Trust in Hashem - On What Basis Are We Certain That Only Good Will Be?

00:00 As Jews, believers descended from believers, we have complete trust in the G-d of Israel. Complete trust in Hakadosh Boruch Hu, that He is King of the world and King of Israel, and that He is with each and every one of us—with every soldier, with every resident of the Land of Israel, and with every Jew throughout the world, wherever they may be. He watches over us and protects us, and we are completely certain that, with Hashem’s help, things will be very good. Not just good, but good that is visible and revealed. With Hashem’s help, very, very soon, the whole situation will turn around for the good, and the Jewish people will have only good, in the best possible way. With Hashem’s help, we will win a complete victory, all the soldiers at the front and on the home front will return safe and healthy, and there will be only peace and tranquility in the Land. The words of the verses will be fulfilled: “I will grant peace in the Land, and you will lie down with none to make you afraid.” The entire Land of Israel will be even more whole and even more secure. It is “a land which the eyes of Hashem your G-d are always upon, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.” May we merit to see this with our own eyes, as visible and revealed good. This is the essence of the trust required of every Jew in these days. And the simple question we are trying to understand today is: What exactly is the power? What is the secret? What is the explanation for the quality of trust? Sometimes we confuse similar words, words we think mean the same thing. But when we look more deeply, we will see that they refer to different things. We might think that trust is, seemingly, one aspect, one part, one branch of faith. We are Jews, and Jews are believers descended from believers, beginning with the first of the believers, Avraham Avinu, whom we read about in the weekly parshiyos. Avraham Avinu is the symbol of faith. “Avraham was one.” Avraham Avinu revealed Hakadosh Boruch Hu, fought and stood firm against all the nations of the world, and proclaimed

02:24 that the G-d of the world, Hakadosh Boruch Hu, is King of the world, that He alone is the One, the unique One. From him, each and every member of the Jewish people inherited the eternal power of faith. Jews are believers descended from believers, and within that power of faith is also the belief that Hakadosh Boruch Hu will do good for each and every one of us—good that is visible and revealed. That is where trust comes from. But when we think about it, there is a very simple question here: If we are talking about faith, faith means that a Jew believes Hakadosh Boruch Hu can do good. A Jew believes that it is within Hakadosh Boruch Hu’s power. He is the Creator and ruler of the world. He gives the world life and brings it into being at every moment. “His glory fills the whole earth,” and He can do anything He wishes. That is the essence of what a Jew believes. But where does the certainty come from that things will be good now—good that is visible and revealed? They could be good, but who says that is what will actually happen? And sometimes the question is even stronger. We know there is such a thing as reward and punishment. That, too, is one of the foundations of faith. Among the thirteen principles of faith that the Rambam gave us is the belief that events in our world are governed by reward and punishment. So perhaps a particular person deserves a reward, or perhaps they deserve a punishment. Sometimes, then, things might not turn out well in a visible and revealed way. What, in that case, gives us the certainty that things will be good—visibly and openly good? In fact, if we think about it further, when we speak about faith, a Jew believes that even things in our world that do not appear visibly and openly good are also good. A Jew believes that no evil descends from Above. A Jew

04:33 believes that everything is for the good. We all know the basic, foundational teachings of our Sages on faith: even when, G-d forbid, something bad happens to a Jew, they believe it is all for the good. The Gemara in Berachos tells us: “Just as one recites a blessing over the good, so one recites a blessing over the bad.” A Jew blesses and thanks Hashem for both the good and the bad, because they know that even the bad is ultimately for the good. It all comes from Hakadosh Boruch Hu. And we all know, too, the story of Rabbi Akiva, which teaches us about this through what happened to him with the rooster, the donkey, and the lamp. Rabbi Akiva kept saying, over and over: “Whatever the Merciful One does, He does for the good.” Everything Hakadosh Boruch Hu does is for the good. Although things seemed bad at the time, in the end it became clear that something good had come of them. We know an even more striking story about Nachum Ish Gamzu, who would say of everything: “This too is for the good.” Even when the treasures he was bringing to the king to annul the decree—the money, gold, precious stones, and pearls—were stolen and replaced with dirt, he continued to say, “This too is for the good.” Then it became clear that the dirt itself brought about their deliverance, when it turned into arrows. This is the well-known story the Midrashim tell us, and it expresses the secret of the Jewish people’s faith. But if you consider these stories, they seem to point in the opposite direction. They show that even when things are not good in a visible and revealed way, we believe they are for the good. We believe there is revealed good and hidden good. There are things whose goodness you can see openly, visibly—things whose goodness our eyes can perceive and recognize, and that we can actually touch. And there are things whose goodness is not apparent to our outward eyes. But

