The Serenity of Bitachon Is Critical for Our Ruchaniyus
Bitachon Brings Tranquility and Serenity
The Chovos HaLevavos has enumerated the ten ways in which the ba’al bitachon is even superior to the alchemist (who is able to fashion expensive commodities using cheap materials). The ba’al bitachon is even more calm and serene than the alchemist, who has all the money he could ask for.
The Chovos HaLevavos describes all the ways in which the ba’al bitachon is superior in order to illustrate to us how deep is the serenity of the ba’al bitachon, writing that the ba’al bitachon merits “serenity of the soul, broadness of the heart, and little worry”—ten times more than someone who has the best livelihood in the world!
The Benefits of Bitachon in Ruchaniyus and Gashmiyus
When we analyze the words of the Chovos HaLevavos, we see that he enumerates the incredible benefits of bitachon, which extend to two aspects: both for This World, as well as the Next World.
The first and most important are the benefits in the Next World, for the ba’al bitachon is able to fulfill his mission on earth, serving Hashem with Torah and mitzvos without worry and in complete serenity. In addition, the Chovos HaLevavos lists all the ways in which the ba’al bitachon benefits in This World, seeing success on a gashmiyus level, in addition to the serenity with which he serves Hashem.
A Two-Pronged Benefit
Thus, when the Chovos HaLevavos lists the benefits of the ba’al bitachon—far greater than the serenity of the alchemist—he is referring primarily to the serenity that aids us in learning Torah and serving Hashem. Only later does he enumerate the ways in which bitachon is beneficial in providing serenity and menuchas hanefesh in worldly matters.
In his introduction, the Chovos HaLevavos twice mentions the concept that a ba’al bitachon will be serene. The first time, he writes that the ba’al bitachon will be successful in Torah and mitzvos, and the second time he notes that such a person will have pleasure in this world, stating, “Why should you have a difficult existence on This World? Better to have an enjoyable world in which to enjoy your life of serenity!”
The entire reason that the Chovos HaLevavos enumerates the superiority of the ba’al bitachon over the alchemist is to point out that a ba’al bitachon will have a healthy, serene life. This has two aspects: One, that through his serenity he will better be able to attain his tachlis of serving Hashem and be successful in Torah and avodas Hashem. Two, he won’t have to be bothered with matters of this world... he will be serene and tranquil.
In Order to Be an Ehrliche Yid, One Must Have a Healthy Soul
If the Chovos HaLevavos mentions menuchas hanefesh, serenity of the soul, as a pathway to better serving Hashem, then we realize that if a person wants to properly serve Hashem, serenity is a prerequisite.
If the nefesh of the person is in crisis, it pulls him in many directions, cheshbonos, and difficulties—aside from the fact that he is conflicted and he suffers b’gashmiyus—he also can’t learn or daven properly. He can’t maintain proper interpersonal relationships and shalom bayis, and he can’t fulfill the mitzvos of the Torah properly, because he is torn and conflicted with various cheshbonos. His nefesh is ill, and it disturbs his ability to learn from Torah and experience tefillah properly.
If the nefesh of the person is in disarray, it doesn’t allow the Elokus in each mitzvah to unify with the person. He will not merit the ה› תורת נפש משיבת תמימה, The Torah of Hashem is perfect, restoring the soul—because matters will always will irk and distract him.
More Bitachon for a Healthier Soul
For this reason, the Chovos HaLevavos teaches us that the only way a person will become healthy in his nefesh, in order to serve Hashem properly, is to become a ba’al bitachon.
The more a person toils on his bitachon, the more he will become transformed in his trust of HaKadosh Baruch Hu, and the healthier his soul will become. A bit more bitachon, a little more healthiness of the nefesh, a little less ailment of the soul. It doesn’t have an end! It is a toil of months and years, and the more a person engages in this work, the more the nefesh is healed.
A Healthy Nefesh Brings a Healthy Avodas Hashem
A Healthy Psyche from a Secular Perspective
In the secular view, there are those who need psychological treatment—those who aren’t healthy in their souls—and then there are those who are “OK.”
But this is only from a secular view.
