In a letter, the Rebbe Reb Mendel'e of Vitebsk addresses the concerns his disciples raised about making a living. He conveys the idea that a person's thoughts essentially define who they are. He explains that a person's thoughts determine their essence, and if one's mind is focused on holiness, he himself becomes holy. Conversely, unholy thoughts render a man unholy. Furthermore, one's thoughts influence his livelihood, and the direction of one's thoughts can impact the way he receives his parnassah.
He expounds by presenting what appears to be a contradiction between two verses. On one hand, there is a promise from Hashem: לְמַעַן יְבָרֶכְךָ ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ בְּכֹל מַעֲשֵׂה יָדְךָ אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה (דברים יד כט) — so that the Hashem, your God, will bless you in all the work of your hand that you will do. We see here that He will bless us "in all that we do," suggesting that we have to take action to make a living. On the other hand, scripture tells us (תהלים לז ה) גּוֹל עַל־ה' דַּרְכֶּךָ וּבְטַח עָלָיו וְהוּא יַעֲשֶׂה, "Leave your way to Hashem; trust in Him; He will do". This seems to indicate that we should leave everything to Hashem, as He will provide for us even if we don't take any action.
The answer lies in the understanding that parnassah does not depend upon one's efforts. The Mishnah (קידושין ד יד) states that שֶׁלֹּא עֲנִיּוּת מִן הָאֻמָּנוּת וְלֹא עֲשִׁירוּת מִן הָאֻמָּנוּת — Poverty does not come from (deficiency in) a specific trade, nor does wealth come from a specific trade. In other words, the actual work a person performs does not determine his financial state. Rather, one should engage in a trade in order to create a conduit through which to receive the blessings and sustenance that has been destined for him.
While working is important, one's livelihood is ultimately provided by Hashem. Therefore, Reb Mendel'e says, it is unnecessary for one to excessively fixate on the minute details of his work, as it is ultimately the Almighty that provides sustenance. This resolves the apparent contradiction mentioned earlier. Indeed, we receive Hashem's blessings via our work, but our work is merely a channel for this endowment. It is Hashem Who provides the sustenance itself, and therefore we are told to leave our way to Him and not over-occupy our thoughts with the specifics of our trade.
Moreover, it is not worthwhile to overtly invest our thoughts into the intricacies. The reasoning behind this is that, as discussed above, the way we think is also the way we receive our parnassah. This means that our mindset plays a crucial role on our sustenance. Narrow thinking leads to limited sustenance, while broad thinking results in broader sustenance. If we limit our thoughts to the prospects of our trade, our parnassah will indeed be restricted to them. On the other hand, if we place our trust in Hashem and rely on His open and giving hand, we can be confident that once we have established the channel through our efforts, we will be abundantly provided for.
Reb Mendel'e closes his letter by sharing an anecdote about a community that used to send him letters every year, in which they complained about financial hardships. "This year," he writes, "they didn't mention it, and I am sure that, with the help of the Almighty, they will be lifted from poverty". This was because their thoughts no longer being consumed by worries about their livelihood would directly affect the way their sustenance is granted.
(פרי הארץ מכתב כב)
Letting Down the Reins
Attaining Bitachon can be quite challenging, as we often fear the unknown when letting go of control and putting our trust in Hashem. We tend to falsely feel secure when we believe that we are the ones in charge of our lives. However, after learning the above, a different perspective should emerge. The truth is that we have no control over our own well-being, whether it's financial or otherwise. We may feel like we are capable of doing, achieving, and acquiring, but in reality, we are akin to a child given a toy steering wheel, foolishly thinking that we are the ones steering the course.