Daily Bitachon

No prayers on Shabbat Welcome to our daily Bitachon special Erev Shabbat discussion on Shabbat . Today's question is why on Shabbat we have a shorter Amidah than during the weekdays. During the weekdays we have a full nineteen Brachot and on Shabbat we have seven Brachot made up of the first three that we always say the last three that we always say and there's only one Bracha in the middle Mekadesh Hashabbat . So there's basically two answers. One is that you can't make your own request on Shabbat hence we have a shorter Amidah . The second reason given is that praying in Amidah takes a lot of effort. It takes a lot of energy. Chassidim HaRishonim would pray an hour before prayer an hour after prayer and it takes a lot of Kochot and Shabbat we want to make life a little easier for you and therefore we have a shorter Amidah . That's one of the reasons given. But let's go back to the first reason. You can't make requests for your own needs on Shabbat and the question is why not? Why shouldn't you make requests for yourself on Shabbat ? One reason is because by making your own requests you realize what you don't need and what you don't have and that's going to make you sad so therefore we don't pray. So one of the answers is that on Shabbat Melachtcha is like it's finished. What is there to request? That you don't have any problems. Everything's done as it says ke'ilu melachtcha asuya like Hashem worked six days and rested on the seventh we too work six days and rest on the seventh. Now how can you possibly do that? Melachtcha asuya that's it finished done there's nothing to think about? How can we reach that level there's nothing to think about? And the answer is that on Shabbat we're supposed to reach the understanding that Hashem is controlling and running the world totally. When a person is in a car and someone else is driving them they don't say you know you have to make a right you have to make a left well maybe he doesn't know where he's going he has Waze he knows where he's going you sit in the back and you're going on an hour ride what do you do you put your chair back and you rest you fall asleep there's nothing to take care of. So although you might have a million things on your mind but you know someone else is taking care of you and therefore you just relax and that's what goes on in Shabbat when you have to do this and that and all the other things that's true but on Shabbat you're supposed to imagine that someone else is taking care. You need a dress you need a suit what if I told you you have your own personal shopper? They fly to Paris for you they get you a dress they measure it they tailor it so you're making a wedding in a week you don't have a dress don't worry about it you have someone that's going to buy it for you and they'll fit you and everything will work that is the feeling of Shabbat everything is done so I don't have to ask for anything I don't have to pray for anything I have everything. Now the one question is so hold on but there is one request where we go through קדשנו במצותיך תן חלקנו בתורתך טהר לבנו לעבדך we're asking Hashem for all kind of requests. Purify my heart make me holy through mitzvot I thought everything's done why do I have to ask for anything? And the answer is everything is done in the physical world everything's done there's nothing else to do Hashem will take care of everything. But when it comes to ruchniyut when it comes to spirituality there we say הכל בידי שמים חוץ מיראת שמים everything in the hands of God but the fear of God that God doesn't take care of that that's our job. Of course you can pray for Hashem to help you that's okay but that job is not finished that job is just beginning on Shabbat when it's a day that's a more spiritual day. Now there is a further concept of why we I'm sorry that in these requests we're really asking for in a way gashmiyut as well because if we're having a headache on Shabbat how can I pray how can I learn? So when we ask for our requests on Shabbat we really are asking in a way for our own needs. We say רצה והחליצנו שלא תהא צרה ויגון ביום מנוחתנו we shouldn't have any problems any heartache on the day of our resting. Hold on I thought you're not allowed to ask anything? I'm not asking for anything I'm asking that I should have peace of mind. If I have a headache if I have worry I can't have peace of mind. So on Shabbat our requests are only regarding spirituality. We want to be able to spend time connecting with Hashem all of our work is done. We just like I asked to use the Mashal person should imagine he sold his business on Friday. Friday for a hundred million dollars. Nothing to think about, I sold it already. And then Sunday morning, I buy it back. That's the feeling of Shabbat , and therefore there is nothing to pray for. Everything's fine, we don't have to pray for. And the only thing I do pray for is to get.

Welcome to Daily Bitachon. We are now in Sha'ar HaBechina [The Gate of Reflection], in our final chapter. We are continuing with the lesson the Chafetz Chaim taught us, which builds on what the Chovos HaLevavos told us: our understanding of God in this world is extremely limited. Because of this limited understanding, it can look like the world is haphazard, out of control, or like chas v'shalom [God forbid] God is unable to fix what needs fixing—all because we focus on a minor rebellion in this small corner of creation. The truth is, every single day in our tefillah [prayer], we give over this exact message: Hashem is constantly sustaining a massive universe. The angels recognize this completely, but down here, we don't. We are limited to what God has revealed to us in this physical world, which is primarily His middot [attributes]. We understand the three intellectual faculties of the mind: chochma (wisdom), bina (understanding), and da'at (knowledge). God revealed those three areas of intellect, and He also revealed seven emotional middot : gedula (greatness/lovingkindness), gevura (strength/restraint), tiferet (glory/harmony), netzach (eternity/victory), hod (splendor), yesod (foundation/all-encompassing), and malchut (kingship/kingdom). God revealed these traits to us, and they correspond to the seven great tzaddikim [righteous pillars] who each perfected one of them. As we've mentioned before, Avraham symbolizes chesed (kindness); Yitzchak is gevura (strength); Yaakov Avinu is tiferet (glory/harmony between kindness and strength); Moshe symbolizes netzach (eternity); Aharon symbolizes hod (splendor/shining); Yosef HaTzaddik is yesod (the foundation, which also connects to the phrase " ki chol " from the verse, as they share the same numerical value); and malchut is David HaMelech. These are the divine traits we can actually grasp down here. We read about them and say them every single day. Look inside Vayivarech David : "And David blessed Hashem in the presence of the entire congregation. David said, 'Blessed are You, Hashem, the God of Israel, our forefather, from this world to the world to come.'" Parenthetically, notice how he explicitly mentions "from this world to the world to come"—the two worlds created by the two letters of His Name, just like we discussed in the last class. The verse continues: "Yours, Hashem, is the greatness (1), the strength (2), the splendor (3), the triumph (4), the glory (5), even everything in the heaven and the earth (6). Yours, Hashem, is the kingdom (7), and the sovereignty over every leader." So now it is clear: in this world, God revealed these seven middot to us. The verse continues: " Wealth and honor come from You, and You rule everything. " Right at this point in the davening, there is a beautiful custom to give three coins to charity. Why? Because at the exact moment we achieve total clarity in God's absolute control over the world's wealth, we give tzedakah to show we realize, "This isn't coming out of my pocket. It's Yours, God. You own it all." The prayer continues: " In Your hand is power and strength, and it is in Your hand to make anyone great or strong. And now, our God, we thank You and praise Your splendorous name. " They blessed His glorious Name, which is exalted above all blessings and praise. Then we take the next step: " It is You alone, Hashem, You have made the heaven and the most exalted heaven, and all their legions, the earth and everything upon it, the seas and everything in them, and You give them all life. " What does it mean, " You give them all life " ( v'Ata mechayeh et kulam )? The Chafetz Chaim points out, quoting the Zohar , that the text doesn't say God gave life in the past ( hecheyata ), but rather mechayeh —He is continuously giving life at this very microsecond. We've discussed this concept before from Rav Moshe Cordovero's Tomer Devorah . In the first divine trait of " Mi El Kamocha " [Who is a God like You], he writes that the world doesn't just keep existing today because it existed yesterday. It exists at this exact moment only because God is actively pumping vital energy into creation. The mashal for this is a large, inflatable bounce house that kids play in. It stays upright and full only because an air pump is running continuously. If you pull the plug, all the air is released instantly and it collapses. This world requires constant, active energizing. We don't see that with our physical eyes, and we don't naturally realize it. But the angels above? They see it clearly. The angels see exactly what is going on. They see that Hashem is constantly energizing everything, and that nothing moves without Him. The Tomer Devorah says that even when you bend your finger, that motion is being directly channeled by God's energy. Because they see this reality, the verse says: " U'tzva ha'shamayim Lecha mishtachavim "—"And the heavenly legions bow to You." They understand what we fail to grasp. They know that among the thousands upon thousands of angelic hosts, no angel has ever had a day without "dinner." Do you know how massive these angels are? The Gemara in Chullin (91b) tells us that the angel Gavriel measures an unimaginable size: two thousand parsa . If we translate that, we are talking about an entity that is thousands of miles high. Other angels are even larger, spanning what we would call light-years across the cosmos. Yet, God has absolutely no problem sustaining and fueling these gigantic spiritual entities. The Chafetz Chaim looks at this and asks: How can we—whom he compares to a tiny, insignificant onion peel—worry about where our parnasa [livelihood] is going to come from? Imagine the foolishness of that anxiety! We continue along the same daily prayer track: " It is You, Hashem, the God who selected Avram, brought him out of Ur Kasdim, and made his name Avraham. " The text walks us right through the foundational history of the Jewish people—the bitter times in Egypt, the miraculous Exodus, and the splitting of the Sea ( Kriat Yam Suf ). Then we break into Shirat HaYam [the Song of the Sea], the ecstatic song of praise beginning with " Az Yashir ." As Rashi notes in Tractate Berachos , all of this historical and cosmic imagery is designed to build our awe and get us ready to stand before the King in the Shemoneh Esrei [the standing prayer]. We need this exact reminder every single morning. Imagine if we prayed with this level of kavana [intention] each day. Imagine how it would transform our lives. They gave us this incredible introduction for a reason. Tomorrow, we will continue with a similar lesson on this exact concept—focusing on how great God is, how vast the universe is, and how small we truly are.

