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Letting Down the Reins

  • Behar
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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.

We do have a defined role in our pursuit of livelihood, which is to relinquish the illusion of self-sufficiency and nurture a profound sense of trust in Hashem. It is needless to say that a person who achieves this state is enveloped in tranquillity, free from the burden of worrying or fearing what the future holds in store.

David Hamelech (תהלים כז יד) encourages us to place our hope in the Almighty, telling us: קַוֵּה אֶל־ה' חֲזַק וְיַאֲמֵץ לִבֶּךָ וְקַוֵּה אֶל־ה' - Hope to Hashem, be strong and let your heart take courage, and hope to Hashem. There is repetition here of the words קַוֵּה אֶל־ה'. The Brisker Rav interpreted the repetition as conveying the idea that the reward for someone who has Bitachon is an even deeper sense of Bitachon. This is because, after all, a person with Bitachon is never afraid of lacking anything. What earthly reward can be given to someone who lacks nothing? Surely, only a deeper and stronger feeling of trust and serenity can serve as a fitting reward.

(חי' מרן רי''ז הלוי עה''ת, תהלים)

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