In Novardok they used to look for as much Ruach as possible. It gives you Simcha and energy, and Chi'yus in whatever you do. Like it says about the people who built the Mishkan, that they had a: הָמְכָח ַחוּר ג חכ “Ruach” Chochma, meaning not just “dry” Chochma; rather a “spirit” of Chochma. i.e., when you’re on fire with the Yesodos that you talk about. Mussar B'hispa'alus and learning Gemara with a Bren, or dancing and singing, are all forms of Ruach.
People with Ruach need less sleep and food. The Novardokers used to use the big-time millionaires as examples for Avodas Hashem; they are so thrilled with the millions that they are making, that they don’t become: םָצְמוּצְמ stuck and narrow-minded with the petty worries of the average person. They have no time to be small and bicker, with all kinds of limitations that hold them back from their mission in life.
Trusting Hashem with Temimus
A famous American writer and editor wrote about the various Shitos, and he described Novardok as Simcha. In Novardok, they had different: תוֹפוּקְתּ seasons. For example, in the season before Shavuos, they worked on: עָמְשִׁנְו הֶשֲׂﬠַנ (accepting Hashem’s Torah with Temimus, by trusting before knowing what is involved) like it says: םֵחְנַתּ םיִרָשְׁי תַמֻּתּ משלי יא ג A Yid can jump to do the Ratzon Hashem despite his lack of understanding. They would work on being a Tamim, like when they build their Yeshivos without money, and without knowing how things were going to work out.
The Amazing Power of Temimus
I was told a story about my mentor, Rabbi Weiss, who had been collecting in the USA for his Yeshiva. When he returned to Europe, he was accused of evading the draft. He was to go on trial, and was heading for serious trouble (jail sentence, etc.). He came to his Rebbi all concerned. His Rebbi was an unusual Baal Bitachon, and told him the famous Passuk: יִתיִשָׂﬠ רֶשֲׁא תוֹתֹאָה לֹכְבּ יִב וּניִמֲאַי אֹל הָנָא דַﬠְו הֶזַּה םָﬠָה יִנֻצֲאַנְי הָנָא דַﬠ וֹבְּרִקְבּ שלח יד יא After all I (Hashem) have done for you, how dare you be afraid?! He told me that he put “blinders on his eyes” and became a real Tamim who is sure Hashem will save him (He learns lots of Mussar on Bitachon). Sure enough, at the trial the prosecutor decided to become his defense lawyer, and he was found not guilty!
There is a famous story where the Yeshiva bought a building in a city in France where they wanted to open up a branch. They didn’t have the necessary money, which was a prohibitive amount (hundreds of thousands of Francs). R' Gershon told his Talmid not to be afraid, and just sign the check, which had zero backing. The Talmid was terrified of doing such a brash thing, but the true Bitachon of a Tzadik is worth plenty of money. Needless to say, big Nissim started happening... money came to them, and the check was covered! They say that R' Gershon never, ever, gave up, despite his tremendous issues. There is a similar story with R' Henoch Leibowitz Zatzal of Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim, who needed a million dollars to buy a building for his Yeshiva. He had Bitachon, and was Matzliach very quickly.
R' Nissan Rozanker Zatzal was a Menahel in Bialystok, and was R' Gershon’s Rebbe. When he saw Bachurim working hard in learning Shaar HaBitachon, he exclaimed that he suspects that someday this very Mussar will produce millionaires... which is exactly what happened to R' Gershon.
