The question regarding the obligation of hishtadlus is a serious matter. What does a Yid need to do in order to have parnassah? Rabbenu Bachyai determines in Chapter 4 that one must do hishtadlus in order to acquire what is necessary for the basic daily needs of his home. For example, what does one need on Tuesday, the eighth of Iyar? Summer clothing, no sweater or coat, simple weekday meals, water and electricity. Perhaps there is some minor event in your child’s school, and he needs to bring a snack as well. How much does such a day cost? How much does a week in which all the days are similar to this Tuesday cost?
Tuesday is not like Thursday or Friday, when we prepare for Shabbos and for guests; and the second week of Iyar differs completely from the third week, which includes the day of Lag Ba’Omer. Even if we don’t go so far as to imagine that all the days are like Tuesday, if we consider a month without major expenses, such as Iyar or Cheshvan, we’ll come to the conclusion that, according to Rabbenu Bachyai, we have the obligation to do hishtadlus to cover our expenses for the month – a regular month without extra expenses – for the basic needs of the house.
One should do this hishtadlus with what Hashem has sent his way, using a skill that suits his temperament and abilities, that is in accordance with the halachos of the Shulchan Aruch, and that enables him to serve Hashem, to be occupied in His Torah and to do His mitzvos.
This is where the huge question arises, the question that occupies the minds of countless people and that moves all of humanity in the ceaseless pursuit of money. What will be when I need more money? What about bein hazmanim, and all the things you need to provide for young ones today? What about the preschool season and buying school supplies? What about Yamim Tovim? And Pesach??
And what happens if you’re zocheh to welcome a new baby into the family, or to have a son who becomes a bar mitzvah and needs mehudar tefillin, a suit and jacket and hat and a simchas bar mitzvah? And if you’re zocheh to that great gift of having a chassan in your home, or a kallah? Then you need thousands of shekalim to spend each day!
What will happen then? How will we manage? What will we do? What is our obligation in hishtadlus regarding this happy future, which we pray will be only happy?
Rabbenu Bachyai calls these needs “extras”; and regarding these extras he says one word: tevo’eihu – it will come to him! Thus he reveals to us the secrets of Shamayim and explains that if Hashem decrees these “extras” for the person, then the money to cover it will come to him without any extra exertion.
The good Father, Who is wealthier that anyone in the entire world, will send the bonus without any exertion on our part! Yes, a person will see Hashem’s blessings in his own home, and he will have everything he needs.
So how is it that there are so many people who feel pressured, who are not calm, and how is it that not everyone receives his “bonus” without any effort or exertion? It is because all this depends on one condition, as Rabbenu Bachyai writes: When he trusts in Hashem for it!
And bitachon is a middah that must be acquired. There are those who start thinking about how they’re going to get hold of the exorbitant sums they’re going to need in the future. To them Rabbenu Bachyai says: Do you want to invest? Excellent. All the investment you planned on putting into all sorts of hishtadlus, which may or may not bear fruit – invest instead in learning Shaar Habitachon! In strengthening your emunah! This investment will certainly pay off.
We do not need to search for proof. There are stories about Yidden from previous generations and from our generation as well, from talmidei chachamim, from great and renowned tzaddikim, and also from seemingly simple Jews, who trusted in Hashem and got everything they needed directly from Shamayim, through varied means that no one could ever have imagined. Why isn’t everyone zocheh to this? Because the difference lies in the degree of investment in learning the sugya of bitachon.
The numerical value of the word tevo’eihu is 420. When Yankel is missing 420 shekels, no one makes a big deal. He looks here and there and gets the money. 4,200 sounds like a slightly more serious sum. If you add another zero, this already seems like a matter that requires a campaign. And what if he needs 420,000 shekels, or 420,000 dollars? This sounds like something impossible to get hold of, and the worry and pressure can be intolerable.
But this is only from our perspective. For the Master of the world there is no difference; whether one needs an extra 420 or 420,000, it’s all the same to Him. “I own the silver and I own the gold” (Chagai 2:8). Let us think deeply and recognize this consciously, and we’ll be zocheh to much bounty, brachah and success, with all the bonuses, with much joy; amen.