Welcome to our Daily Bitachon series. We are at the end of Sha'ar HaBechina [The Gate of Reflection], where the author tells us a beautiful mashal [parable] to show the greatness of Hashem. He compares us to a child who was raised in a jail cell and has no concept of the king who runs an entire empire; the child thinks the whole world is just that jail cell. And that is us in this world. We only have a small glimpse of what the real picture is and what God can truly do, living here on this small little planet. The Chovos HaLevavos tells us to develop this mashal . And we will do just that, based on the Chafetz Chaim in his sefer Shemiras HaLashon (Volume 1, in the section called Sha'ar HaTvuna , Chapter 10). He gives the following mashal to explain how we can rely on Hashem even when we are living in an era where we don't clearly see Hashem's control—where it looks like the world is running wild. It's fascinating how he uses this mashal to build our Bitachon [trust], because ultimately, as we've said, our understanding of the world is what leads us to serve Him, which ultimately brings us to Bitachon . And here we go: There was a king who had total global control. He was a superpower, and he ruled his kingdom beautifully. He had more than enough food and sustenance to provide for his entire kingdom, for all of his generals, and for everyone under his rule in a highly respectable way. Yet, as can happen on a small, isolated island with a tiny group of people, a few servants decided to stage a minor rebellion out of pure arrogance. The king heard about it. Okay, his men would handle it, no problem. Right after the news reached the king, he went for a walk in his vineyard, not feeling threatened by this rebellion at all. While walking, he heard a beautiful bird chirping. It looked nice, it sounded beautiful, and he told one of his servants, "I'd like to have that bird in my palace so we can listen to its beautiful singing." And so they did; they put the bird in a cage and brought it to the king's palace, where it sang in a beautiful, sweet tone. One foolish man saw the bird and said, "You poor bird, I feel so bad for you. You know, you're going into the king's palace because you have a beautiful voice, but you're really going to suffer there because you won't have any food." The bird asked, "Why not?" The man replied, "Because I heard that there are people rebelling against the king!" Another, smarter servant overheard this and said, "What a fool! Our king rules the entire world. He has endless treasure houses. Taking care of this bird is a joke to him. And he loves the chirping of this bird! Do you really think he can't manage to find a few morsels of grain every day to sustain this bird just because there are a few rebels in some far-off little town?" That is the mashal . For the nimshal [the lesson], the Chafetz Chaim says that this analogy doesn't even compare one-in-a-million to what is really going on. God created this physical world, but He also created the upper worlds. The spiritual realm consists of many worlds. There are four basic spiritual worlds: our world is called Olam HaAsiya [the World of Action], and above it are the worlds of Yetzira , Beriah , and Atzilut . We aren't kabbalists to go into exactly what all these levels mean. But the point he is making is that when we see a "rebellion" happening down here in this tiny physical world, we are viewing everything through limited, physical eyes. We don't see what is truly going on; we have no idea of the full scope of the universe. And we are like that little bird—that tiny, teeny bird—worrying, "How is the king going to take care of me?" Who is the bird? The bird is us, the Jewish people, whose voices God loves to hear. As the verse says, " Yonati bechagvei hasela "—"My dove in the clefts of the rock." He wants to take care of us! Yet, we worry because we see rebellions going on, because there is Hamas, because there is Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, and Hezbollah. We worry because we see a few rebels. Do you know what our King can do? The Chafetz Chaim says we should be more shocked at our own anxious attitude than at the attitude of that foolish servant telling the bird that the king can't feed him. That is huge. He says that all we need to do, every single day, is think about this. When we think about this, it will strengthen our Bitachon . And again, this is exactly what Sha'ar HaBechina is all about—seeing God's power and understanding how He is completely unlimited, and using that clarity to reach Bitachon . I will not stop stressing this point: You cannot jump to Sha'ar HaBitachon without going through Sha'ar HaBechina . You must first appreciate who God is, and then you can rely on Him. And even then, you can't just jump straight to relying on Him; you have to first commit yourself to serving Him. Your first reaction to God's greatness isn't supposed to be, "Wow, look how strong God is, look what I can get from Him!" No. It should be, "Look how strong God is—what do I have to do to reciprocate?" And how do we reciprocate? How will we find the tools and abilities to do so? That is where Bitachon comes in: rely on Him, and He will take care of you. The absolute fundamental of Bitachon is that Hashem takes care of His servants . You need to be a servant first. This is the path of Sha'ar HaBechina . That is what the author is telling us. We have a clear track. When you get to the end of this gate, you have to realize what the next step is, but never forget the foundation. As we say, you constantly have to go over this foundation again and again, every single day. He notes that this is the deeper meaning of the verse in Yeshayahu (26:4): " Ki b'Y-H Hashem tzur olamim ." Chazal [the Sages] tell us that God created the worlds with two letters of His Name: a Yud , which created Olam HaBa [the World to Come], and a Heh , which created Olam HaZeh [this world]. What does this verse say? Once we know that Hashem created both worlds and that He is a tzur —a rock, meaning He is completely reliable, the rock in whom we find refuge ( tzur achasayu bo )—the verse commands us: " Bitchu v'Hashem adei ad "—"Trust in Hashem forever and ever." What does "always and forever" mean? The Chafetz Chaim explains that "always" means even in our times, when it looks like a massive rebellion is going on. Rely on Him always! Why? Because you know how powerful He is: " Ki b'Y-H Hashem tzur olamim "—because God is the Rock of worlds , plural. Let's repeat this verse one more time: Bitchu v'Hashem adei ad . Rely on Hashem forever and ever. Why? Because Hashem is the Rock of the worlds. He is the Rock, meaning He is reliable—the ultimate Rock of Gibraltar. He is reliable, and He is the Creator of all the worlds. Regardless of what it looks like is happening downstairs, it is only a drop in the bucket. And from this, to quote the Chafetz Chaim: " Nuchel lehavin et godel habitachon she-yesh l'adam livtoach b'Hakadosh Baruch Hu "—"Through this, we can understand the immense scale of trust that a person must place in the Holy One, blessed be He."

Welcome to our daily Bitachon series. We're winding down Sha'ar HaBechina [The Gate of Reflection]. And the author tells us a very important thing that we have to know. He says that when you read this sefer and you get inspired or aroused by anything you read, you must realize that what you're reading is only a drop in the bucket of what is really going on. Even if you take that drop in the bucket from the sefer , and you work and work and work until you reach the absolute maximum of your ability to understand—even if you become a Rabbi Avigdor Miller—all of that is still only a minute example of God's abilities and His knowledge. The only things we see in this world are what is necessary for man to use in his service to Hashem. But what God truly has and knows, we have no idea. God just showed a little bit to us—exactly what we need. It's like a mashal [parable]: Imagine you have a Gadol HaDor [great Torah leader], okay? Let's say Rav Chaim Kanievsky, who knows Kol HaTorah Kula —he knows the entire Torah inside and out. He happens to walk into a second-grade classroom to give a shiur [lecture] because the regular rebbe was out, and Rav Chaim felt bad seeing the kids sitting there alone. He walks in and says, "Let me tell you about Parashat Lech Lecha ." He talks about Abraham and Sarah, and he adds a few extra insights that the kids have never heard before. The kids say, "Wow, this rabbi is unbelievable!" But someone tells them: "What you got is just a tiny revelation of what you could fathom. He gave you a little bit more than your regular teacher, but you can't even grasp the depth of what he truly knows." And even that mashal still does not do justice to what we perceive in this world vis-à-vis what is really going on. The author gives a beautiful, beautiful mashal to bring this point home. He says we are comparable to a child who was born in a jail cell. In those days, jails were underground pits. For whatever reason, the child's father had a life sentence; he had to be in jail, there was no way out, and because the rules couldn't be broken, it wasn't even up to the king. So, the kid was going to be there for life. But the king felt bad, so he told the jail keepers, "Listen, take care of this boy. Give him everything he needs." The boy was just a baby when he was born there, and they took care of him top-of-the-line. As he gets older, he knows absolutely nothing about the world outside the pit. Every morning, he receives breakfast from a messenger sent by the king. Every single day the messenger comes, bringing him candles, food, drink, and clothing. The boy asks him, "Who are you?" The messenger replies, "I am a servant of the king. And everything in this pit, including the pit itself and everything inside of it, is from the king. Therefore, you should thank him and praise him." The kid says, "Wow, 100 percent, I agree." So what praise does the boy offer? He says, "I praise the owner of this pit, who took me as his servant and singled me out with all the goodness he did, because he is paying attention to me and cares about me." It sounds like a nice praise, right? But the messenger says, "Don't say that, that is almost sinful! This pit is not all the king owns. He has multiples upon multiples of this pit. You can't even imagine the size of his kingdom! You are not the only one he takes care of; his servants are endless. And what you receive is just a drop in the bucket compared to all the goodness he does for the whole world. Do you think he is only looking at you? He has hashgacha [divine providence] over everything." The lad says, "I really don't understand what you're talking about. But what I do understand is that the king is much greater than I thought he was." So the messenger tells him, "Say the following instead: I praise the great king, for there is no end to his kingdom and no end to his goodness and kindness. I am a nobody among his many soldiers, and he still looks after me. What I see of his power is only a fraction of what he can really do. " Now the boy understood what he hadn't understood until then. He appreciated the king even more, and he began to have a much higher level of respect and awe for him. He also developed a greater appreciation for the goodness that came to him, because he finally realized how great the king is and how small he himself is. Suddenly, everything he received became so much more meaningful. The author continues and says: "And now, my brother, pay close attention to the mashal I just gave you. Look at the globe and see how much there is, how far the world goes, and what lies beyond our galaxies." He tells us to pay close attention to this lesson, and we will continue with this mashal and expand on everything we can learn from it in our upcoming sessions.

