I’ve learned Shaar Habitachon twenty times already, said Mizmor L’sodah a hundred times, and davened for forty days. I’ve done everything, and the yeshuah still hasn’t come!
This is the big question, a question that has been asked by countless people, each in his unique way. A talmid chacham once shared with me that when this question arises, he sees it as a sure sign that he needs to learn about bitachon yet again. If this still doesn’t resolve the issue, he simply davens to Hashem to give him emunah and bitachon. He knows that if he genuinely had emunah, he would have no questions.
I often meet up with Yidden who are dealing with challenges that have no natural solution. They live with difficulties every day, yet the smile doesn’t leave their faces. When we meet up with such Yidden, we want to know the secret key to their happiness. How can a person for whom every day presents a new challenge walk around as happy as the wealthiest millionaire?
And the answer is always the same: emunah. People who live with emunah have no questions. This is similar to someone who has been granted permission to enter a gold mine for two months, and whatever he succeeds in taking is his to keep. During those two months he’ll work around the clock. He’ll hardly sleep, day or night. He won’t see the light of day. He’ll barely eat or drink.
When we ask him, “How do you have the stamina to work so hard?” he won’t understand the question. “Look,” he’ll say, “I’m mining for gold here, and no difficulty will stand in my way.”
When a Yid lives with emunah in the Creator of all worlds, he knows that everything Hakadosh Baruch Hu does is for his good, and the more difficult it is, the better off he will be. He feels that he is mining for gold all the time.
This is the power of emunah and bitachon. This is what keeps people going in every situation and at all times.
Gut Shabbat
Pinchas Shefer
Parshs Ve'etchanan - Eikev 5784 ■ Issue 145
