Daily Bitachon

חשבון נפש : The Arrogant Soul This 18 th cheshbon focuses on what to do when you feel a sudden onset of arrogance, or as the text calls it, gibhut v'hitgadlut hanefesh (arrogance and a grandiose sense of self). This is that feeling when you start craving more and more worldly things—luxury items, excessive comforts, things you feel entitled to. It's a normal human feeling, but it's a critical moment for self-reflection. The remedy for this feeling is to re-evaluate your place in the world. Consider your own existence in the grand scheme of things—the cosmos, the planets, the stars—and realize how insignificant you are, just a tiny dot in a vast universe. This perspective is a foundation of humility. Yet, despite our physical insignificance, God chose humanity for greatness. We were given the ability to control all living things, from taming lions to training dogs. We can cultivate the earth, grow crops, and even transform raw materials like diamonds. As it says in Tehillim, "You have made him ruler over the works of Your hands; You have put everything under his feet" (Psalms 8:7). This is a testament to the power we've been given. A Crown of Greatness For the Jewish people, this privilege is even greater. God gave us the Torah, which reveals the secrets of the world and what is truly good for us. We were given the ability to praise God, to thank our Creator, and to call out to Him in times of distress. He sent us Moses and performed miracles for us. These are just some of the endless physical and spiritual blessings He has bestowed upon us. When you recognize your immense value and how God elevated you even though He doesn't need you, you can feel truly humbled. Although a beautiful song says, "God needs every Jew," but in truth, we are the ones who need His supervision and guidance. God has crowned us with this incredible gift. The text implores, "Have pity on that great crown!" He gave you a gold crown—don't throw it in the dirt. Instead, appreciate the opportunities He's given you for the World to Come. We do this by cleaving to His service and constantly giving thanks. Don't Let Success Go to Your Head It is a grave mistake to let these gifts make you arrogant, to think that you are entitled to everything you have. Looking at your family, your home, your car, or your religious practice shouldn't breed a sense of entitlement. On the contrary, it should inspire humility. You are a simple servant who has been uplifted by a great Master and placed among ministers. King David exemplified this in his own life. As it says in Tehillim, "For the conductor, by the servant of the Lord, by David." Even after being saved from his enemies, David continued to view himself as a simple servant. His success didn't go to his head; he didn't become arrogant. The text quotes a powerful prayer that a righteous man would say at the end of his prayers: "My God, do not think that I am standing before You now because I am foolish about my level and my value...I know who You are and I know who I am. I know You are high and exalted, and I am a simple creation." He goes on to say, "There is no place for me to praise You and call out to You...You are being praised by all the angels." So where do we fit in? We are able to do this because God lifted us up and commanded us to call out to Him. It's a privilege. Ultimately, the reason we pray is she'argish b'gadel chesronay —so that we feel how lacking we are and how much we rely on God. We pray not to tell God what He forgot, but to express our dependence on Him. As King David said, "I am like a suckling child," meaning a child that has just been weaned and has no idea what it wants to eat. The child says to the mother, "You know what I want." This is the highest level of trust: wanting what God chooses for you more than what you choose for yourself. This is the essence of the 18 th cheshbon hanefesh : thinking about who you are, how you fit into the larger picture, and understanding that the greatest gifts God has given you—the ability to serve Him and speak to Him—should never get to your head.

The Value of Solitude: Insights from Sha'ar Cheshbon HaNefesh Welcome to a special series from Sha'ar Cheshbon HaNefesh , where we explore 30 introspections over 30 days. Our focus today, on day 17, is inspired by a common social scenario: you're enjoying a get-together with friends and feel the need to pause and reflect. In our current social landscape, there's often a conflict between the excitement of being with people and the benefits of being alone. While certain situations require us to be social—such as fulfilling social norms or building friendships—this introspection addresses what happens when our social interactions become excessive. Drawbacks of Excessive Socializing When a person's soul "leans" toward being with people and finding enjoyment in their company, it can become an all-consuming pursuit. The author of Sha'ar Cheshbon HaNefesh outlines 13 negative consequences that can arise from excessive socializing. Let's explore a few of the key issues: Excessive and Empty Talk: This includes endless chatter, gossip, and babbling. As the verse in Proverbs states, " In a multitude of words, sin will not cease, but one who holds back his lips is wise ." A Breeding Ground for Negative Traits: Social settings can lead to speaking negatively about others, lying, and swearing falsely. They also present opportunities for arrogance, scoffing, insulting, and general levity . This can create a lack of yirat Hashem (fear of God) and an unhealthy pursuit of honor, leading to misrepresenting oneself just to project a certain image. The Responsibility of Rebuke: Being in a group of people comes with the responsibility to offer rebuke when necessary, a mitzvah (commandment) from the Torah: " You must surely rebuke your friend. " The author identifies three forms of rebuke: Physical action: The most extreme form, like the actions of Pinchas. Verbal protest: Using words to protest wrongdoing, as Moshe Rabbeinu did with Daton and Aviram. Protest in your heart: Even if you cannot speak out, you must internally object to the negative behavior. This is a difficult responsibility to fulfill, and by being alone, a person is freed from it. Loss of Good Judgment: When surrounded by people, a person's ability to think clearly and make good decisions can suffer. We can also adopt the negative traits of others, as the verse says, " One who herds with fools will become wicked ." Ultimately, the author asserts that most sins happen among people. It "takes two to tango," whether it's sins of promiscuity, business fraud, or false testimony. The mouth, in particular, often requires a listener. The Power of Solitude The antidote to these negatives is solitude. The author calls it "one of the most powerful things that leads to good midot " (character traits). A wise person once said, "The pillar of a pure heart is the love of seclusion." In our current era of social media, where our self-worth is often tied to external validation—likes, emojis, and reactions, the idea of being alone can feel unnatural. However, as the text emphasizes, solitude is crucial for spiritual and even mental well-being because it helps us develop an inner world. We can see this principle in the lives of our greatest religious figures: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, King David, and Moshe Rabbeinu were all shepherds. They were shepherds precisely because it gave them time alone, a period of isolation essential for personal and spiritual development. Being alone allows us to be in touch with ourselves and foster self-awareness. The Exception: Spending Time with the Wise Does this mean we should avoid all social interaction, even with talmidei chachamim (Torah scholars) and wise people? The author argues that this is a mistake. Being with righteous individuals is not a distraction but a form of "ultimate aloneness." You gain tremendous qualities from them—qualities that can be even more beneficial than being alone. As it says in Proverbs, " One who walks with the wise will become wise. " While some people avoid being with the wise to escape rebuke, the Mishnah in Pirkei Avot instructs us: "Let your house be a gathering place for the wise." This type of interaction is a constructive and valuable use of time. As the verse says, " Then those who feared God spoke to one another, and God listened ."

The Urgency of Acknowledging Mortality The 16 th Heshbon begins by stressing the need to recognize our own mortality, a realization that can strike when we witness the passing of others. The speaker emphasizes that death comes without warning, regardless of age, and uses the example of a recent terrorist attack to highlight its sudden, unpredictable nature. One of the great baalei mussar of the Novardok tradition once asked: How can a person attend a funeral and then return to their life as if nothing has changed? The answer he said, is that people fall into the trap of thinking they are not part of the "Diers' Club." They believe death is something that happens to others, a mistake rooted in the false assumption that they are exempt from this universal truth. Lessons from Parables The Hovot HaLEvavot uses a parable to illustrate the proper perspective on life: The King and His Servant: A king entrusts his servant with a valuable item, warning him that he could ask for it back at any time. The servant must always be ready. Our lives are a similar trust. We must always be prepared to return what has been given to us by living with a constant sense of readiness and purpose. An additional parable comes from the Midrash Kohelet .The Fox and the Vineyard: A fox starves himself to get through a small hole into a vineyard filled with grapes. He eats his fill, gets too fat to leave, and must starve himself again to get out. He entered thin and left thin. The moral is that we come into this world with nothing and leave with nothing. What should the fox have done ? The fox should have used his time to throw grapes over the fence, a metaphor for performing good deeds that will be of benefit in the world to come. The Wisdom of Living a Mindful Life The Hovot HaLevavot quotes several sources to reinforce this idea: The book of Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) teaches that the wise person's heart is in the house of mourning because it is a place that confronts us with the ultimate destination of all humanity. Chovot HaLevavot explains that the verse "the living person should place this on his heart" refers not just to anyone who is alive, but to someone whose heart is "intellectually alive"—one who truly understands and internalizes this profound truth. We can add: Rabbi Eliezer's famous teaching, "Repent one day before your death," is also mentioned. Since we don't know the day we will die, the only logical conclusion is to live each day as if it were our last, in a state of continuous repentance and spiritual readiness. Ultimately, this contemplation is not about fear but about living a more meaningful life. It's about lowering our expectations for this temporary world and investing our energies in the world to come, which is eternal.

This text is part of a series on the 30 contemplations, or cheshbonot , from the ethical work Chovot HaLevavot (Duties of the Heart). This specific contemplation, the 15th, uses a real-life situation to spark a spiritual self-reckoning. The Contemplation: Preparing for the Final Journey The contemplation begins with a familiar scenario: someone stocking their pantry or packing for a trip. We meticulously prepare for temporary physical journeys, ensuring we have enough food, a rental car, and a place to stay, but we often forget to prepare for the most important and certain journey of all—the one to the next world. The author uses an extended metaphor to illustrate this point: The short trip: A vacation or a trip to the store where we are over-prepared with food, provisions, and comfort. The long, guaranteed trip: The journey of the soul after death. Unlike earthly trips, there is no "mechanical failure" or escape from this one. We can use a more modern example we dedicate so much effort to the temporary world, striving for conveniences like TSA Global Entry or a first-class seat, while neglecting the spiritual provisions we need for the permanent world. "We are involved with the evil inclination and have forsaken the service of our Creator." Spiritual Blindness and Divine Light This profound negligence is described as a kind of spiritual blindness or drunkenness. The author quotes from the prophet Isaiah, who states that people's eyes are shut so they cannot see, and their hearts will not understand. The Pele Yoetz , a later ethical work, explains this with an analogy: We live in a world that is inherently dark, and on top of that, our eyes are closed. This creates a double impediment to clarity. However, on Rosh Hashanah, God "turns on the lights," creating an opportunity for us. If we are willing to open our eyes even a crack, we can begin to see the path more clearly and gain a deeper understanding. I would like to end with a powerful anecdote about the great kabbalist Rabbi Yitzchak Kaduri . Even he, a man of immense spiritual stature, was deeply concerned about his final journey. He instructed Rav Yaakov Hillel to distribute money to Torah scholars on the day of his passing, so that the merit of that act would ensure a "smooth journey" for his soul. This story serves as a profound lesson: if even a spiritual giant felt the need to prepare, how much more so should we.

Reflecting on God's Love Welcome to our special Chovot HaLevavot (Duties of the Heart) series for the month of Elul. Today, we'll discuss the fourteenth reflection, one of my favorites, and it's inspired by a real-life situation. How do you feel when someone shows you love? Maybe it's a child, a grandchild, a spouse, or a sibling who looks at you with affection, and you feel it instantly. Your natural reaction is to love them back. As King Solomon says in Mishlei (Proverbs) 27:19, " As water reflects the face, so one's heart reflects the other ." When you look in a mirror, it reflects what you show it. The same is true for emotions—the love you give is the love you get back. Now, imagine the person reflecting this love is someone very important—a minister, a prince, or a nobleman. What if they show you a sign of their love, like buying you a flower or performing a great kindness for you, not because they need something in return but simply to help you? You'd likely feel an overwhelming desire to love them back, doing everything in your power to fulfill their will and serve them with all you have—your money, your time, and even your children. If we react this way to another human being, a creation as weak as ourselves, how much more should we react with love to our Creator? God has shown us His love through His prophets. As it says in Devarim , " because of God's love for you ." He constantly shows us signs of His love, both old and new, in every generation. Even during our exile, the Torah assures us that God does not despise us or allow us to be destroyed. Even though we were slaves, He never abandoned us. The Bonds of Friendship and Covenant We know that we should honor the friends of our parents or grandparents. For example, if someone helped your grandfather escape the old country and signed his visa papers, you would remember and honor that kindness. As it says in Mishlei (Proverbs) 27:10, " Do not abandon your friend or your father's friend ." In the Gemara in Masechet Shabbat, the famous line that the whole Torah is summed up by " love your friend as you love yourself " seems to raise a question: what does loving your friend have to do with Shabbat, Tefillin, or Tzitzit? Rashi explains that in this context, "friend" doesn't just mean a fellow human being—it means God. God is our friend and our father's friend. God constantly remembers the covenant He made with our forefathers, the supervision He had over them, as it says in Shemot (Exodus), " and the oath He swore to our ancestors ." God will keep that promise. In our prayers on Rosh Hashanah, specifically in the Zichronot section, we talk all about God remembering this covenant. Our Stiff-Necked Nature After all of this, the Chovot HaLevavot pleads with us, highlighting our lack of reciprocation. He points out five failures on our part: We don't rely on Him. We don't count on His kindness. We aren't naturally moved to love Him. We don't cleave to His service. We don't pour out our hearts to Him in prayer. He asks, "What is wrong with us?" and goes on to explain: "How thick is our nature, how stiff-necked are we?" "How weak is our faith?" "How difficult are we to be dragged after the truth?" He lists all the reasons why we should respond to God's love, yet we fail to do so. We don't remember the love He had for our fathers and grandfathers, nor do we reciprocate His love for us. We don't act because of His promises or listen because of His kindness. We aren't embarrassed by our inaction, despite the fact that He created us and provides for us with good supervision. The Chovot HaLevavot says we do not remember, reciprocate, act, listen, or feel embarrassed. The Spiderweb of the Yetzer Hara "My brother," he says, "wake up from this sleep." Here's the secret: "Remove from your heart the curtain of your Yetzer (evil inclination) that has been cast upon it." There is a curtain, a blinder, a blackout shade between our intellect and our hearts. It blocks the message. It's like a spider weaving a web that blocks the light from entering a house. At first, the web is thin, but with constant repetition, it becomes thicker and thicker until no light can get in. This is how the Yetzer Hara works with us, slowly and surely. He puts layer after layer on top of us, preventing us from seeing these truths. We must rip off that spiderweb to allow the light of our wisdom to pierce our hearts and open our eyes. The Yetzer Hara is so powerful that we often don't feel God's love, despite all the signs. We can fall into the "He loves me, he loves me not" game, like plucking petals off a flower. We don't use flowers, though. We say, "I had a good day in business today—He loves me. I got stuck in traffic—He loves me not." But there's a different way to play this game: "He loves me, He loves me lots." This shifts the question from "if" He loves me to "how much" I am going to recognize and realize His love in my life. What a powerful reflection. The next time a grandchild looks into your eyes and you love them back, ask yourself, "Where is my relationship with God? Where is my reciprocal love for Him?"

Welcome to our special series on Chovot HaLevavot (Duties of the Heart). This is our 13th cheshbon , or day of introspection, in a 30-day journey. The purpose of today's practice is to ask ourselves, "How much of the debt we owe for the countless gifts God has given us have we repaid?" These gifts include the talents and abilities we've been granted. Chovot HaLevavot uses a powerful metaphor to illustrate this point. The Parable of the Servant A master gives his servant a field to plant and all the seeds he needs. However, the servant only plants half the field, using the rest of the seeds for his own personal needs—making oatmeal cereal, for example. One day, the master arrives and discovers the field is only half-planted. When confronted, the servant admits his negligence. Together, they calculate the missing seeds and the master demands that the servant not only repay the cost of the seeds but also the lost profit from the unplanted portion of the field. This debt is extremely difficult for the servant to pay back. Applying the Lesson to Our Lives This story serves as a cheshbon ha'nefesh —a reckoning of the soul. We must ask ourselves how this parable applies to us. God has granted us so much: a mind to comprehend Him and His Torah, and talents to fulfill our obligations. Yet, a close look reveals that we haven't properly used all the gifts He's given us. We continue to receive His favors while misusing the resources He has entrusted to us. The time has come to make a change. We cannot squander our lives on worldly luxuries when God has given us the tools we need to accomplish our mission. Any time or talent that we misuse will result in a lack of resources later on. Some people make excuses for their inaction, but we must not rely on "if onlys" or "maybes." We might say, "If only I had more money or more wisdom, I would fulfill my obligations to God." This isn't true, because God gives us exactly what we need right now. A famous story about Rabbi Yisroel Salanter and his student, Rabbi Naftali of Amsterdam, highlights this point. On Purim, Rabbi Naftali, feeling a bit high-spirited, told his teacher, "If I had the mind of the Shaagat Aryeh, the heart of the author of Yesod V'shoresh HaAvodah , and your purified character, then I would be able to serve God properly." Rabbi Yisroel responded simply, "With your mind, your heart, and your character, you can be a true servant of God." God has given us everything we need. You might think you need more money, but Chovot HaLevavot , in Shaar HaBitachon (The Gate of Trust), calls this a mistake. It likens this mindset to a pawn broker who says, "I need to have everything in place before I can start serving God." Don't trust this kind of thinking. You don't need "cash on delivery" before you begin. You Must Repay: King Solomon writes in Proverbs, "No one scorns a thief who steals to feed himself when he is hungry, but he must nonetheless repay when he is caught." We may have excuses for our actions, like "I was hungry," but this does not excuse the misappropriation of our God-given resources. Time Is a Gift: Look at life as a gift of time that you must repay your Creator for daily. Don't leave today's tasks for tomorrow, as it will only become harder to repay your debt. You'll find that at the end of your days, your excuses will be refused and your alibis rejected. Rav Scheinberg once explained the difference between a gold watch and a gold watch case. The case, he said, is always less expensive than the product inside. However, in this world, time is the most precious commodity, and therefore its "case"—the gold we use to protect it—is made of gold. This world is like a marketplace where people gather and then leave. Those who profit rejoice, and those who lose regret ever coming. The book of Kohelet reminds us, " Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of affliction come ." We have resources and qualities. The verse, "Kaved et Hashem me'honecha" ("Honor God with your assets"), from Proverbs 3:9, can be understood in a deeper way. The Tosafot in Kiddushin references a Midrash that suggests the letters hei and chet are interchangeable. This means the verse can also be read as, " Kaved et Hashem m'ma shechanancha " ("Honor God with what He has gifted you"). This applies to any talent you have. If you have a beautiful singing voice, use it for God. If you have artistic abilities, use them. Whatever God has given you—these are your seeds to plant. Our 13th cheshbon is to ask ourselves, "Am I truly using my seeds and my abilities to their fullest potential?

Welcome to our special Elul series on Chovot HaLevavot, Sha'ar Cheshbon HaNefesh (Duties of the Heart, The Gate of Reckoning of the Soul). We're doing one of the 30 calculations for each day of the month. Today, we're on the 12 th Heshbon , which asks a profound question: How should a person feel when they realize they're becoming overly infatuated with worldly matters—focused on production and accomplishment—yet are lacking in their service of God, their ultimate destiny? It's a moment of reflection. We find ourselves asking, "What am I doing?" We get so engrossed in worldly matters, like spending hours meticulously choosing tiles for a swimming pool, but when it comes to buying a mezuzah, we just say, "Hey, whatever they have." When we start to think about this, we see that worldly matters often top our priority lists. Our hopes and expectations are all tied to this world. We're never truly happy; we're always chasing the next thing: the next vacation, the next meal, the next suit, the next pair of shoes. This is because worldly desires can never be satisfied. The author uses a parable: it's like a fire. The more wood you add, the bigger the flame gets; it never dies down. When you look within, you'll see your heart and intentions are drawn to worldly matters day and night. You only consider someone a friend if they can help you with your worldly goals, and you only trust someone if they can help you get ahead. You might find yourself obsessing over when you can get back to your buying and selling season after a summer slump. You'll study market conditions and price fluctuations around the world. You're not deterred by travel, cold, heat, storms, or treacherous sea and desert journeys to reach your goal. You'll fly to China, Bangladesh, and Timbuktu, often without any guarantee of success or profit. You hope for an end to the journey, but there is no end. And after all that hard work, you don't even know if you'll be the one to enjoy the money you've earned. As a verse in Tehillim (Psalms) says, "They leave their wealth to others." King Solomon, in Mishlei (Proverbs), warned us against overdoing it, saying, " Do not strive to be wealthy ." He shows the fleeting nature of wealth: " You set your eyes upon it and it is gone. " In contrast, King David, also in Tehillim , gives us a positive outlook on living a life focused on what you need, not what you want: " Eat from the efforts of your hands—you are fortunate, and you will enjoy goodness. " King Solomon himself said he didn't want too much wealth or too much poverty; he wanted to live a balanced, regular life. Yaakov Avinu (Jacob) said, " Give me bread to eat and clothing to wear. " The author urges us, "Wake up, my brother!" Realize you've been putting too much effort into the wrong area. You've been focusing on your body and its needs, but your body is not your forever friend—only for a while. This body you work so hard for is always in pain. If it eats too much, it gets sick; if it doesn't eat enough, it gets weak. If it wears too much clothing, it's uncomfortable; if it doesn't wear enough, it's in pain. It gets sick, and in the end, you can't control anything. Look at the advantage of your soul over your body, of spirituality over the physical, of something that lasts over something that doesn't. The soul doesn't decay, it isn't ruined. If you realize how much effort you put into your physical world—your exercise, diet, and health—how much more so should you invest in your soul, getting it into spiritual shape? At the end of the day, the only things you truly own are your spiritual accomplishments. In Hebrew, the author says, "Hakinyanim haruchaniyim, hem shelcha. Lo yishlol otam mimcha zulatecha." This means, "The spiritual acquisitions, they are yours. No one else can confiscate them from you." Unlike physical things, spiritual achievements are the only things you truly own. Therefore, the author says, "Don't get involved in the extras and luxuries you don't need in this world, but put the effort into the next." Don't make the excuse that "what comes to a fool will come to me too," because you understand more and know better. The author acknowledges that there's a lot to discuss on this subject and that he's only providing a few hints to think about and delve into. He encourages us to keep our eyes open to how the Torah also addresses these ideas. The more you think about this and focus on it, the more you'll realize what is truly important in this world and what your focus should be ...

Welcome to our special Elul edition of Chovot HaLevavot , Sha'ar Cheshbon HaNefesh —day 11 of our 30-day journey. Today's cheshbon is an accounting of how we've used our lives until now. How have you used your time? Whom are you serving—Hashem or the yetzer hara ? Rabbenu gives a mashal . A king entrusts a servant with funds for a specific purpose: "Use this money to buy candy bags for the children in shul. Don't use it for garbage bags, don't use it for tissues—only for the kids' candy." At year's end there will be an exact accounting—no leeway. Naturally, the servant keeps careful books, reviews spending monthly, and safeguards the remaining funds for their intended use so he won't be blindsided on the day of reckoning. The nimshal: our accounting shouldn't be monthly but daily . Hashem has given us time and talents for specific responsibilities— חובה עליך —and we must ask: Did I do what I'm responsible to do today? A well-known story about Rav Chaim Kanievsky illustrates this. At a child's wedding, he left early. His mechutan worried that Rav Chaim had heavy debts. The next day he learned what Rav Chaim meant by "my chovot ": his daily learning obligations —pages of Bavli and Yerushalmi toward completing the entire Torah each year. Those were his "debts." I recently heard a story from Netzor , a project sharing daily lashon hara clips. A girl awoke from a coma and immediately asked her mother how many days had passed. "Why does it matter?" her mother asked. "Baruch Hashem, you're alive." The girl insisted: she studies two halachot of Chafetz Chaim every day and needed to know how many she had missed. That's a sense of responsibility. If we were negligent, nu —take stock now and don't allow one lapse to cascade into another . We may forget; Hashem doesn't . As the year closes, ask: Hashem gave me gifts— am I using them as intended? There's a powerful introduction to Sha'arei Yosher by Rav Shimon Shkop . The Torah says עשר תעשר , "tithe," and Chazal read: עשר כדי שתתעשר —"tithe so that you become wealthy." Is that a magical segulah ? Rav Shimon says no. Hashem appoints us as gabba'im , trustees of His resources, and tells us how to use them—like the king and his designated candy fund. If the trustee performs well, he's promoted : from candy funds to the main budget. Likewise, if one gives ma'aser faithfully, Hashem entrusts him with more to distribute. It's not magic; it's how a well-run enterprise operates. This applies to everything. A teacher who teaches well is given more teaching . Any talent or position we have is meant for the community at large . Use them well, and you're given more; misuse them, and opportunities shrink. That is cheshbon ha'nefesh . "The days are scrolls —write upon your scroll," he writes; that's what will be remembered. Don't be among those of whom it is said, גם שיבה זרקה בו והוא לא ידע —"gray hairs have sprouted, and he still doesn't know." Life rolls on while they imagine they'll be here forever, never reckoning with how to use their gifts. Elul's call is simple and urgent: keep the books daily . Time and talent are the King's funds—entrusted to you for a purpose. Use them as directed.

