The Chidushei HaRim zt'l explained that לך מגן אנכי (and the brachah אברהם מגן in Shemonah Esrei) means that Hashem will always protect the pintele Yid, the spark of Judaism, that is embedded in every Yid. Even if one committed many severe aveiros, rachmana litzlan, there remains a part of the Yid's soul that is pure and holy. Hashem protects that spark that it should never be extinguished.
The Gemara (Succah 29.) says the Jewish nation is compared to the moon. The Lubavitcher Rebbe zt'l noted that the moon is always there, only sometimes we don't see it. Similarly, the spark of a Yid is always present, only sometimes it is concealed, and cannot be detected. But the holiness is there, his spark can be ignited, and then he will return with teshuvah sheleimah.
From this Chasam Sofer we learn the following two lessons:
- We learn the strength of teshuvah. Whoever does teshuvah, his aveiros are forgiven. Even the Canaanites had the potential to do teshuvah.
- A second lesson is that emunah is a zechus gadol, a great merit that changes one's mazal.
So, let us strengthen ourselves to live with emunah. This was Avraham's approach to life, and with emunah, we will be emulating his ways, and we will have a great merit that can change and improve our mazal.
Bitachon
One of the best praises one can give a friend is to say he is a baal bitachon. Every morning, in the brachah of עולם אהבת we say, בך שבטחו אבותינו בעבור ...מלכנו אבינו, "Our father, our King...in the merit of our forefathers who trusted in You..." In this brachah, we don't mention any other praises of the avos besides their bitachon. The Shem Mishmuel (Miketz 5675) proves from this that having bitachon is the highest form of praise.
We say in Shemonah Esrei, ומושיע ,עוזר מלך ומגן, "[Hashem is] a king Who helps, saves, and protects." Reb Avraham, the son of the Vilna Gaon zt'l explains that when one says Hashem is עוזר, helps, it implies that he does hishtadlus, and he trusts that Hashem will help him. מושיע refers to a person who doesn't even do hishtadlus. He trusts that Hashem will save him and grant him his needs, even when he doesn't do hishtadlus. מגן, protect, is when, for Hashem's honor, he does something dangerous, and he trusts that even then, Hashem will protect him.
We conclude this brachah with אברהם מגן because Avraham's level of bitachon was on the level of מגן, protection. Avraham battled four powerful kings, and he allowed himself to be thrown in the furnace at Ur Kasdim rather than bow down to idols. He did dangerous things, but he had a high level of bitachon, and he trusted that Hashem would protect and save him. Hashem told Avraham (Bereishis 15:1) לך מגן אנכי אברם תירא אל, "Do not fear, Avram, I will protect you."
There is no one happier than someone who trusts in Hashem, as we say (Tehillim 84:13) בך בוטח אדם אשרי, "Fortunate is the man who trusts in You," and it states (Tehillim 146:5) אלוקיו 'ה על שברו בעזרו יעקב ל-שא אשרי, "Fortunate is he whose hope is in Hashem his G-d." He lives a life without worry and fear, and Hashem bestows His kindness on him, as it states (Tehillim 32:10), חסד 'בה הבוטח יסובבנו, "For the one who trusts in Hashem, kindness will surround him."
The Abudarham (motzei Shabbos) says that the entire chapter (Tehillim 91) בסתר יושב doesn't have the letter ן"זיי. This chapter discusses bitachon, and it hints that when one has bitachon, he doesn't need זיין כלי, weapons. His enemies will fall before him in the merit of his bitachon.