According to the secular view, “success” is measured according to the accomplishments in gashmiyus. If his nefesh does not deter him from being successful in earning money and enjoying life, then he is considered a “healthy person.” As long as he is able to pursue the allures of the world, he is fine. But if his psychological problems get in the way of these pursuits, then he knows he has a problem. He must receive treatment in order to be able to pursue money, ta’avah, and kavod.
A Healthy Soul According to Torah
But according to the Torah, a Yid must have a heathy soul in order to attain success in his most important mission; the tachlis hachaim. He needs הנפש בריאות that will allow him to be davuk in Hashem and take pleasure in Hashem. Thus, when we ask how healthy the nefesh must so that we can develop the necessary ability to succeed in our avodas Hashem... the answer is that it has no limit. The Torah is without limit, we can always go deeper and deeper to attain the kedushah and the light of Torah and mitzvos, without a limit.
Take, for example, kavod: Say that a person has learned to abhor kavod on some level. Such a person is still able to heal himself and teach himself to be disgusted by kavod on an even deeper, subtler level. The same applies to קנאה and תאוה. There are many levels, each more refined than the next, on which a person heals his soul—primarily through bitachon in Hashem, recognizing that it’s all from Hashem.
Practically, it applies to anxiety as well. Suppose a person is healthy enough that he doesn’t worry about mundane, day-to-day events, but when it comes to illness, R”l, or a problem with a child, then he does experience tremendous da’agos. If he will work on his bitachon, his nefesh will be even healthier, and he won’t worry about those issues either. He will come to understand that even the “big things” are really trivial in contrast to the truth that Hashem runs everything. There is no reason for worry, even for the “big issues.”
A Healthy Nefesh Means More Elokus
The same applies to every middah and every aspect of serving Hashem. The Torah’dige perspective on what it means to have a healthy nefesh is that a person is able to allow G-d-liness to illuminate his life. The healthier a person is in his nefesh, the more a person will attain higher madreigos. This is a never-ending process!
The more a Yid works on his bitachon, the stronger his nefesh will become so that it will grow in ruchaniyus. There are tens of thousands of levels in this, and every Yid is able to begin working on his bitachon so that it will heal him so he can begin his path of growth, higher and higher.
The Definition of “Ailments of the Body,” According to the Rambam
If we were asked, “What is an ailment of the body?” we would likely respond that it is when a person is in pain or in a state of bodily danger. But the great doctor, the holy Rambam, in the beginning of Hilchos Dei’os (Perek 2) outlines exactly the definition of a sick person: “A choleh is one who tastes bitterness in sweet things, and sweetness in bitter things.” This means that he is unable to eat healthy things like bread and meat, and, on the other hand, he enjoys unhealthy foods.
In other words, a healthy person is drawn to nutritious foods that will keep him healthy and give his body the nourishment that it needs, while at the same time, he is not attracted to foods that are unhealthy. Says the Rambam, “Do you know the definition of a sick person? When his inner system is so distorted that his appetite is for unhealthy foods and not for healthy foods. This is the greatest sign that the person is in danger.”
This is because, when a person loses his appetite for good and nutritious foods, it means that his system is so sick that it no longer seeks nourishment. He no longer has the inner sensitivity that Hashem implanted into every person to desire the proper nourishment and nutrition.
The Same Applies to “Ailments of the Soul”
Continues the Rambam, “So too, people whose nefesh is ill desire and are drawn to bad thoughts and outlooks.” Just as a person who is sick in body doesn’t feel drawn to the proper foods to nourish his body, so too, a person who is sick in his soul will crave the wrong thoughts to nourish his soul.
Concludes the Rambam, “These people [who are ill in their souls] abhor the right outlook and they are lazy to walk that path, and it is mightily difficult for them to do things that are good for their nefesh, each according to how ill he is.”
When a healthy person hears words of Torah, a story with a good moral, or a mashal that illuminates for him an area that can use rectification, the person will become excited by it! He feels as if he has just acquired a new infusion of life—just like a person who ate a nutritious meal. This is a sign that he is healthy in his nefesh.
Conversely, someone who is unhealthy spiritually... when he hears words of Torah and mussar, he runs away; he doesn’t allow it to penetrate his soul. “He abhors the right outlook, and he is lazy to walk that path....” Because the nefesh is so sick, R”l, it doesn’t feel the distinction between good and bad any longer... it desires the bad....