This discussion is an exercise in Heshbon HaNefesh (soul-accounting), focusing on the need to approach our service of God with the same seriousness and focus we dedicate to our most important worldly tasks. The central lesson is that all our actions must be performed with our full heart and attention. The Three Categories of Divine Service The Chovot HaLevavot (Duties of the Heart) divides our service of God into three categories: Solely of the Heart: This includes internal spiritual duties like love and fear of God, faith, and trust. Both Body and Heart: This category includes mitzvot that involve both physical action and spiritual intention, such as prayer and Torah study. Solely of the Body: These are physical acts that require initial intent but not constant focus throughout the action, such as shaking the Lulav or performing the mitzvah of Sukkah . The Heart of the Matter: The Importance of Intention in Prayer The core of our service, especially prayer, is the heart. The prophet Isaiah delivered a powerful rebuke to the people, saying, "This people honors Me with its lips and with its mouth, but its heart is far from Me." Prayer without intention and focus is likened to a body without a soul—it is essentially dead. The Chovot HaLevavot offers a powerful parable: a servant invites a king to his home, but then disappears to gamble while the king waits alone. Similarly, we invite God into a meeting through prayer, but if our heart is not present, we are not truly there. This is why, as we say at the end of our prayers, "May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be acceptable before You." This is a bold request, as we are asking God to accept the thoughts that are often far from holy. To ensure our heart is present, the Chovot HaLevavot advises three mental preparations before we begin to pray: Know to Whom You Speak: Recognize that you are about to address the King of all kings. Understand Your Needs: Be clear on what you want from Him—your life, health, and sustenance. Choose Your Words Carefully: Consider the words you will use to make your requests. The Five Elements of True Prayer The words of our prayer are like the peel of an orange or the body of a person; the essence is the fruit and the soul. While the words are a vital tool, the true purpose is to ignite five fundamental feelings within the heart: Yearning: The soul's desire to connect with God. Humility: Humbly recognizing one's smallness before Him. Awe: Recognizing the greatness of the Creator. Praise: Thanking Him for all His kindness. Reliance: Casting all your burdens upon Him. Our sages created the siddur (prayer book) because they knew our hearts are fickle. The words help us organize and express these concepts. Although technically one can fulfill their obligation with thought alone, our words guide and anchor our thoughts. God has entrusted us with prayer, knowing that only we can truly know the sincerity of our own hearts. To live up to this trust, we must follow the counsel of the great sages, who would spend time before they prayed to clear their minds and prepare their hearts, recognizing that we are about to stand before a King who can read our innermost thoughts.

Welcome to our special edition on חובות הלבבות, שער חשבון הנפש (Duties of the Heart, The Gate of Self-Accounting), where we are discussing the eighth principle. This section of the book acts as a practical application of the concepts discussed in earlier chapters. Here, the author explores two distinct but related concepts of יחוד (Yichud), which means "oneness." The Two Concepts of Oneness The first concept is שער יחוד השם (The Gate of God's Oneness). This refers to the intellectual and emotional understanding that God is one and there is no other. This core belief is so fundamental that it is encapsulated in the first two of the Ten Commandments: "I am Hashem, your God," and "You shall have no other gods besides Me." As Rabbeinu Asher (the Rosh) teaches, for a Jew, belief in God is not a general concept; it must be a belief in the God of the Exodus from Egypt. This means recognizing that God is in complete control, down to the smallest detail of our lives, leaving no room for coincidence or human-attributed causes. This belief in God's oneness also means understanding that He has no physical form, likeness, or limitations. Furthermore, all the titles we attribute to Him—such as merciful, loving, or just—are His exclusively. While we are commanded to emulate these qualities, their true essence belongs only to God. The second concept is שער יחוד המעשה (The Gate of Oneness in Action). This refers to the necessary oneness of our own hearts in our service to God. Our intentions must be singularly focused on serving Him for His sake alone, not for personal gain or to avoid negative consequences in this world or the next. As the Mishnah in Pirkei Avot teaches, we should not serve our Master in order to receive a reward. While a reward will certainly come, it should not be our primary motivation. The Danger of Ulterior Motives The author provides a powerful analogy to illustrate this point. I will expound on it , Imagine a husband gives his wife a fur coat. If she discovers he did it with the hidden agenda of convincing her to move, her joy would turn to disappointment. Similarly, a boss would be offended to find his employee's gift was merely a calculated attempt to get a raise. These examples highlight a critical lesson: even with human relationships, we are hurt by ulterior motives. With God, who sees the innermost secrets of our hearts and has no need for us, our intentions must be pure. We should feel a sense of shame at the thought of serving God for personal gain. This idea is central to the High Holidays, when we crown God as King. The Zohar criticizes those who approach this period with self-serving demands, "barking like dogs" for wealth or children without truly focusing on God Himself. This lesson serves as a call to action—a spiritual reset. We must shift our focus to performing mitzvot for their own sake and studying Torah for its own sake. This is the essence of the eighth principle of self-accounting.

A Servant's Heart: The Seventh Reflection Welcome to the seventh installment of our חשבון נפש series. This reflection explores the profound concept of wholeheartedly accepting the condition of being a servant of God ( עבד השם ). Much of this is drawn from the teachings of the Hovot halevavot in the gate of service to G-d , and this is a brief review of its core ideas. What sparks the feeling of being a servant of God? It's the profound realization of the continuous blessings you receive from Him. This includes daily sustenance, guidance, wisdom, and compassion. King David captures this sentiment when he says, "I am Your servant" ( עבדך אני ), recognizing that God has given him understanding. When a servant truly grasps the constant benefits from his Master—who is always watching, in control, and even tests him to see if he'll make the right choices—he will strive to make those correct decisions. As the חובות הלבבות teaches, when a person thinks this way, God grants them a wonderful gift: a smile. Like a master who smiles upon a good and dedicated servant, God's favor brings "great benefits" ( הטובות הגדולות ) and "great light" ( האורים הגדולים ). This light is referenced in a verse we say on ראש השנה after blowing the שופר : "Fortunate is the nation that knows the message of the שופר ...God, we will walk in the light of Your face" ( אשרי העם יודעי תרועה, השם באור פניך יהלכון ). This is the same light mentioned in the ברכת כהנים prayer: "May God shine His face upon you" ( יאר השם פניו אליך ). This light is the direct result of being a good, dedicated servant. The Mutuality of Dedication The most crucial part of being an עבד השם is dedicating yourself wholeheartedly to His service. This devotion earns you a special status, as reflected in the verse from דברים : "You designated God as special today, and God designated you as special today" ( את השם האמרת היום והשם האמירך היום ). The גמרא in מסכת חגיגה 3 b explains this mutuality: We make God "the one and only" when we declare, " השם אחד " (God is one). God makes us "the one and only" when He says, "Who is like your nation, a unique nation on earth?" ( מי כעמך גוי אחד בארץ ). This special relationship means that the nations of the world will see that "the name of God is called upon us" ( כי שם השם נקרא עליך ) and will fear us. As the חובות הלבבות points out, a servant's reputation is directly tied to the greatness of their master. Since we are the nation of the Holy One, who is revered by all, we too should be revered. This reverence comes from our dedication to God, and our commitment to Him grants us that honor in the eyes of the world. The Path of a Servant In the future, the prophet ישעיהו says, "This one will say, 'I am God's'" ( זה יאמר להשם אני ). This speaks to the high level of closeness to God we can achieve. So, reflect on this. Don't listen to your evil inclination. Don't use your desires and thoughts improperly. Remember that God is looking into your heart. As the verse says, "God knows the thoughts of man" ( השם ידע מחשבות אדם ). He knows if you're truly striving to be His servant. We spend our days serving God, but do we truly have the awareness that He is watching us and looking to see if we are living up to the role of His devoted servants?

For a 10% discount on Rabbi David Sutton's new book A Daily Dose of Preparation for Yamim Noraim click the link below https://www.artscroll.com/Book s/9781422645086.html The Sixth Contemplation: Reclaiming Your Covenant with God This is an exploration of the sixth contemplation from Cheshbon HaNefesh (Accounting of the Soul), part of the Chovot HaLevavot (Duties of the Heart). This thought is meant to arise when a person feels the inclination to rebel against God's will. The core question is: How can we possibly break our covenant with God when everything else in creation upholds its own? Look around you. The sun, moon, and stars all follow their precise orbits. They obey God's word, as it says in Psalms, "L'olam Hashem D'varcha Nitzav BaShamayim" ("Forever, O Lord, Your word stands firm in the heavens"). A slight deviation in any of these systems—if the Earth were to shift its orbit or the oceans failed to heed their boundaries—would spell the end of humanity. This is the world we live in, one of perfect, unwavering obedience. Now, consider a more personal example: your own body. What happens when your heart, meant to beat rhythmically, stops? Or when parts of your body, meant to be still, begin to shake uncontrollably, as in Parkinson's? What if your senses—your eyes, ears, or taste buds—suddenly ceased to function? The breakdown of a single system causes profound discomfort and can even threaten your life. Given this, the author asks, how can a person not be embarrassed to break their own deal with God? We have a covenant of 613 mitzvot (commandments), yet we fail to keep our end of the bargain. Meanwhile, the very ground we walk on, the air we breathe, and the organs that sustain our life continue to follow God's commands, acting as "helpers" or "housekeepers" that tend to our every need. The King, the Minister, and the Servants The Chovot HaLevavot provides a powerful analogy to drive this point home. A king commands a group of servants to carry one of his ministers across a dangerous river. The servants are to do their job, while the minister is given a separate task, like waving a flag. The servants obediently perform their duty, risking their lives, but the minister ignores his command and relaxes instead. One of the servants confronts the minister, saying, "Imagine if we treated you the way you're treating the king! We would stop holding you up, and you would drown in this river. Turn around and ask for forgiveness. The king has conditioned our service to you upon your obedience to him." This parable helps us understand a deeper truth about the world. When our bodies or our surroundings seem to fail us, it's not always an external punishment. It's an internal breakdown of a system built on the conditions G-d made with us. Rabbi Miller would sometimes explain physical ailments as a lack of appreciation—"you didn't appreciate your teeth, so now you have a toothache." However, the Chovot HaLevavot suggests a different reason: if you don't serve the King, His servants—the organs of your body—may stop serving you. This concept is built into creation itself. God made a condition with the world: it would serve humanity if humanity, in turn, served Him. This is the essence of the blessings and curses described in the Torah. When the sea split for the Jews and then returned to its normal state, the Torah says, "VaYashav HaYam L'eitano" ("And the sea returned to its strength"). The Sages explain that the word לאיתנו "L'eitano" can be read as לתנאו "L'tnao," meaning "to its condition." The sea returned to the fundamental condition God set with creation—that it would listen to those who serve Him. The Or HaChaim HaKadosh elaborates on this, explaining that this is a built-in law of cause and effect. While God is infinitely patient and waits for us to do teshuvah (repentance), as described in Tomer Devorah , there comes a point when His "servants" will no longer tolerate our defiance. They will stop doing their part, and we will face the consequences. Therefore, let us take this to heart and choose to do teshuvah, returning to our proper place in the divinely-ordered world.

For a 10% discount on Rabbi David Sutton's new book A Daily Dose of Preparation for Yamim Noraim click the link below https://www.artscroll.com/Book s/9781422645086.html On Delayed Understanding This is a deep dive into the fifth contemplation from Sha'ar Cheshbon HaNefesh (Gate of the Soul's Accounting), a powerful and introspective series. Many of these contemplations are triggered by a real-life situation, a simple event that serves as a powerful metaphor. In this accounting the question we're meant to ponder is this: What should you think when you delay and push off understanding the Torah God gave us, and even worse, when you're complacent and it doesn't even bother you? Let's use an everyday example: prayer. We pray every single day, yet do we truly understand the meaning of the words? Does it bother us if we don't? During the season of Selichot (prayers of forgiveness), you might read a prayer you've said for years and suddenly realize you don't know what a certain word means. Maybe you look it up in a Hebrew-English text and discover you've been misunderstanding it all this time. Does that lack of understanding bother you? Compare this to how you react to other important documents in your life. If you receive a letter about a jury summons, your taxes, or a medical report and don't understand it, you're going to put in the effort to figure it out. If you're on vacation in a foreign country and get a parking ticket in a language you don't know, it will certainly bother you. You'll work hard to understand what it means and what action is required. We take the time to understand information from a human being, so how much more effort should we put into understanding God's Torah, which is our very life and our salvation? As the verse says, "Ki Hu Chayecha V'Orech Yamecha" ("For it is your life and the length of your days"). Rabbi Wolbe explains that when we say, "Ki Hem Chayeinu" ("For they are our lives"), it's not just poetry; it is a literal truth. The Chovot HaLevavot (Duties of the Heart) uses this analogy to speak directly to us, using the term " Achi " ("my brother"). He asks, "My brother , how could you allow this to happen? How can you ignore this? How can you be content with a superficial understanding and not delve deeper?" {The term "my brother" is a deliberate choice, just as Yacob Avinu used it when rebuking the shepherds who were wasting time at the well. As Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky taught, you have to connect with someone before you can give them rebuke. The Chovot HaLevavot knows this rule and creates a connection before delivering his message.} The prophet Daniel delivers a similar message when he says: "For the gods of silver and gold, copper and steel, wood and stone—that do not see, hear, or understand—you praised. But to God, in whose hand is your very soul and all your paths, you do not give glory?" There is an inherent disgrace in this. A story based on the teachings of the Pele Yoetz illustrates this perfectly: A man's wife bakes his favorite cake, while his daughter-in-law buys a cake from a bakery. The man pushes his wife's cake aside and eats the one from the bakery. When his wife starts crying, he asks what he did wrong. He's insulted her by rejecting her thoughtful gift in favor of something else. In the same way, we insult God when we choose to prioritize other things over His Torah . This is why King David, in Psalms, says of the righteous man, "B'moshav Leitzim Lo Yashav" ("He did not sit with scoffers"), but rather "Ki Im B'Torat Hashem Cheftzo" ("He desired His Torah"). The people who don't learn Torah are called "scoffers" because to "scoff" is to belittle. By sitting and engaging in idle chatter when you have the opportunity to engage with Torah, you are insulting it. We have a responsibility to show respect and importance to religious texts. With the High Holidays approaching, one of the most important texts we will read is the Malkhuyot, Zikhronot, and Shofarot —the central prayers of the Mussaf service—on which we are judged for the entire year. If a person had a court case or a major presentation, they would put in the time to properly prepare and understand what they were saying. Going into Rosh Hashanah without understanding the words of our prayers is like going to war without knowing how to use your weapon. To truly fulfill this contemplation, you must prepare. A great resource to help you is "Daily Dose of Preparation for the Yamim Noraim" from ArtScroll, a day-by-day guide to prepare for the High Holidays. It's a worthwhile book to use as you prepare and fulfill this חשבון . Go to https://www.artscroll.com/Books/9781422645086.html and place your order.

For a 10% discount on Rabbi David Sutton's new book A Daily Dose of Preparation for Yamim Noraim click the link below https://www.artscroll.com/Book s/9781422645086.html Acknowledging and Appreciating the Torah Welcome to our special Elul series on Hovot HaLevavot, Sha'ar Cheshbon HaNefesh . We're now up to the fourth spiritual accounting, which focuses on appreciating a gift from God that exists outside of ourselves: the Torah . The author of Hovot HaLevavot , Rabbi Bachya ibn Pekudah, explains that the Torah is meant to awaken us, to bring life to us in this world and the next. The Torah is described as "honored and faithful" ( נכבדת נאמנה ). As we say in Tehillim , "The testimony of God is faithful" ( עדות ה' נאמנה ). The Torah's loyalty and trustworthiness serve several crucial purposes: It Removes Our Spiritual Blindness: The Mesillat Yesharim by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto compares a person who goes through life without their spiritual eyes open to a blind man walking on the edge of a cliff. The only thing that can remove this spiritual blindness is the Torah, which "brings us to be enlightened" ( תורה מביא לידי זהירות ). It Burns Away Foolishness: The Torah has the power to burn away a person's foolishness. This concept is illustrated by a story in Navi where a prophet sends foxes with torches through fields to burn them. Similarly, when a person teaches Torah to the masses, they are burning away their foolishness. It Enlightens Our Eyes: Even when we're not blind, darkness can obscure our path. The Torah lights our way, as we say, "Enlighten our eyes with Your Torah" ( והאר עינינו בתורתך ). It Brings Us Closer to God's Will: As we say, "Return us, our Father, to Your Torah" ( השיבנו אבינו לתורתך ), and then, "and bring us close, our King, to Your service" ( וקרבנו מלכנו לעבודתך ). We can't serve God or know what He wants until we learn His Torah. It Reveals God's Truth: God gave us a "Torah of Truth" ( תורת אמת ). Through it, we come to know God's truth and His very existence. It Guides Our Actions: The Torah tells us what we need to do in this world, giving us the tools for success in this life and the next. This is the meaning of the verse in Tehillim , "The Torah of God is perfect; it restores the soul" ( תורת ה' תמימה משיבת נפש ), and "it gladdens the heart" ( משמחי לב ). The Gift of Torah The Hovot HaLevavot then uses a powerful technique of imagining the Torah being taken away from you, only to be returned. We hear stories of people in concentration camps who traded their meager food rations for a single page of Gemara. Imagine how thankful you would be to someone who gave it back to you after you'd lost it. The author emphasizes that we are not talking about a person who gave us back the Torah, but God Himself—the Creator, who not only gave us the Torah but also arouses us to it and helps us understand it. Every day, when we sit down to learn, we don't realize that we say, " He gives the Torah " ( נותן התורה ), as God is continuously giving and teaching us the Torah. This concept is highlighted in a story about Rav Chaim Kanievsky. A convert on his way to conversion expressed second thoughts, telling Rav Chaim that he couldn't grasp the Gemara. He felt that since learning was so fundamental to Judaism, perhaps he wasn't fit to convert. Rav Chaim responded, "It's not your fault, you don't have a good teacher." When the convert protested that he had the best rabbi, Rav Chaim clarified, "A Jewish person has God as a teacher, He gives the Torah . When you convert, you will get that Teacher as well." The least we can do to show our appreciation for this great gift is to cling to the Torah and use it. A person who receives a gift shows appreciation by using it. Similarly, we must learn the Torah and keep its mitzvot (commandments). King David said in a verse, "I hurried and did not delay" ( חשתי ולא התמהמהתי ) in my love for Your Torah. "How sweet Your words are to my palate" ( מה נמלצו לחכי ). This is a fundamental point: we must appreciate the incredible gift God has given us in the Torah. This is why we are commanded to make a blessing every morning over the Torah, acknowledging that "He chose us from all the nations and gave us His Torah" ( שבחר בנו מכל העמים ונתן לנו את תורתו ). We ask that it be "sweet in our mouths" ( והערב נא ). We know the Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple) was destroyed because the people did not make a blessing on learning the Torah, showing they did not appreciate this great gift. This, then, is the fourth gift we must account for: the Torah.

For a 10% discount on Rabbi David Sutton's new book A Daily Dose of Preparation for Yamim Noraim click the link below https://www.artscroll.com/ Books/9781422645086.html Reflection 3: The Gift of Intellect and Morality Welcome to our special Elul series on Cheshbon HaNefesh , or "internal accounting." This is our third reflection, focusing on the immense gift of intellect and noble character traits that God has bestowed upon us. With this gift, we are elevated above all other living creatures; we are not mere animals, but human beings endowed with the capacity for thought and recognition. To appreciate this gift fully, we must imagine its absence. Consider a person who, while fully aware of it, begins to lose their cognitive abilities—the onset of early dementia, for example. The horror of feeling one's mind slip away is unimaginable. Yet, imagine if a new, experimental drug could restore their cognition completely. This person's entire life would not be enough to thank the doctor who gave them their mind back. If that's the gratitude we'd feel toward a human, how much more should we feel toward God, who gave us our intellect in the first place? Our minds are a gift, as we recognize in the morning prayer, " Atah Chonen La'adam Da'at " ("You grant a person knowledge"). This phrase uses the term chonen , which is the same root as V'etchanan , Moses's plea for a free, unearned gift. Our intellect is a truly free gift. We also acknowledge this in the blessing " HaNoten L'sechvi Bina " ("Who gives the rooster understanding"), which is interpreted as God giving understanding to our own brains. Natural vs. Artificial Intelligence This sense of awe can be heightened by considering the difference between natural and artificial intelligence. We are often impressed by AI—the ability of a computer to process information and provide answers. Yet, as the Chovot HaLevavot teaches, we tend to be impressed by what is new and different, while overlooking the everyday miracles. Artificial intelligence requires vast global networks and immense data to function. Yet, our "natural intelligence" processes an even greater amount of complex information within our small brains. As Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe zt"l used to say, a human brain looks like nothing more than a "bowl of porridge," yet it possesses capabilities that a room-sized computer cannot replicate. While AI struggles with creativity and empathy, the human brain can be compassionate, empathetic, and imaginative. We should take a moment to be impressed by our own minds. The Three Foundational Gifts As we conclude this third reflection, let's recap the first three, which form a foundational unit: the creation and development of man. Existence : The first gift is our very being—the transformation from "nothing" into "something." Physical Form : The second is our physical body—a functioning human being with perfectly developed limbs and organs, not a mere jellyfish. Intellect : The third is our mind—the unique gift of intellect and the ability to think, understand, and possess good character traits. It's not enough to simply say "wow" to these gifts. The next step is to ask: "How can I reciprocate?" Basic gratitude, or Hakarat HaTov , dictates that we should seek ways to show our appreciation to God, who asks nothing in return. This can be through prayer, learning, acts of kindness, or even something as simple as following the laws of kashrut . God asks us to do these things not for His sake, but for ours, and the least we can do is try.

