Bitachon Weekly פרשת בהר תשפ"ד
Lag Ba’omer should be a lesson for us to emulate these people. Especially according to the Chofetz Chaim Zatzal who said that before Moshiach comes, the only way to last is by working on Bitachon.
In Our Generation, Bitachon Needs to Dominate Our Lives More Than Anything Else
There is a famous Kashya: Why is Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai such an unusual celebrity, more than anyone else; more than other Tana’im, from all the personalities of Tanach, and from so many Gedolei Yisroel of all generations? We can suggest that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai remains a message for all of us: Positivity to the extreme. Besides Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai having the most extreme Shita in Bitachon (since he didn't believe in going to work, Gemara), he is also loaded with all kinds of Inyanei Bitachon which can be M'chazek all of us in any situation.
After losing 24,000 Gedolei Yisroel, Rabbi Akiva had no Yi'ush. He was M'kayem: לָּעֶּרֶּב אַל תַנַח יָּדֶּךָ (קהלת יא ו) Don’t stop producing in your old age, and he started all over again with new Talmidim. (Gemara). No Yi'ush! No negativism! Even the day of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai’s passing is a day of Simcha for generations! The Gemara in the end of Maseches Makkos speaks about how later generations had to make things easier to be M'kayem the Torah. And the very last M'halech for the bottom of all generations is: וְצַדִ יק בֶּאֱמוּנָּתוֹ יִחְיֶּה (חבקוק ב ד) LIVING EMUNA, i.e., having Bitachon, which should dominate our lives more than anything else, especially our generation!
Not having Yi'ush, even in the most difficult moments, is a sign of Malchus
Notice how the Tochacha of Parshas B’chukosai (which is the Mussar said by Hashem) says: אִם בְחֻקֹּתַי תֵלֵכוּ - שֶּ תִ הְ יוּ עַ מֵ לִ ים בַ תוֹרָּ ה (רש"י) that we should toil in Torah, and the Tochacha of Parshas Ki Savo (said by Moshe Rabeinu) is: תַחַת אֲשֶּר לֹא עָּבַדְתָּ אֶּת ה' אֱלֹקֶּיךָ בְשִמְחָּה וּבְטוּב לֵבָּב to serve Hashem with joy and Simcha. This sounds like a much lesser demand (of course both Tochachos are forever prevalent). And now, in later generations we have a stark difference between Moshe and Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Whereas the day of Moshe’s Petira was a sad day, the day of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai’s Petira is loaded with unending Simcha and bonfires and merrymaking.
A loud and clear message especially for later generations (and even more so the Dor Ik'visa Dim'shicha): We need to work on positivism, by seeing good in ourselves and in other people and in our situations to the extreme! And by learning Shaar HaBitachon more and more. Look at all those multiple praises given to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, and how he praised himself also! There is a story about the Maggid of Zlatchov Zatzal, that when the Maggid saw Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, he said: “What: צוּרָּ ה form would we have without you. But still, what: צורָה form would you have without us!" And then the Maggid jumped on the table and started dancing.
I have a rule: Whenever you're busy praising Tzaddikim and others, don't ignore yourself (or else you could be heading for depression!) Hashem told Avraham Avinu: בְךָ חוֹתְמִין "We end with YOU". (Gemara). Why does Avraham Avinu, who was total Chesed, need reassurance; and that he should be superior to others? The truth is that if you aren't overflowing with appreciation and thankfulness over your own Maalos, then you have deep-seated complaints to Hashem for not making you better....
The Chovos Halvavos says that first step to Anava is being aware of your own greatness; eventually you'll be spilling over with Simcha, and a happy person gives and loves others. So after you express admiration for others, don't forget to be M'kayem: בְךָ חוֹתְמִין “We end with you". Like R' Ahron Kreiser Zatzal said "אִ יךְ בִ ין אוֹיךְ אַ מַ אמֶּ עס אַ קִ ינְ ד" ("I'm also a mother’s child; i.e., I'm also worthy).
