It’s Impossible to Attain Something That Isn’t Ordained
A Yid who wishes to live in tranquility and emunah must remember two principles:
The first rule is: All our sustenance for the year has already been ordained on Rosh Hashanah. It is impossible for a person—notwithstanding all his efforts—to attain anything that isn’t meant for him, be it parnassah, a favor from another, or any other wish. There’s no possibility to receive it if it isn’t meant for him. Even if he will toil with all his might to achieve it—if it isn’t bashert, it won’t happen.
Sometimes, a person insists on pursuing something that isn’t meant for him. In many cases, it will not materialize, despite all his efforts. And even when it seems to be successful, he may come to regret ever having pursued it.
Conversely, if something is bashert, it will happen in any case. And if so, there’s no sense in performing any exaggerated hishtadlus. Because, if it’s meant to happen, it will happen regardless of the level of our efforts.
You’ll Get It Anyway—You May as Well Do It Right
And then there’s another klal. When it has been ordained from Above that a person should attain a certain thing and doesn’t focus on his efforts... he does the minimal hishtadlus and doesn’t pursue excessive action... he will receive what has been ordained for him in a Godly manner, with clear siyata diShmaya.
However, if we push and insist on taking what we want, we may get it—because it has, after all, been ordained for us. But it may come to us with pain and aggravation, without feeling the blessing and the light therein.
What We “Take” Is Lost First
We know that the ראובן ובני גד בני wished to remain on the other side of the Yarden and receive their land in the countries of Sichon and Og. Later, when Sancheriv waged war against the Yidden, these Shevatim were the first to be exiled, years before their brethren in Eretz Yisrael. The Midrash explains that this happened because they took their land by requesting it, and for this reason they couldn’t remain there. They would have received a portion in Eretz Yisrael, because that had been ordained for them. But because they couldn’t wait and instead asked for this other land, they were exiled from that land earlier.
Our Primary Avodah
Says the Sfas Emes: The same applies to every person. The Ribbono shel Olam has put aside for you the portion that you will receive regardless of your actions. But the ratzon Hashem is that you should wait your turn—not take it on your own.
“And this is the primary avodah of a person!” The Ribbono shel Olam has allocated a portion for every person in the world, according to his mazel. But Yiddishe kinder have the charge of elevating the entire creation, and they are to receive their portion not because of their mazel or their hishtadlus. Rather, it should be a gift from Above. And then the shefa will remain with the person for the long term.
Your Sweat and Toil Made It Worse
You may hear a person say, “All these shiurim on bitachon are wonderful... but I know one thing...I toiled, I worked, I sweated, and that’s why I got what I have. Had I slept, nothing would have happened. What we don’t take for ourselves, no one will give us.”
He even coopts the Chazal that says תאמין ומצאת יגעת, if one has toiled and has found, believe it (as people tend to rationalize their behavior by quoting the sayings of Chazal).
Says the Sfas Emes: This is an illusion! Something that isn’t bashert will not come to you, no matter what. And what is bashert would come to you in any case. And if a person says, “But I enjoy taking it myself... I like to stand there as it grows... I am the type of person who likes to sweat and toil,” he should know that by doing exaggerated hishtadlus he may indeed attain what he wants, but it won’t last very long. Since he didn’t allow it to derive from the proper source, it won’t remain with him as long as had originally been intended.
Distraction Is Part of the Mitzvah of Bitachon
The Sfas Emes enjoins us that when we’re seeking shefa that is ordained for us in any case—don’t take it from a lower place but rather allow it to be given to you by the Source Itself! How do we accomplish this? By planting, and then toiling—to distract ourselves from it, and allowing Hashem to give it to us!
This is a tremendous avodah and a great mitzvah—to distract ourselves from something we want. It’s mamash a part of the mitzvah of bitachon, as the pasuk says, יהבך השם על השלך, cast upon Hashem your lot. This means that after we have done our hishtadlus, take the entire load and place it upon the Ribbono shel Olam. We mustn’t even think about it! We must simply distract ourselves from it! If it means thinking about the news or the weather, then this is a great avodah of serving Hashem, because this means that we’re distracting ourselves from our needs and wants!
Of course, we should first make an initial effort. But after doing so and then distracting ourselves even though it’s difficult, we have accomplished the האדם עבודת עיקר, the primary avodah of a person!
