The entire Tochacha is loaded with burying children, all kinds of fears, and unfinished productivity. And worshiping: ע ץְ ו אֶ בֶ ן wood and stone is mentioned twice in this Tochacha. Wood and stone are inanimate objects, which symbolize doing nothing and not producing. Midda K'neged Midda, the punishment is losing your productivity (P'ru uR'vu – children). People who are: ע ץְ ו אֶ בֶ ן types and don’t produce (especially in Avodas Hashem) get the Tochacha. People don’t take advantage of their many Maalos since they are so busy with Anava P'sula (misplaced humility).
Indeed, Yirmiyahu who was their Navi, had to be taught by Hashem: א לְת ֹּאמ רְנ ע רְא נֹּכ יְְירמיהְאְְ ז Don’t put yourself down! And he was told multiple times:ְ א לְת יר אְמ פ נ יהֶ םְְשםְפסוקְח Don’t fear people! The: מוֹכ יח ְ one who gives Tochacha has to be Oisgehalten (consistent) in the main area that he is giving others Mussar.
People who don’t work on Amitzus courage (like by doing Novardoker Pratim, which helps overcome fear of a Basar V'dam) unfortunately will not have much “fruit”, and their accomplishments are greatly diminished. This is a main reason why people refrain from Zikkui HaRabbim, which can do wonders for them.
The Meforshim say that: ת ח תְאֲ שֶ רְל ֹּאְע ב ד ת ְְ אֶ תְה'ְאֱ לֹקֶ יךְב ש מ ח הְְתבאְכחְמז (a lack of Simcha) means not having Bitachon, which is the major source of Simcha. And Bitachon is the opposite of fear from humans.
The Meiri says that the reason why Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai abolished the: ל שוֹןְשֶ לְ ז הוֹר ית red string in the Bais Hamikdash on Yom Kippur (which would turn white, symbolizing that Hashem forgave all our sins) is because a person should have Bitachon in Hashem, and not be rely on any Siman. This is perhaps a good reason why Novardokers were always laughing at all kinds of “Nerven”, like Simanim, Hakpados, and Ayin Hara’s, etc. The Baal Bitachon is in his own happy world, without worry about anything.
He knows that he’ll have a great year, and he doesn’t have to check with the color of the: ל שוֹןְשֶ לְז הוֹר ית red string (and when things go wrong, Chas V'shalom, he is capable of accepting difficulties, since everything is L'tovah anyway).