For a 10% discount on Rabbi David Sutton's new book A Daily Dose of Preparation for Yamim Noraim click the link below https://www.artscroll.com/Books/9781422645086.html A Call to Reflection: The Gift of Our Bodies Welcome to our special Cheshbon HaNefesh series for the month of Elul. This is our second reflection, focusing on what God has given us and the reciprocal debt we owe Him. Our last reflection focused on the gift of existence itself; this one considers the remarkable gift of our physical bodies. Consider a person who is bedridden or a paraplegic. While they exist, they lack full use of their body. In contrast, God created us with a perfect, intricate design. He assembled every organ and system—from the cardiovascular to the digestive—in our mothers' wombs, a process beyond human comprehension. A baby is born with tiny toes, perfect toenails, and all the essential organs—a heart, a kidney, a spleen—working in harmony. This is a profound testament to God's handiwork. God also provides the sustenance needed for this development, nourishing us from the moment of conception out of sheer kindness. Now, imagine for a moment what it would be like if you were missing something essential. What if you were blind? Or imagine tying your hands behind your back and trying to get through a single hour of your day. How would you shower? How would you drive? Or what if you couldn't walk? Imagine, after experiencing that struggle, someone could suddenly restore these abilities to you. How much gratitude and praise would you offer that person? How much would you be compelled to follow their every command? This thought exercise offers a glimpse into the gratitude we should feel toward God, who created our limbs and organs perfectly. As the great figures of our tradition understood, we should be drawn to God's will. Iyob tells God, "You formed me like clay, and you will return me to dust." King David says, "You formed my kidneys." And Esther says, "You drew me out from the womb." They all looked back and appreciated what God did for them. The Wisdom of the Greats There's a famous story about the great sage Ibn Ezra, who was extremely poor. His friend, Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi, wanted to help him. One day, as Ibn Ezra was walking to synagogue, Rabbi Yehuda planned to throw an envelope of money in his path. Hiding behind a bush, he waited for the perfect moment. As the envelope was about to land, Ibn Ezra suddenly closed his eyes and began tapping his cane, walking right past the money. When asked why he did this, Ibn Ezra explained, "This morning I said the blessing 'Pokeach Ivreem' (He who opens the eyes of the blind). I wanted to imagine what it would be like if I couldn't see, so I closed my eyes." Of course, God intervened at that exact moment, ensuring he didn't see the money, so he would remain in his state of poverty. This story teaches us a valuable lesson: the greats understood that to truly appreciate something, you must first imagine its absence. This is the practice we should adopt during the month of Elul. Take time to reflect on the immense gifts God has given you—starting with the miracle of your own body. Tomorrow marks the second day of our 30-day journey. We'll be doing a double dose on Friday to get in all 30 reflections.

For a 10% discount on Rabbi David Sutton's new book A Daily Dose of Preparation for Yamim Noraim click the link below https://www.artscroll.com/ Books/9781422645086.html The First Step in Cheshbon HaNefesh : Reflecting on Existence Welcome to our Elul series on Cheshbon HaNefesh (Spiritual Accounting), based on Chapter 3 of Chovot HaLevavot . This chapter explores different triggers for introspection, prompting us to consider what we owe God. The first point of reflection is the beginning of our own existence. The author reminds us that we were not always here. God brought us from non-existence into being, a concept described as ma'ayin l'yesh , or "something from nothing," just like the initial creation of the universe. In a personal sense, each of us is a microcosm of this act. We didn't exist, and God brought us into being not because we earned it or because He owed us anything. Rather, our very existence is an act of pure kindness and generosity. This is a fundamental proof that God's ultimate goal is our best interest. He not only brought us into existence but elevated us above the rest of creation. We are not animals, plants, or stones; we are beings of importance and potential. This alone is reason for profound gratitude. We must thank God not just for what He does for us, but for the very fact that we exist and continue to exist. The Parable of the Benefactor Chovot HaLevavot provides a powerful parable to illustrate this point. Imagine a baby abandoned on the road and rescued by a compassionate stranger who raises him to adulthood. How much does this person owe his benefactor? Everything. He would be obligated to do anything asked of him. Earlier in the sefer compares this to a person who was rescued from a pit at age 20. The second person would feel far more gratitude because he was already an independent being before the rescue. The first, rescued as a baby, was raised under the constant benevolence of his benefactor and might have become so accustomed to it that he never truly appreciated the gift of life he was given. This is a mirror of our own experience. We are so used to being in this world that we take our existence for granted. We don't contemplate the sheer grace of simply being here. A Message of Reciprocity and Gratitude Moshe Rabbeinu, in his final address in Parshat Ha'azinu , asks: "Is this how you repay God, O dull and unwise people?" ( הֲלַהשֵּׁם תִּגְמְלוּ־זֹאת עַם נָבָל וְלֹא חָכָם ). The term "naval" refers to a person who is ungrateful. Moshe's words are a direct rebuke, urging us to recognize and appreciate the gift of life and the immense kindness behind it. The author stresses that God's act of creation was "without any preceding merit" ( ללא יתרון שקדם לו ). While a popular song suggests that God "needs every Jew," we must be careful not to fall into the mistaken belief that He truly needs us. As the Zohar explains, God creates the illusion of needing us so that we can earn our reward in the next world and not feel like we are receiving "bread of shame"—a gift we didn't work for. Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz makes a similar point regarding the lighting of the Menorah: God, the source of all light, asks us to light a candle to make us feel like we are a part of the process, but we must never forget the true source of the gift. As we begin this month of Elul , the first step of our spiritual accounting is to contemplate this fundamental truth: God brought us into existence out of pure kindness, and the greatest act of reciprocity is to acknowledge this by living a life of gratitude and spiritual awareness.

Welcome to a new series of lessons on D aily Bitachon , which will take us through the month of Elul. This will be a 30-day program, with lessons on Sundays and a double dose on Fridays. Our goal is to go through the 30 Cheshbonot , or 30 accountings, found in the book Chovot HaLevavot , in the section called "Sha'ar Cheshbon HaNefesh" (the Gate of the Soul's Accounting). What Is a "Cheshbon HaNefesh"? When we typically think of a Cheshbon HaNefesh —an internal accounting—we tend to focus on things like, "How many good things did I do today versus bad things?" But Chovot HaLevavot takes a different approach. The author compares it to a business: you track what's coming in, what's going out, and what you owe. The core question isn't, "How many mistakes did I make?" but rather, "Do I reciprocate for all that I've received from God?" This is the eighth of the ten "gates" in Chovot HaLevavot . The previous gate was on repentance, and the author connects this topic to repentance, explaining that a proper Cheshbon HaNefesh is one of the conditions for true repentance. He brings a verse from Psalms, where King David says, " Chishavti drachai ," "I made an accounting of my ways," and because of that, " Va'ashiva ragli el edotecha ," "my feet returned to Your statutes." The Importance of Cheshbon HaNefesh in Elul The Zohar teaches that every night before you go to sleep, you should do a Cheshbon HaNefesh , a daily accounting. It refers to those who do this as "masters of accounting." Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Azulai ( the Chida ) writes in his book, Avodat HaKodesh , that even if we don't do this all year, we should do it during the month of Elul, which he calls these "awesome days." Understanding Our Debts The concept of Cheshbon HaNefesh is about a person figuring out what they have and what their debts are—what their chovot are. A story is told about Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, who left his son's wedding early. When asked why, he said he had to take care of his chovot . His in-law initially thought he had debts from the wedding, but it turned out that Rabbi Kanievsky was referring to his daily responsibilities of Torah study. For him, those were his debts. The question then becomes, "How do I figure out what my debts are?" The answer depends on your unique life experience. The more God has blessed you or revealed to you, the greater your responsibility is. Grasping What You Can't Yet Do The author of Chovot HaLevavot gives us one more key piece of advice: once you figure out your debts, do what you can. But what about the things you can't do yet? He says, " grasp it with your knowledge and desire it. " He brings a verse from King David that says the words of Torah are " nechmadim mi'zahav u'mifaz rav "—more desirable than precious gold. The author explains this with a beautiful analogy: just as someone might look at a fancy car or a piece of expensive jewelry they can't afford and desire it, so too can we desire higher spiritual levels that we're not ready for yet. A person who acts this way and hopes for higher levels, the author says, " God will judge favorably " because He sees their sincerity and their desire to grow. This is our introduction to "Sha'ar Cheshbon HaNefesh," a 30-unit journey we invite you to take with us. If you are interested in additional resources, check out our book The Daily Dose of Preparation for the Yamim Noraim . It offers 40 lessons to prepare for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. A link to order the book will be included with this class. https://www.artscroll.com/Books/9781422645086.html

This week's parashah opens with the words: ראה אנכי נתן לפניכם היום ברכה וקללה Behold, I am placing before you, blessing and curse. The Gaon of Vilna is bothered by a question: why doesn't the Torah say, " I am placing before you good and bad"? Why does it say " blessing and curse"? He explains that it is not true "good" and "bad." We see tzaddik v'ra lo, rasha v'tov lo — sometimes a righteous person experiences what looks like suffering, and sometimes a wicked person experiences what looks like goodness. Therefore, the Torah makes it clear: what is given is berachah and kelalah . Berachah does not mean that the outcome will immediately be good. It means that in the end, it will lead to good. For example, Yaakov Avinu blessed Ephraim: וידגו לרב בקרב הארץ You shall multiply like fish within the land. But they did not multiply immediately. Only later, when they entered Eretz Yisrael , the did descendants of Yosef said to Yehoshua, " Why did you give us this land? We cannot fill it!" Throughout the counts in Bamidbar , it's never mentioned that the tribe of Yosef was larger. What happened was that the berachah came down, but it was not fulfilled until much later. The Gaon says that in truth, the real reward and punishment are not in this world. As it says, schar mitzvot b'hai alma leika — this is not the world of reward; this is the world of action. What happens in this world is that we are amassing berachah . Similarly, when a person receives a blessing from a tzaddik — " you should be blessed with good children, you should be blessed with success" — what do you walk away with? Not the children or the money per say, but with the berachah . This is an important principle: sometimes we see the berachah fulfilled in this world, and sometimes not. That is why the Torah says clearly: berachah and kelalah . On Shabbat we also say: כי היא מקור הברכה For Shabbat is the source of blessing. Shabbat is the source of all blessings. A person may close his store on Shabbat, and the following week he might not see financial success. Does that mean he was not blessed? No — he did not immediately see the good , but he did receive the berachah . And that berachah might show itself later, in other ways or other forms. As we approach the end of the year, we say: תכלה שנה וקללותיה, תחל שנה וברכותיה Let the year and its curses end; let the year and its blessings begin. We focus on blessing , not on good . Of course, we would like the tovah as well, and perhaps that is why our prayers so often mention both together. For example, in Zachrenu Hashem Elokenu we ask for both זכרנו ה' אלקינו בו לטובה ופקדנו בו לברכה Remember us, Hashem our God, for good , and recall us for blessing . Every day in שים שלום we say: שים שלום, טובה וברכה Grant peace, goodness , and blessing . Interestingly it comes to livelihood, we ask for parnasah tovah . We do not usually say parnasah mevorechet . We want livelihood that is tangibly good. And in Avinu Malkenu we say: אבינו מלכנו חדש עלינו שנה טובה Our Father, our King, renew for us a good yea r. So, if we pay attention, it becomes clear: there is tovah and there is berachah . Of course, we hope for both — but sometimes, even when we don't see the tovah , we still have to believe that we have the berachah .

Welcome to Daily Bitachon . We are continuing with pesukim from Parashat Ekev that contain powerful bitachon lessons. We are now up to: וְיָדַעְתָּ עִם לְבָבֶךָכִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר יְיַסֵּר אִישׁ אֶת בְּנו ה׳ אֱלֹקֶיךָ מְיַסְּרֶךָ / Know in your heart that just like a man chastises his son, Hashem your God chastises you This follows the earlier pesukim that spoke about the Manna , about the clothing, and about remembering how God took us through the desert. According to many, this is a positive mitzvah - to remember and know in your heart how God chastises us like a father chastises his son. Rabbenu Yonah includes this in the all-encompassing mitzvah of remembering the forty years in the desert, and this is one aspect of it. The SeMaG ( Sefer Mitzvot Gadol ), Mitzvat Aseh 17, learns from here that there is a positive commandment called Tziduk HaDin /to accept upon ourselves any of God's justice even when it is difficult. He gives an example: Sometimes people do teshuvah , but afterward, things do not go as well as they did beforehand. When this happens a person must tell himself that this is for his own good. Before doing teshuvah , God was paying him off in this world. After doing teshuvah , God is healing him to prepare him for a better Olam Haba. When someone questions God's challenges, the SeMaG cites a pasuk in Hoshea where God says: אֲנִי יִסַּרְתִּי / I was giving them yissurim . חִזַּקְתִּי זְרוֹעוֹתָם /I was strengthening their arms. (This is like when a trainer asks you to lift heavier weights to build your muscles). וְ עָלַי יַחְשְׁבוּ רָע /And they think badly of Me. Rav Ades tells the possibly fictitious story of a man who was a new immigrant to Eretz Yisrael, coming from a poorly developed country. He had severe stomach pains and went to the hospital. They told him he did not have insurance and had to join Kupat Cholim , the public health insurance. Once he became a member they could help him. He joined, came back, got checked, and was told he needed emergency appendix surgery. They operated, and he woke up connected to all kinds of tubes. He said, What kind of corrupt country is this? I join and right away look what they do to me ! They responded, Fool. Now that you are a member, we are taking care of you. So too with HaKadosh Baruch Hu . The Sefer Mitzvot Katan , mitzvah 5, adds, from the chachamim , that when something bad happens one should say: מְעַט מֵחֻבִּי נִגְבִּיתִי /This is only a little of what I owe. Rabbenu Yonah , in Shaare Teshuvah (4th Gate, Letter 13), teaches something similar. When something happens to a person, he should tell himself that this is coming from Hashem's love. He quotes a midrash that says you know how much wrong you have done, and you know that the punishments and suffering are much less than the crime. It is like someone who is sentenced to thirty years in prison but gets off with only six months. The Sefer Mitzvot HaKatan adds that when someone suffers, even if he cannot tolerate it and is kicking and screaming, afterward he should look back, be happy, and not complain. He quotes the Gemara in Berachot : אַגְרָא דִּיסּוּרִין שְׁתִיקוּתָא /The reward for suffering is silence. This ultimately falls under the mitzvah of Bechol Meodecha/ בְּכָל מְאֹדֶךָ/which the Gemara explains to mean בְּכָל מִדָּה וּמִדָּה – With every measure that you are given, accept it wholeheartedly. Rabbenu Bachya , in Shemot 4:22, quotes from the Gaon Rabbenu Chananel a remarkable concept. When Pharaoh is introduced to the Jewish people, God says: בְּנִי בְּכֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל – My son, My firstborn, Yisrael. He explains that God is telling Pharaoh, Yes, I gave them over to you to subjugate, that is true. But do not think that is because they are light in My eyes. I had to give them musar . As it says in our pasuk : וְיָדַעְתָּ עִם לְבָבֶךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר יְיַסֵּר אִישׁ אֶת בְּנוֹ, I am chastising them like a father chastises his son. Pharaoh, these are My children. You went overboard. I still love them. Do not think you have the right to do what you did to them. A person can constantly fulfill mitzvot with this approach. There is no one without challenges, and if you keep telling yourself at every event that happens that this is from God , it's not a coincidence and you accept it without complaint , you fulfill a tremendous mitzvah . May Hashem give us the strength to fulfill this always.

Welcome to Daily Bitachon. We continue with pesukim in Parashat Ekev that we need to remember every day. As mentioned at the beginning of the week, Rabbenu Yonah tells us that there's a command to remember how Hashem took care of us in the desert. One of the things it says there is: שִׂמְלָתְךָ לֹא בָלְתָה מֵעָלֶיךָ וְרַגְלְךָ לֹא בָצֵקָה זֶה אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה Your clothing did not wear out and your feet did not swell for these 40 years What does " your clothing did not wear out," mean ? Rashi explains that the Clouds of Gory would smooth and iron the clothing, and as the people grew, their clothes grew with them—like a snail's shell grows with the snail. The Maharal in Gur Aryeh asks: Why did Hashem perform this seemingly unnecessary miracle? After all, they could have simply made clothing on their own. Hashem doesn't perform miracles without purpose. The Maharal explains that Hashem wanted to show them that He could care for all their needs directly. Just as their food was Godly food from heaven, so too their clothing would be Godly clothing. He cites a Midrash that says that these were not ordinary garments; they were the same garments the angels clothed the people in at Har Sinai. That is why they never wore out. The Sefer Chizkuni teaches that this miracle is a lesson in overcoming lo tachmod (the prohibition against coveting) . Remembering that Hashem provided for all our needs in the desert—including our clothing—reminds us that He can do so in any situation, even in ordinary life. The Tiferet Yonatan adds a fascinating insight from Devarim 18:4, which discusses giving the kohen the first of the shearings. He explains that middah k'neged middah , since the clouds of glory—given in the merit of Aharon HaKohen—pressed and cleaned our clothing in the desert, we give the first shearings to the kohen as repayment to Aharon's descendants for caring for our clothing in the desert. The Chatam Sofer notes a key difference between the miracle of the manna and the miracle of the clothing. The clothing lasted forever, but the manna came day by day. Hashem could have made food that lasted for forty years—just as He sustained Eliyahu HaNavi for forty days from a single cookie—but instead chose to give the manna daily. Why? The Gemara explains with a mashal of a king with two sons. For the son he wanted a close relationship with, he gave food daily so that the son would come to him regularly. Similarly, Hashem wanted the manna to come each day so we would turn to Him daily, like children turn to their loving father. This explains why Hashem made us independent in one area (clothing) but dependent in another (food). There is actually a debate about whether these were miraculous angelic garments or the original clothing taken from Egypt that lasted forty years. The Baal HaTurim in Shemot 3:22 says they were the garments borrowed from the Egyptians— וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם כְּלֵי־כֶסֶף וּכְלֵי זָהָב וּשְׂמָלֹת —and that those same garments lasted the entire forty years. The Chatam Sofer agrees and explains that this reveals two different ways Hashem interacts with us. When the Jewish people asked : t הֲיֵשׁ ה' בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ אִם אָיִן / Is God with us or not? it referred to two Divine approaches: Yesh mi'yesh – something from something – Hashem works within nature, transforming existing material. Yesh me'ayin – something from nothing Each approach presents its own challenge of faith. Open miracles make every thing clear and obvious, but living with hashgachah pratit within nature requires deeper trust. The spies, for instance, felt safer in the desert, where Hashem's miracles were obvious, rather than in the Land, where His supervision would be more hidden. Each one has its challenges The Chatam Sofer says Hashem wanted to show that He operates in both ways. The manna , "food of angels," was yesh me'ayin —something from nothing , sustained entirely by His word. The clothing was yesh mi'yesh —ordinary garments sustained miraculously through natural means. In both cases, Hashem showed that He can care for us completely—whether through open miracles or through the subtle miracles of everyday life.

Welcome to Daily Bitachon . Yesterday, we discussed pesukim from Parashat Ekev , and quoted from Shaare Teshuvah and others the positive commandment to remember the path we took in Mitzrayim — וזכרת את כל הדרך . We explained this to mean remembering the kindness of Hashem in the desert, and in general. However, the Chida and others offer a different understanding. The next pasuk says: ויענך וירעב ך / God pained you and starved you; ויאכילך את המן , He fed you the manna, that you did not know and your forefathers did not know about — and this teaches us a lesson: כי לא על הלחם לבדו יחיה האדם / man does not live on bread alone; כי על כל מוצא פי השם יחיה האדם /man lives on what emanates from the mouth of God. The Chida , in his sefer Avodat HaKodesh , section Kaf Achat , letter 6, writes that there is a mitzvat aseh to remember the manna every day — that God fed us the manna — and he quotes this pasuk . Many people, therefore, mention Parashat HaManna daily. This is actually in the Shulchan Aruch , first siman , 5th halacha , where it says tov lomar , it is good to say Parashat HaMan every single day. So, it's in the Shulchan Aruch, which says it's a good idea to remember the manna — not just the desert experience in general. People often focus on the segulah of saying Parashat HaMan on the third day of Parashat Beshalach , based on a certain, more recent, chasidic Rebbe, but in truth, the Shulchan Aruch and the Torah, is telling us to do this regularly. In the Sefer Yafeh LaLev , from the son of Rav Chaim Palagi, in the first siman of Shulchan Aruch , letter 24, he suggests that if one cannot recite it daily, he should at least recite it on Friday. The Bet Yosef explains the reason to say Parashat HaMan daily is kedei she'ya'amin /so that one should believe that, kol mezonotav /all his parnassah , comes b'hashgacha /through Hashem's Divine supervision. The Sefer Levush adds that this was exactly what happened with the manna — she'hishgiach Hashem yitbarach / Hashem supervised to give each person precisely one omer per family member . This showed clearly that Hashem knows exactly what goes on in your household. The Shulchan Aruch HaRav further notes that it says there, וימודו בעומר / they measured with the omer measuring bowl And ולא העדיף המרבה והממעיט לא החסיר /the one who gathered more had no extra, and the one who gathered less was not lacking. This demonstrates Hashem's exact hashgacha — you receive exactly what you are meant to receive, and no amount of extra hishtadlut will change it. Rabbenu Bachya , on Shemot 16:16, records a tradition from the sages: Kol ha'omer Parashat HaMan b'chol yom / whoever says Parashat HaMan daily, muvtach lo/ is guaranteed that he will never lack parnassah . This is not a magical formula; the segulah is in the emunah and bitachon that it instills. The Perisha on Orach Chaim Siman 1 quotes this from a Yerushalmi in Berachot , though it is absent from our version. Regardless, Rabbenu Bachya's words suffice to confirm its ancient tradition. *There is a halachic question about whether it should be said before or after prayers. Some rule that one should not request personal needs before tefillah , so it is customary to say it after Alenu L'shabe'ach , which is how it appears in many siddurim . If we wish to go further with segulot , the Sefer Shevet Mussar by Rav Eliyahu HaKohen of Izmir (chapter 40) says it is preferable to say it shnayim mikra ve'echad targum . And we can't let this topic pass without mentioning one of my favorite related stories- about Mr. David Mizrahi, a'h , who kept a glass jar with cotton balls in his office to remind himself of the manna . The prophet Yirmiyahu , when the Jewish people complained about parnassah and not being able to dedicate themselves to Torah, took the tzintzenet ha'man / the jar of manna from the Kodesh HaKodashim that was put there for safekeeping to show them what their forefathers lived on. Mr. Mizrahi keptt his jar as visual reminder to strengthen himself daily. Furthermore, in Ohr HaMeir ( Parashat Beha'alotecha ), it says the purpose is not some magical trick but l'orer libo b'kirbo b'bitachon — to awaken one's heart in reliance on Hashem, and lada'at u'lehavin — to know and understand — she'gam ata lo nifsak ha'man , that the manna has not ceased. Finally, in sefer Bet HaLevi (Artscroll edition, p. 15), he writes that regarding parnasa, mezonotav shel adam , all one's knowledge and hishtadlut lo yo'ilu me'umah — will not help at all to add more than what was decreed — just as with the manna , lo he'edir hamerbeh vehamamit lo hechsir /Whoever took more did not have extra and whoever took less was not lacking and The manna stands as an eternal sign that hishtadlut does not increase what is decreed. And of all this, according to the Chida , falls under the positive commandment mentioned in Parashat Ekev to remember the man na .