06:27 as believing Jews, we know that Hakadosh Boruch Hu is the source of goodness and kindness, that it is the nature of the Good to do good, and that He is goodness itself. Surely, then, no evil can come from Him—only good. So ultimately, all these things will prove to have been for our benefit. That is faith, but it is not trust. Trust is something entirely different. Trust means that a Jew trusts in Hakadosh Boruch Hu that things will be good—visibly and openly good. That is the foundation of trust, as explained in many well-known sefarim that discuss this subject. One of the better-known works by the great Torah scholars of Israel is Chovos Halevavos by Rabbeinu Bachya. He wrote Shaar Habitachon, a wonderful, foundational section that explains the secret of trust. There is also Kad Hakemach by Rabbeinu Bachya, which has an entry on trust that explains it beautifully. The same subject is discussed in the sefer Reishis Chochmah. Its author, Rabbi Eliyahu de Vidas, was one of the great Torah scholars, a student of the Ramak, Rabbi Moshe Cordovero. He was among the great Kabbalists and sages of the Arizal’s time, and he, too, discusses trust at length in his sefer. What all these works by the great Torah scholars of Israel have in common is their account of the secret of a Jew’s trust. It is based on teachings of our Sages, on Midrashim and passages of Gemara, from which we understand that trust means something entirely different. Trust is not merely faith that everything is good, that even what seems bad is good, and the peace of mind that comes from knowing everything is in Hashem’s hands. So I am calm, because whatever Hashem does will ultimately be for the good. These are all profound, wonderful, foundational ideas, but they are faith. Trust means, as we said, that I trust things are going to be good—visibly and openly good. A Jew is certain that Hakadosh Boruch Hu will do good for me. And the question is: Where does that trust come from? How can you

08:34 Can a person be certain that things will turn out well—good in a way that is visible and tangible? Maybe you don’t deserve things to go well? Maybe, G-d forbid, it has been decreed that things won’t end well? So what is this secret of bitachon, of trust in Hashem? What is it based on? There is a very important principle here, and a very deep way of understanding the secret of bitachon. Bitachon is not simply a matter of faith: I believe that Hakadosh Boruch Hu runs the world and will do good. There is a much deeper secret here. Bitachon is avodas Hashem. It is a kind of very deep inner work: a Jew gives himself over to Hakadosh Boruch Hu and trusts that, because He is the source of goodness and kindness, He will do good in a way that we can feel. And that very thinking—when a Jew works on himself to think good thoughts, to think positively, and to think that things will be good, visibly and tangibly good—is itself the vessel. This trust, this inner work, is what brings about, with Hashem’s help, good that is visible and tangible. In other words, bitachon doesn’t just mean believing that Hakadosh Boruch Hu will do good, as a kind of blind faith. The point of bitachon is the inner work a Jew does. Through that work, through those thoughts and that trust, he gives himself over to Hakadosh Boruch Hu and trusts that Hakadosh Boruch Hu will give him good that is visible and tangible. That itself is the vessel. Those thoughts are what bring about visible and tangible good. Let’s explain this through a story. It may be a fairly well-known story, but it is

