[Avodah] Developing Bitachon

[Cantor Wolberg]

R' Micha wrote:
"But to return to the question... If anyone has pragmatic advice for  
developing bitachon, please chime in."

First, in a general sense "bitachon" is what the Torah is all about. A  
Jew has to have a lot of trust in God in order to perform all the  
mitzvos. So you already have more bitachon than you realize. A  
relationship with HKB"H must have a parameter of bitachon. [Na'aseh  
v'nishma]. R' Avram, the son of the Rambam, as well as the Chazon Ish  
point out that there is a baseline of bitachon and then there are  
levels that go beyond. The baseline is that everything is in the hands  
of HaShem. We have trust, knowledge and conviction that there are no  
accidents in this world. There are no coincidences. HaShem controls  
everything. That is the basic and most fundamental concept of  
bitachon. The Chazon Ish explains that even that realization has a  
very consoling and soothing benefit. It would be much more scary if we  
believed in random occurrences and accidents. Everything would be  
chaotic.  He points out that there is a design, there is a controller,  
hashgacha. Much of it we have no comprehension; we may even be angry,  
but it offers some peace of mind in a soul that is otherwise in turmoil.

Also, on a higher level, we cannot forget that God feels our every  
pain and sorrow. So therefore, there is something intuitive that gives  
us more bitchon when we gain that insight.

Dovid Hamelech said in a posuk: "Chesed umishpot ashira."  The gemara  
asks: Al Chesed ashira, or al mishpot ashira? So the answer is: I say  
Hallel when He is kind to me, and I say Hallel when He judges and  
punishes me. In my mind and in my heart He is Kol kulo chesed to the  
extent that if He give me something positive or if he hurts me and  
punishes me, it's the same thing because I so deeply and emotionally  
know, feel and sense His kindness, that a slap in the face is as much  
an expression of His kindness as His kiss is.  Now this is certainly a  
very lofty level. We don't know too many people on this level, and if  
fact, if you look at the m'chaber in the S.A., he says that on  
something good you make a "Hatov v'hametiv" and conversely on  
something bad you make a "Dayan Ha'emes."  But he says you should make  
a "Hatov v'hametiv" on everything because everything is for the good.  
That's a "y'sod hadaas";  everything that HaShem does is for the good.  
But you can't always see it and you can't always feel it. So we can't  
make hatov v'hametiv on a tzara because we don't understand it at all  
and we certainly don't feel any goodness. So all we can say is Dayan  
Ha'emes. We trust that God is the true God and He knows what He is  
doing even though we cannot relate to this as a blessing, as a  
kindness or as a benefit. In fact, to tell someone that is an insult  
to their finite human comprehension.

But a level that we can relate to is a clear recognition that  
everything is from HaShem and the sometimes feeling of inspiration  
that I know that not only is He in control but that He knows what He  
is doing and ultimately will not let me down ('ultimately' is the  
operative word).

The rishonim amongst others say: "Kol haboteach ma'amin, avol lo kol  
hama'amin boteach." Very interesting. Why? If I believe in Him, why  
don't I trust in Him. The answer is that I believe in His power, but I  
don't feel worthy and don't deserve it. So the baal bitachon not only  
believes in HaShem but he trusts that God will use His powers to favor  
him EVEN if he is not worthy.
I heard a beautiful vort: What is a baal tzedaka? A baal tzedaka is  
not a person that money doesn't mean anything to him. On the contrary.  
To a baal tzedaka money is the most precious thing he ever has and  
still he gives it.  What is a baal bitachon? A baal bitachon is no one  
who is impervious to danger. A baal bitachon is one who is acutely  
focused on the danger. He is aware that terrible things are going on,  
but he rises above that with his bitachon BaShem.

The Gaon says that the whole shoresh of tefillah is rooted in bitachon.

ri

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