One’s Level is Seen From His Tefillos:
The Yerushalmi (Brachos 1:2) relates that Rav Shimon bar Yochai said: “If I had been by Har Sinai, I would have asked Hashem to give a man two mouths – one mouth for Torah and tefillah, and one mouth for mundane talk.” He then retracted and said: “We see that man has one mouth and uses it so much for sin. If he had two mouths, he would sin even more.”
עָזִּי וְזִמְ רָ ת קָהּ וַיְהִי לִי לִישׁוּעָה זֶה קֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ וגו' (טו, ב)
Hashem’s strength and His song were my salvation; this is my G-d, and I will beautify Him... (15:2)
The Bais Avrohom of Slonim zy”a quotes his father, the Divrei Shmuel of Slonim zy”a, as explaining that if one had two mouths, he would be able to dedicate one for Torah and tefillah, and the second mouth would be dedicated solely for sinful speech, and he wouldn’t even realize that he has to do teshuva. Since a man only has one mouth, however, he will notice that it is sometimes difficult for him to say words of Torah and tefillah. He will then recognize that the reason for this is because he defiled his mouth with sinful words, and this is making it hard for him to use it for avodas Hashem. And this will lead him to do teshuva.
With this in mind, the Bais Avrohom explains the pasuk to be saying: “Hashem’s strength and songs” – when one wants to strengthen himself to sing songs of praises to Hashem by davening to Him, but he finds it hard to get the words out of his mouth, he is in a difficult predicament. The solution for this is: “Li l’yehoshua” – one must find his salvation by doing teshuva for sullying his mouth with sinful words.
The Egyptian’s Avodah Zara Was Saying Whatever Came to Mind:
Sefer Zera Kodesh notes that the pasuk (Shemos 14:2) says that the avodah zara of Egypt was known as “pi hachirus”, which can be translated as “freedom of speech.” This indicates that they used their mouths freely, to say whatever they wanted. Thus, when Hashem told the nation to return and camp by “pi hachirus”, He was teaching them that anyone who had been influenced by Mitzrayim to speak freely and to use words improperly, he should return and do teshuva for this sin, and train his mouth to “camp”, i.e., to settle down, and not to talk this way anymore.
Thus, this time of year, when we read in the Torah about how Klal Yisroel were saved from the depravity of Mitzrayim, is the ideal time to commit to be careful with one’s words.
Guarding One’s Words is a Segulah for Wealth:
Furthermore, Sefarim Hakedoshim say that guarding one’s mouth is a segulah for wealth. The Chozeh of Lublin zy”a discerns this from the Gemara (Chulin 46A) that says: “Rich men are miserly.” He asks: Are all rich men stingy? Aren’t some of them very generous?
The Chozeh answers that this isn’t referring to money. Rather, it means that they are miserly with their words. They guard their mouths and do not speak unnecessary words and, as a result, they were blessed with wealth.
Considered Like Mesiras Nefesh:
In addition to all this, when one guards his words and doesn’t speak more than necessary, it is considered as if he was literally moser nefesh and gave up his life for Hashem. Accordingly, it is said in the name of tzadikim that a “Taanis Dibbur” is more effective than a “Taanis Achilah”.
אָז יָשִ ׁיר מֹשֶ ׁה וּבְנֵי יִשְ ׂרָ אֵל אֶת הַשִ ּׁירָ ה הַזֹּאת לַה' וַיֹּאמְ רוּ לֵאמֹר וגו' (טו, א)
Then Moshe and the children of Yisroel sang this song to Hashem, and they spoke, saying... (15:1)
This is as the Baal Hatanya zy”a writes in his Sefer Torah Ohr (on this week’s Parshah): “Every time a Jew pushes away his physical desires and brings his heart close to serving Hashem, it is considered like mesiras nefesh because he is partially ‘killing himself’, and what difference does it make if he kills all of himself or part of himself?”
This means that if one pushes himself to avoid speaking lashon hara, even if he only does so for a few seconds, it is already considered as if he was moser nefesh.