Welcome to Daily Bitachon . Today we're going to discuss an important pasuk in Parashat Ekev , which, according to many is a positive commandment, one of the 613. It says in Parashat Ekev , chapter 8, pasuk 2: וזכרת את כל הדרך /remember all the way, the path, אשר הולך השם אלוקיך /that Hashem your God has taken you, זה ארבעים שנה במדבר /these forty years in the desert." Rabbenu Yonah, in Shaare Teshuvah , Gate 3, letter 17, lists certain mitzvot aseh that are very high levels—called maalot . One of these is ma'alat zikaron chasadav , the quality of remembering Hashem's kindnesses . But it is not enough just to remember them— ve'hitbonen bahem —we must also contemplate them, as it says וזכרת את כל הדרך / remember all the way, The Sefer Charedim says that if we are commanded to remember what happened in the desert thousands of years ago, we can learn from this a kal vachomer : if I am required to remember what happened to my forefathers, then surely I must remember what happened to me personally . So we must remember: Not only Hashem's kindnesses to the Jewish people in the desert, but also, throughout history, how we survived all the exiles, the Inquisition, the Crusades, the Holocaust, and so on And finally, all the chassadim He has done for us personally. Chayav kol echad miYisrael lizkor chassadim she'gamal Hashem yitbarach /Eevery Jew is obligated to remember the kindnesses Hashem has bestowed upon him, from the moment he was created in his mother's womb. This should lead him to humility and teshuvah shelemah , as quoted in the name of his Rabbi the chassid Rabbi Yosef Saggis. Rav Yechezkel Levenstein adds that this is not only regarding physical matters, but also for the fact that we are religious Jews who know what we are supposed to do—that too is a kindness. Rav Yitzchak Blazer, a student of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter, writes in his Sefer Kochvei Or , Letter 9, that people sometimes feel, " Am I supposed to get excited that Hashem gives me a chocolate bar? That He gives me physical pleasures or wealth? That's like a little kid who likes the candy man in shul —that's not real love of Hashem. " But he says this is a mistake— lo ken ha'davar - It is Hashem's will that we should delve into and appreciate all His kindnesses, thank Him for them, and love Him for them . And he quotes this Rabbenu Yonah. Rabbenu Yonah further quotes the pasuk in which David HaMelech says, ויתבוננו חסדי ה׳ to contemplate Hashem's kindnesses. This is part of a long perek in Tehillim describing the four people who are obligated to say HaGomel . Sephardic communities recite it on Pesach . David HaMelech also says חסדך לנגד עיני /Your kindness is always before my eyes." Rav Yitzchak Blazer then shares an incredible chiddush : We are commanded to love Hashem with all our heart. The Gemara in Masechet Berachot , and the Mishnah there as well, explain this means with both of our inclinations—the yetzer tov and the yetzer hara . The yetzer tov is easy to understand- it loves Hashem through intellectual appreciation of His greatness—this is called ahavat ha'romemut /loving Hashem for who He is, by delving into His Torah and recognizing His greatness. But the yetzer hara also loves Hashem- through physical enjoyment. For example, I love ice cream, and Hashem gives me that ice cream, so I love Him for that. The more I appreciate that Hashem gave it to me—and that He wants me to enjoy it and thank Him for it—the more love I create for Him. This is a good, kosher love. The same is true with prayer. Hashem wants us to pray- not only for lofty spiritual needs but also for the small comforts: the chocolate bar, your shoes and socks, your soft pillow. And He wants us to pray for these things, not just thank Him after receiving them. This is also why we are not allowed to benefit from this world without a berachah . Even though worldly pleasures are, in themselves, nonsense, Hashem made them for us to enjoy—and He wants us to thank Him for them. He says, It is not enough just to rely on Hashem for these things. Bitachon is great, but He wants us to actively pray for them, think about them, and thank Him for them. That's why the system was set up this way—so that we would pray for rain, as Adam HaRishon did, and then appreciate it. And that is the meaning of the pasuk וזכרת את כל הדרך אשר הוליכך ה׳ אלוקיך זה ארבעים שנה —remember those forty years in the desert. It is a mitzvat aseh in our lives today to remember His kindnesses. So next time you sit down to enjoy something, know that the more you relish it and appreciate it, the greater the mitzvah . This is Rabbi Miller 101—but he didn't invent it, it's the good old tradition of yesteryear.

We continue with our message of nechama Every year Parashat Va'etchanan falls out during the same week as Shabbat Nachamu . The rabbis arranged it that way. But what's the connection? If anything, Va'etchanan would seem like a downer—Moshe Rabbeinu prays 515 prayers, and he isn't answered. What happened? One of the things Moshe asked for was evra na ve'ereh et ha'aretz hatovah —"Let me see the good land ." And in a way, that request was granted, as it says later in Devarim 34:4: זֹאת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב לֵאמֹר לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה רְאִיתִיהָ בְעֵינֶיךָ "This is the land… you saw it with your own eyes." So what is the meaning of this " seeing "? Why is it so important? The Sfat Emet says in this week's parasha that Moshe's act of seeing the land left something behind for future generations—even in galut . Through his gaze, Moshe Rabbeinu made something happen. What was that? We say that when one prays, they are supposed to focus on the Bet Kodesh HaKodashim /Holy of Holies . As the pasuk says, derech artzam , prayers pass through the land . Jews around the world face east, and in Israel, they face the Kotel , and so on. The essence of prayer lies in our kavanah /intention—in our mind's eye. It's not tangible. And, says the Sfat Emet , zeh pa'al Moshe Rabbeinu b'tfilato —this is what Moshe accomplished with his prayer: that Eretz Yisrael would forever be the place through which we pray. Furthermore, Rav Wolbe said in the name of Rav Chaim Kreiswirth—his brother-in-law and the chief rabbi of Antwerp—that the midrash says, avirah d'Eretz Yisrael machkim /the air of Eretz Yisrael makes one wise." (For an aside that also brings nechama : Why wasn't Moshe Rabbenu allowed to enter the land? Because if Moshe had entered, he would have built the Bet HaMikdash . And whatever Moshe Rabbenu touches lasts forever. Moshe Rabbenu, one of the seven ro'im /shepherds), is associated with the attribute of netzach /eternity . Had he built the Bet HaMikdash , it would have stood forever, unable to be destroyed. Then, when God's anger would be aroused, it wouldn't be poured out on stone and wood—it would have had to be directed at the people themselves. Therefore, Moshe Rabbenu could not be the one to enter. He built the Mishkan , amd it says the Mishkan was hidden—not destroyed—because it endures forever. But Moshe Rabbenu did touch something in the land. He touched the avir /the air —by looking at it. And through that, he elevated it. That's why to this day, avirah d'Eretz Yisrael machkim /the air of the land of Israel makes one wise. So the message is this: although Moshe Rabbenu's prayer seemed unanswered, it had tremendous impact. It changed reality. His prayer was so powerful that every prayer we pray today is connected to his. All the wisdom that flows from Eretz Yisrael flows from his gaze and his plea. There is added nechama in Moshe's story: Sometimes we feel like our prayers go unanswered, that something is wrong with us, that God is distant etc. We wonder, " Has He abandoned me?" Well, who was greater than Moshe Rabbenu? And yet, Hashem did not answer his prayer— for a reason . So don't get discouraged if we've gone through another Tisha B'Av , another year without the Bet HaMikdash . The sages say that every year that it's not rebuilt, it is as if it was destroyed in that year. That's the feeling of Tisha B'Av . But don't lose hope. Don't lose faith. Take nechama . Shift your perspective. Have a new outlook and understand that the prayers of Moshe Rabbenu, the greatest of men, went unanswered but became the foundation for our prayer. He stayed behind—for a great reason- to save the Jewish people. So even the "unanswered" prayer was answered. Let's give ourselves that hizzuk

Welcome to Daily Bitachon. We are now in the zone of nechama —the time of comfort . As we know, this week's Shabbat is called Shabbat Nachamu , based on the Haftarah , which opens with the words נחמו נחמו עמי / Be comforted, be comforted My nation, יאמר אלקיכם —so your God will say. The Pri Tzadik in this week's parashah is bothered: it shouldn't say יאמר /He will say—but rather אמר /God said. He explains that it's for future generations; whenever we read this Haftarah , God Himself is talking to us and giving us words of comfort. This is not just the first Haftarah , but for the next seven weeks. There are seven weeks of comfort. His words are, מתחדש הנחמה מפי השם ממש —the words of comfort literally come out of God's mouth and are renewed every year— ונכנס ללב —and enter the heart. That's how we get ready for the High Holiday season. It's worthwhile to refresh our memory—what does the word nechama , which we loosely translate as comfort , really mean? We go back to the first time the word nechama shows up in the Torah , where it says וינחם השם כי עשה את האדם בארץ . Simply speaking, Hashem comforted Himself that He made man on earth. ויתעצב אל לבו —and He was u pset. So now, if He's upset, why is He comforting Himself? Rashi says וינחם means נהפכה מחשבתו של מקום —God's thought changed. He changed from the trait of mercy to the trait of justice . Rashi continues and says: וכן כל לשון ניחום שבמקרא — wherever it says the word nichum in the Torah , it means to have a change of mind, as it says: ובן אדם ויתנחם/ Is God like a human being that changes His mind? על עבדיו יתנחם —on His servants He will change His mind. וינחם השם על הרעה —God changes His mind from the bad, and so on . כולם , says Rashi , all of them, לשון מחשבה אחרת —it means a different way of looking at things. So nachamu means not comfort , but: start looking at things differently. Have a different angle on things. Yes, we suffered. Yes, it's difficult. But there's a new perspective to be given. This reminds us of the famous story at the end of Masechet Makkot , where the group of Tannaim were going to Yerushalayim . They reached Mount Scopus, and they tore their clothing. When they reached the Temple Mount, they saw a fox running out from the Kodesh HaKodashim —the Holy of Holies. The rabbis started to cry, and Rabbi Akiva started to laugh. They said to him, "Why are you laughing?" He said, "Why are you crying?" And they replied, " This is a place where it says a non- kohen that enters should die, and now foxes are running there—and we shouldn't cry?" He said, " That's why I'm laughing. Because there are two pesukim . One says there will be negativity, and the good will only come when that negativity is fulfilled. And now that I see the negativity being fulfilled, I know that the positive prophecies will come true." And they said to him, Akiva nichamtanu, Akiva nichamtanu — Rabbi Akiva , you comforted us. Which means: Rabbi Akiva , you gave us a new angle, a new way of looking at things. And that's what our job is for these next weeks. We have three weeks of negative Haftarot , and seven weeks of positive Haftarot . That means Hashem wants us to focus on the flip side— not on the negative. In one of the upcoming Haftarot , Yeshayahu 49:14 , it says: ותאמר ציון עזבני השם — Tzion says: God has forsaken me. ואדני שכחני —and God forgot me. And God says: " You know what? You're doing the same thing Adam HaRishon did. I made a wife to help him, and he complained. Yaakov Avinu —I'm making his son into the king, the viceroy—and he's complaining. And Tzion , you're doing the same thing. I'm busy now getting rid of the other nations of the world. I already got rid of Bavel , I got rid of Madai , I got rid of Yavan —and now I want to get rid of the final wicked kingdom. And you're complaining and you're saying עזבני ?" So we have to look at things in a different light. And that's what we'll be doing, b'ezrat Hashem , this week until this Shabbat—which is Tu B'Av —and then b'ezrat Hashem , after that, we will start a new series to be announced next week.

Welcome to Daily Bitachon. We are now in the pesukim of Eichah , where Yirmiyah gives us words of chizuk (3,27) יֵשֵׁב בָּדָד וְיִדֹּם כִּי נָטַל עָלָיו Let one sit in solitude and be submissive, for He has laid it upon him. " What does this mean? Rashi says we're referring to someone who is going through a difficult challenge and finds himself completely alone — יֵשֵׁב בָּדָד. That's his situation. The difficulty is the loneliness. What do we tell him to do? וְיִדֹּם / wait, wait, wait… and hope for the future. Why? Because Hashem has placed this upon him. This is not happenstance. The comfort offered here is that this isn't something random, it is by Hashem's will. That's how Rashi explains it. In this context, the word וְיִדֹּם means " to wait ." He even brings a source in Shmuel, where the word יִּדֹּם means " to wait." But the Sefer Lechem Dim'ah offers a different explanation: יִּדֹּם means " to be silent." When someone is in a challenging situation, Yeshev Badad , he should remain silent. Like Aharon HaKohen, when, bar minan, he lost his 2 sons , it says , Vayidom Aharon/ And Aharon was silent. He didn't ask questions. And the Midrash says that Aharon was rewarded for his silence. That's how Lechem Dim'ah explains כִּי נָטַל עָלָ י- by quietly and silently accepting the suffering, the individual merits tremendous reward. The reward of accepting Hashem's will, even without understanding, through silence, כִּי נָטַל עָלָיו /he will be greatly rewarded. Another explanation from the Lechem Dim'ah , quoted in the past few days from Shmuel DeUzidah, citing his teacher — either the Arizal or Rav Chaim Vital — sees it differently. He says Yeshev Badad is not the challenge. The challenge is not that the man is sitting alone because he's suffering. Rather, it's the solution, the advice for how to deal with the challenge: יֵשֵׁב בָּדָד sit alone The word בָּדָד is related to hitbodedut / to contemplate , to think, to be in solitude. When a person is alone, the mind is free to think. And when he thinks, he can begin to process what's happening. So that's the advice: sit alone, and reflect. You can almost use the word " meditate ." Think deeply about your situation and how to respond. Rav Yonatan Eybeschutz offers one more explanation — a totally different one: Yoshev Badad is not referring to someone suffering. It's not advice for coping with challenges. It's words of comfort from the Torah, a vision of peace. It's connected to the Torah's words וַיִּשְׁכֹּן יִשְׂרָאֵל בֶּטַח בָּדָד עֵין יַעֲקֹב — "The Jewish people will dwell in safety, alone — like in the times of Yaakov Avinu." Alone, but protected. Not fearing the nations, not fearing wild animals. This is what will happen in the future. So Yeshev Badad is a promise: Don't worry about the past. The time is coming when Hakadosh Baruch Hu will take care of us וַיִּשְׁכֹּן יִשְׂרָאֵל בֶּטַח בָּדָד . Vayidom, wait, its coming., don't despair. נָטַל עָלָיו /and don't worry. We've already carried so much suffering, we've taken more than our share . So wait for that bright future of יֵשֵׁב בָּדָד . Also, in Ha'azinu , it says: ּ / Hashem will lead them alone ה' בָּדָד יַנְחֶנּו In this world, we were separated, mocked, and unaccepted by the nations. But in the future, because of that, we will be set apart —and no other nation will share in the reward that is coming to Am Yisrael. So this is a positive יֵשֵׁב בָּדָד. We will end with a Kabbalistic note, based on this understanding of Badad/being alone — and the verse ה' בָּדָד יַנְחֶנּוּ. We turn to the Ben Ish Chai, in his hakdamah to Parashat Ha'azinu, where he shares something deep: He explains that there are two names of Hashem: שַׁדַּי אֲדֹנָי When Adam HaRishon sinned, the verse uses the words: /The snake seduced me הַנָּחָשׁ הִשִּׁיאַנִי The word הִשִּׁיאַנִי /he'shiani/ seduced contains the words שַׁי and אֲנִי . What does that mean? The שַׁי left from the name שַׁדַּי is — only the ש and the י remain. The name אֲדֹנָי is left with just אֲנִי — the daled is gone from both names, and our Rabbis say that when you rearrange הִשִּׁיאַנִי , it can be read as יֵשׁ and אֲנִי — it's about " I " and what " I have." It becomes self-centered: I exist, I have — no mention of God. The snake made us focus on ourselves, not on Hashem. That's what knocked out the two daleds , and that's what has led to all our suffering. So how do we fix it? The Ben Ish Chai brings the verse: לִשְׁקֹד עַל דַּלְתוֹתַי יוֹם יוֹם "To to hasten to My doors every day." This simply means to rush to the Bet Midrash . The full pasuk in Mishlei 8:34 says: אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם שֹׁמֵעַ לִי, לִשְׁקֹד עַל דַּלְתוֹתַי יוֹם יוֹם, לִשְׁמֹר מְזוּזוֹת פְּתָחָי " Praiseworthy is the one who listens to Me, who rushes to My doors every day, guarding the doorposts of My entranceways." so this man is in shul every day. But the Ben Ish Chai reads this differently: לִשְׁקֹד עַל דַּלְתוֹתַי to constantly restore the daleds. He is consistently working to bring the daleds back. So it won't just be the name of יֵשׁ and אֲנִי . But rather, restoring Hashem's full names. Yesh Badad- the time will come when the two daleds will return to us . וְיִדֹּם — wait and hope for that day כִּי נָטַל עָלָיו — because we've suffered deeply since that first sin, and we are ready for that future, when Hashem will lead us alone / ה' בָּדָד יַנְחֶנּוּ

Welcome to our Daily B itachon . We're in chapter three of Eichah with words of chizuk from Yirmiyah HaNavi, and we are up to pasuk כ"ז: "טוֹב לַגֶּבֶר כִּי יִשָּׂא עוֹל בִּנְעוּרָיו" It is good for a man when he carries a yoke when he is still young. What exactly does that mean? On a simple level, it means start carrying the yoke when you're younger. What yoke are we referring to? The sefer Lechem Dim'ah , which we quoted yesterday from Rabbi Yuzida, says in the name of his teacher—whom we said is either the Arizal or Rabbi Chaim Vital—that yemei ne'urim : the days of our youth, refer to this world , because this is the earlier stage of our life period, the first 120 years. But we're going to live for 120,000 years . So yemei ziknah , the days of old age, refer to Olam HaBa , because they come toward the end. And therefore, it says it's good for a person to carry the yoke. What yoke? The yoke we've been talking about in the past few pesukim , and these are words of chizuk : the yoke of yissurim —the yoke of suffering , the yoke of life's challenges. So the words of chizuk that the Navi tells us is: You're still young. You have a whole life to live. What do you mean, a whole life? I'm 120 years old—is that young? Yes—you have a whole life to live. And it's good to go through this difficult training when you're young, so that way, you'll have a much better meal when you're older. You'll enjoy your old age. Enjoy your golden years. You say, " My golden years?" Yes— your golden years. The golden years start after 120 . So that's what it means: "טוֹב לַגֶּבֶר כִּי יִשָּׂא עוֹל בִּנְעוּרָיו" It is good for a man when he carries a yoke when he is still young. The sefer Kin'at Setarim , from another great rabbi of yesteryear, says: what does it mean, tov la'gever ki yisa ol b'ne'urav ? He reads it as: it's good for a person to carry the yoke of yissurim because of what he did when he was younger . That means, right now, you're in a good place. But the rule is: "אֵין צַדִּיק בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה טוֹב וְלֹא יֶחֱטָא" " There is no righteous person on earth who does good and does not sin." You might be on a good track now, but let's go back to when you were 20, 30 and 40. We don't like to remember the things we did when we were younger. And therefore: " טוֹב לַגֶּבֶר כִּי יִשָּׂא עוֹל" It's good to carry the yoke, to cleanse yourself for what you did in your youth. Again, the theme is to give chizuk to the person who's suffering now. The Chatam Sofer explains, similar to our first explanation, why does David HaMelech say (118:21) " אוֹדְךָ כִּי עֲנִיתָנִי" "I praise You for afflicting me." "וַתְּהִי לִי לִישׁוּעָה" "And You were to me for salvation ." He explains , I thank You right away when You pain me, because I know in the end, it's going to be salvation. What's the salvation? Our pasuk : It's good to carry the yoke when you're young—in this world—in order to have a happy ending in the next world. One last point on this pasuk from the Yedei Moshe of Rabbi Moshe Almosnino: We've been talking about savlanut / patience , and of yissurim , to tolerate the difficulties and challenges of life. And we said that's a great level—to be able to patiently wait and tolerate the difficulties, and hope for Hashem's yeshuah . But how do you get there? How are you able to have that trait of tolerating and waiting? He says that it starts from when you're young : "טוֹב לַגֶּבֶר כִּי יִשָּׂא עוֹל בִּנְעוּרָיו" You have to start training yourself when you're younger. If a person gets used to always having all his problems taken care of, and instant gratification, and he is never able to tolerate an uncomfortable situation, then he's not going to be able to later in life. It's almost as if he's giving us chinuch advice , to train ourselves, and train our children when they're younger, to tolerate. Tolerate might mean tolerating a little bit of cold. Tolerate a little heat. We want everything to always be just right and just perfect. But that's not good for man. Man needs to build up his resistance , and be able to tolerate uncomfortable situations. That's why we don't love the " helicopter mom ," or the " snowplow mom "— one that hovers above or smooths the road out for her children and doesn't allow them to suffer and tolerate inconveniences. Because in life, Mom is not always going to be there to plow the road for him . Wonderful lessons from this wonderful pasuk : "טוֹב לַגֶּבֶר כִּי יִשָּׂא עוֹל בִּנְעוּרָיו" Either: It's good for you to carry the yoke when you're young in this world , in order to have a good ending in the next world, or It's good to carry the difficulties now to forgive the sins of the youth, or Lastly: start your training and tolerating when you're young.

Welcome to Daily Bitachon . We are now in the pesukim of Eicha that bring us chizuk and we are in perek ג , pasuk כה טוֹב ה' לְקוֹוָיו לְנֶפֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶׁנּוּ Hashem is good to those who trust in Him, to the soul that seeks Him." All the commentaries are bothered by the same question. The pasuk starts off in the plural טוֹב ה' לְקוֹוָיו/ Hashem is good to those who trust in Him — but ends off in the singular לְנֶפֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶׁנּוּ/ to the soul that seeks Him. Why the contrast? The Chida , in his sefer Nachal Eshkol on Eicha , cites a similar question found in a pasuk in Shemot , Parashat Mishpatim 23:25, which says, " וַעֲבַד ְתֶּם אֵת ה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶם, וּבֵרַךְ אֶת לַחְמ ְךָ וְאֶת מֵימֶ יךָ " "Serve Hashem your God, and He will bless your bread and your water." Here again, we see a similar pattern. וַעֲבַדְתֶּם is plural but לַחְמְךָ וּמֵימֶיךָ/ your bread and your water is singular. (This contrast is unique to Hebrew, where " your " can appear in both plural and singular forms) And the question here too is, why the change? The Chida answers that when it comes to the service of Hashem (as in the pasuk in Mishpatim ), everyone goes to shul and everyone prays. So the pasuk begins in plural וַעֲבַדְתֶּם But among those are all kinds of people. Some pray with deep kavanah , others may pray with less kavanah — going through the motions without as much heart. So, yes, the community shows up — hence the plural. But because each person's prayer is unique, so too is their reward. That's why the verse shifts to the singular when discussing the blessing of bread and water- because each individual's reward is tailored to their personal service. Similarly, in our pasuk in Eicha regarding bitachon : טוֹב ה' לְקוֹוָיו" Of course, Hashem is good to all who hope in Him. Many people hope to Him, but " לְנֶפֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶׁנּוּ To the individual person as he has searched out This is a critical word: תִּדְרְשֶׁנּוּ . It appears often during the High Holiday season, especially the Aseret Yemei Teshuvah , as it says, דִּרְשׁוּ ה' בְּהִמָּצְאוֹ Search for Hashem when He can be found Am I really searching for Hashem ? Am I truly looking for Him? (The word תִּדְרְשֶׁנּוּ is connected to the idea of a derashah like mi drash im or a drash , and to be doresh means to delve deeply, to search in depth) Hashem is good to the masses, yes. But when it comes to God's reward, each individual's bitachon is evaluated on its own. It's not a one-size-fits-all system where simply being a Baal bitachon automatically earns you a reward. You're not entered in a " bitachon club" that grants access to a special reward room. No. There is a a general goodness for those who hope טוֹב ה' לְקוֹוָיו But לְנֶפֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶׁנּ וּ , the specific measure is based on the personal searching , and the depth of one's bitachon . With this, we can understand the juxtaposition of pesukim in Yirmiyah (who is also the author of Eicha). In perek 17 of Yirmiyah , which happens to be the Haftarah for Parashat Bechukotai , it says: "בָּרוּךְ הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר יִבְטַח בַּה', וְהָיָה ה' מִבְטַחוֹ" " Blessed is the man who trusts in Hashem, and Hashem will be his security." Right after speaking about bitachon , it says: "עָקֹב הַלֵּב מִכֹּל, וְאָנֻשׁ הוּא — מִי יֵדָעֶנּוּ?" " The heart is more deceitful than anything, and it's fragile — who can know it?" " אֲנִי ה' חוֹקֵר לֵב, בֹּחֵן כְּלָיוֹת, וְלָתֵת לְאִישׁ כִּדְרָכָיו, כְּפִרְי מַעַלְלָיו" "I, Hashem, probe the heart, examine the innermost thoughts, and give to each person according to their ways, according to the fruit of their deeds." Mar"i Kra ( one of the rishonim) explains: What are these " deeds " for which we are rewarded? It is the level of bitachon . Hashem says, The heart is fragile. Only I truly know what a person's bitachon is. So yes, טוֹב ה' לְקוֹוָיו / Hashem is good to all who hope in Him, in general. But the deeper levels of the human heart, only Hashem knows. And the reward for bitachon matches the depth of that bitachon , the נֶפֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶׁנּוּ.