10:46 a fundamental story that helps us understand the foundation of bitachon. It concerns one of the great chassidim of the Tzemach Tzedek. His name was Reb Michel—yes, Reb Michel. Reb Michel was a chossid and a mashpia in the town of Nevel, one of the towns in Russia, well known as a chassidic town in the history of Chabad Chassidus. Reb Michel had a daughter who, rachmana litzlan, fell ill. She was so ill that the doctors had given up. They said they could not help her; there was no cure, and it was a matter of hours. Reb Michel was broken, devastated. What could he do? He was at a loss. He went into the shul weeping bitterly. The chassidim there said to him, “Reb Michel, you’re a chossid. How can you be so broken, dejected and sad? When a chossid has a problem, he travels to the Rebbe and asks the Rebbe for a bracha.” Reb Michel said, “How can I travel to the Rebbe? The journey from Nevel to Lubavitch took several days in those times. By the time I get there, when the doctors say it’s a matter of hours...” But the chassidim would not let up. They told him, “Reb Michel, a Jew believes and trusts. He travels to the Rebbe.” Reb Michel listened to his friends, got up and immediately set out for Lubavitch. The journey took as long as it took, and on the way, of course, he had no idea what had happened or what was happening at home. In those days there was no way to communicate and find out. But he listened to his friends, traveled to Lubavitch, and went in. He arrived at the Tzemach Tzedek’s court, knocked on the door, entered and burst into tears. He couldn’t even get the words out. He burst into tears, and then the Tzemach Tzedek said to him firmly, in Yiddish: “Tracht gut, vet zain gut.” Think good, and it will be good. Reb Michel said to the Rebbe, “Rebbe, I don’t have the strength to think good.

12:53 Let the Rebbe think good.” And the Rebbe told him, “I’m thinking good too, but it’s important that you think good as well. Your thoughts will bring about the good.” Reb Michel left the Rebbe’s room greatly encouraged. The Rebbe’s words gave him confidence, and he decided to move from pessimistic, sorrowful thoughts to good thoughts, thoughts of trust. He went straight back home, a journey that again took several days. By the time he arrived, perhaps a week or several days had passed. His family came out to greet him with great joy and told him that there had been a change: her condition had improved, and, miraculously, his daughter was recovering. This story and this saying became a cornerstone of the ways of Chassidus. The Rebbe repeats it often, in many letters, sichos and maamarim. These words, this saying, are fundamental to understanding bitachon. They tell us what we have just been saying: the good thought, the complete trust a Jew places in Hakadosh Boruch Hu and in His great goodness. That is, a Jew is doing inner work here. I work on myself to strengthen my connection with Hakadosh Boruch Hu. I give myself over to Hakadosh Boruch Hu and cleave to Him. And I know that because Hakadosh Boruch Hu is the source of goodness and kindness, He will certainly show goodness and kindness—not only hidden kindness that only He knows about. He truly wants there to be goodness and kindness that is visible and tangible, even to our physical eyes, and He will certainly bring it about in that way. This work is the vessel. The good thoughts themselves bring about a revelation from above: Hakadosh Boruch Hu shows us the light and kindness, the good, in a visible and tangible way. This is, in essence, what the great

14:58 early authorities write about bitachon. As it says in Kad HaKemach and elsewhere, in Sefer HaIkkarim by Rabbi Yosef Albo, he cites the verse, “One who trusts in Hashem will be surrounded by kindness.” What does “One who trusts in Hashem will be surrounded by kindness” mean? By virtue of his trust—because he trusts that Hashem, who is the source of goodness, will therefore do good, good that is visible and tangible—he is “surrounded by kindness.” That trust causes Hakadosh Boruch Hu to deal with him with kindness. Let’s add an even deeper point, to understand just how much power bitachon has to bring about kindness, kindness that is visible and tangible. There is another letter from the Tzemach Tzedek, a fundamental and wonderful letter on this subject. The Tzemach Tzedek writes to a Jew who was in distress and worried, telling him: Know that your positive thoughts are what will bring about the good. And he tells him a story that happened to him personally with the Alter Rebbe. He relates that when the Alter Rebbe was ill at the end of his life, in his final moments, his condition was extremely grave, and the doctors too had despaired and given up. The Tzemach Tzedek was very broken and wept bitterly during Maariv that Motzaei Shabbos, at the start of the month of Menachem Av. When he finished davening, the Alter Rebbe, who was lying in bed in great pain, called him over and said: Know that it was not good that you cried and davened to a sorrowful tune. And he told him: I will repeat a teaching that I heard from the Maggid of Mezritch in the name of the Baal Shem Tov. He taught about the verse in Yechezkel: “And above the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man upon it from above.” He said about