Here is a lightly edited version of the transcript that polishes the grammar and improves readability while keeping the original context, structure, and conversational flow completely intact: Welcome to Daily Bitachon and our Sha'ar HaBechina . We are discussing the factors that interfere with or ruin our contemplation of what God does for us. The Chovot HaLevavot starts by telling us to look back at the beginning of the book, which discusses three initial interferences: namely, that we get used to everything, we always desire more, and we allow the things in our lives that don't go right to interfere. And now for reason number four—an additional reason that applies specifically to Bechina —and that is a person's arrogance when it comes to the benefits of God. A person often thinks, "I am deserving of this and more." In the author's words: יחשוב הכסיל הפתי כי הוא ראוי להן וליותר להן ( "The foolish fool thinks that he is worthy of them and of more than them" ). Because of this, he does not contemplate what God gave him, and he doesn't feel a need to praise and thank Hashem. As it says in the pasuk in Mishlei 16:5: תועבת ה' כל גבה לב ( "Every proud heart is an abomination to the Lord" ); it's an abomination to God when anyone is arrogant. This is a very eye-opening concept. Who doesn't have a little arrogance? The text is telling us that we feel this way because we think, "Do you know who I am? I deserve so much more." I still remember an advertisement for an expensive watch, and at the bottom, it said, "You deserve it." That is the feeling of many people today. "I deserve this; I worked hard." People use that term all the time: "You deserve it." Rav Wolbe writes about this topic in his Alei Shur (Volume 2, page 278), where he gives two reasons why we lack hakarat hatov (gratitude). Number one is hamuskal harishon , which we could translate as an axiom—something that is accepted as self-evident, a premise, or prior knowledge. There is no exact English term to translate this type of basic assumption. For example, it's like saying hamuskal harishon dictates that a person who was raised in the lap of luxury is spoiled. That's a muskal rishon , even though it might not always be that way. Rav Wolbe says that our hamuskal harishon is to understand שהכל מובן מאליו בעולם —that everything in the world is self-understood. It means we believe things are simply supposed to be there. Of course there's supposed to be a sun, a moon, and mountains. What's the question? It's just obvious. And everything is deserved. This happens because a person is born without intelligence; as they grow and become intelligent, everything seems self-understood and feels like it has to be that way. A person thinks he has to be healthy, and he has to be full and complete in his bodily functions. This is similar to what we said at the beginning of the Chovot HaLevavot's Sha'ar HaBechina —that a person gets used to everything—but Rav Wolbe is adding a little nuance here. It's not just that a person is used to it, but because he is used to it, he feels entitled . Because he is raised by parents when he is young, he thinks that is just the way it's supposed to be. You're supposed to have parents to take care of everything you need and desire. So he thinks, "Why should I thank my mother? That's what she's supposed to be doing." Furthermore, a person is born with a fundamental ego to see himself as the center of the world, believing everything was made for him. Therefore, whatever people do for him is deserved. Why should he thank anybody? He is the center of the world. Now, this is an interesting concept, because in a way, it is true. The whole world is there to serve you. That is a Gemara : Bishvili Nivra HaOlam ( "For my sake the world was created" ). But what does it mean that it was made for you? It was made to be a tool for you to serve Hashem, not because you are the center of the universe. Rav Wolbe says you need a lot of hard work to wean yourself off this original axiom and to teach yourself that nothing is self-understood. You are not entitled to anything, and everything you receive is considered a chessed ve'tovah (a kindness and a favor). That is the job of hakarat hatov . It doesn't make a difference if it's benefits you receive from God or benefits you receive from people; it is our job to constantly train ourselves that everything—literally everything—is a benefit and a kindness to us. Life itself is not self-understood. As it says in Eicha : מה יתאונן אדם חי ( "Why should a living man complain?" ). The Gemara in Kiddushin 80b expounds on this: מה יתאונן על מדותיו ( "How could you complain about God's ways?" ), וכי גבר על חטאו ( "Has he overcome his sins?" ), דייו חיים שנתתי לו ( "It is enough that I gave him life" ). Rashi explains: what are you complaining about regarding what's going on with you? Everything is a chessed . The very fact that you're alive is a chessed . Rabbi Miller brings a beautiful mashal (parable) about this. Imagine a man in a concentration camp standing in a long line, and he is on the wrong line. Someone comes over to him and says, "I can save you." For argument's sake, let's say it's Schindler. Schindler is there and says, "Listen, Yankel, I can save you, but there are a few conditions." Yankel says, "Go ahead, what are they?" "Well, first of all, you're never really going to own your own house. You're going to live in an apartment." "Okay, I'll take that." "You're going to have a wife that's difficult. It's going to be a difficult marriage; she's not going to be that easy." "I'll take that." "Some of your children are going to have challenges and will not be that easy to raise." "I'll take that." "Are you sure? You might never be able to go on a trip to Florida." "I'll take that." "You might also never be able to go away for the summer." "I'll take that." Why? Because he is giving him life. But now, here we are, used to having homes, nice spouses, good children, and vacations. Therefore, we are not happy unless we get all of those things. And when we do get those things, we think, "What do you mean? Of course I should live in a house. Shouldn't I get married? Shouldn't I have children? Of course." This is what is termed in our modern world as a sense of entitlement, which means a stable, pervasive belief that one inherently deserves special treatment, unique privileges, or an exempt status from standard rules, without any obligation to earn or reciprocate those benefits. Now, everyone has a bit of that. Of course, there is a spectrum, and it can come to a point where it becomes a clinical description. But overcoming this is our job. Rav Friedlander, in his book Sifrei Sifsei Chaim - Chinuch (page 70), says: "I remember when I was in the house of my rabbi and teacher, Rav Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler. It was a hot day, and his wife, the Rebbetzin, brought him a glass of cold water. Wow, did he say thank you! With a large smile on his face, he made a big, full statement, really thanking her for that glass of water as if she had done the biggest favor in the world for him. It was not taken as self-understood." Entitlement is the source of a lot of complaints in marriages. You hear, "My wife doesn't make dinner when I come home." Well, who said she has to? "What do you mean? That's what all wives do." Not necessarily so. There is a famous Gemara about an Amora whose wife used to make his life very difficult. When he asked for oatmeal, she brought him cold cereal; when he asked for cold cereal, she brought him oatmeal. His son was watching this and said, "Dad, why don't you just ask for oatmeal when you want cold cereal, and ask for cold cereal when you want oatmeal?" The father replied, "You shouldn't teach yourself how to lie." Yet, this same rabbi was later seen at a wedding wrapping up some cookies to bring home to his wife. Someone said to him, "Your wife? She's the most difficult woman in the world!" His answer was, "It's enough that she takes care of my children and saves me from sin." Those are the two fundamentals of marriage. Does that mean it's supposed to be an automatic entitlement to have a wife? Of course you should say thank you. There is a deal when you get married—there's a ketubah —and the basic responsibilities of marriage are just that. Everything else after that is gravy. We are going to see that this is exactly how the world was built. There is a chessed of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Olam chessed yibaneh —the world is built on kindness. It wasn't that Hashem had to create a world. He wasn't forced to create a world, and He had nothing to gain from creating it. He is perfect; He doesn't need us, and He has everything already. So what was the point of creating a world? To do chessed . To do kindness. To give to us, and to give us existence. That is the shoresh —the root—of everything.

Welcome to our daily Bitachon. We are winding down our Sha'ar HaBechina , Chapter 6. The Chovot HaLevavot discusses the concept of being careful of things that ruin what you've reached. In Sha'ar Yichud HaMa'aseh , Perek Heh, in the gate of being focused on your deeds, he says a powerful line. Every area of goodness has a certain negative force that could ruin it. That means whether it's an apple that will have a worm, or a good quality that will have something that could ruin it—that's just the way the world is made. And whoever realizes and understands the forces of negativity that ruin things will be careful to stay away. But if you only know the goodness, you won't be able to be careful of the problems. And he quotes one of the pious people that told a student, "You must first learn about the evil to stay away, and then you could do good," which is actually a pasuk: Sur me'ra va'asei tov (Turn away from evil and do good). And he quotes an interesting pasuk: "Niru lachem nir," plow your fields, "ve'al tizre'u el kotzim" (and do not sow among thorns). It's a pasuk in Yirmeyahu, chapter 4, pasuk 3. And what does that mean exactly? And what's the relevance to our story about being careful and staying away from negative forces? The sefer Leket Sichot Musar from Rav Yitzchak Isaac Sher on page 397 tells us that when you want to plant a field and you want things to grow well, the first thing you need to do is plow your field and uproot all of the thorns and weeds that are there, take them out, and clean it up. And then you'll start planting, and you know what's going to come out is going to come out good. He says just like the land, so too it is with a human being and his perfection. First, you have to get the land ready. You have to purify your heart, clean things out, and then we could start planting and do good things, because otherwise we'll be growing thorns. Rav Yechezkel Levenstein quotes this in many of his writings and in his Musar classes. But he also has a book that was put together of letters that he wrote to people. And in Letter 102, he's writing to a rabbi that is now in a position of teaching. And he tells him this rule: everything in this world has good and bad mixed into it. He quotes our Chovot HaLevavot and he says there's a tremendous danger when a person takes on a position of leadership. Why? Because a person feels, "Hey, I'm leading a community. Look at the beautiful sermon I gave, look at the beautiful speech I gave." And now what happens when he gets up and gives a sermon and speech? He's basically pouring his emotions out to everybody else, giving rebuke to everyone else, but he's left behind. And sometimes he'll make the mistake of saying, "Wow, if I am giving everybody Musar, that's enough, I don't need to learn my own Musar." And therefore he says, no, don't make that mistake. First, it says about Moshe Rabbeinu: Zacha (he purified himself), then Zikka et ha'rabim (he made others pure). So there you go, a rabbi has a force that can ruin him. And in Letter 109, he explains the pasuk in Yirmeyahu 9:22 that says: "Al yithallel chacham be'chachmato, gibbor bi'gvurato, ashir be'ashro" (The wise, the powerful, and the wealthy should not pride themselves in their wisdom, their power, and their wealth). Why not? Because who knows if with that wisdom, that wonderful apple doesn't come with worms? Who knows if that wonderful strawberry doesn't have worms? And so on. You have those gifts and those qualities—don't be proud of them, because they themselves can bring to some ruination. It is like saying to a person, don't be proud of all the meat you have in your freezer, because when there's a blackout, it's going to create a stench. That's the way it is. Everything can be ruined if you don't take care of it. He quotes another pasuk: Be'rov chachma rov ka'as (With much wisdom comes much anger). And he says you could put your whole life into things and they can get... It says it's possible that a bird lays an egg, and then another animal comes and destroys it. Things are fragile. And therefore, as we're ending our Sha'ar HaBechina , we are learning this important concept. And it's not just the Chovot HaLevavot ; the Mesillat Yesharim bases his sefer on a braita: Torah brings to zehirut (watchfulness). Zehirut brings you to zerizut (alacrity). From there you come to having your actions clean ( nekiyut ). From there you reach the level of perishut (abstinence), separating yourself from this world. From there you come to purity ( taharah ), to piousness ( chasidut ), to humility ( anavah ), to fear of sin ( yirat chet ), to holiness ( kedusha ), and ultimately to ruach ha'kodesh (the Divine Spirit). A ladder of greatness. And he says, "I am going to tell you step by step everything that you need to do, how to get it, and how to stay away from what's going to ruin it." That's the opening introduction of the Mesillat Yesharim . And throughout the book, he points this out. He says in Chapter 1 that we came to this world to connect to God. How? By staying away from the interferences and the things that cause us to lose that connection. And every level that he goes through, he goes through what could ruin it—again and again, for every single level I mentioned, except when he finally gets to the level of kedusha . Once you've graduated from kedusha , then you're ready for ruach ha'kodesh . That's it. Every single step of the way there's something, but once you have ruach ha'kodesh , you're good to go.