Healers of Souls Teach Emunah
The Rambam references the pasuk in Yeshayahu that clearly outlines this (wanting the wrong kind of outlook and inspiration) as being the definition of one who is a choleh in his nefesh:
The pasuk says: לחשך ואור לאור חשך שמים רע ולטוב טוב לרע האמרים הוי למר ומתוק למתוק מר שמים—Woe to those who say that evil is good and good is evil; who make darkness into light and light into darkness; they make bitter into sweet and sweet into bitter (Yeshayahu 5:20). This is the sign of someone whose nefesh is very ill; he confuses darkness with light, bitterness with sweetness....
Shlomo HaMelech offers a similar description: ישר ארחות העזבים חשך בדרכי ללכת—those who forsake the path of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness (Mishlei 2:13).
“And what is the remedy for these cholei hanefashos?” asks the Rambam. “They should go to the healers of the nefesh, who will heal their ailments by imbuing in them the light of Torah and emunah until they return to the proper path.
Healing the Nefesh Through the Wisdom of Torah
The Rambam (ibid.) provides examples of cholei nefesh, those who are ill in their souls. One example is a person who is prone to anger. When a person becomes angry, he, by definition, forgets that there is a Ribbono shel Olam Who orchestrates the world. This person has become sick in his nefesh.
What is the remedy? He should go to a wise person who will teach him that the way of the Torah! They will remind him that there is a Ribbono shel Olam Who runs the world, and there is no reason to become angry about anything.
Another example that the Rambam brings of the choleh nefesh is a ba’al ga’avah, a person prone to hubris—thinking that he alone runs his life and his affairs. Such a nature is a terrible choleh in his nefesh. Perhaps from the outside he gives the impression that he is happy, but the ba’al ga’avah is one of the greatest cholei nefesh possible. He won’t admit it, because his hubris won’t allow him to, but this person needs other people the most... he is the neediest regarding receiving compliments and affirmation from others, and for others to go along with the façade that he seeks to put on for others.
What is the remedy for such a person? He should go to Chachamim, who will guide him in uprooting the ga’avah from his heart. As the Chovos HaLevavos teaches us, the ba’al bitachon becomes healthy in his nefesh, and “doesn’t hope for the kindness of others, and doesn’t work to flatter them.” The bitachon heals his soul from needing the affirmation of others!
Kinah, Ta’avah, and Kavod Are the Greatest Ailments of the Soul
Concludes the Rambam:
One who goes on the path of Torah will not be a ba’al kinah, ta’avah, and kavod—for this is what the Chachamim said: Kinah, ta’avah, and kavod take a person out of This World (Avos 4:1).
The Rambam teaches us that this Mishnah is the strongest example of a choleh nefesh—i.e., when a person is saddled with one of these three terrible middos, he is spiritually and emotionally sick, and he cannot function properly.
The negative middah of kinah eats a person alive—both when he envies someone else b’gashmiyus, and even when he does so in spiritual matters. Because even regarding ruchaniyus, there is plenty of misplaced and silly envy that has nothing to do with חכמה תרבה סופרים קנאת, the envy of talmidei chachamim increases wisdom. It is simply a misplaced envy that causes a person to be discontented with his own spiritual lot, as we are taught by tzaddikim that everyone must be content with their spiritual lot as well (see Tiferes Shlomo, Parashas Ki Savo).
The same applies to the negative middah of ta’avah, which sits on a person’s heart and confuses his mind, making him literally ill. He pursues his ta’avos and he is never content. And the negative trait of kavod... this one of the greatest ailments that exist—a person blindly pursues something imaginary that isn’t even there.
Thus, it requires the work of bitachon to heal our souls from all these negative traits that take a person out of This World.
Bliss Can Be Found Only with Hashem
Enjoyment of Life Can’t Be Found Anywhere Else
In his commentary on this Mishnah (kinah, ta’avah, and kavod take a person out of This World), the Eitz Yosef on Pirkei Avos explains: There are three categories of people who are searching for bliss in life.
- The first category thinks that if they were to have lots of money, they would be happy. These people suffer from kinah, thinking that if they had what someone else has, they would be happy.
- The second category tells themselves that if they were to partake in the ta’avos of This World, they would then be happy. They suffer from ta’avah.
- The third category thinks that their bliss will come from stature and honor. If they were to have a prestigious position or if people would accord them honor, it will make them happy. They suffer from the negative attribute of kavod.