17:02 The Maggid said in the name of the Baal Shem Tov: It is written of Hakadosh Boruch Hu that “upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness like the appearance of a man.” What does “the appearance of a man” mean? He explained that Hakadosh Boruch Hu is, so to speak, like a mirror reflecting the person. The way a person thinks, sees things, and behaves is reflected, so to speak, in the mirror above. When a person thinks positive thoughts, is filled with thoughts of joy, and puts himself in a state of joy and trust, with a bright and welcoming expression, that is reflected, so to speak, in the great mirror above. Then the Supernal Man—Hakadosh Boruch Hu, so to speak—is also in a state of kindness and goodness, and this brings blessings, favorable decrees, salvation, and comfort. But, G-d forbid, when a person is in a state of bitterness, sadness, and depression, his negative thoughts can, G-d forbid, arouse the attribute of judgment above as well—and I don’t want to go on with what he said. So he asked him and told him: From now on, know that when you want to annul a decree or bring blessing and abundance into the world, the only way is through joy, trust, and positive thoughts. That, in turn, brings kindness, abundance, blessing, and success from above, so that things change even though, in the natural course of things, there is no apparent way for salvation to come. But that is precisely the power of trust in Hashem. The power of our positive thoughts, thoughts of trust, is the vessel. This is the inner work we do, so that, measure for measure, Hakadosh Boruch Hu will bestow goodness and kindness upon us in an open and revealed way. I want to tell a personal story connected to this. About forty years ago—a little less than forty years ago—in fact, it was in Cheshvan 5747, on a Sunday, my older brothers passed by the Rebbe during the Sunday

19:23 dollar distribution. The Rebbe was giving out dollars and blessings, and when they approached him, there was a moment to speak. One of my brothers turned to the Rebbe and said that my father, may he be well, was worried. He had some concerns involving parnassah, health, and other matters. So they said to the Rebbe, “My father is worried.” That was the word they used. The Rebbe heard the word “worried” and said in Yiddish, with a distinctive tune: “Worries? Worries? Worries only spoil things.” Worries only make things worse. “Fewer worries, and things will be good.” That, in brief, was what he said, word for word. These words contain the secret of the word... As is well known, the books point out that the Hebrew word for worry, da’agah, contains the letters alef, gimmel, daled, and hei—the first letters of the alphabet—but not beis. Beis stands for bitachon, trust in Hashem. Beis also stands for brachah, blessing. Once we replace worry with the beis of bitachon, there will also be brachah, blessing in an open and revealed way. At this moment, in these days, each and every one of us needs to draw from within ourselves, from our own strengths and from the faith that Hakadosh Boruch Hu has given us as part of a Jew’s nature, the power of trust as well. We must not only believe that whatever Hakadosh Boruch Hu does is good, but also trust with complete confidence that things will be good—and good in an open and revealed way. And we will indeed merit to see it with our own eyes: Hakadosh Boruch Hu will give each and every person goodness, goodness that is open and revealed. May it already be that “You open Your good treasure for us.” As the well-known saying emphasizes, “good for us”—good as we can see it with our own eyes. May we already have the complete Geulah; may there be peace in the land, and may the Jewish people be able to live in complete security, tranquility, and rest in every corner of the land and every corner of the world. And may we merit all the blessings written in the parsha, up to the greatest blessing: “And I will lead you

21:31 upright,” in the true and complete Geulah through Moshiach Tzidkeinu. Amen, may it be His will.