Welcome to Daily Bitachon in our Shaar Habechina series. We are now about to start our final chapter of Shaar Habechina —the gate of contemplation of God's ways—chapter six. Chapter six opens up with the words: אך מפסידי הבחינה והדברים התלויים בה — What are the things that are going to ruin or make you lose this quality of contemplation? This is fascinating. The rabbis of old knew a fundamental rule: you can work incredibly hard to acquire something, but you can lose it just as easily. The source for this concept is actually a pasuk in the Torah that we say almost every day. We recite Kriyas Shma every single day, and in the second parasha , we end with the words: למען ירבו ימיכם וימי בניכם על האדמה אשר נשבע ה' לאבותיכם לתת להם כימי השמים על הארץ (דברים יא:כא) Now, the very next pasuk —which we don't read as part of Kriyas Shma , since the three parshiyos are compiled from different places in the Torah—says in Pasuk Chaf-Bet : כי אם שמור תשמרון את כל המצוה הזאת . You have to especially guard this mitzvah, or actually, these mitzvos that I command you. The Midrash is bothered by this. The beginning of the parasha already said vehaya shamor tishmerun —"you will listen." So if we already listened, what does the end mean by saying we must "guard"? Normally, we associate guarding with prohibitions, like Shemiras Shabbos (refraining from doing wrong). So why add this extra shamor tishmerun ? The Yalkut Shimoni explains that just as a person must be careful with their money so they don't lose it, so too a person must be careful with their Torah and their avodah (service of Hashem) so they don't lose it. You have to search for it, as the pasuk says: im tevakshena kakesef —search for religion and yiras shamayim like you would for money. Just like it is hard to acquire wealth, it is hard to acquire Torah. Now, you might think, "Well, if that's the case, silver doesn't destroy easily. You put it in a silver chest and it lasts. Isn't Torah the same way?" No. The pasuk says: לא יערכנה זהב וזכוכית —it cannot be compared to gold and expensive glass. Torah is compared to both gold and glass. Why glass? Because just as glass is easily broken, you can easily lose your divrei Torah and your hard work. It is as difficult to acquire as gold, but as easy to lose as glass. Glass breaks. I don't know if you have this problem, but stemware breaks. The silver cup I received from my wife when we got engaged over 40 years ago is still standing tall. None of the glassware we got when we married is still standing. We have spent six months—over a hundred classes, actually—on Shaar Habechina . This is class 102. You might say, "Okay, I'm good. I spent six months, a lesson a day, and I finished Shaar Habechina . I'm ready to move on." No, you cannot move on until you know what can cause you to lose it. This is a very important rule that many people don't know. How do I know they don't know it? Because the Chovos HaLevavos tells us so in Shaar Avodas Elokim (The Gate of Service of God). There, he lists nine levels of people on a scale of zero to ten. Level nine consists of people who have intentions lishma —meaning they are doing things for the absolute right reasons. Why, then, did they not reach total greatness? שלא נשמרו ממפסידי העבודות They were not careful to stay away from the things that ruin your avodat Hashem . Decay entered, and they didn't realize what was happening. They forgot to add the preservatives, and therefore the food rotted. He compares this to a pasuk in Kohelet (10:1): זבובי מות יבאיש יביע שמן רוקח יקר מחכמה מכבוד סכלות מעט "Dead flies make the perfumer's ointment smell and ferment; so too, a little folly or silliness outweighs wisdom and honor." Just as a beautiful jar of perfume can be ruined by a single fly, a little bit of silliness or carelessness can ruin your avodat Hashem . He quotes one of the pious men who told his students: "Even though you have purified yourselves from sins, I am still afraid of the greatest sin of all, the one that causes total ruination." And what is that? Gavhut and ga'avah —arrogance and haughtiness. As the pasuk in Mishlei (16:5) tells us: To'avat Hashem kol gva lev —"An abomination to God is everyone who is arrogant." If you do everything right, but arrogance enters, it can ruin it all. The Sefer Ne'ot Desha on Chumash (by the author of the Avnei Nezer ) discusses Pharaoh's dreams in Parashat Mikeitz , where the small, thin cows swallowed up the fat cows. Of course, the simple message is that the years of famine would swallow up the years of plenty. But he brings down that it also refers to the trait of arrogance. Arrogance can completely swallow up your spiritual plenty. You might have worked, learned, become a great teacher, a great orator, and authored books—wow, that is a lot of fat cows! But then the trait of arrogance comes in, and the very things that made you great can bring you down. You have to be careful of that. You need to know the great qualities, but you also need to know what can cause their ruination. And that is exactly what we are going to do, be'ezrat Hashem , this week. Thank you, and sorry for going over time.

The Wisdom of Abundance: Physical and Spiritual Necessity Welcome to our daily Bitachon Shaar Bechinah series. This is a very important lesson from the Chovot Halevavot , teaching us about the wisdom of God: whatever we need for our survival can be found in abundance, and whatever is a luxury is less available. Again, this is from the wisdom of God. If the world were haphazard, you wouldn't see this pattern. This design is one of the greatest signs of God's creation. The Hierarchy of Physical Needs Air: Air is breathable, and you cannot survive without it for even a moment. Therefore, God made it so that air is everywhere; there is no place where you cannot get it. Imagine if you had to buy air in bottles—you would constantly be running out. Water: Water is next on the list. While not as immediate as air, dehydration is still a serious issue. Therefore, water is everywhere. It covers the oceans, and while you sometimes have to pay for it—in the old days to a water carrier, or today for a bottle of Poland Spring—it is highly available. Food: You can last longer without food than you can without water. Consequently, food is available, but it is a little harder to get; you have to work harder for it. Clothing: You can survive without clothing for a quite long time. It is important, so our sources for clothing (like wool) are readily available, but it requires effort. Luxuries: When it comes to expensive jewelry, gold, silver, and luxury goods, these are commodities we don't actually need. The only reason luxury goods have any value is because humanity collectively agreed to it. Inherently, a diamond has no real value—it is not like a medicine. It's just that everyone said, "Hey, diamonds look nice." Because it has no inherent value, it is not abundant. In fact, if it were abundant, it would lose all its value because everyone would have it. God created luxury goods to be less available precisely because they are not necessary. Look at how God turns the wheels of creation! The author of the Chovot Halevavot expresses his sheer amazement at this larger picture of divine wisdom, exclaiming: ישתבח הבורא החכם החומל המרחם על עבדיו אשר עינו עליהם לטובה בכל מה שהם בו תקנתם אין אלוה מבלעדיו "Praised is the Creator, the wise, compassionate, and merciful One, Who watches over His servants for good, providing everything necessary for their well-being. There is none besides Him." He then quotes a pasuk (verse) from Yonah, where God corrects the prophet: "You, Yonah, cared about a transient plant that you didn't work for or develop, which was here today and gone tomorrow. Should I then not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city?" God is saying: I care about creation; I care about the world. As David HaMelech (King David) says: טוב ה׳ לכל ורחמיו על כל מעשיו ( "Hashem is good to all, and His mercy is upon all His works" ). The Spiritual Parallel: Emuna is Our Air The Alter (Elder) of Kelm takes this principle a step further. If this rule is true in the physical world—that whatever you need most is most available—surely it applies to the spiritual world as well. Whatever my neshama (soul) needs most must be the most accessible. For example, the mitzvah of sending away a mother bird ( Shiluch HaKen ) is obviously not as vital for daily spiritual survival, otherwise it would be more accessible. Of course, all mitzvot are necessary, but that one is not a daily requirement. Mitzvot that are more vital are easily available. If I need tzitzit , I can make them easily, just like clothing. But what is the absolute spiritual necessity? What is our spiritual air? Our air is emuna (faith). As the verse says, צדיק באמונתו יחיה ( "The righteous person lives by his faith" ). We live on this air. Therefore, Hashem gives us opportunities at every single step to strengthen our emuna —whether it is by looking at creation, recognizing God's hashgacha (divine providence), or engaging with His Torah. The opportunities for emuna are endless. The Element of Choice There is only one difference between physical air and the "air" of emuna . Because God cares about us so much, He did not want to leave physical breathing up to our conscious choice; if we had to actively decide to breathe, we might forget one day and die. When it comes to emuna , however, God made it highly accessible, but it requires our attention. If you don't think about it and pay attention to it, you won't see it. We can easily ignore miracles if we choose not to contemplate them. Recognizing the Signs Consider the examples we have spoken about recently: The Survival of the Jewish People: The Jewish people exist to this day simply because Hashem made a promise to Avraham Avinu, and that promise is being fulfilled right now. Eretz Yisrael: God promised that the Land of Israel belongs to us forever. What other being could make a promise like that and sustain it, if not the Creator? Job writes in the pasuk : מבשרי אחזה אלוה ( "From my flesh I see God" , Iyov 19:26). God made it so that you can see Him right from your own body, placing the opportunity for awareness right in front of you. Because remembering Yetzias Mitzrayim (the Exodus from Egypt) is so critical, God surrounds us with it every single day through Tefillin , Tzitzit , and the Mezuzah . This shows the wonder of our caring, preparing God. Ultimately, this principle goes both ways: How do you know something is important? By how much of it exists. The fact that Yetzias Mitzrayim and emuna are emphasized so heavily throughout the Torah—and that we recite Kriyas Shema twice a day—proves just how vital they truly are. Working on our Emuna and Bitachon is our greatest necessity, and that is exactly what we are here doing.