Welcome to daily Bitachon. We continue with our lessons of Chizuk from Eicha , 3,25-26 טוֹב יְהוָה לְקוָוֹ לְנֶפֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶׁנּוּ: Hashem is good to those who hope to Him. To the soul that seeks Him. (כו) טוֹב וְיָחִיל וְדוּמָם לִתְשׁוּעַת יְהוָה: It is good to hope silently for Hashem's salvation. The Sefer Yedei Moshe brings out a beautiful point. He says that after the Navi spoke about all of the hope and hizuk of previous pesukim, as we said, Yet this I bear in mind, therefore I still hope. Hashem's kindness surely has not ended, nor has his mercy exhausted. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness. Hashem is my portion, says my soul. Therefore, I have hope in him. After all of that, there's a little caveat. And that is, Tov Hashem lekovav./He's good to those that hope to Him, Which means that although Hashem is full of goodness, it comes to the one who hopes to him, to the soul that searches for Him. Like it says in Tehilim 33,18 הִנֵּ֤ה עֵ֣ין יְ֭הֹוָה אֶל־יְרֵאָ֑יו לַֽמְיַחֲלִ֥ים לְחַסְדּֽוֹ׃ / Behold the eye of Hashem is on those who fear Him. Upon those who await His kindness. We need this trait of Yechul This is the term that Yirmiyah keeps on using. זֹ֛את אָשִׁ֥יב אֶל־לִבִּ֖י עַל־כֵּ֥ן אוֹחִֽיל ׃ חֶלְקִ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ אָמְרָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֔י עַל־כֵּ֖ן אוֹחִ֥יל לֽוֹ׃ So of course Hashem supervises everybody, but His goodness and His bounty comes to one that prepares himself for that goodness by hoping towards Him. And there's another bit of a condition here. The pasuk says ט֤וֹב וְיָחִיל֙ וְדוּמָ֔ם לִתְשׁוּעַ֖ת יְהֹוָֽה׃ Tov V'Yachil V'Dumam . Dumam like domem , as in Vayidom Aharon, means the one that sits silently. This term, Aharon was silent, came after a great tragedy struck, with the passing of his two children bar minan. This means that a person that hopes to Hashem's goodness is also capable of being Sovel yissurim M'Ahava/ tolerating his suffering with love. Because if you're someone that only hopes for the good, and when the bad comes, you kick and you curse, heaven forbid, that is not a person who is on this level of hoping for Hashem's goodness. We need, the dumam , which he says means to be quiet , and not get angry or scream when something Chas ve Shalom goes wrong. This trait of savlanut , to be able to tolerate and carry a load, is necessary, he says, to tolerate a difficult challenge. And adds that a savalan is an Anav , which includes all great traits. Moshe Rabbenu was called Anav mikol adam. And when the term Anav is used, Rashi says it means he's a savalan . When was Moshe called an Anav ? When he was being accused by his brother and sister of not acting properly. He tolerated the insult, so to say. He was a Savlan . And as we said, the Savlan is a humble person. That means understanding that I don't always understand. People often use the term I humbly disagree . Well, when it comes to us and God, we don't humbly disagree . We humbly agree that we have to humble ourselves and agree to how God is dealing with us. So of course, we all hope for the good. But while going through a challenging time, how are we acting? A necessary component, he says, of the hoping for the good is to be a savlan , which means being patient . Savlan means to tolerate and Savlanut means patience . We have to be patient and wait for Hashem's salvation. It's coming. One of the challenges that people have when it comes to bitachon is that we live in an instant gratification society. I want instant answers from God. I don't want to wait. Give it to me now . But no, sorry. Waiting is part of the process. Patience is part of the process. And that's the added condition that the Navi is telling us with these two Pesukim . All the goodness is Le Kovav . But what is the Kovav ? The dumam , the trait of being silent . And sometimes we just have to suffer silently, bar minan, but realizing that with the hope, we will pull out of us. That's the prophet Yirmiyah's message for our Galut in general and for every individual's challenges.

Welcome to Daily Bitachon . We continue with pesukim of chizuk that are given in Megillat Eicha . We're now in Perek ג , Pasuk 24 : חֶלְקִי ה׳ אָמְרָה נַפְשִׁי, עַל־כֵּן אוֹחִיל לוֹ . Hashem is my portion says my soul, therefore I hope in Him. The Sefer Yedei Moshe points out something interesting. In the original words of Yirmiyahu when he speaks of hope, he says: זֹא ת אָשִׁיב אֶל־לִבִּי, עַל־כֵּן אוֹחִיל "Yet this I bear in mind, therefore I still hope." But in our current pasuk it says: עַל־כֵּן אוֹחִיל לוֹ *"Therefore, I hope * to Him." Why the difference? Why does the first phrase say simply "I hope," and the second say, "I hope in Him "? The Yedei Moshe , if you remember, pointed out that the term ochil means not only " I hope for the future, " but also "I hope for a future that actually turns around the past." We gave the mashal of a man whose building was destroyed by a missile, and then the government came and rebuilt it—even better than before. In the original hope mentioned earlier— חַסְדֵי ה׳ כִּי לֹא תָמְנוּ —the Yedei Moshe explains that Yirmiyah was referring to physical hope : hope in the face of physical difficulties and challenges that can be reversed and transformed. But now, in this pasuk , we're talking about spiritual challenges . No matter the negativity that occurred in the past, I can now reconnect to Hashem in a way that restores me—not only to where I was, but to something even greater . That's why this time it says: עַל־כֵּן אוֹחִיל לוֹ " Therefore, I hope in Him ." This expresses my hope that I can reconstruct the relationship I once had with Hashem—only deeper, more complete. And why is that? Because: חֶלְקִי ה ׳ / My portion is Hashem What does that mean? It means my neshama is a chelek Eloka mi-ma'al —a piece of Hashem above. I am inherently connected to Hashem. And because of that deep connection, it's always possible—and even natural—to return. Although it may be hard to imagine how a destroyed home, building, or life can be rebuilt—when it comes to spiritual failure , that spiritual lapse can indeed be reconstructed and rejuvenated . There's a lot of depth to this piece. The sefarim HaKadoshim tell us—particularly the Nefesh HaChaim in his first section—that the neshama has many parts. Some parts are within the body, and others are above us. We have five levels of the soul: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, and Yechidah. Nefesh – the nefesh habehemit , the animal soul, the instinctual side of us—fight or flight, physical drives. Ruach – located in the heart, representing emotion. Neshama – in the brain, representing intellect. Chaya – soul that's above us, a that constantly feeds us inspiration from beyond. Yechidah – the highest part of the soul, rooted directly in Hashem. At that highest level, there is only One . Yechidah , from the word yachid —one, indivisible. Of course, Hashem is always One, but at that level, we recognize it clearly. There's no illusion, no separation. We're plugged in to absolute truth. And that's the source of all teshuvah —rejuvenation flows from this untouched, pristine connection that is never severed. Rav Wolbe explains that our five tefillot of Yom Kippur correspond to these five levels of the soul: Maariv Shacharit Mussaf Minchah And finally: Ne'ilah At Ne'ilah , we reach that final level— חֶלְקִי ה׳ אָמְרָה נַפְשִׁי /I realize my soul is rooted in HaKadosh Baruch Hu . That's the moment when true teshuvah happens. A place where sin cannot touch. A place where spiritual renewal is not only possible—but inevitable. And that is the deep hope that Yirmiyah speaks of in our pasuk —not just a hope for physical renewal , but a hope for spiritual return . The first time: זֹאת אָשִׁיב אֶל־לִבִּי עַל־כֵּן אוֹחִיל This I bear in mind—therefore I hope. The second time: חֶלְקִי ה׳ אָמְרָה נַפְשִׁי עַל־כֵּן אוֹחִיל לוֹ Hashem is my portion, says my soul—therefore I hope in Him . And the Yedei Moshe ends this beautiful idea by saying: והוא דקדוק נכון – This is a precise and meaningful nuance (between these two pesukim).

Welcome to Daily Bitachon . We're continuing in the pesukim of chizuk from Eicha, chapter 3. We're now up to the pasuk that says: חדשים לבקרים רבה אמונתך / They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. This is the source for the Modeh Ani prayer we say each morning, which ends with the words Rabbah Emunatecha /Great is Your faithfulness. Every morning we get up and we're refreshed. We are, as the pasuk says, chadashim labekarim /new every morning . That's why, when we say Modeh Ani lefanecha , we end with the words Rabbah Emunatecha / Your faithfulness is great, that You gave me back my soul in the morning. But what does this have to do with our story of hope after despair, which has been the theme of the pesukim we've been studying? The sefer Yedei Moshe shares two very beautiful thoughts. The first one is that, Yes, Hashem has tremendous kindness and mercy — that's what we saw in the last pasuk . But there's a problem: A person must prepare himself to receive Hashem's chesed . Hashem has endless ability to give, but what's the value of hope in His kindness if I'm not a kli /a vessel , able to receive it? The Yedei Moshe answers: My emunah in Hashem's kindness is so great that I believe He will also give me what I need to become that vessel! He'll create the vessel if it doesn't already exist. It's like an overly generous person who not only pours you a glass of wine, but also gives you the glass itself. That's what Hashem does. And that's the meaning of: חדשים לבקרים רבה אמונתך Hashem, we understand that You create chadashim labekarim/ something new every single morning, and that's why I hope in You: Because I know that not only will You give me what I need, You'll create the very capacity within me to receive it. That means I myself am the receptacle. I need to become someone who can receive goodness. Rav Wolbe used to say: Everything — even spiritual matters — needs a utensil Just like physical things need utensils, spiritual things do too. Even when you're growing in ruchniyut / spiritual matters , you need the right vessel to hold it. One example of such a utensil is hakarat hatov /gratitude. When someone recognizes Hashem's goodness, that very awareness becomes a vessel to receive even more goodness. The Sefer HaChinuch speaks about this often. That's why, in parashat Ki Tavo , Hashem commands us to bring bikkurim , in order to demonstrate gratitude, so that He can give us more. According to this idea, if Hashem wants to give someone a blessing, but that person doesn't yet have the vessel of gratitude, Hashem might first send them to a class in hakarat hatov — to shape them into someone who is gracious. Hashem has no limit in how He prepares us to receive His goodness. That's one point of the pasuk . Another idea the Yedei Moshe shares is that when a human being does kindness, it's something above his essence. He is who he is, and he chooses to act with kindness. The same is true for the recipient — he exists whether or not he receives that act of kindness. So, the kindness is not essential to the giver or the recipient. But HaKadosh Baruch Hu is different. He performs constant chesed . What's His constant chesed ? Every single second, Hashem renews creation. Every second, He renews us . Every morning, we are renewed. It's a daily techiyat hameitim . If Hashem weren't constantly renewing us, we wouldn't exist. Hashem's kindness to us isn't extra; it's essential. It's not an appendage — it's the very essence of our relationship with God. We don't exist without Hashem's continuous chesed . And how do I know that Hashem's kindness never ends? Simple: I'm breathing. I got up this morning.That's the greatest proof. That is why, right after the Navi says "Hashem's kindness never ends" he follows it with the evidence: I woke up today. I said Modeh Ani this morning. That renewal, that chadashim labekarim , is the proof. According to this explanation, rabbah emunatecha means Our faith in You is great. Most interpret rabbah emunatecha as "God's faithfulness is great . But Yedei Moshe suggests it can also mean: Our ability to rely on You is great. Why? Because we have daily proof . Every single day, Hashem demonstrates His kindness. Waking up in the morning is the proof. It's like the famous question: "What have You done for me lately?" Well, what didn't Hashem do for you lately?Are you breathing? Did you wake up this morning? That's the chizuk that the prophet Yirmiyahah gives us in Eicha. You woke up this morning? That's the proof of: חסדי ה׳ כי לא תמנו / The kindness of Hashem never ends.

Welcome to Daily Bitachon . We are now in pesukim from Eicha that give us chizuk . In Perek 3, pasuk 22 it says, / חסדי ה׳ כי לא תמנו Hashem's kindness surely has not ended Nor are His mercies exhausted / כי לא כלו רחמיו This is the simple English translation. Now let's look at Rashi : חסדי ה׳ כי לא תמנ ו simply means, as we just said, that Hashem's kindness has not ended. But Rashi gives another explanation : חסדי ה׳ כי לא תמנו — you know what the kindness of Hashem is ? כי לא תמנו /that we have not perished. We are still here today . That's the chesed — that despite all our sins, Chasdei Hashem says: we're here. We are still surviving. The sefer Yedei Moshe looks back to the words just before Chasdei Hashem . We didn't mention it earlier, but Eicha is written according to the Alef - Bet . Chasdei Hashem ki lo tamnu is in the ח Chet verse. Before that, in zayin , it says: זכור תזכור ותשוח עלי נפשי / My soul remembers well and sinks within me The Yedei Moshe explains that this means he is in a state of despair / ye'ush . He has hit rock bottom. And then he turns around and says: זאת אשיב אל לבי/ This I bear in mind, על כן אוחיל / Therefore, I still have hope So here we are, listening to a Navi expressing on his behalf and on behalf of Klal Yisrael : " We're in a state of despair. What do I do at that point? What do I place upon my heart?" Yesterday, we explained the deeper meaning of zot ashiv el libi . Today, we'll go with the simple meaning: זאת אשיב אל לבי / You know what I'm going to set on my heart to pull me out of despair ?" חסדי ה׳ כי לא תמנו / The kindness of Hashem never ends This means even though I may have no hope, Hashem's chesed might suddenly come upon me in a wondrous way. And He will once again have mercy on me and pull me out of my problem . So what's the answer to despair? Hope for Hashem's kindness. Why? Because this kindness never ends. Why does it never end? כי לא כלו רחמיו / Because Hashem's mercy never ends And when He sees that we've reached such a low point that we have despaired — that's when His mercy kicks in. And from that mercy, the chesed begins again. That's when we remember: Have I hit rock bottom? Am I at my lowest point? Yes — but that's exactly when Hashem's mercy must respond. The Yedei Moshe adds another point. He explains the words of the pasuk : זאת אשיב אל לבי על כן אוחיל / This I bear in mind, therefore I still have hope And he explains: the word אוחיל ochil doesn't only mean "hope for the future." Ochil also means, in his words: tikkun hara'ot ve'hatzarot — that Hashem will fix all the difficulties and challenges. Hashem will bring upon us so much good in place of all those challenges, that everything will be fully repaired and we'll be completely comforted. That's what al ken ochil means: I hope for a complete reversal. I recently heard a story from Israel that illustrates this. A man had already been in contract to sell his apartment building when that the same building was struck by a missile. Baruch Hashem. The seller is happy but the buyer wanted to renege. And then — lo and behold — the government announced that the damage to that building was so severe, that they would rebuild it. Suddenly, this will be a brand-new apartment. Now the seller wants to renege, and the buyer is thrilled. So yes — a tzarah can come upon someone, a real physical tzarah , and the good that comes afterward replaces it with a tikkun and tremendous comfort and it might end up even better than it was before. That's what the Yedei Moshe says the Navi is thinking: Hashem's kindness and mercy are so never-ending — they'll carry me through and turn it all around. And this pasuk is extremely important because every day in Modim we say: הטוב כי לא כלו רחמיך God is good and His mercy never ends המרחם כי לא תמו חסד The Merciful One, because His kindness never ceases The Avudraham , whom we've quoted many times, finds the source for many of our tefillot in pesukim . After all, our tefillot are Torah she'be'al peh , and our pesukim are Torah she'bichtav . The source for this line that we say every single day in Modim is this very pasuk in Eichah : הטוב כי לא כלו רחמיך , המרחם כי לא תמו חסדיך . Chasdei Hashem ki lo tamnu chasdecha, ki lo calu rachamav — The words match up exactly. Hashem's kindness doesn't stop, and His mercy doesn't stop. That's our pasuk . And it beautifully ends with: כי לעולם קווינו לך / For we have hoped to You forever That's the secret of hope in our Modim . The secret of our hope is Hashem's kindness and mercy. Unbelievable — this pasuk of hope in Eicha is inserted right into our daily prayers! Wonder of wonders. As I said, these are the treasures we find when we explore the pesukim .

Welcome to Daily Bitachon . As many of our listeners know, I like delving into pesukim to see the beauty in them. They are full of treasures if you look into them. So, for the next two weeks, we're going to focus on some pesukim in Eicha . Eicha is, of course, a book of lamentations, but there are words of chizuk in chapter 3. We'll start with where it turns around: The prophet Yirmiyahu says זֹאת אָשִׁיב אֶל לִבִּי עַל כֵּן אוֹחִיל /This I bear in mind, therefore I will still hope. " The next pasuk says, חַסְדֵי ה׳ כִּי לֹא תָמְנוּ /Hashem's kindness surely has not ended; כִּי לֹא כָלוּ רַחֲמָיו , nor are His mercies exhausted. Simply speaking, what does the prophet bear in hope? זֹאת אָשִׁיב אֶל לִבִּ . What the next pasuk says: chasdei Hashem ki lo tamnu . And that's how Rashi explains it. So the pasuk , זֹאת אָשִׁיב אֶל לִבִּ is really just an introduction. What am I going to bear in mind that will give me hope? Chasdei Hashem —the kindness of Hashem. The Chida , in his sefer Nachal Eshkol on Eicha , quotes the Zohar , and we'll see in a moment that we don't even need a Zohar ; we can go to the simple Midrash Rabbah for a similar approach. We'll start with the Chida , who says the word זאת refers to the Shechina, as it says: וְאַף גַּם זֹאת בִּהְיוֹתָם בְּאֶרֶץ אֹיְבֵיהֶם —but despite all of this, biheyotam b'eretz oyeveihem / they will in the land of their enemies: לֹא מְאַסְתִּים / I have not been revolted by them; וְלֹא גְעַלְתִּים /nor have I rejected them לְכַלֹּתָם /to utterly obliterate them לְהָפֵר בְּרִיתִי אִתָּם / to annul My covenant with them. Ki ani Hashem Elokeihem /I am Hashem, their God . So, the word zot here simply means af gam zot /besides all of this, etc., etc. Which means, despite all that we're hearing about— this is the end of the tochachah in Bechukotai —despite all of this, the Shechina will still be with us. And that's why we will not be destroyed. Hashem has not revolted against us. The Shechinah is always with us. In the Chida 's words: ze tokef habitachon shelanu —this is the power of our reliance. Ya'aseh lemaan Shemo —God will do it for His name. Like we say every day in the Amida lemaan Shemo b'ahavah . And therefore, when the Shechina goes out from galut —and surely, eventually, the Shechina will come out of galut —God's name will be revealed. We're going to go out with Him. Imo netzeh min ha'galut . And this is important. We cannot stress this enough: on Rosh Hashanah when we're praying for Hashem's name to be revealed. People often struggle with this, " What about me?" But what we don't understand is—that is you. If God's going to take us out lemaan Shemo —for His name —then if we pray for His name to be revealed, then we're going to go along. We're going to tag along in that revelation. So that's the power of zot . Zot refers to the Shechina . We can point to it. Like ba'avur zeh — zeh is masculine and zot is feminine. Zot is something you can point to. Zeh E-li ve-anveihu —for this, zeh , I'm pointing to the Shechina Zot , I'm pointing to the Shechina . Zot ashev el libi . This— this fact that the Shechina is with me —that's enough. Al kein ochil —that's why I'm going to have hope . I don't even have to go on to the next pasuk of chasdei Hashem . This pasuk in itself is a chizuk . Zot —the fact that the Shechina is with us. Imo anochi b'tzarah —God is with us in our pain. The Midrash Rabbah in Eichah 3:7 says a beautiful mashal on this pasuk : There was a king who married a princess, and he wrote a beautiful ketubah —a marriage contract. And he said, " Such-and-such amount of canopy, I'm going to make for you, such-and-such amount of beautiful drapery I'm going to make for you. " And after all those promises of the beautiful palace and dream home they'd live in—he left and went on a trip overseas. And he delayed. Her friends came and taunted her, saying, " The king has left you. He went off far away. He's never coming back. " And she would cry and groan. She would go into her house, take out the ketuba, and read it—all the promises. And then she would comfort herself. Eventually, the king came and said, " I'm amazed—how did you wait so long, all those years?" And she said, " My master, the king—if not for that ketubah that you wrote me, I would have been long lost from the taunting of my neighbors." And so too, the goyim are taunting us, saying, " God has hidden His face from you. His Shechina has left you. He's not coming back." And we cry, and we groan. But when we go into the shuls and the Bet Midrash , and we read the Torah , and we read what it says there—all those promises—we are comforted. And when the Ge'ulah comes, HaKadosh Baruch Hu will say to us, " My children, I'm amazed—how have you waited so long?" And we will say, " If not for Your Torah that You gave us, we would have been long lost." And that's what it means: zot ashev el libi . You know what keeps me going? This zot . Ve-ein zot ela Torah —and zot refers to the Torah . As they say: vezot haTorah — when the Torah is taken out, we say vezot haTorah . Vezot . Is this Zohar arguing with the Midrash ? Of course not. The Torah and the Shechina are one and the same. Orayta v'Kudsha Brich Hu chad hu —the Torah and HaKadosh Baruch Hu are one. The Torah is the will of God. So what keeps us going is knowing the Shechina is with us. What keeps us going is knowing that the Torah is with us. And as David HaMelech says: lulei Toratecha sha'ashu'ai, az avadeti b'onyi —if not for Your Torah , which was my delight, I would have been lost in my suffering. That's what gives us our hope. That's our first pasuk in Eicha —a pasuk of hope. What's the hope? Just the fact: zot —I have the zot . I have the Torah , I have the Shechinah . I might not see it—but it's here with me. Imo anochi b'tzarah /God is with us in our difficulty . And that's what gives us our Hizzuk.

