And he says, that is our pasuk וְיִבְטְח֣וּ בְ֭ךָ יוֹדְעֵ֣י שְׁמֶ֑ךָ Once you know Hashem, and you know Hashem knows you, He's right on top of you. He's right there to rely on. And you know, ָ כִּ֤י לֹֽא־עָזַ֖בְתָּ דֹרְשֶׁ֣יךָ יְהֹוָֽה God doesn't forsake those people that aren't Dorshei Hashem in search for Hashem. Like it says throughout Tehilim, such as in 105,4 דִּרְשׁ֣וּ יְהֹוָ֣ה וְעֻזּ֑וֹ בַּקְּשׁ֖וּ פָנָ֣יו תָּמִֽיד׃ Search, Hashem in His strength, constantly look for His face. It's interesting that the word Doresh means to search for . It doesn't mean you found anything. Just the fact that you're searching is already something. God doesn't forsake those that search for Him. There's a famous mashal , about a great Hasidic Rebbi whose daughter was playing hide and go seek. She came to her father crying and explained that they were playing hide and go seek. “ And I picked a hiding spot that was so good, nobody found me. They just have up and forgot about me.” The Rebbi heard that and burst out crying. His Hasidim were surprised. Why was the Rebbi crying? It was only a game. The Rebbi explained, I'm not crying over her game. I'm crying because Hashem hides Himself and we're supposed to play hide and go seek, but He hid Himself so well that we gave up on the game. This is the concept that Hashem doesn’t only take care of those that found Him or those that know God. God doesn't forsake those that are searching for Him. There are times where it's easier to find Him, like the Aseret Yeme Teshuva , when we say, “ Search for God when He is found,” but God can always be searched for. Our job is know Hashem. And if we haven't gotten to that level yet, at least we can search for Him. Have a wonderful day.