Welcome to our daily Bitachon. We are in Sha'ar HaBechinah , talking about the tremendous wisdom behind the running of the economy. Rabbi Dov Ber Weissmandl, the famous Rosh Yeshiva of Nitra, was deeply involved in trying to save as many Jews as he could from the Holocaust. His full story is detailed in a book called The Unheeded Cry —a heartbreaking and tragic account of how he tried, yet was not as successful as he could have been. He shares a beautiful source for this very concept that the world runs on money. In Bereishit (Chapter 2, Verses 8 to 11), the Torah describes how Hashem established Gan Eden in the center of the world, detailing its many different plants, flowers, and rivers. One of these rivers is called Pishon, and the Torah describes its location by noting: אשר שם הזהב — "where the gold is located." We are in the very middle of the creation of the universe; why are we introducing the location of gold? In his sefer Torat Chemed , on the drasha for Brit Milah, Reb Michael Ber explains that one of the vital components Hashem established during the six days of creation was אשר שם הזהב —the presence of gold. He taught that after everything God created, the world simply cannot run without currency; God designed the world so that money makes all the wheels turn. What is so poignant is that Reb Michael Ber lived this exact reality. When World War II broke out in September 1939, he was safely in England. Astonishingly, he chose to volunteer to return to Nazi-allied Slovakia to stand with his people and help orchestrate rescue efforts from the inside. Through the Bratislava Working Group, he successfully arranged to pay a $50,000 bribe to an SS official, which miraculously halted deportations from Slovakia for nearly two years, from late 1942 to the autumn of 1944. As we know, these communities were among the last to be targeted, and what pained him most were those final months when so many lives were lost that might have been saved, including the vast majority of Hungarian Jewry. He had also conceptualized the "Europa Plan"—a negotiation to halt all Nazi deportations across Europe in exchange for $2 million—but tragically, due to a lack of international funding, the plan never materialized. Yet, from his story, we see that money is capable of stopping a war. Money can accomplish fascinating things. While the Chovot HaLevavot views this entire dynamic as the direct hand of God, the secular world of economics uses a different phrase. In 1776, the Scottish philosopher Adam Smith coined a term in his book The Wealth of Nations called "the invisible hand" of the economy. This theory essentially posits that uncoordinated individual actions naturally lead to an efficient and socially beneficial outcome. This system operates on a few basic forces: The first is the price signal . Price serves as the ultimate communication system of the economy. If a severe frost destroys orange groves in Florida, oranges become scarce and the price automatically goes up. No one needs to send an email to every consumer asking them to buy fewer oranges; the price signal handles it automatically. People buy less, naturally conserving the scarce supply. Then there is the profit aspect . When a product's price rises, it signals to others that there is money to be made. If everyone suddenly wants electric scooters, scooter prices spike. Seeing those high profits, new companies rush into the market to build scooters. Once multiple companies enter a market to chase those profits, they have to compete for your business. To win you over, they are forced to do two things: lower their prices and improve their quality. Thus, the self-interested pursuit of profit accidentally results in better, cheaper products for the consumer. In their description of the wonders of the invisible hand, economists do admit to certain blind spots, which they call "market failures." This happens with "public goods" like streetlights, national defense, or lighthouses. It is difficult to charge individuals directly to use them, so because there is no clear profit motive, the free market won't build them on its own. So, who creates the streetlights and traffic lights? The answer lies in the previous concept we discussed: God implanted the instinct within us to establish governments to handle these very tasks. The secular concept of the invisible hand is simply not enough, because the truth is, the hand isn't an accident. The invisible hand is actually God's hand, quietly managing all of these blind spots as well. Another problem with this secular theory is monopolies. If one company crushes all competition, the invisible hand stops working. Without competition, they can raise prices and lower quality without penalty. But again, we have government oversight to regulate this—which is another mechanism that Hashem's hidden hand built into the social framework. Hashem did a masterful job of hiding Himself within creation and nature, allowing secular thinkers to view it as a blind "hidden hand," where millions of people freely trade based on their own needs and skills, accidentally creating a complex, highly efficient society that no single human mastermind could ever plan from the top down. But that conclusion is a mistake. There is one single Mastermind planning everything from the top down, and that is Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Secular philosophy sees the system, but they feel compelled to invent alternative names for it. Instead of acknowledging that God sustains the cosmos, they call it the force of gravity. Instead of recognizing that God runs the economy, they call it the invisible hand. It is a brilliant system: individual self-interest leads to competition, which leads to efficient resource allocation, which ultimately leads to public benefit. It sounds perfect. But Hakadosh Baruch Hu is the one entirely behind it. Our job, through the lens of the Chovot HaLevavot , is to look past the labels and see these divine attributes actively at work.

Welcome to Daily Bitachon. We are back in Sha'ar HaBechinah of Chovot HaLevavot , where Rabbeinu Bachya continues to discuss the wonders and signs of wisdom in creation, specifically focusing on the human psyche. His next point is the universal human agreement to an economy based on money and currency, rather than a world of simple barter. He explains that God implanted the desire to work for money within us as an act of pure compassion. Why? That hunger for money is a great gift because it serves as the ultimate catalyst that drives people to work and fulfill their needs. The true wonder is that we passionately pursue money even though currency itself does nothing directly for us; it does not satisfy our hunger, quench our thirst, or cure our physical ailments. Yet, we all desire it for what it can bring us. Another wonder within this system is the deliberate disparity—the fact that some people possess a great deal of wealth while others have very little. While people often look at this inequality with frustration and wonder why we shouldn't have a system like communism where everything is equal, Rabbeinu Bachya explains that if everyone possessed the exact same amount, nobody would work hard. Instead, we have an aspiration for wealth, and because most do not inherently possess it, we are driven by a constant yearning to acquire it. He states: זה מן המחשבה המעולה אשר בחכמה עליונה — "This is among the most sublime thoughts within the Supreme Wisdom." It is the brilliant design of an economy that drives us forward. Everything in existence is propelled by this financial engine, and the entire world moves in sync with it. Think about the simple act of walking into a restaurant, sitting down, and ordering a bowl of spaghetti with tomato sauce. What did it actually take to bring that meal to your table? It required wheat to be grown, harvested, milled, and manufactured into noodles. It required those noodles to be transported on a truck that needed gasoline, traveling on a road that had to be paved, to a store or restaurant that had to inventory it. Consider the tomatoes sourced from elsewhere, and the sheer volume of global infrastructure involved—all delivered to you for $12 or $20. On the surface, does that logistically make any sense for just $20? It only works because it makes the world go round through an intertwined need for money. A businessman might fly all the way to China to manufacture goods just to fund his own life, but he doesn't realize that he is actually serving the globe. He is supplying shoes for the world; he is working for humanity. When you truly contemplate this, it is mind-boggling how every facet of society revolves around currency. A house is built because the laborers need money to buy their coffee in the morning and their food at night. That is the sole reason they are out there working through the extreme heat and bitter cold—to receive a salary at the end of the week. Money is the ultimate carrot on a stick, the quintessential metaphor for motivation. The beauty of the carrot and the stick is that as the horse walks forward, the dangling carrot moves with him. He may never fully capture it, but the pursuit keeps him moving forward and taking care of the work. This concept is given added depth by Rabbeinu Yosef ibn Shushan—one of the early Spanish Rishonim of the 1300s—in his commentary on Pirkei Avot (Chapter 4, Mishna 1) regarding the dictum, "Who is rich? He who rejoices in his lot" ( איזהו עשיר השמח בחלקו ). He explains that all physical desires have a natural end. If a person is driven by hunger to eat, they will eventually become full, and the desire subsides. The single physical desire that has absolutely no boundary or end is the desire for money. He notes that this was designed with tremendous divine wisdom. Because there are an unlimited number of people with an infinite number of needs—ranging from food and livestock to clothing and housing—and because it is impossible for a single human being to provide everything for themselves, God implanted this drive into the human heart. One person cannot simultaneously be the farmer, the shepherd, the craftsman, and the doctor. Therefore, as the Gemara states in Masechet Pesachim (54b), God decreed על המטבע שיצא —that coinage must be introduced into the world. This legal tender allows people to seamlessly buy from one another and hire one another. Because the world's collective needs are unending, man's desire for money was created to be equally unending, ensuring the world keeps rolling and moving forward. Parenthetically, this does not mean we should be consumed by the chase. Those of us who understand this divine psychological mechanism should step back and realize exactly what is happening. This entire drive was engineered simply to keep the global machinery functioning. The man traveling to China is exhausting himself to provide shoes for people he will never meet. Once we recognize that this boundless desire is just a tool to maintain civilization, we can internalize the true meaning of איזהו עשיר השמח בחלקו . We can choose to step back from the endless pursuit, find genuine contentment in our lot, and become truly wealthy.

Welcome to Daily Dose of Bitachon. We are back on a regular schedule of Shaar HaBechinah , appreciating Hashem's wisdom in creation. As of late, Rabbeinu Bahya has been discussing concepts that are not specific in nature—looking at a frog or a plant—but rather focusing on the human psyche. Now, he says it is worthwhile to contemplate the fact that people agree and their hearts unite, despite having vastly different character traits, to appoint one man over themselves and accept upon themselves to serve him. They listen to his voice, obeying what he commands them to do and not to do. At first glance, we might look at this negatively. Kings, dictators—we prefer democracy. But the Chovot HaLevavot is going to show us the immense benefits of having a leader. You could apply this to democracy as well, where having a president serves a similar, though less severe, function. Let's look at the points he is making: First of all, people have very different personalities, desires, and values, yet they all agree to unite and subjugate themselves to one human leader. This did not just happen by accident. We have to thank Hashem for putting this instinct into us to seek law and order, and for giving us the understanding that the only way to achieve it is through unified leadership. It requires being unselfish and recognizing that if we don't all unite under one person, we will have chaos. Hashem implanted these intuitions within us, which is a miracle in itself. Just like a spider intuitively knows how to spin a web, humans possess intuitive instincts necessary for our survival. We understand that we need a unifying authority because, otherwise, society won't function, so we willingly trade a degree of personal autonomy for the sake of this social system. Furthermore, ויראים אותו —we fear him; והוא שומר אותם —and he takes care of them; וחומל עליהם —and has compassion toward them; ודן בצדק ביניהם —and judges them properly; ומנהיגם על מה שיש בו תקנת כולם —and he leads them in a way that benefits the masses, so they won't fall into a system of ruination and the enemy won't be able to overcome them. Again, Hashem put this into us so that we respect and fear the leader. Sometimes that fear comes from his army, and sometimes it comes from a natural place of שום תשים עליך מלך ( "You shall surely set a king over you" )— שתהא אימתו עליך , that his awe should be upon you, which is a Torah concept. This is a fundamental human instinct: a person naturally wants to feel looked after by someone stronger than themselves. We want to be relieved of the constant burden of self-protection. We want to know that someone else is taking care of the police force and the infrastructure. While a leader might occasionally do things we dislike—and in extreme situations, like the dictatorships and horrors we watch in places like Iran or Venezuela, it is far worse—at the end of the day, people accept leadership because they gain vital stability from it. He continues: if everyone were only out for themselves and focused purely on their own defense, they could never agree to build a tower or a protective wall. Therefore, their lives would be left in a state of hefker (abandonment). Hashem programmed us to prefer order, even if it is strict, over a state of total lawlessness. We see this with children as well; children thrive on structure and order. What we observe in children reflects how human beings are hardwired from the start. He continues even further: if this leader keeps the laws of the Torah and leads with true justice, the benefit is even greater. He quotes a pasuk in Mishlei (20:28): חסד ואמת יצרו מלך וסעד בחסד כסאו — "Kindness and truth protect the king, and he sustains his throne through acts of kindness." Lastly, he quotes a Mishna in Pirkei Avot, familiar to all: הוי מתפלל בשלומה של מלכות שאלמלא מוראה איש את רעהו חיים בלעו — "Pray for the peace of the government, for if not for the fear of it, a man would swallow his fellow alive." This is a very real concept. Many Siddurim include a special prayer for the government, and people recite it to this day, even living under a president. The Pele Yoetz writes that it is a Mitzvah based on this Mishna to pray for the success of the sovereign. He notes that one should be careful to answer Amen after this blessing or Mishebeirach , thereby fulfilling the Mitzvah. Rav Chaim Volozhin explains the historical context: Who said this Mishna? It was Rabbi Hanina, the Deputy High Priest, who lived through the destruction of the Second Beis HaMikdash at the hands of the Romans, who caused us so much heartache. Yet, even then, the Tanna taught us to pray for the welfare of the government. How much more so should we appreciate it when we live under a benevolent government, recognizing the absolute necessity of an established legal system. The Midrash Shmuel adds an insight in the name of Rav Moshe Alshakar regarding the phrase "swallow his fellow alive." He notes that in the animal and aquatic kingdoms, a large fish swallows a small fish; it doesn't usually destroy a fish of its own size. Human beings, however, if left without a governing authority, would swallow their own peers alive. Furthermore, normally one chews food first, but here, they would swallow them whole. That is how desperately we need governance. Once again, we see the wisdom of creation: contemplate how deeply Hashem embedded this psychological need and understanding within humanity to appoint a leader for our own preservation.