Welcome to Daily Bitachon Another important Three Weeks concept that comes out of a pasuk that we mentioned in earlier this week: In Tehillim chapter 90 it says, שַׂמְּחֵנוּ כִּימֵות עִנִּיתָנוּ, שְׁנוֹת רָאִינוּ רָעָה . " Make us happy like the days that You pained us, the years we saw evil." What does " the years that we saw evil" mean? Why doesn't it just say " the evil years ? What did we see that was evil? The Imrei Emet teaches us an important principle from this. The Imrei Emet was the Gerrer Rebbe who survived the Holocaust, There was another great Rebbe who also went through the Holocaust, and they were giving each other chizuk . As the story goes, the Imrei Emet quoted the following pasuk that talks about the Chet HaEgel , the sin of the golden calf, which is actually the beginning of the Three Weeks. Moshe Rabbenu says: וָאֵרֶא, וְהִנֵּה חֲטָאתֶם לַה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶם; עֲשִׂיתֶם לָכֶם עֵגֶל מַסֵּכָה, סַרְתֶּם מַהֵר מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה' וָאֶתְפּוֹשׂ בִּשְׁנֵי הַלֻּחוֹת, וָאַשְׁלִכֵם מֵעַל שְׁתֵּי יָדָי; וָאֲשַׁבְּרֵם לְעֵינֵיכֶם. And I saw you sinned against your God. You made a golden molten calf. You left the path fast that God commanded you. I grabbed the two luchot , and I threw them from my two hands, and I broke them le'eineichem —to your eyes." Why does it say, "I broke them to your eyes "? Why not just, I broke them. Why say "to your eyes"? Simply speaking, it means I broke them in front of you. I wanted you to see me breaking them. But the Imrei Emet explains based on another pasuk that uses the same words: le'eineihem /to their eyes. When Yosef HaTzaddik meets his brothers, of course they don't recognize him; he's incognito. He decides to take Shimon as a captive to ensure they bring back their younger brother. The pasuk says: וַיִּקַּח מֵאִתָּם אֶת שִׁמְעוֹן, וַיֶּאֱסֹר אֹתוֹ לְעֵינֵיהֶם. He took Shimon, and he tied him up le'eineihem /to their eyes." Why did he tie him up to their eyes ? Rashi says there that is says he tied him up in front of their eyes because once they left, he wined and dined him and treated him very nicely. So too, he says, that when Moshe Rabbenu broke the luchot , it was le'eineichem /to your eyes. The luchot didn't really break. The Midrash tells us that when the Jews sinned the sin of the golden calf, the letters of the luchot flew off— otiot parchot ba'avir /the letters flew into the air . There were no luchot anymore. So it looked like he broke the luchot . But the luchot were already gone. They weren't luchot anymore. This is similar to when the Bet HaMikdash that was destroyed. The Gemara says that a heavenly echo came out when an enemy destroyed the Bet HaMikdash and declared: K'macha techina tachanta —"You ground flour that was already ground." You didn't do anything—it was already destroyed. And he says: le'eineihem —to their eyes. When we see things happen in this world, it's to our eyes . Rav Schwab spoke at the Ninth Siyum HaShas , which was held to commemorate the one million children killed in the Holocaust. He told the story of a little boy. He was a good little boy. He was walking with his father to his death. And he asked his father: " Father, I was a good boy. I learned well in school. What's going on here? Why is this happening?" And then the Nazi shoots him, and that's it—he leaves this world. We see that and say: What a tragedy. What a travesty of justice! But he says: If we look on the other side—we see Hashem scooping this little boy into His arms. He says: " Come with Me, little boy. Come to My yeshiva . Sit down in the yeshiva shel ma'alah . I teach the young, pure children. Come join My yeshiva ." To our eyes is one thing. But what's really happening is another thing. So that's why we don't call these years "the evil years," but rather, the years that we saw evil . We're in this world—the world where we don't say hatov v'hametiv on all events. We say Dayan HaEmet . But in the future, we're going to say on everything: hatov v'hametiv . Today, it's not Hashem echad u'shmo echad . It's two different outlooks. Part of our job is to realize the concept that although we can't realize it on a sensual level, we can appreciate it on an intellectual level. We can understand this concept of le'eineihem —to your eyes. As we said, that's the opening of the Three Weeks. The tragedy of the breaking of the luchot , which starts the Three Weeks off, in essence, didn't really happen.The luchot never broke. It just looked like it.

Welcome to Daily Bitachon . We continue with important lessons about the Three Weeks and how we should view them. Midrash Rabba in Eicha the introduction, letter four, Chazal describe a powerful correlation between Adam HaRishon being sent out of Gan Eden , and the Jewish people being sent out of Eretz Yisrael . It goes like this: Adam HaRishon —I brought him into Gan Eden . I commanded him. He transgressed My command. I judged him with gerushin and shiluchin . The word gerushin literally means to be thrown out, while shiluchin means to be sent out . And I bemoaned and lamented him in him Eicha . So too, his children—I brought them into Eretz Yisrael . I commanded them. They transgressed My command. And I judged them with being thrown out and sent out. For each of them, the midrash brings pesukim : Regarding Adam, it says: וַיְגָרֶשׁ אֶת הָאָדָם / – He was thrown out . וַיְשַׁלְּחֵהוּ ה׳ מִגַּן עֵדֶן / Hashem sent him out And for the Jewish people as well, it says : מִבֵּיתִי אֲגָרְשֵׁם / – I will throw them out of My house . שַׁלַּח מֵעַל פָּנַי – Send them out from before Me . And also: אֵיכָה / Eicha – I lamented: אֵיכָה יָשְׁבָה בָדָד / So what are these two terms— thrown out ( gerushin ) and sent out ( shiluchin )? The Shelah HaKadosh on Masechet Ta'anit tells us that the purpose of creation was to serve Hashem . As it says in Bereshit 2:15 , when Adam was still in Gan Eden before the sin: וַיִּקַּח ה׳ אֱלֹקִים אֶת הָאָדָם וַיַּנִּחֵהוּ בְּגַן עֵדֶן לְעָבְדָהּ וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ / God placed Adam in Gan Eden to serve and to guard it. That was the reason he was put there. When he was sent out, nothing changed, says the Shelah . It says in Bereshit 3:23 : וַיְשַׁלְּחֵהוּ ה׳ אֱלֹקִים מִגַּן עֵדֶן לַעֲבֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה / – He was sent out to work the land. Again, he was sent out for the same purpose . He was sent out to work. So although he was thrown out , he wasn't just thrown out. As the Shelah HaKadosh and the Sefer Si'ach Yitzchak by Rav Yitzchak Isaac Chaver (quoted by Rav David Cohen) explain: Shiluchut ——means a message, a mission . A shaliach is a messenger. He's on a mission. We were thrown out, yes—but not in a negative sense, like "I don't want to see you." We were thrown out, but we were actually sent out on a mission . This is an important principle: God never punishes the way a human being punishes. God's "punishments" are really tools to fix. It's a tikkun for repair. This is a crucial idea during the Three Weeks, as we commemorate the suffering of the Jewish people. It's all there for the purpose of tikkun . The Sefer Nefesh HaChaim , Sha'ar א , Perek ו , says something beautiful. When God told Adam, " On the day you eat from the tree, you will die," He still had mercy. It wasn't a literal day. God said, " One of My days is like a thousand years" —so you will die within a thousand years of eating it. As we know, Adam gave up 70 years of his life to David HaMelech . He says: this death was not a curse or a punishment. God does not bring bad upon people. Rather, because of eating from the Etz HaDa'at , a certain negative force mixed into man. And the only way to fix that, to separate the impurity from him, was through death. That way, the body could decay and later be recomposed in Techiyat HaMeitim . That's why, after Adam eats from the Etz HaDa'at , God says: "… lest he eat from the Etz HaChaim and live forever ." The Nefesh HaChaim asks: What's wrong with that? Let him eat from the tree and live forever! Isn't that the antidote? God only wants good—so what's the problem? The answer is: if Adam eats from the Etz HaChaim , he'll live forever without fixing the damage. The evil will never separate from him. He'll never be able to see light and goodness. So, for his benefit , he was sent out of Gan Eden , so that he could ultimately reach complete tikkun gamur when all the negativity would be separated from him. Imagine: Adam HaRishon was 1,000 feet tall before he sinned. Now, after the sin, he shrinks to 100 feet. The goal is to bring him back to 1,000 feet. But if he eats from the Etz HaChaim , he'll be locked in at 100 feet forever , and never die—and thus never grow again. That's not good. That's why the Gemara in Masechet Shabbat says there were four people who died " because of the snake" —even though they didn't sin. What does that mean? It means that even though they didn't sin, there was still a negativity mixed into mankind. And for them to reach their ultimate perfection—they had to die. This is an extremely important point to appreciate in our own lives as well: Whenever we feel like we are in a state of gerushin /being thrown out —we must realize that we're really being sent out on a mission . This reminds me of the famous dvar Torah —that when Davis Hamelech was being chased by Shaul , it says: לֵךְ כִּי שִׁלְּחְךָ ה׳ / " Go, for God has sent you ." Even when you feel like you're being chased and thrown out—know this: it's a shlichut . A mission. you are being sent by God.

Today we're going to discuss a pasuk in Micha. The Ramchal, Rav Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, author of Mesilat Yesharim, writes in his Maamar HaGeulah/Essay on Redemption that this pasuk reveals the sod ha'bitachon Yisrael b'tikvatam/ the secret of the Jewish people's reliance on and hope for redemption, the geulah shlemah/complete redemption, bimherah v'yameinu, amen As we are in the Three Weeks, this is an extremely apropos piece. What is the pasuk? אל תשמחי איבתי לי כי נפלתי קמתי, כי אשב בחשך יהוה אור לי (מיכה ז' ח')/ Do not rejoice over me, my enemy. Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, Hashem is a light unto me." Says the Ramchal: In order for the redemption to come, there are many preparatory steps—many things that must happen beforehand. He says that when the Jewish people think that God has hidden His face from them and has forsaken them, actually what's happening is (quoting his words): Az HaKadosh Baruch Hu mechin lahem otzarot gedolim / God is preparing for them huge treasure houses, Asher l'rochvam ein ketz / whose expanse has no end, Ul'tovam ein tachlit / whose abundance is limitless. In these treasure houses, God places all the wonderful wealth, all the treasures of kings. He fills these treasure houses to the point where: Ein ha'peh yechola l'daber /the mouth cannot speak it, V'ha'ozen lishmoa/the ear cannot hear it, V'afilu l'lev l'harher/the heart cannot even fathom or imagine it. When the time of the geulah comes, all these treasure houses will be opened. What is in these treasure houses? Of course, we are not talking about gold and silver. The Ramchal continues and says about this secret: Al ha'sod ha'gadol ha'zeh — This is the great secret. This is the secret of our bitachon (faith/trust). How do we rely on Hashem and survive difficult times? He quotes another pasuk, and b'ezrat Hashem both of these pesukim we will discuss more at length: Samechenu k'mot initanu, shnot ra'inu ra'ah./Make us happy like the days You afflicted us, the years we saw evil." This means we tell God : We had difficult times, now make us happy corresponding to those times that you pained us. At first glance, it seems simple: You gave us ten bad days, now give us ten good days. The bad days are the bad days, and the good days are the good days. No, says the Ramchal. It's not just a one-for-one exchange—10 days of bad traded for 10 days of good. No. And again, in his words: Ki kol ha'yamim she'Yisrael b'galut/All the years that Israel was in exile, V'or lo nagah lahem /and the light did not shine for them, Oto ha'or ha'rauy l'otam ha'yamim lo avad/that light which was befitting for those days was not lost. This means every day has its light. And on days where the light doesn't shine, that light isn't gone—it's simply put away in the treasure house. Ha'or ha'hu HaKadosh Baruch Hu gonzo/ That light, God stores away. B'eleh ha'otzarot she'madachticha/ in those same treasure houses. Those treasure houses are full of the light that wasn't revealed. Az yetzei kol ha'or k'echad /Then, all the light will come out at once, as one abundant light So for every moment of darkness—of crusades, of Holocaust, of churban , of Gaza tunnels—every one of those moments of darkness, of absence of light, is being gathered and will one day explode in a single, immense burst. V'az yehiyeh zman simcha l'Yisrael asher kamo lo nihyata/And then will be a time of joy for the Jewish people like never before. That's the meaning of Samechenu k'mot initanu /The days of pain themselves are actually what create the light. Yitukan ha'olam b'menucha v'hashket /The world will be repaired with peace and serenity, V'lo yiyeh od yagon b'olam klal /and there will be no sorrow ever again . As we say: V'aseir mimenu yagon v'anacha/ remove from us sorrow and difficulties . So, these are two very powerful pesukim: 1 . כי אשב בחשך יהוה אור לי /When I sit in darkness, Hashem is light for me. He's explaining to us: It means that even though I am in darkness, there is light being created by the darkness. Because of the darkness the light is being stored in the treasure house. 2. שמחנו כימות עניתנו שנות ראינו רעה /Make us happy like the days that we were suffering the years we saw evil. These, according to the Ramchal—one of the greatest kabbalists—are the sod ha'bitachon Yisrael — the secret bitachon of the Jewish people. .

For a 10% discount on Rabbi David Sutton's new book A Daily Dose of Perek Shira click the link below https://www.artscroll.com/Books/9781422644584.html Welcome to Daily Bitachon . We continue with Rabbenu Avraham ben HaRambam's levels of Bitachon. The third level, which has many nuances to it, is, in his words, when someone relies on Hashem to get what he needs, מאמין בזאת/and he believes this, בוודאות—with conviction, ובלי ספיקות/without any doubts. That's a very high level. He says that מעלת בטחון שלישית זו, לא ישיגוה רוב בני אדם/ most people won't reach that level. Shedding more light on this level of Bitachon, he adds, הנעלה ונישגבה שבמעלות הבטחון/this is the highest and most elevated level. ולא בנקל תושג/ And it's not easy to attain. An example of this, he says, is found in the Mishnah in Masechet Berachot , where we see that Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa would pray for people who were sick. And he would say, " This one is going to live, and this one is going to die. " They asked, " How do you know? " He replied, " If my prayers come out clearly, I know he's going to live. If not, then not." Rabbenu Avraham gives this as an example of someone who had a Vadai/he knew for sure. In other words he felt that if his prayers came out right, that was an indication of his Bitachon. He goes on: ומהיות שבעלי המעלה הזאת בטוחים בהשגת מבקשם/these people are guaranteed in receiving what they seek. Not because they are relying on their righteousness, but rather because they rely on Hashem's Hessed, as it says: ואני בחסדך בטחתי/I rely on Your kindness. Now , I'm not quoting every word of his, and I'm taking some things out of context, but it's important to know that such a level exists. There is a concept that I can rely on Hashem with certainty and receive what I seek. However, he clearly says that this is not for everybody—it takes a lot of hard work. But it does exist and we need to know that. Are we Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa? Obviously not. Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa is known for En Od Milevado. He's the one who the witch's daughter cast a spell on, and he said, "You can't touch me. It says En Od Milevado. " Rav Chaim Volozhin brings this down in his sefer also says it's not something for all times, and it's not easy—but it exists. So we must know this concept exists. Another example he gives is about Hillel HaZaken. The Gemara in Berachot 60A tells that Hillel HaZaken was walking on the road and heard a cry, and said, "I am certain this is not coming from my house." They bring a pasuk in Tehilim in: משמועה רעה לא יירא/he's not afraid of bad news. Why ? נכון לבו בטוח בה—because his heart is steadfast; he relies on Hashem. The Gaon of Vilna explains that this is one of the sources for this level of Bitachon. It's not so easy, and this cannot be overstated. Some people hear this concept and say, " You know what? I relied on Hashem, I really believed in Him, and I didn't get what I wanted!" But that level is not easily reached. The people he gives as examples are very, very great people—Hillel HaZaken and Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa! It's like any other great level. Yes it's a great level to be able to learn Torah for ten hours straight, but not everyone can do it. Some people can, some people can't. Some can learn four hours, some can learn two hours. It's not all or nothing. There could be a moment in time that you feel it, and then it fades. As much as you have it—that's how much you get it. Again, let's return to Rav Chaim Volozhin's En Od Milevado rule, where he says: To the extent that you believe there is nothing else but Hashem, all other forces will be annulled. It's not an all-or-nothing concept. Even within this level of relying on Hashem with certainty, it comes and goes. Things fluctuate. Rav Chaim Volozhin discusses this regarding the high level of learning Torah Lishma , where it says: מתוך שלא לשמה בא לשמה/from doing something not for God's sake, you eventually come to do it for Hashem's sake. He says it could be that you have it for one moment, and not for another. So we work on it, we try to reach it, we aspire to it. But we understand that it's not so easy, and it's not for everybody all the time. Still, we must know that this level exists, and that we can aspire to it on some level. The main point is to realize that ultimately, Hashem can do anything. Hashem is reliable if you rely on Him. Are you at that level? Only Hashem knows. I hope this sheds a little clarity on this concept that constantly comes up.

For a 10% discount on Rabbi David Sutton's new book A Daily Dose of Perek Shira click the link below https://www.artscroll.com/Books/9781422644584.html Welcome to Daily Bitachon. Rabbenu Avraham, son of the Rambam, in his sefer HaMaspik L'ovdei Hashem, talks about different levels of bitachon . Previously, we discussed lackings in bitachon. Now we will discuss the positive. The first level he mentions is a person who hopes and yearns for the fulfilling of his needs from Hashem, because of Hashem's great mercy, although, at the same time, he's concerned and worried about getting what he wants because he thinks his sins might prevent Hashem's mercy. This means he believes in Hashem's mercy, and he knows he can receive it even though he's sinned, but he's still concerned that maybe he won't merit that mercy from Hashem. This, Rabbenu Avraham says, is called meyachel lechesed Hashem—hoping for the kindness of Hashem— and it's a great thing. David HaMelech talks about people like this throughout Tehillim and Rabbenu Avraham cites many of these pesukim. He says this type of person is given a title—he is called a Ba'al ma'alah zo. Someone who is on a certain level. What's the level? He is a Ba'al yir'ah v'tikvah/ He's a person who is both fearful and hopeful . That might sound like an oxymoron, but it's not. He's hopeful for Hashem's mercy, but fearful that maybe he won't merit His mercy. There are ways to receive Hashem's mercy. One of them, the Gemara says, is kol hamerachem al habriyot, merachamim alav min hashamayim—whoever has mercy on Hashem's creatures, has mercy upon him from Heaven. So we know Hashem has mercy, and we have to merit that mercy. It's not a contradiction to the fact that you get things through your bitachon, because you still need Hashem's mercy. Maybe I won't merit it. He brings a pasuk in Tehillim 147:11 that we've heard before, but he adds a beautiful explanation. It says: רוֹצֶ֣ה יְ֭הֹוָה אֶת־יְרֵאָ֑יו אֶת־הַֽמְיַחֲלִ֥ים לְחַסְדּֽוֹ / Hashem desires those who fear Him, those who hope for His kindness . The simple explanation (which we must always start with) is: Hashem is happy with those who fear Him—God-fearing people . And separately, He also likes people who hope for His kindness. That's definitely an explanation. But Rabbenu Avraham comes along and says no—they're not two different people. They're one person. They are yera'av/they are fearful. What are they fearful of? They're fearful of His punishment. And even though they are fearful of His punishment, at the same time, meyachalim lechasdo/they're hoping for His kindness. So it's a mixture of feelings, a mixture of emotions. And that's a wonderful level. That's level number one. Level number two is when beside hoping and yearning for Hashem to fulfill his needs, he also has what Rabbenu Avraham calls bikush penimi shebalev/an inner request of the heart— and an external one, on his tongue. He is actually asking. And that, he says, is called Doresh Hashem/He's searching…he quotes many pesukim like that… mevakesh panav korei el Hashem , Uvikashtem misham es Hashem Elokecha—you will search, you will ask for Him. This is a very interesting concept: He's taking a level of hope alone, where the person hasn't done anything yet. He didn't even ask. Hope doesn't mean I asked Hashem. I'm just hoping for the best. Hope is a wonderful thing— kivui , hope . But it has not yet turned into an actual, what we'll call, dialogue. It's just a hope. The next level is when I've taken that hope and turned it into bikush penimi—an inner request—and bikush chitzoni—an outer request , an expression of what's going on inside of me. And on this, he says, David HaMelech says ( and this is the pasuk that I say at the end of the Amidah, which starts with a ד , ends with a ד —my name is David. So I'll have an additional understanding tomorrow): דִּרְשׁ֤וּ יְהֹוָה֙ וְעֻזּ֔וֹ בַּקְּשׁ֥וּ פָנָ֖יו תָּמִֽיד׃ / Search for Hashem and His strength, constantly seek His presence. Which means: keep on asking, keep on yearning. He brings many pesukim for this point—that this is also included in a level of bitachon, the bitachon of bikush added on top of the hope. It's not separate. You can ask—just asking, that's a tefillah. That doesn't yet mean you have hope . You could ask without it coming from hope. But this is a bikush that's coming from hope. I'm looking for the connection, I'm looking for Hashem. Dorshei Hashem—those that are searching for Hashem, they will not be missing anything. Bakshu et Hashem, search for Hashem—kol anavei eretz, all those humble people. And he says there are endless pesukim talking about this level. So we have two levels: 1. The hope level 2. The prayer that is an expression of that hope.