Only Deveikus in Hashem Brings Bliss
But, says the Eitz Yosef, only a few know the truth that true fulfillment and bliss can be found only from connection to Hashem; even on a material level, happiness will come only from deveikus with Hashem.
With this understanding, he explains the Mishnah: Kinah, ta’avah, and kavod take a person out of This World. This is because one who pursues these things is running away from true bliss! He rips himself away from the true Source of life, and thus he is running away from This World, from the only Source of true bliss that can be found in This World.
The Three Erring Groups
The Eitz Yosef points us to the early history of the world and to the three groups that each pursued a different one of these bad middos.
- About the generation of the Mabul, we read that they were preoccupied with ta’avah: בחרו אשר מכל נשים להם ויקחו—and they took themselves wives from whomever they chose. Their end was to be drowned in water.
- The generation of the הפלגה דור, pursued excessive kavod, as we learn: שם לנו ונעשה—We will make for ourselves a name, This dor was punished by becoming vagrants and wanderers.
- The people of Sedom were stricken with terrible kin’ah; they were stingy with their money and had no generosity. Their world was turned over, and they were taken out of This World.
However, our forefathers did not follow these fallacies! They understood that the more one connects with Hashem, the more he will enjoy life. They truly understood the secret to bliss, and they indeed merited true bliss for eternity.
We Learn This Truth in Krias Shema
In truth, every day, we repeat this truth (that Hashem is the only Source of bliss) when we recite Krias Shema. First, we say ה’ ישראל שמע אחד ה’ אלקינו, stating that the Ribbono shel Olam runs the entire world.
But then we must take this belief and cement it into our hearts, so that it should become a concrete fact. It’s not enough to know it, because this doesn’t ensure that we won’t fall prey to kinah, ta’avah, and kavod.
Therefore, we continue, מאודך ובכל נפשך ובכל לבבך בכל אלקיך ה’ את ואהבת—and you shall love Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your resources—meaning that we willingly give up all our loves to Hashem. Through this, we subjugate ourselves to the knowledge of the Oneness of Hashem, so that we won’t follow the other loves and draws of This World, the kinah, ta’avah, and kavod. Later comes והיה שמוע אם, the parashah that outlines the great reward that comes to a person who lives in accordance with this mitzvah. He will have a blissful life with all the goodness outlined therein.
The same is learned from the final parashah in Krias Shema, in which we are exhorted not to follow our eyes and our hearts—direct outgrowths of kinah and ta’avah....
A Complete Heart for Hashem Is the Greatest Thing
Thus, a person must work constantly, throughout his life, to acquire more emunah and bitachon so that his nefesh will be more and more healthy in order to better serve Hashem.
So says Rabbeinu Bachya in his sefer Kad HaKemach:
A person must always view himself as though his heart is a little sick, and he must heal his heart by growing in his bitachon. Because when a Yid will have more bitachon, it will give him more serenity and peace of mind, and then he will better be able to dedicate himself to Torah and tefillah.
And this is mainly dependent on the heart: If the heart is complete with Hashem, then everything is complete with Hashem. If the heart is fortified with emunah and bitachon in Hashem, then a person has everything!
All Undesirable Middos Stem from Lack of Emunah
When we think about it, so many of our deficiencies in ruchaniyus are rooted in a lack of proper emunah and bitachon.
Being stricken with issues of kinah, ta’avah, and kavod, depression, anxieties, etc..... is all rooted in a lack of bitachon in Hashem. This causes a person—even when he is learning Torah—to learn with half a head. It is impossible to concentrate on Torah and tefillah properly if one is stricken with one of these ailments.
Therefore, the eitzah is to work on emunah and bitachon. With every bit of added bitachon, a person will acquire more heart—which he will be able to use and employ for learning, davening, and fulfilling mitzvos.
We find this concept in Gemara (Temurah 16b), which states that when Moshe Rabbeinu was niftar, 3000 halachos were forgotten, and the Gemara tells us that this is because the Yidden lost their heart, and when the heart is gone, so too, the Torah is lost.
It is only when one has a complete heart to serve Hashem, with iron-clad emunah and bitachon, that a person can attain madreigos in Torah, to daven in earnest, and to be a true ehrliche Yid who serves Hashem.