Welcome to our daily bitachon. One of the fundamentals of bitachon is to realize that you have a loving father in heaven that you could rely on. Reshit Chochma in Shaar HaAhava, seventh chapter, said that one of the ways that we know that God loves us is because he gave us the Torah. That's one of the biggest signs of his love for us and as Shavuot is coming, we have to think about that as well. And as it says in Devarim, כי שאל נא לימים ראשונים you're going to ask from the days of old, did anything ever happen like this? השמע עם קול אלוהים did anyone ever hear of a nation that God spoke to them? And he quotes the Zohar as saying that through Matan Torah, Hashem showed תוקף אהבתו יתברך לנו his tremendous powerful love for us like a father loves his dear son. And that's what it says in Pirkei Avot, chavivin Yisrael, dear are the Jewish people, שנתן להם כלי חמדה שבו נברא עולם we received the dear utensil through which the world was created. God used the Torah to create the world, that's his machinery, and he gave that to us. And he tells us that one of the ways to remember this is in your daily prayers that the Anshei Knesset Hagedolah, the men of the Great Assembly, established in our daily prayers. ahavat olam ahavtanu, an everlasting love you loved us, Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem our God, chemla gedola viteira you had compassion on us. And what does that compassion referring to? It's referring to the fact that he gave us the Torah. Pay attention to that. That's the way we say how do I know that Hashem loves me? From the fact that he gave us the Torah. Look at the words that it says in that beracha. Avinu, our father, ba'avur shimcha hagadol because of your great name that is attached to us. בעבור אבותינו שבטחו בך because of our fathers that rely on you and read through line by line. Avinu av harachaman, our father, our merciful father, rachem aleinu have mercy on us. And now although we're in galut, nagila venismecha bishuatcha we rejoice and be happy in your salvation. What do you mean your salvation? That God's with us in this difficulty. So when we get saved, he gets saved. ובנו בחרת מכל עם ולשון he chose us from all the nations. He's a poel yeshuot, he's constantly creating salvations we don't know about it. וקרבתנו מלכנו לשמך הגדול you brought us close to your great name, that's after the whole long story of love. And what does that mean, says the Arizal? It means you brought us to Har Sinai to give us the Torah. The Torah is shmo hagadol, the Torah is God's great name. The source for birkat hatorah is כי שם השם אקרא when I announce the name of God, havu godel Lelokeinu, give him greatness. So when you're mentioning the name of God, when you learn Torah, give him greatness and bless him. Whenever we learn Torah, the Torah is God's names, whatever that means. That means this is the essence of what we know of God. A name is what you know of somebody. The Torah is God's names, that's what we know about him is the Torah and he gave us that knowledge. And he says we continue our prayers, this is every day, after we say Kriat Shema. goaleinu goel avoteinu your savior, our redeemer, the redeemer of our fathers, till the words ga'al Yisrael he says הכל מורה על אהבת הקדוש ברוך הוא לנו . This all shows how much Hashem loves us. The miracles that he made for us, taking out of Mitzrayim, hitting the firstborn, splitting the sea. If you read these words of our prayer, not out of rote he says, for sure your heart will be aroused to a tremendous love and desire for Hakadosh Baruch Hu and want to cleave to him and pray to him. And this is an important point as a famous story that they once asked Rav David Feinstein or Moshe, I'm sorry Rav Reuven Feinstein, Rav Moshe Feinstein's son should live a long life, how did you know that your father loved you? Your father was a great rabbi, posek hador, busy with everybody. How did you know that he loved you? And he said two things that I remember that stand out. Number one was whenever we had guests over Shabbat, the greatest of people that they could be, my seat was never moved, I always sat next to my father. Number two is my father would get up early in the morning to. So when I got up I could put on those warm pants and feel warm on a cold day. That's how I knew my father loved me. So that means a child has to sometimes look for little things. Of course it's obvious your father loves you, but you want to look for the little signs, the little indicators. And that's the same thing with God. How do I know my father loves me? Well, one of the main ways we know that he loves you is he gave you the Torah. And he doesn't just give you in the past but every single day we say noten haTorah, he's giving us the Torah. So if anybody here is listening to this class, what's really happening is they're hearing words of Torah that God gave them. Every day the Torah that we hear, whether we learn or hear from others, is a gift of God. So let us think of these important lessons as we get to Shavuot, and realize that this giving of the Torah is a fatherly love. We say every single day hashivenu avinu letoratecha, bring us back our father to your Torah, vekarevenu malkenu la'avodatecha, and bring us close our king to your service. We refer to God as our father and as our king. When it comes to Torah, hashivenu avinu letoratecha, the fact that we have a Torah is an expression of God's fatherly love to us. Our service to him, that indicates the slave-servant relationship, there God is a king. But God is our father when it comes to Torah, and one of the responsibilities a father has to a son is to teach him Torah, and that's what God does. So let's appreciate that love expression that we're getting this Shavuot, like a father loves a son and gives him.

Daily Bitachon: Sha'ar Habechina — Lesson 96 Welcome to our daily dose of Bitachon. We are continuing in Sha'ar Habechina . Yesterday, we spoke about contemplating the ultimate benefit God gave us: the Torah, and the open miracles He performed to strengthen our emunah in that Torah—miracles like the Splitting of the Sea and Ma'amad Har Sinai . Now, this raises a seemingly obvious challenge: we don't see those types of open miracles today. To address this, the Chovot HaLevavot makes an unbelievable statement. He writes that if a person in our times wants to see something akin to the Splitting of the Sea or Ma'amad Har Sinai , they only need to look with a "true eye" at our very existence among the nations. Look at the fact that we have survived in exile from the time of the destruction of the Temple until this very day. We are surviving amongst them—and not just surviving, but thriving. We thrive even though we fundamentally disagree with them internally and externally, and even though they are well aware of it. More than that, we are quite often more successful than those around us in our financial status, or we find ourselves in a better, more protected situation even during wartime. Look at the difference between their middle class and our middle class; we just seem to be doing better. It is a miracle—not just that we are doing well, but that we even exist at all after waves of persecution, pogroms, expulsions, inquisitions, and the Holocaust. Yet, here we are today. This is the literal fulfillment of Hashem's eternal promise to us in Leviticus : " וְאַף גַּם זֹאת בִּהְיוֹתָם בְּאֶרֶץ אֹיְבֵיהֶם לֹא מְאַסְתִּים וְלֹא גְעַלְתִּים לְכַלֹּתָם לְהָפֵר בְּרִיתִי אִתָּם " (And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break My covenant with them). It is interesting to note that we read this pasuk every single year in Parashat Bechukotai , just two weeks before the holiday of Shavuot. We read it then so that "the year and its curses may come to an end." And the final words of comfort in those curses guarantee that, after everything is said and done, we will survive. As Ezra HaSofer later declared: we are slaves, but even in our slavery, God has not forsaken us. Similarly, in Tehillim 124, it says: "Lulai Hashem shehaya lanu yomar na Yisrael" —if not for Hashem being on our side, how could Israel ever have survived the galut ? The rest of that mizmor paints the exact same picture. The Verdict of History The Kuzari , in his second ma'amar (letter 33), notes that if any other nation were to be dispersed across the globe the way we were, their total assimilation would be guaranteed. He points out that we have seen this happen throughout history. We watched it happen to the Romans, and to Amon and Moav, which were once massive world powers. Aram was a great power; so were Peleshet, Kasdim, Madai, Paras, and Yavan. These were the empires of the world! He notes that so many others like them have simply vanished from the face of the earth—whether it's the ancient empires or the Aztecs—leaving nothing behind. Yet, here we are. The Elder of Kelm, in his sefer on emunah (page 99), writes: Who would ever believe that a nation so completely separated from all other nations could survive like this? Where do they even get their parnassa (livelihood) from as they are being bounced around from country to country? He suggests that if you were to stand there at the time of the Churban Beit HaMikdash (the Destruction of the Temple), watching the Jewish people being pulled down to Babylonia in shackles, or later dragged off to Rome, you would think there was absolutely no way this nation would ever be a nation again. You would never imagine that not only would they survive, but they would be respected, they would be close to kingdoms, and they would eventually even be accused of controlling the world! Who could have envisioned such a reality? It is nothing short of a miracle. The Hidden, Ongoing Miracle While the Chovot HaLevavot gently frames this as something "similar" to an open miracle, Rabbi Yaakov Emden goes a step further. In the introduction to his Siddur , he writes: "Chai Hashem" —I swear by the Living God—that when I look at the survival of the Jewish nation from the time of the Churban , it is in my eyes "yoter mikal hanissim vehamofetim she'asu b'Mitzrayim" —even greater than all the miracles and wonders performed in Egypt! Rav Yechezkel Levenstein, in his sefer Torah VeDa'at , analyzes the exact wording of the Chovot HaLevavot : "Veyivakesh adam bazman hazeh lirot..." (If a person seeks to see it in this time...). He points out that the author adds the words "yabit be'ein ha'emet" —one must look with the eye of truth. Why? Because this miracle is hidden. If you want to, you can try to explain our survival away with politics, economics, or sociology. It becomes an open miracle only for the person who is actively looking for the truth. Rav Chatzkel explains that this is just like the phrase we say in Hallel , "Lemakeh melachim gedolim... ki le'olam chasdo" (To Him Who smote great kings, for His kindness is everlasting). That reality is ongoing right now; it is just happening behind the scenes. Mark Twain's Witness We can beautifully conclude this idea with the famous 1899 essay, Concerning the Jews , written by Mark Twain. He captured this exact concept from a historical perspective, writing: "The Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the Persian rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greek and the Roman followed, and made a vast noise, and they are gone; other peoples have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, or have vanished. The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?" These are incredibly powerful words coming from a Gentile writer—someone who possessed that very "discerning eye" the Chovot HaLevavot spoke about, recognizing the living miracle of the Jewish people.