For a 10% discount on Rabbi David Sutton's new book A Daily Dose of Perek Shira click the link below https://www.artscroll.com/Books/9781422644584.html Yesterday, we quoted a pasuk brought by Rabbi Avraham ben HaRambam from Hoshea 12, 7: ואתה באלקיך תשוב, חסד ומשפט שמר, וקוה אל אלקיך תמיד / As for you, return to Hashem, observe kindness and justice, and always hope to your God." That was his source showing that we have a command from God to constantly hope to Him and never to despair. Today I'd like to share the context of this pasuk with you. In pasuk 3 of that chapter it says, ריב לה' עם יהודה / Hashem has a contention with Yehudah (the Jewish people), ולפק ד על יעקב /and will visit upon Yaakov. What is Hashem's complaint? It says in the next pasuk: בבטן עקב את אחיו / In the womb he seized his brother's heel. ובאונו שרה את אלקים / And with his strength, he struggled with an angel. Rashi explains: Hashem is describing all that He did so Yaakov would become the chosen one. He seized the heel, he fought the angel, he prevailed. Basically, Hashem is saying: " Look how much I've done for you, from the beginning of your existence, Jewish people." Then in pasuk 6 it says, וה' אלקי הצבאות ה' זכרו / Hashem, the God of Legions, Hashem is His remembrance. Rashi explains: כאשר הייתי מאז כן אני עתה / Just as I was then, so am I now. אם הייתם הולכים עמי בתמימות כיעקב אביכם / If you would act with Me with simplicity like Yaakov Avinu (your father), הייתי נוהג עמכם כאשר נהגתי עמו /I would treat you as I treated him. Rabbi Yehudah HaChassid, in Sefer Gematriot , letter 152, connects יעקב איש תם to תמים תהיה. Yaakov is called איש תם, Ish Tam meaning " simple" or " pure " — and תמים תהיה Tamim Tihyeh means go with God in simplicity. Rashi on Devarim 18:13 says on תמים תהיה: התהלך עמו בתמימות ותצפה לו – Go with God with simplicity and l ook forward to Him. In other words. do not turn to fortune-tellers or sorcerers etc… Rather, כל מה שיבוא עליך קבל בתמימות/ Accept whatever happens to you with simplicity. ואז תהיה עמו ולחלקו /Then you will be with Him and part of His portion. (That's why the famous Meshech Chochmah says that when a person has bitachon , he fulfills the mitzvah of dveikut / cleaving to God.) So what is Hashem telling us through Hoshea HaNavi? Again, the words of Rashi: אם הייתם הולכים עמי בתמימות כיעקב אביכם/ If you went with Me with simplicity like Yaakov Avinu, I would act with you like I did with him. The Sefer Ikvot Moshe on Parashat Vayishlach, by Rav Moshe Akiva Tikutchinski, Mashgiach of Slabodka in Bnei Brak, writes: This shows that every Jew is capable and asked to go with the same Temimut/ simplicity and trust as Yaakov Avinu. And if we reach that level of connection, God will act with us like that. In the famous Mizmor in Tehillim perek 20 it says: יענך ה' ביום צרה, ישגבך שם אלקי יעקב /May Hashem answer you in a time of trouble; may the Name of the God of Yaakov lift you up. The Midrash says on that pasuk says it doesn't say אלקי Elokei Avraham or Elokei Yitzhak — only Elokei Yaakov. David Hamelech is saying: מי שענה ליעקב אביכם, הוא יענה אתכם – the One who answered Yaakov, will answer you. Furthermore, in Bereshit 35:3, it says about Yaakov לאל העונה אותי ביום צרתי / the God who answers me on my day of trouble. With that introduction, we come back to: ואתה באלקיך תשוב, חסד ומשפט שמר, וקוה אל אלקיך תמיד As for you, return to your God, observe kindness and justice, and always hope to your God." Rashi explains: What does it mean to hope to Him? בהבטחתו ובמשענתו /count on His guarantee and the ability to lean on Him. שהוא מבטיחך, אתה יכול לסמוך /He guarantees you; you can rely on His guarantee. And what should you do? לקוות לישועתו תמיד /constantly look forward to His salvation. This is all Rashi's explanation of God's words. But the very next pasuk (7) says : כנען בידו מאזני מרמה לעשק אהב – Instead, you are a Canaan/traitor who holds dishonest scales and loves to cheat. Rashi explains: Instead of relying on Hashem, you rely on shenanigans and crooked business. And you say about your wealth, אך עשר תי / I have become wealthy. ולא עבודת הקב״ה / I don't need to serve God. It wasn't God, it was me. Pasuk 8: ויאמר אפרים אך עשרתי מצאתי און לי – Ephraim says: I have become wealthy , I have found power for myself . כל יגיעי לא ימצאו לי עוון אשר חטא / I've worked hard and no one can find any sin in me. I'm clean. The Radak says this is the opposite of Kaveh el Hashem Hashem/ hoping to Hashem: They do not hope in Hashem. They do not admit that it is He who gives the power to succeed. Instead they say: כחי ועוצם ידי עשה לי את החיל הזה / My strength and my hand made this wealth. And they forget: ה' אלקיך, שנתן לו כח / that Hashem gave him the strength. They say: עשרתי מעצמי / I made myself wealthy. These are the two opposite paths. Either the person lives with the program of קוה אל אלקיך תמיד – constantly hoping to Hashem, or they take the אך עשרתי / I made myself rich approach.. Let's choose the path of קוה אל אלקיך תמיד Hope to Hashem constantly

For a 10% discount on Rabbi David Sutton's new book A Daily Dose of Perek Shira click the link below https://www.artscroll.com/Books/9781422644584.html Welcome to Daily Bitachon . We are quoting from the sefer HaMaspik L'Ovdeh Hashem from Rabbenu Avraham, son of the Rambam. He tells us there are two types of people that are lacking in Bitachon. One of them is the fellow that נואש האדם ממבוקשו/ has given up hope, יאוש /despaired on what he's looking for. ואיננו מצפה עוד להשיגו/and he's no longer hoping. The word ציפוי shares the shoresh with הר הצופים, Mount Scopus - looking from afar . So this fellow ואיננו מצפ ה /doesn't even see it on the horizon. It's just not coming. He really gave up hope. Suppose a fellow wants to buy a house or start a new business. He has a parnassa need, but he is נואש /he despairs , he gives up hope. He's no longer looking out on the horizon for a deal or opportunity to come his way, to somehow allow him to afford that house or make that business deal that he's waiting for. Rabbenu Avraham says this fellow that despairs from his parnasa and is no longer looking forward to getting it, נואש מן הפרנסה, ואינו מצפה עוד להשיגו, he is no longer hoping or yearning for it to come . ראוי לגנאי. This man is worthy of being disgraced. על שנתייאש מרחמי הבורא / because he has despaired of God's mercy. Now hold on. Who said I have to have God's mercy? He says, למרות שהוא מצווה על ההיפך הגמור/He's been commanded on the exact opposite. He's been commanded never to give hope. It's a command. As David Hamelech said, קוה אל ה ׳ /hope to Hashem. חזק ויאמץ לבך/ strengthen and make your heart courageous. וקוה אל ה/ and hope to Hashem That, says Rabbenu Avraham, is a command not to give up hope. So how dare you give up hope ? Furthermore, another pasuk in Tehilim say, יחל ישראל אל ה/The Jewish people should have יחול (which is another term for hope). מעתה ועד עולם/ forever . That means you're supposed to have hope forever. And Hoshea says, קוה אל אלהיך תמיד/Hope to your God constantly , and there are many more pesukim of the like. To recap, Rabbenu Avraham Ben Rambam says giving up hope is not just wrong- He uses the words, I'm sorry to say, ראוי לגנאי/ it's disgraceful . And the Sefer HaIkarim , fourth essay, chapter 49, quotes the entire pasuk in Hoshea which says ואתה באלהיך תשוב/return to your God, חסד ומשפט שמר/keep acts of kindness and justice וקוה אל אלהיך תמיד/and hope to your God constantly. Says the Sefer HaIkarim- התקוה דבר הכרחי אל המאמין/ Hope is an essential concept to the believer, כשמירת חסד ומשפט, no less than keeping kindness or justice, או יותר, and possibly even more than that. So if a guy is not Baal Hessed , you'd say that's not good. Or if he's not a בעל משפט /he's not straight, you'd think, Ooh, that's terrible. But that guy that gave up hope on success? You'd think, So what? But no. Lack of hope is a big problem. The Sefer HaIkarim further on in that same chapter says, כי התקוה והתוחלת לה' יתברך/hoping to Hashem, דבר יותר מעולה is greater מכל התהלות than all the praises שאפשר שישבח אדם להשם יתברך/More than any other praise one can do is hoping to Hashem. That's the biggest praise. I think we've proven the point that a Jew is not allowed to give up hope. It's not just that hoping to Hashem is an option, it's a must . You're never allowed to give up hope. Wonder of wonders.

For a 10% discount on Rabbi David Sutton's new book A Daily Dose of Perek Shira click the link below https://www.artscroll.com/Books/9781422644584.html Welcome to Daily Bitachon. There's a beautiful piece in the sefer Birchot Peretz, written by the famous Steipler )younger people might know him as Rav Chaim Kainievsky'a father) He passed away in 1985 and he was considered the Gadol Hador of the time, along with Rav Shach. In his sefer Birchot Peretz, he makes an important distinction. He says people sometimes get down on themselves because they're afraid of something, and so they think they lack bitachon. He says, when a person goes out to war, he is in safek sakana/a situation of possible danger. It says that when one goes out to war, there is no guarantee that he'll come back alive. So if someone is afraid—" Hey, I might not come back" —that is general fear. That is not included in the lo ta'aseh (negative commandment) that the Torah tells us: al tira'u — don't be afraid when you go to war, as brought down by the Rambam. And according to Rabbenu Yonah, this commandment applies to all situations of danger. One does not transgress if he's afraid in a dangerous situation. But, he says, if the fear comes because he sees a large encampment and says, " There's no way we're going to win because their camp is so big"— or if his fear increases because of the size of the opposing camp—that's when he transgresses that sin. As the pasuk clearly states: " When you go out to war against your enemy and you see horses and chariots more numerous than you, don't be afraid of them, because Hashem, who took you out of Mitzrayim, is with you." That means you have to know that winning or losing a war has nothing to do with the strength or weakness of the enemy. Of course you have to do all your hishtadlut , as you must do for parnassah , and everything else in the Torah. And yes, success or failure are both possible outcomes. A person could potentially go to war and not come back. That's possible. There is no guarantee. But to think that the reason he won't come back is because of the size of the enemy's army is a mistake. Whether he survives or not depends on whether God decided that. So when someone says, " Oh no, it looks like there are more soldiers" or " fewer soldiers "—that doesn't change anything. And this doesn't mean we're relying on open miracles. If there's a war, and the opposing camp is smaller, you may feel more confident; if it's a larger army, you may feel less confident, but Hashem can make you succeed in either scenario, and if you get more scared because of the size of the camp, that's where the problem arises. He clearly says—and I'm very excited by this—because the Steipler was a brother-in-law of the Chazon Ish, so he probably knew what the Chazon Ish felt on these things, that as far as bitachon in general, to have bitachon, to believe that Hashem will give me this and I'll get that, hu madrega gedola me'od/that's a very high level. Not everyone who has emunah has bitachon on that level. So he's saying that this level of bitachon is a high level. And the fact that it's a high level means it exists—it's possible. But someone can be a God-fearing Jew, who doesn't violate any sins, including sins related to bitachon, and still not make it back because Hashem simply decided such But he says: this is a general obligation: she'ya'amin—You have to believe—she'hakol bidei Shamayim—that everything is in the hands of Heaven . It must be clear to him—that all of the Hishtadlut he puts in will not help him achieve more than what was decreed on Rosh Hashanah. To me, this is important, because many people feel, " Well, if I'm still scared, I must not be holding by bitachon." No. Being scared is okay, because the Steipler is saying it's not necessarily guaranteed that you're going to make it through. Of course, if you're on a high level and you truly rely on Hashem, that's a higher level. But being scared? That's okay. So when do I get in trouble? If I'm scared because now it looks a little harder, or there's more difficulty, or it's more uncertain, if I'm less confident than I was because of the situation, that is a problem. You may say, " Hold on, maybe Hashem decided this year, chas v'shalom, on Rosh Hashanah, that I won't have good parnassah. That's possible. And I'm scared." Yes it's possible. But if you say, " Now I'm more scared because of the tariffs... now I'm more scared because of new regulations that some new official is going to put into place," and your fear increases, ask yourself: Why are you more scared? Every year brings fear of the unknown. We don't know what will happen. Nobody does. So you can be concerned—that's okay. Going out to war is a legitimate concern. And again, as the Steipler says: If one is afraid due to the general potential danger that exists on the path—he is not violating the prohibition of "do not fear." That's still within the realm of being a good, God-fearing, bitachon card-carrying Jew. Again, that's if he's generally afraid, But if the fear grows because of the specifics of the situation on the ground, and that makes him more uncomfortable—that's where bitachon must comes in. Because, that shouldn't make a difference to Hashem. The change in situation, more or less, is not changing what Hashem can do. It can happen anyway. I hope this point is clear. I felt that was a nice added point that I had never noticed before—in brackets—in the Steipler's Birkat Peretz on Parashat Shoftim.

Welcome to the Daily Bitachon. Yesterday we spoke about what true Bitachon is, based on the words of the son of the Rambam, Rabbi Avraham. True Bitachon means that at all times, you are focused on Hashem as the direct Cause for everything, realizing that all intermediaries are nothing more than that—intermediaries. The Gaon of Vilna explains three stages where one can trip up in relying on the wrong thing, and what the proper Bitachon mindset should be: Firstly, what happens at the onset of the challenge? When a person, lo alenu, has any type of challenge, whether, heaven forbid, medical, financial, or a challenge with a child not doing well in school, what is the initial reaction? The Gaon of Vilna calls this stage " B'eit tzarah/ when you're in a time of difficulty. And your first reaction should be: Elecha Nafshi Essa/To Hashem I lift my soul. Hashem is going to get me out of this . Using a child struggling in school as an example, we will explore the next step- You speak to the teacher, who consults with the principal, who finds you the perfect kriah expert to address the red flag, that he's not reading well in first grade. Now you have the perfect reading specialist to help him over the summer, and he will catch up with everybody else. At this point, the yeshua has come. But even when the yeshua has come, you should not be focusing on that kriah expert. You should be focusing on Hakadosh Baruch Hu, who's going to bring you the salvation. Finally, after an entire summer of reading intervention the child is reading wonderfully—the salvation has come. Who do you sing to? Who do you praise? Don't forget that the yeshua came from Hashem. When you've passed the test at all three levels, that is called " Bitachon b'shleimut." That is considered complete Bitachon. The Gaon of Vilna reads this into a famous pasuk in Tehillim 13:6: Dovid HaMelech says: וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ בְּחַסְדְּךָ֣ בָטַחְתִּי֮ יָ֤גֵ֥ל לִבִּ֗י בִּישׁוּעָ֫תֶ֥ךָ אָשִׁ֥ירָה לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה כִּ֖י גָמַ֣ל עָלָֽי׃ {פ} 1-"Va'ani, b'chasdecha batachti" – And I rely on Your kindness. 2-"Yagel libi b'yeshuasecha" – My heart rejoices in Your salvation. 3-"Ashirah laHashem, ki gamal alai" – I sing to Hashem because He has bestowed this salvation And here we go, step by step: Step number one is: " Va'ani/And I , in the time of challenge, who do I count on? " BaHashem batachti/ I rely on Hashem and nobody else. Once the yeshua has come. " Yagel libi b'yeshuasecha/ My heart rejoices in His salvation, because I only asked from Him and from no one else. And finally, when the salvation comes and I'm totally out of the woods: " Ashirah laHashem, ki gamal alai/I sing to Hashem because He has bestowed upon me this salvation. Those are the three points where one can possibly lose focus. And perfect Bitachon is at every step of the way—when the challenge is here, when the yeshua is coming, and when the salvation has fully arrived- At every step of the way, I focus on nothing else but Hakadosh Baruch Hu. We can use every example in the world—waiting for the shidduch, waiting for the right lawyer, waiting for the right house, waiting for everything and anything. There are always these three stages: 1-You're in the problem—you're in the tunnel. It's dark and you don't see a way out. 2-Next , You see the light at the end of the tunnel. 3-And finally, You're out of the tunnel. At each one of those stages, there should be nothing else on your mind but Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Easier said than done. But that's what we're here for- to keep on repeating and reiterating these important concepts.

Welcome to Daily Bitachon. We continue going through the words of our Rishonim on Bitachon. (The commentary of the Rishonim/the early rabbis, is often more succinct than that of the Achronim/ later Rabbis , but there are many pearls within nonetheless.) The Rambam had a son known as Rav Avraham Ben Rambam. He wrote a sefer called Hamaspik L'Ovdeh Hashem /What's Enough to be a Servant of Hashem , in which he has a section on Bitachon. He asks, What is true Bitachon? True Bitachon is when you rely on Hashem in all areas and don't focus on any intermediary. He provides examples such as when a person gets sick, has v'shalom, and then gets better. He has to realize in his heart, in his thoughts, and in his conscience that the healing did not come from anything but the word of God. So when someone gets better, they have to imagine that Hashem is whispering, " Let this man get better ." Nothing else will help him. He quotes a pasuk in Devarim 32:39, מחצתי / I hit, ואני ארפא /and I make better.. If someone goes through a procedure and it doesn't work out, it didn't work out because that's what Hashem wants. He quotes a pasuk to back that up as well. So before we go for to any procedure, we have to know that Hashem is the One that's literally performing the procedure. And if someone involved himself in business and was successful, he has to know and realize that that profit did not come from anything else but גזרתו Hashem's decree. As it says: כי הוא הנותן לך כח לעשות חיל – because He, God, is the One that gives you the strength to amass wealth, which Onkelos translates as God is the One that gave you the ideas. When someone gets a great license, has a great idea for a product, a great buy, or a great sell- Who gave them those ideas? Hashem gave you the ideas. And if, has v'shalom, something goes wrong, or there's a mishap, he has to realize again, that this was God's decree. There's a pasuk that says: זרע רב תוציא השדה /a field can give forth much grain, ומעט תאסוף/ and only a small amount will be brought in . How could that be? It can be, because that's what Hashem decreed. So again, what is true bitachon? When the one who's relying places his reliance, and his belief in all areas on Hashem above, and not on any of the standard intermediaries that exist. That is Bitachon. So if we want to know if we have Bitachon, that is the way we know.

Welcome to Daily Bitachon. We continue with another beautiful teaching from Rabbenu Yonah on Mishleh Chapter 3, Pasuk 25. He writes these powerful words: One should rely on Hashem in all times of difficulty and darkness, knowing the truth that Hashem is rav l'hoshia—abundant in salvation—as we say every single day in our Amidah. Mikol tzarah/from all difficulties v'yeshuato ke'heref ayin/His salvation comes in the blink of an eye. Therefore, we must rely on Hashem's salvation even if a sword is on a person's throat. Rabbenu Yonah quotes a pasuk in Iyov: Hen yikteleni, lo ayachel/Even if he were to kill me, I would still hope toward Him." Where does this concept come from—that even if a sword is at your throat, you shouldn't give up hope? It's from a well known Gemara in Masechet Brachot: Chizkiyah HaMelech was ill. Yishayah the prophet came to him and said, " Command your household—you are dying and will not live; you are dying in this world and will not live in the next." Why? Because Chizkiyah chose not to have children, having foreseen with ruach hakodesh that his children would be wicked. The prophet rebuked him for this, saying, " That is not your concern. You must do what you are obligated to do, and Hashem will do what He must." Chizkiyah responded to the prophet, " Let me marry your daughter—perhaps through my merit and yours, we will have righteous children." But the prophet replied, " You're a dead man. I won't give you my daughter." Chizkiyah answered, " Prophet, please leave. I have a tradition from my grandfather's household that even if a sword is on one's neck, one should not give up hope." Who is this grandfather he's referring to? Rashi explains that it refers to David HaMelech. In Divrei Hayamim א , 21:16 , David HaMelech counted the people, and Hashem decreed punishment on them. David lifted his eyes and saw an angel of Hashem standing between heaven and earth, v'charbo shlufa b'yado/a drawn sword in his hand, netuya al Yerushalayim/stretched out over Jerusalem. And what did David Hamelech do? He prayed. Even though the sword was over him, he prayed. That is the source Chizkiyah HaMelech referred to, as he was descended from David HaMelech. But the Vilna Gaon, in his commentary in Sefer Kol Eliyahu , is troubled. He points out that the text doesn't say the sword was literally on David's neck—only that it was stretched over Yerushalayim. So metaphorically, yes—but do we have a source that a sword was truly on someone's neck? The Vilna Gaon refers us to Melachim א , 22: 30–33, and also Divrei Hayamim ב , 18:31–32. There, Yehoshafat was at war. He disguised himself and was in hiding, and the king of Aram sent assassins specifically to find and kill him—like a targeted assassination. They found him and were about to kill him. And the pasuk says: Vayizak Yehoshafat—Yehoshafat cried out—v'Hashem azro—and Hashem helped him—vayesitem Elokim mei'meno—God diverted them away from him. Miraculously, they disappeared. The Yalkut Shimoni comments on this episode, saying: melamed shelo yechaser ki'im hatzat harosh—all that was missing was the removal of his head. It was that close. According to the Vilna Gaon, this is the source Chizkiyah drew on. His ancestor Yehoshafat had a sword on his neck and didn't give up—and was saved.He was one step away. The Chomat Anach, from the Chida on Divrei Hayamim , brings down this same concept, similar to the Vilna Gaon. He explains that normally the term " Hashem " refers to midat harachamim (the attribute of mercy), while " Elokim " refers to midat hadin (the attribute of judgment). In that pasuk, both names are used, indicating that according to strict judgment, Yehoshafat should have died—but through his prayers, the judgment was transformed into mercy. This is our tradition—a tradition passed down through generations. Rabbenu Yonah concludes this piece by quotinga pasuk in Tehillim 62:9: Bitchu vo b'chol eit—"Rely on Hashem at all times." What does "at all times" mean? He explains: Gam b'eit shehatzarah krova—even when the trouble is very close, v'lo yeda adam derech l'hinatzel mimena—and a person has no idea how to escape, how he will get out of it—still, trust in Hashem. I once heard a beautiful story from Rav Yaakov Hillel related to this idea. It says, "Even if a sharp sword is on your neck." Why emphasize " sharp "? There was a Rabbi Antebi from Damascus. During a blood libel, he was imprisoned and subjected to psychological torture. They brought him to a guillotine, and the sword came falling down toward him. But it was meant as psychological warfare—the blade was dull. He said, a sword has two sides: sharp and dull. That, he explained, is what Chizkiyah HaMelech meant. If the sword is blunt there is still what to fear. But afilu cherev chada—even if it's a sharp sword—do not give up hope.

Welcome to the Daily Bitachon. We continue with the Rabbenu Yonah on Mishleh , citing different pesukim to prove the point that we need to rely solely on Hashem and not focus at all on human beings. Today's pasuk is from Yeshayah 10:15 הֲיִתְפָּאֵר֙ הַגַּרְזֶ֔ן עַ֖ל הַחֹצֵ֣ב בּ֑וֹ אִם־יִתְגַּדֵּ֤ל הַמַּשּׂוֹר֙ עַל־מְנִיפ֔וֹ כְּהָנִ֥יף שֵׁ֙בֶט֙ וְאֶת־מְרִימָ֔יו כְּהָרִ֥ים מַטֶּ֖ה לֹא־עֵֽץ׃ {פ} Can a hatchet glory over the one who chops with it? Can a saw be greater than the one who wields it? As if a rod could shake those who lift it. As if a stick could lift one who is not wood. The Navi is providing four different metaphors to make the same point, each one with a slightly different nuance. The commentators explain that the reason it's superfluous is to drive the point home. Let's study them one by one: 1-Can a hatchet glory over the one who chops with it? Let's say a wood chopper is using the hatchet (or ax) to chop down a tree. Can the ax look back at the man holding it and say, " Wow, look what I'm doing?" Excuse me, Mr. Ax, you're not doing anything, says the woodchopper. That is mashal number one, that God says to people who glorify themselves with what they're doing. In this case, specifically referring to King Sanheriv who considered himself a world conqueror. World conqueror? Excuse me, you are nothing more than an ax. I am chopping with you. How can you glorify yourself over the One who chops with you? That's the way we're supposed to look at powerful people, rulers and world rulers, and other beings that boast of their accomplishments. We'll leave to everyone's imagination whom we're talking about. 2-Can a saw be greater than the one who wields it? The saw, which is another device used to cut down a tree, can't be greater or more powerful than the one that's holding the saw. 3-As if a rod could shake those who lift it. If I'm lifting the rod, obviously I'm more powerful than the rod I'm lifting. Can you, who's being lifted by God, shake God? Who do you think you are? You're like in the stories of the Dor Hapelaga or the like, going out to fight against God, to throw God off…. God is lifting you. The rod is being lifted. It's like you're swinging a golf club and suddenly the golf club throws you off of him. It doesn't work that way. The rod can't shake those who lift it. 4- As if a stick could lift one who is not wood. כהרים מטה לא עץ which could be understood as Rashi says that, לא העץ הוא המרים./ It's not the tree that lifts, it's the person who's lifting the tree. But the Radak offers a slightly different explanation: Why is the term stick used? He says a stick is not like a tree. A tree can continue to grow after one of its branches have been severed, but the severed branch can no longer grow. So too, human beings are like a tree. They're rooted, and they're growing because they're connected. But when somebody boasts, as in this case, Sanheriv, that boasting will prevent him from growing. Moreover, it will cause your destruction, because when you boast, you're disconnecting yourself from the source of life. The Gaah becomes disconnected. All of the arrogance is actually disconnecting and rather than showing strength and bringing growth, it will actually cause the destruction. In the words of the Radak, וּמֵעַתָּה And now, בהתפארו, in his arrogance/his glorification, יסוף ויכלה, he will cease and will be destroyed. That is our lesson from this pasuk in Yeshaya, beautifully describing how the person is not doing anything. He is nothing , as all of the above metaphors illustrate.

