From the shiurim on Kav Hashgachah Pratis
Hope and Tefillah
The crux of tefillah is the hope that the tefillah expresses, meaning that the person davens to Hashem only because it is Hashem’s will that he daven to Him when things are painful for him. The person himself understands that everything Hashem does is good, and even if his tefillah is not answered, then he’ll daven again without questioning or pondering, and this is what is referred to as tikvah – hope.
(Based on Eish Das, Harav Hakadosh of Ozorov)
Hope Gives Strength
When someone hopes and longs for something, and he is unsure whether it will come, it disturbs him ceaselessly, but if he anticipates something and he is sure it will come, like the light of morning, then it doesn’t disturb him at all. In fact, it gladdens him as he imagines its coming and is sure it will come. This is how a person should hope. He should trust fully that Hashem will certainly bring about his yeshuah, since He has the ability and there is no one who can hold Him back. This is not like someone who longs and dreams for something and is unsure of whether it will come. This is the type of hope that strengthens and gladdens the heart.... Not only does it not weaken the heart, it strengthens it. Being that he places his hopes in Hashem, Whose existence is absolute, this strengthens him more and more, until the two aspects constantly reinforce each other: His hope reinforces his confidence, and his confidence reinforces his hope.
(Based on Sefer Ha’ikarim, Rav Yosef Albo ztk”l)
Ongoing Hope
A person should trust in Hashem through all his travails and struggles.... The concept of hope is when a person anticipates the mercies of his Creator, knowing that there is no one other than Hashem who can help him and extricate him from his predicaments.... When he hopes and awaits salvation, he stands before Hashem with awe, and his eyes are turned heavenward, and he thinks of nothing other than Hashem. This is why it says in Tehillim (40:2), “I hoped and I hoped” (kavo kivisi), meaning that I hoped a lot. If someone does not hope properly, he could come to apostasy if he doesn’t receive what he hope for. That is why we are specifically commanded to anticipate salvation and place our hope in Hashem again and again, no matter how long it takes. This is the proper way to hope, dream, and anticipate salvation.
(Based on Ba’alei Bris Avraham, Rav Avraham Azulai ztk”l, on Tehillim 40)
The Hope and the Demand
Tikvah – hope, is related to the word kav – a line, for a person who hopes is always holding on to the “line” of kedushah, whether in thought, in word or in deed. Through this line, he is constantly drawing down for himself the good from Above, whether a little or a lot, according to the time and place, and in accordance with how tightly he holds on to kedushah. This is the secret behind the words (Eichah 3:25), “Hashem is good to those who place their hope in Him,” and immediately afterward, “to those souls who seek Him out.” This implies that a person who places his hope in Hashem will work on his own kedushah with all his heart and soul. Superficial hope without making demands on oneself is like a body without a soul, and this type of hope does not at all have the capacity to draw down kedushah from Above. The mashal is of a person who is holding a rope in his hand that is connected to a wallet full of money. If he doesn’t pull on the rope with all his might, certainly he will not get hold of any of the money, and he’ll remain empty-handed. Thus, one who hopes but does not make demands of himself will not gain anything. He is like someone holding a lulav but not shaking it properly, who will certainly not bring down upon himself chassadim from their roots Above, and it will be as though he has never done the mitzvah of lulav in his life.
(Based on Biur Chamesh Megillos, Rav Moshe Dovid Valli ztk”l)
Hope Follows Hope
... “Place your hope in Hashem, strengthen and encourage your heart, and place your hope in Hashem” (Tehillim 27:). It says “place your hope in Hashem” twice because one must keep on hoping. If you placed your hope in Hashem and did not see salvation, then keep on hoping. What if someone were to ask, “Until when shall I hope?” Then the answer is that it says, “Yisrael hopes for Hashem[’s help] from this point forth and forevermore” (Tehillim 131:3).... If you do this, then you will be saved, as it says “and those who placed their hopes in Me shall not be shamed” (Yeshayahu 46:23)....
(Based on Midrash Tehillim 40)