Welcome to Daily Bitachon in our Shaar Habechina series. We are now going to share a miracle with you because Hashem's hidden miracles are the same as his open miracles, and hashgacha pratis is one of those concepts. We're doing Shaar Habechina for 94 lessons. This is lesson number 95. And coincidentally, the next topic that the Chovot HaLevavot says we're supposed to contemplate, and I say the words coincidentally obviously in jest, the greatest benefit that God gave us is the Torah. And on top of that, he gave us ways to demonstrate the validity of our traditions of the Torah. Now, what are the odds that on the week of Shavuot, when I was contemplating should I continue talking about Shaar Habechina or maybe I should switch to a more timely topic like Shavuot? And this is what showed up as our next lesson. So here we go. Hashem showed miracles. He changed nature. He showed us wonders so that we will rely and believe in him. It says, וירא ישראל את היד הגדולה at Kriat Yam Suf, he saw his great hand אשר עשה ה' במצרים and because of that miracle וייראו העם את ה ' we feared him ויאמינו בה' ובמשה עבדו . So not only do we say thank you for what God gave us, but we say thank you and recognize that he gave us miracles to strengthen that belief. Furthermore, and this refers to Matan Torah, ata horeta ladaat, you showed us to know כי ה' הוא האלהים that Hashem is the God, ein od milvado, there's no one but him. Famous ein od milvado, where we have bumper stickers and there's none but him. We can give classes on that as a separate topic, and we have. But when did God show that? When he gave us the Torah, he opened up all the heavens and he opened up to the depths of the ground, and he said there's... we saw there was nothing else but him. We saw there was nothing else but him. So God gave us that great benefit that he showed us with our senses ein od milvado. Another pasuk, מן השמים השמיעך את קולו , you heard his voice from the heavens. And he showed you his great fire, and you heard his words from the fire. So the part of Shavuot, or the main part of Shavuot, is not just that we received the Torah, because we didn't receive the whole Torah, it was the ten commandments. It's we call Maamad Har Sinai. That's the great event, that event of being given the Torah, because that not only did we get the Torah, but with the Torah came the emunah that we realized that it's true. Rav Chatzkel Levenstein in his sefer Torah veDaat talks about this Chovot HaLevavot, that without the Torah we would also not be able to have the whole Shaar Habechina. We'd not be able to recognize godliness just with our sechel and just with our intellect and contemplating creation. With the Torah and Har Sinai, everything now became emunah b'chush, we could sense everything. So that emunah that we got with the Torah and Har Sinai enabled us to see God in all creation. As it says in Devarim, פנים בפנים דבר ה' עמכם בהר , he spoke to you face to face at the mountain. And he quotes Ramban that says Maamad Har Sinai annulled all of our doubts in emunah because everything became clear. And that's why, according to Ramban, one of the ten things you have to remember every single day is Maamad Har Sinai. Rav Wolbe used to say how it's important to use our imagination to create our emunah. And he said Rav Chatzkel Levenstein was known for that. When it was the night of Az Yashir of Shvii shel Pesach, he was once seen with buckets of water on both sides walking through like he was walking through the ocean. And Rav Wolbe said he once overheard him talking about Har Sinai, imagining the thunder and the light, and he says, 'Ooh, the bombs are loud like the ones that we heard in Shanghai.' He was living through Har Sinai and making it real to him and causing him emunah. And this is an important principle that the Ramban talks about, how we have to know that a father doesn't lie to his son. And the fact that generation after generation we talk about Har Sinai, that's the biggest proof. And was Har Sinai just wasn't an event with one person standing there? It wasn't one person alone like all other religions started with one man with no witnesses. There was 600,000 people there. You can't make up a hoax with 600,000 people claiming that 600,000 people saw it. Imagine someone says that there was a UFO, unidentified flying object, that landed in Yankee Stadium when there was a full crowd during the World Series. You can't say that because there's too many people to deny it. There's thousands of people in the crowd. You can't make a claim that 600,000 people saw an event. I want to say me and my friend were at the river when we saw the Loch Ness monster. When I was a kid that was a thing that we spoke about. I don't know if anyone here knows about it. It's about somewhere in Scotland where they saw this monster head coming out of a river. And there was a picture that was taken of it and that became roots for this monster that was in this river. And it was revealed later on there was a hoax made with a toy submarine and some wood paste or whatever else it may be. Modern technology they searched this river and didn't find any possible DNA or any signs of anything like it. It was a hoax. Now if 600,000 people said that they saw this monster, that would give it a little bit more credibility. So Hakadosh Baruch Hu gave us not just the Torah, but he gave us miracles, and not just miracles, but 600,000 witnesses so that we could know that it's true. As we said, one of the fundamentals is that we believe that God spoke to Moshe Rabbeinu, that's one of the Yud Gimmel Ikarim. And he was the Navi and the greatest Navi and we saw that again at Har Sinai. So you have to thank Hashem, A for what he gave us and B for the built-in emuna that comes with it. And as we said, you're supposed to work on that every day, but especially as we come to Shavuot this is something definitely to have on our minds.

Welcome to our daily Bitachon. Today is Erev Shavuot and we will begin with something we normally don't do: a brief halachic discussion. The Halachic Discussion: Meat on Shabbat vs. Yom Tov Does one have to eat meat on Shabbat? According to both Chacham Ovadia Yosef and Chacham Ben Zion Abba Shaul, it is not halachically required. If you enjoy meat, eating it is a wonderful fulfillment of Oneg Shabbat (Shabbat pleasure). However, if you simply do not like meat and it is not your cup of tea, you can certainly have a wonderful fish meal instead. Of course, the meal must still be respectful—like a wedding. You shouldn't just put tuna fish and crackers on the table. It should be elegantly set up. Just as a wedding features high-quality salmon, you can choose to serve fine dishes other than meat at your "Shabbat Queen's" wedding feast. It all depends on your personal enjoyment. If you are a meat eater who enjoys a steak on Thursday night, don't suddenly decide to go vegan on Shabbat. But if you are someone who avoids meat all week for dietary or health reasons, Shabbat is no different. When it comes to Yom Tov (the holidays), however, the rule is reversed. On Yom Tov, eating meat and drinking wine is an obligation. The Torah states, "V'samachta bechagecha" (You shall rejoice in your festival), and Chazal teach: אין שמחה אלא בבשר ויין "There is no joy without meat and wine." The Rambam writes in Sefer HaMitzvot (Aseh 54) that rejoicing with meat and wine is a positive commandment from the Torah. To fulfill this joy, women should receive clothing or gifts that make them happy, children should be given sweets, and men are meant to have meat and wine. The Shavuot Challenge This brings us to a common challenge on Shavuot: Isn't Shavuot supposed to be a dairy holiday? The tradition to eat dairy does not mean your entire meal must be dairy, nor does it mean you can forget the mitzvah of eating meat. Ideally, one should eat meat both night and day on Yom Tov. If that is too difficult, the daytime meal is the more critical time for meat. How do you balance both dairy and meat? You must eat your dairy foods first. For example, you can have a dairy Kiddush or light meal in the morning when you return from Shul, and then eat your meat meal for lunch. Alternatively, you can eat a dairy lunch and then have a meat meal later in the afternoon before Mincha. The Spiritual Essence: Two Types of Joy Now, let's transition into our usual focus on Bitachon and the spiritual essence of the day. There are sources that suggest we do have a requirement of simcha (joy) on Shabbat. The Sifrei (Bamidbar 10:10), commenting on the verse "Uveyom Simchatchem" ("On the day of your gladness"), states that this phrase directly refers to Shabbat. The Baal HaTurim even finds a gematria (numerical hint) showing that the word Simchatchem ( שמחתכם ) has the exact same numerical value as Gam Beyom Hashabbat ( גם ביום השבת - "also on the day of Shabbat"). Furthermore, the Shibbolei HaLeket (Chapter 82) notes that we recite "Yismchu Bemalchutcha" ("They shall rejoice in Your kingship") in the Shabbat prayers based on this very concept. On the other hand, Tosafot (Moed Katan 23b) states that there is actually no formal requirement of simcha on Shabbat. The proof is that if someone, Heaven forbid, is in mourning, Shabbat counts as part of the Shiva mourning period, whereas a holiday puts mourning on hold. This is because you are not halachically obligated to actively rejoice on Shabbat; you are only forbidden from being visibly sad. So, how do we reconcile this? Is Shabbat a day of simcha or not? The Acharonim (later commentators) explain that there are two distinct types of joy: Yom Tov (External Joy): This requires outward actions of joy. You must actively do things that bring happiness, namely eating meat and drinking wine. Shabbat (Internal Joy): Shabbat is called Yom Simchatchem , meaning the day itself is inherently joyful. You do not need to perform external actions to force it; rather, the happiness resides naturally in your heart. Because Shabbat is a deeply spiritual day, its joy is internal. We say in the prayers, "V'yismechu b'cha Yisrael" —we rejoice in You . Our happiness on Shabbat is a direct connection to God. Practical Takeaway Rav Wolbe used to say that Shabbat is a day of pnimiyut —an internal world. Therefore, it requires no external performance. The joy of Shabbat is found in serenity, calm, and menuchat hanefesh (peace of mind). It is the quiet happiness of connecting deeply with Hakadosh Baruch Hu. The practical takeaway is that every single Shabbat, we should walk around feeling that this is our internal day of happiness. This week, we are blessed to experience Shabbat and Yom Tov coinciding. We have both of these beautiful concepts merging into one day—the outward celebration of the festival and the deep, serene intimacy of Shabbat. Have a Chag Sameach and a Shabbat Shalom!