Welcome to Daily Bitachon. Before the war started, we were in the middle of our study of Rabbenu Yonah in Mishlei , Chapter 3, Pasuk 26. We were discussing that whenever someone is being hit , he should not focus on the stick, but on the One who is holding the stick. He quoted a pasuk in Yeshayah (10:20): " Nish'an al Hashem, kedosh Yisrael be'emet/They relied on Hashem, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. We discussed the concept of Bitachon gamur bli safek/complete trust without doubt. Now he quotes a source that ultimately Hashem is in charge of all " hitters ." As it says in a pasuk in Mishleh : " פלגי מים לב מלך ביד ה׳ י Palgei mayim/like flowing waters and streams, the heart of a king is in the hands of G-d. " על כל אשר יחפץ יטנו/ G-d can turn and tilt him in whichever way He desires . What does that mean? The consensus of the commentaries is that although human beings have freedom of choice —we make choices, and of course, Hashem can decide whether or not our choices will materialize—human beings still have choices. But when it comes to a king, it's very different. In the words of the Chida in his sefer Kiseh David , the tenth derush for Shabbat Zachor: " HaMelech en lo bechirah"—a king does not have free choice. "Rak libo b'yad Hashem"—his heart is in the hands of G-d. "El kol asher yachpotz yatenu"—he will turn and tilt as G-d desires. This applies specifically to a king —a full controller. The Sefer Chassidim in Siman תמא brings an example from Rechavam, who listened to the counsel of the younger advisers instead of his elders, and it ended up backfiring. The pasuk clearly says there, " hayta sibah me'et Hashem"—it was caused by G-d. G-d made it happen. So when we see kings making decisions, we must realize—they are literally puppets. The Sefer Chassidim also quotes another pasuk in Malachim א , Chapter 22:20, where G-d says, " מי יפתה את אחאב, הרי —who will seduce Achav ? G-d was speaking to His angels. An angel agreed and said, "I will. " It was the spirit of a certain person who had been killed. He said, " I will go down." The Sefer Chassidim explains: שהמלאך מטה המחשבה להרהר אחר אותו דבר The angel tilts the thoughts, —to cause to think the thought שגוזר הקב"ה that G-d has decreed. So the brain is hijacked by the angel. It may look like the king is making a decision—but he is not. In the words of the Midrash Mishleh , Parashah 21: " עולה למלוכה לבו נתון בידו של הקב"ה. when a man rises to become a king, his heart is placed in the hands of G-d. If the world is merits, G-d causes him to issue good decrees; if not, bad ones. וכל גזירה שיוצאה מפיו אינה יוצאה לכתחלה אלא מלפני הקב"ה. any decree that leaves the king's mouth, does not go out unless G-d permits it. That's how controlled the king's words and decisions are. Rabbenu Yonah on Mishlei explains the reason behind this: Since שהרבים תלוין במלך, / The masses depend on the king —and G-d gave him the power to bring life or death, to do good or bad, שומר ה׳ את לבו שלא יטה רק לעשות גזרת ה׳ Hashem guards his heart so he will only be inclined to do G-d's will. Obviously, this is timely with what's going on with Trump, Khamenei, Netanyahu, and others. We must realize: it all falls under this principle of Lev Melech b'Yad Hashem.

Welcome to Daily Bitachon. We continue our Rising Lion mini-series. Yesterday we quoted the pasuk in Zachariah that is read in the Haftara of Baha'alotcha that talks about the prophet seeing a vision of a Menorah . He asks what it is, and God responds, כי אם ברוחי/It's My spirit that's going to win the war. We explained yesterday that God has the power to arouse the spirit of man and switch a person's outlook and mindset, and that's how we're going to win the war. But what makes that happen? What ignites God to play with spirits? There is a a beautiful thought from the HaEmek Devar but we need some background first: In Shemot 39:37 regarding setting up the Mishkan, the pasuk says, אֶת הַמְּנֹרָה הַטְּהֹרָה אֶת נֵרֹתֶיהָ נֵרֹת הַמַּעֲרָכָה וְאֶת כָּל כֵּלֶיהָ וְאֵת שֶׁמֶן הַמָּאוֹר: There is the pure Menorah, its candles and the, נרות המערכה. The candles of Maracha. What does Maracha mean? The Hizkuni and many others say it means set up, as it says, יערוך אותו אהרן ובניו/Aharon and his sons are going to set it up (similar to שולחן ערוך, set up table),. עריכה Aricha means something set up. So therefore it's the Menorah of candles, that are set up Rabbenu Bachye has a deeper explanation of this pasuk, which is the seven lights of the menorah correspond to the seven main planets- the candles of the heavens. And the candles down here impact the candles up there. That means what we do down here impacts the world above. So the Nerot Maracha are the candles of the solar system, so to say. It might not look like it, but it is. But there's another meaning for מערכה Maracha . In Shemuel, when David Hamelech goes to fight against Goliat, the pasuk says, ותערוך ישראל ופלישתים, and they set up Israel and the Pelishtim, The term מערכה Maracha here refers to a battle (i.e.set up for battle). Based on this, the HaEmek D'var, calls the Nerot Hamarcha candles of battle . Why? Citing the pasuk we discussed, he says the Menorah symbolizes לא בחיל ולא בכח, it's not with war and with strength, כי אם ברוחי, rather with My spirit. The Menorah represents spirit. When someone passes away, we light a, Ner Neshama , a candle of the soul .. There's a soul, there's a spirit, that candle symbolizes. And Neshama and Mishna נשמה, משנה, have the same letters, so the candelabra symbolizes Torah sh'b'al Peh , which is, in the words of HaEmek D'var, Milchamta shel Torah .When you learn Torah Shbe'al peh, the Oral Law, the Gemara, that is fighting . That's what Torah shbe'al Peh is, it's a fight. You go to a Bet Midrash, and it's cooking. It's called Milchamta Shel Torah. There's a screaming and yelling back and forth. This Milchamta Shel Torah protects us from wars down here. That is why we call it Nerot Hamaracha - Like with the story of Hanukah, they won the war with a few Chashmonaim, with a few Kohanim. Why? The power of the Menorah. The Menorah symbolizes the power of spirit. And that's what we read about. Yes, God can flip the switch of a spirit, but what makes everything happen? The power of spirit down here. We need to arouse spirit, and that, so to say, empowers God to do what He has to do with the spirit. Like we said at the beginning of our series, yes, we need to have wars and soldiers and our Hishtadlut . David Hamelech took a slingshot to get Goliat. Yes, he did something, but he did something small. Ultimately it's the power of spirit י כי אם ברוח

Welcome to Daily Bitachon. We continue in our special mini series with messages based on the situation that's going on in Eretz Yisrael, now with the threat from Iran. In the Haftara of Parashat Baha'alotcha , which was read on the first Shabbat of this war, Zechariah sees a vision of a Menorah and the angel asks him, Do you know what this is? He says, I don't know, what is it? The angel tells him, This is a message to Zerubavel telling him, לא בחיל, not with not with armies, לא בכח, not with strength, כי אם ברוח י, it's My spirit אמר ה' צבאות. We're going to win this with spirit. מי אתה הר הגדול? Who do you think you are, big mountain, לפני זרובבל, in front of Zerubavel. ל מישור, I'm going to smooth you out . What exactly is this message of כי אם ברוחי/ It's going to happen with My spirit? The commentaries on the Navi point us to a pasuk at the beginning of Ezra (1:1), where it talks about building the Bet Hamikdash: ובשנת אחת לכורש מלך פרס/ In the first year of Koresh , the Persian king. There were many Persian kings, but Koresh was the one that built our Bet Hamikdash העיר ה' את רוח כורש מלך פרס/ God aroused the spirit of King Koresh of Paras. ויעבר קול בכל מלכותו /And he made an announcement to all of his kingdom, and he wrote a letter and said, everybody please help build the Bet Hamikdash What are the words that are used ? העיר ה' את רוח כורש/God aroused his spiri t. The commentaries tell us, this is what Hashem meant with when he said to Zerubavel, We're going to win this war with My spirit- You're not going to have to fight anything. I'm just going to flick a switch and Koresh is going to decide to send out workers to accommodate the building of the Bet Hamikdash… And that's what happened. And that large mountain referred to above, that was blocking Zerubavel? That mountain also refers to the Persians. As it says in Ezra chapter 4, At the beginning of the kingdom of Achashverosh, , כתבו שטנה. They wrote words of prosecution. What were those words of prosecution? Stop building the Bet Hamikdash.. and the building of the Bet Hamikdash was impeded by Achashverosh. That's how we know he wasn't the best of people. Rav Saada HaGaon says there that if we continue reading onto the next pasuk, we see that the one writing these words of prosecution w as Shimsheh, the scribe. Who was this scribe Shimsheh? He was the son of Haman. The Gemara in Masechet Megila 16A, discusses the night Achashverosh woke up in the middle of the night, disturbed. Hashem aroused him, and he woke up disturbed. Why hadn't he paid back Mordechai? So he took out the Divreh HaYamim . Who was in charge of the book? None other than this same scribe, Shimsheh! Shimsheh was busy erasing the words We have to pay back Mordechai,but while he was doing so, Gavriel the Malach was filling it in. The Maharsha says this, again, was Haman's son! So Hashem is showing us that There can be all kinds of the negative forces and anti-semitism, but I will wake up the king in the middle of the night. I will send Gavriel in. I fight wars with spirit, not with regular tactics . And that is all we need. This Bet Hamikdash will be built very simply. It's not that complicated. Just a flick of the switch. And the very same Persians that stopped it then decided to build it. It's a flip of a switch. And Paras is Iran…. Similarly we now have the chancellor of Germany praising Israel for doing the world's dirty work! What's going on? It's just a flick of a switch. We have to believe that it's that simple for Hashem to turn things around. He doesn't need anything . כי אם ברוחי. Of course we do our physical Hishtadlut (and we'll soon get to spiritual Hishtadlut ). But at the end of the day, it's all כי אם ברוחי/ Hashem is in charge of spirits. That's a term used on God. So let's believe that with the flick of a switch, everything can change.

Welcome to Daily Bitachon. We're in part three of our Rising Lion mini-series, where we explain the verse: " הן עם כלביא יקום/ The nation will rise up like a lion The Midrash Rabba in Bamidbar 20:20 explains that the word " הן " means One , outstanding nation —as there is no nation like the Jewish people. Even when they go to sleep and pause their Torah and Mitzvot, they rise like lions and immediately embrace the mitzvah of Kriat Shem a, declaring Hashem as King upon themselves. Then, they head out to work. And if they face challenges during the day—whether business struggles or terrorist threats—they immediately declare Hashem Echad , reaffirming God's Oneness. With that declaration, their enemies are dispelled. Why does the Midrash interpret Bilaam's words as referring to spiritual warfare, fought with Kriat Shema, rather than literal war? Rav Eliyahu Mizrahi, in his commentary on Rashi, explains that since the previous comments speak of God's love for the Jewish people and praise their commitment to Torah and Mitzvot, Chazal chose to continue in that vein. Thus, the strength discussed here is the strength of one who is "גיבור כארי לעשות רצון אביך שבשמים/ Mighty like a lion to fulfill the will of your Father in Heaven. The Maharal adds that true strength lies in fulfilling Mitzvot, because each Mitzvah is a Godly act. It's inherently against nature, requiring true spiritual Gevurah / strength to break through the physical world. He also notes that this Midrashic interpretation is actually very close to the pshat (simple meaning) of the verse—if properly understood. So, what is true strength? As we say, "איזהו גיבור? הכובש את יצרו/ Who is strong? One who conquers his desires . Thus, interpreting the lion's strength as spiritual rather than physical is entirely consistent. Now let's return to the Midrash's phrase that, " They go out מפליגין לדרך ארץ למשא ומתן/ to enter the world of work and bus iness. They don't just wake up and perform mitzvot; they go into their daily affairs. Where do we see this in the verse? The Rashash, in his commentary on the Midrash, explains that business , referred to here as משא ומתן , is hinted at in the vers e "כארי יתנשא"—he will lift himself like a lion. It suggests that the lion rises not only to pray or fight but also to face business challenges. And how does this lion overcome those challenges? By declaring Hashem Echad/God is One. " That declaration, that spiritual focus, helps him overcome difficulties in the business world. Now, for something a bit more Kabbalistic—but also a Segula for Parnasa : Rav Chaim Pilaggi, in his sefer Kaf HaChaim (chapter 12), writes about the prayer אנא בכח/ Anah B'Koach. Within that prayer is the line "נא גיבור דורשי יחודך כבבת שמרם/Please, O Strong One, protect those who seek Your Oneness like the pupil of an eye." This prayer originates from Rav Nachunya ben Hakana, and the initials of " נ א ג יבור ד ורשי" form the acronym נגד which has the same numerical value as זן (as in מ זונ ות -livelihood and sustenance). So at that moment in the prayer, one should mentally focus on asking Hashem for Mezonot B'Revach, abundant success in sustenance. Rav Chaim Pilaggi brings this from sefer Raziel HaMalach and adds that the final letters of "נ א גיבו ר דורש י " spell ארי (lion), symbolizing that we are strengthened like lions in our pursuit of God's Oneness—particularly in Kriat Shema when we say Hashem Echad. So declaring God's Oneness not only represents spiritual strength but also directly connects to our livelihood. Finally, consider the talk given by the kohen as they prepared for war. It says in Devarim 20,,3 שמע ישראל, אתם קרבים היום למלחמה על אויביכםHear O Israel, today you are going out to war against your enemie s. And Rashi explains that Even if you have no merit except for Kriat Shema, that is enough to save you." What gives Kriat Shema this power? The Maharal, in his Gur Aryeh on Rashi, explains that saying Kriat Shema demonstrates our belief in God's Oneness . By connecting ourselves to the power of the One, we declare "אין עוד מלבדו"— En Od Milevado there is none besides Him . Because nothing else counts in comparison, there is only One force and He can overcome all. That is the power of the rising lion—on the battlefield, in morning prayer Kriat Shema, or in everyday challenges. He rises and declares Hashem Echad . That is the essence of the עם כלביא יקום/ The nation will rise up like a lion

Welcome to Daily Bitachon. We are in our mini-series called The Rising Lion, part two, discussing the meaning of the pasuk (Bamidbar 23,24), הן עם כלביא יקום/The Jewish people are like a rising lion." In the previous class, we talked about the physical aspect of war that the Jewish people have. Today, we'd like to go a bit deeper. Rashi says regarding this pasuk that the Jewish people are like a rising lion. When they get up from their sleep in the morning, הן מתגברים כלביא וכארי/ they strengthen themselves like a lion— לחטוף את המצוות/ to grab the Mitzvo t, to put on a Talet , to read Shema , and to put on Tefilin . And when he goes to sleep at night on his bed, he destroys every negative force that is out to get him by saying Kriat Shema Al Hamita and giving his soul to God.And if anyone comes to harm them, God protects them. So we have a new spin on the rising lion. The rising lion doesn't only refers to the soldier—of course, the soldier is the rising lion in the simple sense—but it refers to every person who gets up in the morning. How does he get up in the morning? Like a lion . The first Halacha in Shulchan Aruch tells us יתגבר כאר /one should get up like a lion לעבודת הבורא/ to serve God . The Gaon of Vilna asks, what's the source of this? First of all, Pirke Avot tells us you're supposed to be גיבור כארי לעשות רצון אביך שבשמים/ mighty like a lion to do the will of your Father in Heaven. And he quotes our pasuk: הן עם כלביא יקום. and, as we'll see in a moment, Rashi and Midrash Rabba both say: Get up like a lion. So if we get up like a lion , we're also part of the war effort. We're getting up like a lion, and that empowers us. Every line of this pasuk can be understood both on the simple level and on the Midrashic level. For example, why does it switch from לביא, which means lioness , to ארי, which means lion ? Why do we get up like a lioness and rise higher like a lion? On the simple level, the Sror HaMor says that although we start off like a lioness, which is not as powerful, we end up strengthening ourselves like a lion. That's on the simple level. The Mayanah shel Torah says that on the spiritual level, when a Jew wants to serve Hashem, he starts off like a lioness—alone. But with time, הבא לטהר מסייעין אותו/if you try to become pure, God helps you . And you go from the lioness to the lion. Another very interesting line: One of the rules that Prime Minister Netanyahu invoked was הבא להרגך השכם להורגו /if someone is coming to kill you, rise early and kill him. This was his explanation as to why he didn't wait for Iran to attack. Again, everything we're going to see is on both the simple and Midrash levels. On the simple level, it's Halacha: if someone is out to kill you, get him first. No question about it. But the Pele Yoetz, on the topic of Hashkama , says: הבא להרגך the someone coming to kill you refers to the יצר Yetzer Hara that's out to kill you, So- השכם להורגו/Get up early to kill him. It doesn't just mean "kill him first." He says there's nothing better to kill the Yetzer Hara than getting up early in the morning. Because by getting up early and fighting the Yetzer Hara, and מתגבר כארי/rising like a lion to serve Hashem— you have the upper hand. So: הבא להרגך השכם להורגו Get up and kill him first. Yesterday we discussed that this pasuk, הן עם כלביא יקום, is so important that the Rabbis wanted to insert it in our Kriat Shema as the third Parasha, instead of Tzizit . Why in Kriat Shema ? Now we understand beautifully. Because this pasuk is talking about us getting up early in the morning with Kriat Shema, and going to sleep at night with Kriat Shema —on the Midrashic level. So what better idea than to include it as Parasha number three in Kriat Shema—if not for the fact that it was too long. But there's no reason we shouldn't discuss it outside of shul. And that's what we're doing now: understanding the full depth of this pasuk , which was so important that the Rabbis felt it should be inserted in our daily Kriat Shema. This was especially necessary, they said, during the time of the second Bet Hamikdash, when the Jewish people were down and didn't feel that God was with them, and the Shechina was in Galut in a certain sense. So we wanted to remind ourselves that even when we're down, we can get up with a roar. The sefer Pardes Yosef on Bereshit 13,3 tells the following story, that really illustrates this concept: During the reign of Czar Alexander III, the emperor of Russia from 1881 to 1894, there were harsh decrees against the Jews. A wealthy Jew named Baron David Ginsburg (1857–1910) arranged for the Rabbis to meet with the Czar in order to plead their case. They went in to the meeting, but there was a rabid anti-Semite in the room who spilled out his hatred and said, "I understand the need for all creatures in the world. The one creature I don't understand the need for is the Jewish people. They're like a leprosy on Mother Russia, and we have no need for them." This made an impact, and the Czar's delegation walked out of the meeting without any change to the harsh decrees. As they walked out, all the Rabbis were upset, except Rav Yitzhak Elchanan Spector, the chief rabbi of Kovno, who was smiling. They asked him, " Why are you smiling?" He replied: " Now I understand the explanation of the pasuk that we read in Balak. כעת יאמר ליעקב ולישראל ( Bamidbar 23,23) When it says מה פעל אל it doesn't mean What has God done ' or 'the wonders He's done for the Jewish people.' Rather, it means, 'For what purpose did God create the Jewish people ?' For what reason did God create the Jewish people at all? He continued, So at the moment in time when they look at the Jewish people like vermin, like leprosy, and think there's no need for them in the world- similar to Hitler'a approach, then a new generation begins, and as it says in the next pasuk ( Bamidbar 23,24) הן עם כלביא /We are going to rise like a lion . So all the hatred around us is actually a source of strength . It reminds us that when these things happen, now comes the time for הנה עם כלביא יקום /We are going to rise like a lion .

Welcome to the Daily Bitachon. Today, we begin a special mini-series called Rising Lion, named for the current war initiative in Eretz Yisrael against Iran, presumably coined by our Prime Minister Netanyahu. Interestingly there's a picture circulating in the media (see above ),showing Netanyahu standing by the Kotel, with a closeup of the note he placed the Kotel , dated ט׳ז סיון תשפ׳ה , the Thursday before the war started. In the corner, it says, " BeSiyata DiShmaya, " and he wrote the following five words, quoted from Bamidbar 23,24 עָם כְּלָבִיא יָקוּם וְכַאֲרִי יִתְנַשָּׂא / Am k'lavi yakum u'k'ari yitnasa which means A nation that gets up like a lioness and rises like a lion So the Prime Minister sent a letter to Hashem, evoking this pasuk . And while we don't know what he was actually thinking, we can study this pasuk. Firstly, the Gemara in Berachot 12b tells us that the Rabbis wanted to include the parashah of Bilam's curses, which turned into blessings in Kriyat Shema, but didn't because it was too long- it would be a torach tzibur—a burden on the congregation. But what is it about Parasha of Bilam that they wanted to include? One possibility is that it contains the phrase: "El motzia miMitzrayim/ God took us out of Egypt . Let's explain for a moment. There are three parshiyot in Kriyat Shema . The first two make sense to say every morning and night because they literally say, " b'shochb'cha uv'kumecha" — when you lie down and when you rise up. The third parashah, of Tzitzit —doesn't clearly say that it needs to be said every day. But because it mentions Yetziat Mitzrayim , we say it daily as a reminder. . We could have used another passage, such as this one, but it was too long. Still, we can ask, what was its unique value? The Maharsha citing the Gemara tells us that the power of this section lies in our pasuk: Hein am k'lavi yakum u'k'ari yitnasa/the Jewish people rise like a lion. This is a very important pasuk and that's why it could have been included in the daily Shema. On a simple level the Seforno says the nation is like a lion. What does a lion do? " להלחם עם מי שלא נלחם בם כלל /it fights even those who haven't attacked it yet. Fascinating. We attacked Iran before Iran attacked us. That's the rising lion —one that doesn't wait to be attacked. Next, an interesting point is brought by the Or HaChaim HaKadosh: A lion, even as it ages, gains strength. No matter how many battles it fights, it doesn't grow weaker—it grows stronger. B'ezrat Hashem, that will be fulfilled for us as well, even though we are engaged in many wars. Additionally, he says: לא ישכב / He doesn't go to sleep. What does that mean? " שאין הלילה מפלט לנוס מפניו, /you can't escape from the rising lion, even at night. Light and darkness are the same to him. Yehoshua stopped the sun—we don't care about day or night. Even when everyone else is sleeping, the lion is attacking. Night attacks! And finally, the Meshech Chochmah says: What makes the Jewish people a rising lion? When a lion is lying down, it looks like nothing. When you drive by on safari—he's just lying there, chilling out, yawning. He doesn't seem like anything. But when he gets up, you see his power. Similarly, the Jewish people came out of Mitzrayim as slaves, untrained. But suddenly, he says, they became a great power. The Jewish people, like the lion, rise without any help from others. [ שאין העזר מהשתתפות ממלכות אחרים רק מעצמו, /there's no alliance or outside support. He rises on his own, like a lion that doesn't call out to others. He says, that's why the pasuk right before the rising Lion says: כי לא נחש ביעקב ולא קסם כו', שאין בהפלאים של ישראל שום נחש או קסם, רק השי"ת. / there's no witchcraft in Israel. "Ka'et ye'amer l'Yaakov u'l'Yisrael mah pa'al El" — it becomes obvious what God has done. When the Jewish people go to war, it's clear they're not winning by natural means. " כי אין זה סדור טבעי this isn't normally natural. . It's Hashgacha pratit/ Divine Providenc e from the all powerful God. It's not the result of witchcraft or sorcery. " שאין בהפלאים של ישראל שום נחש או קסם /The successes and wonders of Israel are not due to magic. It all comes from Hashem Yitbarach. So what do we learn from the pasuk that Prime Minister Netanyahu chose of the rising lion? 1. The lion attacks before being attacked. 2. The lion grows stronger with age. 3. The lion attacks at night. 4. The lion needs no help from anyone else. Why? Because its power comes entirely from Hashem.