Machshavah is the Foundation of Yiddishkeit:
Rashi states: “’Then he sang (Az Yashir).’ Then, when he saw the miracle, he said I his heart that he should recite a song, and so he did... Likewise, the song of the be’er, which begins: ‘Then Yisroel sang (Az Yashir Yisroel).’ It explains afterwards: ‘Ascend, be’er and sing to it.’ Likewise, it says: Then Shlomo built (Az Yivneh) a high place. The Chachmei Yisroel explain that he sought to build it but did not build it. We thus learn that the ‘yud’ (in the words Yashir and Yivneh) may serve to indicate a thought.”
Tzadikim explain that the level of every “Yid” depends on his thoughts. If one has good machshavos, it is a sign that he is a good Jew.
In this vein, it is said in the name of the Baal Shem Tov Hakadosh zy”a: “In the place where one’s thoughts are, that is where he is.”
Simcha is a Segulah to Purify One’s Thoughts:
It is stated in Tikunei Zohar (Tikun 22, page 67A) that the word “machshava” has the same letters as the word “b’simcha”. This is a hint that joy is a segulah to purify one’s thoughts.
וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל מֹשֶ ׁה הִנְנִי מַמְ טִ יר לָכֶם לֶחֶם מִ ן הַשָ ּׁמָיִם וְיָצָא הָעָם וְלָקְטוּ דְ ּבַר יוֹם בְ ּיוֹמוֹ וגו' (טז, ד)
Behold! I am going to rain down for you bread from Heaven, and the people shall go out and gather what is needed for the day. (16:4)
The Mann Symbolizes Parnassah:
The story of the mann teaches us that the amount of parnassah one will have does not depend on how talented or capable he is. Rather, just like Hashem provided parnassah for the Jewish people in the desert, He continues to do so today. And just like Klal Yisroel in the midbar received their portion of mann in an easy way if they had genuine emunah and bitachon in Hashem, the more emunah and bitachon we have, the easier it is to obtain our livelihood.
Parnassah is from Hashem:
The Alshich Hakadosh explains the words “I am going to rain down bread” by writing that Hashem was teaching Klal Yisroel that their parnassah doesn’t come from their own talents. Rather, He rains it down from Heaven, and we simply have to collect it from the place where He drops it off.
Those Who Love Hashem Get Parnassah Without Toil:
Rabenu Bechaya writes similarly that the mann teaches us that one doesn’t have to work excessively to earn a living. This is seen from the fact that the mann fell at night, when everyone was asleep, so that they could simply get up in the morning and find their sustenance waiting for them. He compares it to the building of the Bais Hamikdosh, when it only rained only on Wednesday and Friday nights so that the rain wouldn’t disturb the people’s work. Additionally, we find that Chizkiyahu Hamelech said, “I don’t have the ability to kill or pursue my enemies, and not even to sing Shira. I simply will go to sleep on my bed and You (Hashem) will do it for me.” Hashem told him, “I will do it”, and He struck the enemy’s camp at night (2 Malachim 19:35).
This entire idea is summarized in the verse (Tehillim 127:2): “It is futile for you who arise early, who sit late, who eat the bread of toil; thusly will Hashem give sleep to His beloved.” This means that some people get up early and work hard for a living, but still don’t have much. On the other hand, Hashem provides for those who love Him while they sleep, without the need for them to work excessively.
This is as Chazal tell us (Yoma 75A) that for the tzaddik, the mann fell at the doorstep, whereas the rasha needed to gather in fields far away from the encampment. We learn from this that Hashem grants livelihood to a tzadik without the need for a lot of toil and work. A rasha, on the other hand, needs to work hard for parnassah.
One Who Increases His Work Doesn’t Become Wealthy:
Rabenu Bechaya concludes: “’It is futile for you who arise early.’ This refers to those who work hard and toil day and night to increase their value. All of their labor is futile because they only need to work the necessary amount to fulfill the obligation of hishtadlus and to place their trust in Hashem to provide for them. If they would do that, they wouldn’t lose anything and they would receive what was decreed for them. They could then devote the remainder of their time to Torah, mitzvos and chesed.”
Sefer Beer Mayim Chayim writes that everything depends on bitachon. He states: “You should know that if a person tries with all his might, and he increases the amount of work he does and the amount of thought he puts into it, and he spends all his time, day and night, trying to make money, he still won’t earn one penny more than what Hashem decreed for him to get this year or this week.”
