A woman once came to the head of the Bais Din in Yerushalayim, R’ Yisrael Yaakov Fisher with a request; when she was young, she went to a man who read palms and he told her that she would have three children, and she would have to run around from place to place to earn a living, and she would live until the age of 45. She was now 43 and she did not know what would be because she was almost 45. The Rav responded that it would be worth it to her to keep the mitzvos that promise long life, for example kibud av v’eim – honoring one’s father and mother – and shiluach hakein – sending away the mother bird. He also told her that it is known that on every Rosh Chodesh the lines on the palms change, and if we do Teshuva, the lines change. Therefore, she should not worry about what will be, rather, rely on HaKadosh Baruch Hu Who changes times for the better.
The Torah says (18:13) 'תמים תהיה עם ה' אלוקך' – ‘You shall be wholehearted with Hashem, your G-d’, and Rashi explains ‘Walk with Him wholeheartedly, trust what He has in store for you, and do not probe into the future. But rather, whatever comes your way accept wholeheartedly, and then you will be with Him and of His portion.’ Rashi HaKadosh teaches us here what it means to be wholehearted with HaKadosh Baruch Hu, how to keep this simple mitzvah; trust in HaKadosh Baruch Hu – meaning – put your hope in Hashem, and do not probe into the future – meaning – do what you have to do now and do not worry about what will be, and this is called walking with HaKadosh Baruch hu wholeheartedly.
When someone is sick chas v’shalom, he must go to a doctor. If one does not have a livelihood, he must go out and look for a way to sustain himself. However, we must remember that we are just making hishtadlus – an effort, and this will not bring us the yeshua – salvation. Going to the doctor is just hishtadlus, and the cure is found in the hand of Hashem. Similarly, looking for parnasah is just hishtadlus, and the parnasah is in the hand of Hashem. The same applies to all other matters, as Dovid HaMelech said (Tehilim 127:1) 'אם ד' לא ישמור עיר שוא שקד שומר' – If Hashem will not guard the city, the watchman’s vigilance is in vain’, and this is not classified as a high level of emunah and bitachon, rather this is the simple meaning of ) תמים תהיה עם ה' אלוקך' – ‘You shall be wholehearted with Hashem, your G-d, do not probe into the future, rather do now what is incumbent on you to do, and remember that the salvation does not come from much effort, rather, the salvation comes from Hashem.
-Tiv HaTorah - Shoftim
