The Ropshitzer Rav (Zera Kodesh, fifth night of Chanukah) teaches us that a person can never think: If I were a tzaddik, I could indeed have proper bitachon that Hashem won’t abandon me—because He will repay me for my good deeds. But I know myself... I know that I am undeserving... how can I trust that the Ribbono shel Olam will be good to me, beyond what I deserve?
Says the Zera Kodesh: This is the yetzer hara talking! It is not true. The Ribbono shel Olam is ולטובים לרעים מטיב. He is לכל ה' טוב, Hashem is good to all! A person must internalize and connect with this middah of bitachon—believing that Hashem is good and will do good for him, regardless of his deeds and actions.
A Yid must believe that the Ribbono shel Olam always does what is best for him. It is not the place to start blaming himself... taking blame for the outcomes. No! I may have done an aveirah, but now I wish to return to the Ribbono shel Olam, and He will surely help me, even if I was wrong.
We find this concept regarding Avraham Avinu. When he was promised children and the land of Eretz Yisrael, he considered it an undeserved good—but he nevertheless believed and trusted. He believed that Hashem would be good to him even if he didn’t deserve it—and this is what we must all do.
I May Have Been Foolish, But Everything Is for My Good
Thus, when a person finds himself in a situation in which he lost money on a venture, he should remember that one of two things happened here: Either he did make the right investment decision consistent with the rules of bitachon and hishtadlus, and he remains secure in his bitachon that the Ribbono shel Olam is doing what is best for him. He is filled with joy and thanks, and he continues to daven for the future.
Or, he was indeed foolish and brash. But he still remains filled with bitachon. He admits his mistake, but he is confident that this is not a reason for the Ribbono shel Olam to abandon him, chas v’shalom. The Ribbono shel Olam continues to look for our good, even if we made a mistake.
Keeping Close
Sometimes there’s a situation in which a person remains obstinate and stubborn... he digs in and distances himself from the Ribbono shel Olam. The Chovos HaLevavos later (Perek 4) tells us that such a person cannot possibly have bitachon, because he refuses to come close to the Ribbono shel Olam. But we’re talking about a person who recognizes his mistake... that what he thought was a business mistake was really an emunah and bitachon mistake, and he seeks to correct this with humility and bittul. Such a person will surely be drawn close to the Ribbono shel Olam, and He will help him with the greatest good, more than a person can fathom.
Thus, we reiterate the teaching of the Chovos HaLevavos that when a person loses money in business or he’s otherwise unsuccessful with money, he should remain deeply calm, knowing that our salvation comes only from Hashem and our hopes must be pinned solely on Him. And even when a person feels that he caused these troubles to himself with his own bare hands, he can rest assured in his bitachon—because the Ribbono shel Olam will never abandon him!