One Who Trusts in Hashem Will Not Lack Parnassah:
The Kedushas Levi zy”a expounds at length about the importance of bitachon. He quotes the Baal Shem Tov zy”a as explaining the pasuk in Tehillim (121:5) that states “Hashem is my shadow” to mean that just like a person’s shadows mimics what he does, Hashem mimics the way we act, so to speak. Therefore, if we treat others kindly and provide them with joy, He treats us kindly and gives us joy.
If, however, someone is constantly worried about his parnassah, he will not merit this Heavenly assistance.
The Dubno Magid’s Moshol:
The Dubno Magid zy”a (Sefer Kol Yaakov, Koheles 2:24) relates a parable of a village where two balhabatim lived, one of whom was very generous and loved hosting guests, and one of whom was very miserly. One day, a poor man arrived in the village and made his way to the miser’s house. When he asked for some food, the wicked man told him, “If you want me to feed you a good supper tonight, you first must do some work for me.”
He then ordered the pauper to do some odd jobs around his house. After he finished, he told him, “Go next door and knock. I told the people there to give you whatever you need.”
The miser was actually sending him to the generous man’s house, who would have given him a meal for free in any case. When he knocked on the door, he was greeted with a smile and served a delicious meal. He was then given a comfortable room for the night. He thought that he was being rewarded for his hard work, but he later was informed of the truth. When he told his friends what happened, they told him that he had been fooled, as the generous man would give anyone a free meal at any time. Thus, he discovered that he had worked hard for no reason at all.
The Dubno Magid uses this moshol to explain the pasuk (Koheles 1:3): “What benefit is there for a man from all the work that he toils.” Although it is Hashem’s will for people to work for a living, it is unnecessary to toil and work excessively hard. Instead, one should do his part and rely on Hashem to take care of him. As far as He is concerned, there is no difference between a lot of work or a little. Many people work long hours, thinking that the more they work, the more money they’ll make. This is a mistake. It is very possible that they would make the same amount of money if they worked much less, and spent the rest of their time learning Torah and doing mitzvos.
One Who Trusts in Hashem Will Always be Sustained:
However, this only will work if one has bitachon in Hashem. The Noam Elimelech explains the words “behold, I will (hineni) rain down bread from Heaven” by saying that the word “hineni” connotes something that is constant. Thus, the pasuk is saying that He will create a constant flow of parnassah. It will pour down from the Heavens like rain. If, however, one is lacking bitachon, and he “goes out to collect every day”, meaning that he places his trust in his own handiwork, then the flow of parnassah will not be constant, and he will have to “collect every day”.
This is as is stated in the Rabenu Bechaya’s Sefer Kad Hakemach (Erech Avel: “If one trusts in Hashem Yisborach, the middas hachesed that sustains the world surrounds him on all sides, as is stated )Tehillim 32:10: ‘One who trusts in Hashem is surrounded by chesed.’”
If one lacks bitachon, however, he will have to work hard to earn a living. It is related (Sefer Siach Sarfei Kodesh, Parnassah, Ois 20) that the Kotzker Rebbe zy”a was once speaking with a man who was an expert craftsman who worked hard but simply saw no success financially. He told him, “The pasuk says (Koheles 9:11) that ‘wise men do not get bread, smart men do not get wealth, and strong men do not get victory in war.’ The explanation of this is that Hashem says: If you think you are wise, find your own parnassah. So they stay poor. But if one trusts in Him and doesn’t think he’s all that wise, he will be given parnassah from Hashem.”
Tangible Emunah:
This is the way of tzadikim. They trust in Hashem unquestioningly, and fully believe that He will provide them with whatever they need, without the need for hard labor. In the end, they are able to see how He did, in fact, take care of them.
It is related (Sefer Darchei Chaim, Ois 13) that the Sanzer Rov zy”a was accustomed to recite “Ani Maamin” three times each day – once after saying Birchas Hatorah in the morning, once after Shacharis while still wearing his talis and tefillin, and once at night, before reciting Kriyas Shema al Hamitah. He would say the words in Hebrew and then translate them into Yiddish: “’Ani maamin.’ Ich gloib. ‘B’emunah sheleimah.’ Mit a emesdig gloibing. “Sheborei Yisborach shemo.’ Az der Eibishter gebentched zohl zein zein namen...”
His son, the Rebbe of Gorlitz zy”a, once said to him, “Tatte, ich gloib oichet.” (Father, I also believe.)
The Sanzer Rov responded, “Yah, Ich zei az du gloibst.” (Yes. I see that you also believe.)
A Story From the Gemara:
The Gemara relates (Kesuvos 67B) that a poor man once came to Rava and asked for some food. Rava asked him what he normally ate, and he said, “I eat fattened hens and aged wine.” Rava asked him, “Aren’t you concerned that you are a burden on the public (by forcing them to give you such expensive food)?” The poor man said, “Am I taking food from the public? No. I am only taking food from Hashem. You taught us an explanation of the verse (Tehillim 145:15): ‘Everyone’s eyes look to You with hope, and You give them their food in its time (b’itam).’ Why does it say ‘b’itam’ in the singular tense, rather than ‘b’ito’, in the plural? Rashi explains that this is meant to teach us that Hashem gives every individual his livelihood in the correct time. Everyone always receives what is meant for him in the destined time.”
As they were in the middle of speaking, Rava’s daughter, whom he hadn’t seen in 13 years, walked in. She had brought him a fattened hen and aged wine. Rava was amazed that she had brought exactly what the man requested. He told the poor man, “I spoke too much against you. Come and eat.”
From this story, we clearly see the power of emunah. If one truly trusts in Hashem to provide for him, like this poor man did, he will be given whatever he desires.
The Poor Talmid Chochom Who Married off his Children Easily:
I heard the following amazing story from the chavrusah of the protagonist:
There was a big talmid chochom who learned for many years in Kollel Chazon Ish in Bnei Brak. He studied Torah dilligently, getting up early in the morning and staying up until late at night. His apartment was located in the basement of the kollel building, so he never left the building at all. He would spend almost the entire day in the bais medrash, only going downstairs to his home for a few hours of sleep each night.
He was very poor, and he certainly didn’t have enough money to print his chiddushim. His wife was very worried about how they would marry off their children but he remained calm. He convinced her to retain her emunah and bitachon and trust that Hashem would help them.
His oldest son got engaged, and although he had no money for the wedding expenses, he continued learning without worry. Two months before the wedding, a lawyer called and informed him that a wealthy man had left him a large sum in his will. It was discovered that this rich man had visited Kollel Chazon Ish one morning and was amazed by the sight of men who put aside all worldly concerns and focused solely on their learning. He was especially moved by this masmid and asked who he was. He was told, “This man is the kollel...” He was told about how he lived in the basement and spent all his time in the bais medrash. When the wealthy man heard this, he decided to leave a fortune to him in his will. With this money, he was able to comfortably marry off all his children, to support them for many years, and to print his chiddushim.
With this story, Hashem shows us that one can sit in Kollel Chazon Ish, with no source of parnassah, and still marry off his children comfortably, whereas others who work hard for many years are unable to do this.
An Abundance of Good Through Emunah and Bitachon:
The Ahavas Shalom zy”a (quoted in Sefer Even Shesiya, Perek 3, Ois 3) relates that a chasid of Rav Levi Yitzchok of Berditchov zy”a once told his Rebbe that he had been a very wealthy man, but – although no one knew about it yet - his fortune had changed and he now was tremendously in debt. He now had a daughter who was engaged, and he had no money for the wedding.
Rav Levi Yitzchok told him to purchase a lottery ticket, promising him that he would win a large sum. The chasid replied that he knew that the Rebbe’s blessing would be fulfilled, but it might take a long time, as lottery drawings were only held once every few years. Since he needed money immediately, what would he do until then?
The Rebbe assured him that Hashem would send him the money soon, so he took his advice and bought a lottery ticket.
On the way home, he stopped at an inn for the night. That night, a high-official official arrived with a fancy carriage, and he also spent the night in one of the rooms. That night, the official dreamt that there was a Jew there who had a lucky lottery that would surely win, whereas his own ticket was worthless. He awoke and thought the dream was nonsense, but when he fell back asleep, he had the same dream again.
He immediately rose from his bed and commanded his servant to investigate if there was a Jew there. The servant found the Jew and called him to come to the official’s room. When he stood...