Welcome to our daily Bitachon Shaar HaBechina series, the Chovot HaLevavot teaches us how God can bring about great outcomes through small, seemingly insignificant causes. Many years ago, I read an article based on the book Presidential Courage: Brave Leaders and How They Changed America by Michael Beschloss , a critically acclaimed 2007 non-fiction book exploring pivotal moments when U.S. presidents took high-stakes risks for the nation's benefit. The narrative highlights leaders who defied public opinion, risked their careers, or faced threats of assassination to do what they believed was right. It reveals the behind-the-scenes story of how, on May 14, 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed a single word— "Approved"—making the United States the first nation to recognize the new State of Israel, just eleven minutes after its birth. The Roots of a Connection The story truly begins in Independence, Missouri. Long before Harry Truman was President, young Harry served as a "Shabbos goy" for his Jewish neighbors. Growing up, he was a student of the Bible and was particularly captivated by Cyrus the Great, the Persian king who ended the Babylonian captivity and allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem. During World War I, Truman served in the army where he met Eddie Jacobson. They became lifelong friends, and after the war, they opened a men's clothing store together in Kansas City. When the business failed during the Depression, their paths diverged—Truman entered politics and Jacobson became a traveling salesman—but their bond remained unbreakable. A Political Tug-of-War In 1947, President Truman was caught in a political tug-of-war. On one side was the State Department, led by General George Marshall, who argued that recognizing a Jewish state would jeopardize Middle Eastern oil and alienate the Arab world. Marshall warned that if the State of Israel were attacked, the U.S. would be forced to intervene with troops it didn't have. On the other side were the Zionists. Frustrated by the intense lobbying, Truman grew resentful, eventually banning Zionist leaders from the Oval Office and writing in his diary that they were selfish and lacked a sense of proportion. The Meeting that Changed History In March 1948, someone remembered Eddie Jacobson's old friendship with the President. Jacobson secured a meeting, but when he mentioned Jerusalem, Truman exploded in anger. Tears welled in Jacobson's eyes. Pointing to a statue of Andrew Jackson on Truman's desk, he said, "Harry, you have a hero. I also have a hero. My hero is Chaim Weizmann. He is a very sick man, yet he traveled thousands of miles just to see you." The room went silent. Truman turned away for a moment, then looked back and said, "You win. I will see him." "I am Cyrus" The meeting was held in secret. Truman promised Weizmann that he would support statehood, even as the State Department pushed for a "trusteeship" instead. When the State Department acted without Truman's knowledge and announced to the UN that the U.S. would not support a state, Truman was livid. He wrote in his diary, "I am now in the position of a liar and a double-crosser. How can I ever face Weizmann again?" Despite the embarrassment and the political risk, Truman fought his own administration for the next two months. On May 14, as British forces withdrew, Truman ignored the fallout and approved the recognition of Israel. Years later, when Jacobson introduced Truman to Jewish activists as "the man who helped create the State of Israel," the former President corrected him with a grin: "What do you mean 'helped create'? I am Cyrus! I am Cyrus!" The Divine Perspective It is remarkable to see how Hashem orchestrated the existence of the State of Israel—which, regardless of one's political views, serves as a major global center for Torah. This was not merely a calculated geopolitical move. It was the result of a Missouri Baptist's memory of a Persian king and a shared business failure in a Kansas City haberdashery. When Eddie Jacobson passed away in 1955, Truman wept openly, saying he had lost a brother. As a final "cherry on top," when Chaim Weizmann visited the White House, he presented Truman with a Sefer Torah. To this day, that Torah remains in the Truman Museum—a lasting testament to how Hakadosh Baruch Hu brings His will to fruition through the smallest of threads.

Welcome to Daily Bitachon. Today, we are continuing our exploration of the concept of seeds, specifically through the lens of the Chovot HaLevavot (Duties of the Heart). The author uses the phrase yishtabach hachacham hachonen —"Praised is the wise and gracious One"—who brought about "great events from the smallest and weakest of causes" ( ha-mesabev le-hawayot ha-devarim ha-gedolim min ha-ktana ve-hachalusha she-be-sibot ). To support this, he quotes the verse in Shmuel I (2:3), ve-lo nitkenu alilot : "And by Him, causes are set up." Defining "Alilot" The word alilot literally means "causes." We see this reflected in Rabbeinu Bachya's commentary on Shemot (10:2), where Hashem says, et asher hit'allalti —referring to the plagues in Egypt. While Rashi interprets this as "I made a laughingstock" of Egypt, Rabbeinu Bachya explains that hit'allalti stems from the word illa , meaning the primary cause behind everything. As we say in the daily proclamation based on the Zohar, God is Ilat ha-Ilot ve-Sibat ha-Sibot —the Cause of all causes and the Reason behind all reasons. This theme is echoed in the Sephardic Ne'ila prayer, El Nora Alila : "God who is awesome in His causes, provide for us forgiveness at the time of the closing of the gates." The Intermediary Causes In Shaar HaBitachon (The Gate of Trust), the Chovot HaLevavot explains that everything unfolds in two stages: The Divine Decree: The initial decision by the Creator. Intermediary Causes: These are the vehicles that carry out the decree. They may be near or far, hidden or revealed, but they all rush to fulfill the Creator's will. He gives the example of drawing water from a well. The closest cause is the pail. The pail is attached to a rope, which is attached to a pulley, which is pulled by an animal, led by a shepherd, who answers to a boss. If you were the water, you might think the pail is the one acting upon you. In reality, the pail is merely the final link in a long chain of command starting with the boss. We often focus on the "closest cause"—like pleading with a meter maid to avoid a ticket—but she is simply an intermediary for a supervisor, who answers to a department, which follows laws set by Congress. The Megaleh Amukot explains that Chana meant we shouldn't say God is "high up" and removed from the world; rather, He is the El De'ot —the God of knowledge who supervises every intricate detail. A Historical "Wrong Turn" To understand how God brings about massive shifts through tiny events, we can look at the trigger for World War I: the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914. The "great event" was a global catastrophe: 20 million deaths and the collapse of four empires (German, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and Russian). But the "small cause" was a series of improbable coincidences: Earlier that day, a bomb bounced off the Archduke's car, failing to kill him. The Archduke made an impulsive decision to visit the men injured by that bomb in the hospital. Because the regular route was closed for investigation, his chauffeur took a wrong turn . Realizing the mistake, the driver pulled to a halt directly in front of a diner where one of the original assassins happened to be standing. Without even aiming, the assassin fired two shots. Once Austria declared war on Serbia (July 28, 1914), the gears of the Great Power alliances began to turn: Russia mobilized its massive army to scare Austria into backing down. Germany saw Russian mobilization as a threat and declared war on Russia. France , being Russia's ally, was now pulled in. Germany declared war on France and launched an invasion through neutral Belgium . Britain had a treaty to protect Belgium. When German boots touched Belgian soil, Britain declared war on Germany. . The Spiritual Lesson What brought about World War I? From a human perspective, it was one wrong turn. From a Torah perspective, it was Hakadosh Baruch Hu using a minute event to fulfill a massive decree. This is the "wisdom of the seeds." Just as a massive tree is hidden within a tiny seed, the great salvations we pray for are planted in the small, seemingly insignificant events of our daily lives. This is why we pray every day, et tzemach David avdecha mehera tatzmiach —"Let the sprout of David Your servant sprout speedily." God is Zoreia Tzedakot (He plants acts of righteousness) and Matzmiach Yeshuot (He causes salvations to sprout). Everything we experience today—the small turns, the "coincidences," and the minor causes—are the seeds of a much greater Divine plan.

Welcome to our daily Bitachon series in Sha'ar Habechina . Today, the Chovos Halevavos introduces us to another wonder of the world: the concept of seeds. He explains that one single seed can bring about thousands of plants and contains an endless amount of resources. Enormous trees originate from one tiny seed. Regarding this, the Chovos Halevavos writes a powerful line: "Yishtabach HeChacham HeChonen" —Praised is the wise and gracious One, "hamisavev lihavyas hadevarim hagedolim" —who brings about great outcomes, "min haktana vehachalasha shebasibos" —from the smallest and weakest of causes. This mirrors the words of Chana in Shmuel Aleph (2:3): "V'lo nitkenu alilot" —to Him, all causes are set up. The Science of the Seed Let's first discuss the specific concept of seeds before moving to the broader point of praising the Creator. A seed is not merely "dead" matter; it is essentially a living organism in a state of suspended animation. It contains a miniature plant called an embryo and enough fuel, known as endosperm, to jumpstart its life. Some seeds can remain "asleep" for decades or even centuries, waiting for the perfect combination of temperature, moisture, and light to wake up. This is a proven fact. The Arava Institute, an Israeli-based institute for environmental studies, successfully grew a date palm from a 2,000-year-old seed found during the excavations of Masada. They named the tree "Methuselah," after the oldest human being in history. This project was featured in the journal Science in 2008 and is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. The "software" inside that seed remained intact and functional for two millennia without a power source. It is like a USB drive waiting to be plugged in—but even more advanced, because it contains its own energy. A Living Soul Seeds are not passive objects; they "feel" their environment. They possess specialized proteins that act as sensors to measure soil temperature and moisture levels. They won't sprout if it is too cold (which would kill the seedling) or too dry. In our tradition, we recognize four levels of existence: Domem: Inanimate Tzomeach: Growing Chai: Alive Medaber: Speaking Plants possess a Nefesh Hatzomachat —a growing soul. They are alive; the seed is simply sleeping until the right moment. When it begins to grow, it starts a process called imbibition . It absorbs water with such intensity that it creates massive internal pressure—strong enough to crack its hard outer shell, split through rocks, and lift heavy soil. It is a tiny, silent explosion of life. The Miracle of Information The Chovos Halevavos notes that these tiny specks produce giant trees. Consider the Giant Sequoia, one of the largest living things on earth, weighing millions of pounds. Its journey begins with a seed no larger than a flake of oatmeal. The information required to build a 300-foot tree—including the vascular system to pump water against gravity and the chemistry to create wood—is all packed into a speck of biological matter that weighs less than a grain of salt. Furthermore, seeds possess "transportation technology." Maple seeds are shaped like helicopters to autorotate away from the parent tree's shade. Dandelion seeds utilize parachute structures to create an aerodynamic vortex to stay aloft. Engineers actually copy these designs for modern efficiency. The Wisdom of Design All of this stems from the pasuk in Bereishis (1:11) where Hashem says: "Tadshe ha'aretz deshe" —the land should give forth grass and trees that produce seeds and fruit. Rabbi Avigdor Miller was famous for his fascination with seeds. He noted that while the fruit is bright and sweet to attract you to eat it, the seeds are often bitter so that you will spit them out, allowing them to be planted for the next generation. Consider the watermelon: its seeds are coated with a natural grease to make them slippery so they shoot out of your mouth into the soil rather than being crushed by your teeth. In his book The Universe Testifies , Rabbi Miller discusses the peach pit. The pit is cement-hard so that no animal can harm the seed inside. How does it ever grow? Specific microorganisms in the soil excrete a unique solvent—the only thing that can dissolve the "glue" holding the two halves of the pit together—releasing the seed at exactly the right time. Conclusion Rabbi Miller compared planting a seed to watching a toy car grow into a full-sized SUV. Because we see this every day, we often lose our sense of wonder. But the transition from a dry speck to a towering oak is a "miracle of miracles" produced by the smallest of causes. Rabbi Miller famously carried seeds in his pocket at all times as a reminder. He didn't need a microscope or a telescope to see the Creator; he saw Him in the everyday seed, and that realization sparked his entire service of Hashem.

Welcome to Daily Bitachon, our special Erev Shabbat series. Today, we are exploring the depth behind Retzei , the addition to Birkat Hamazon so vital that if we forget it on Friday night or Shabbat day (excluding Seuda Shlishit ), we must repeat the entire Grace After Meals. Let's walk through it word by word: The Essence of Rest Retzei Vehachalitzenu: "May it please You, Hashem our God, and strengthen us through Your commandments, specifically the commandment of the seventh day." HaShabbat HaGadol VeHaKadosh HaZeh: "This great and holy Shabbat." Keep those two words— Great ( Gadol ) and Holy ( Kadosh ) —in mind, as they are the recurring theme of this prayer. Ki Yom Zeh Gadol VeKadosh Lefanecha: "For this day is great and holy before You." We ask God for three things: Nishbot Bo: Let us rest. Nanuach Bo: Let us be content. Venit'aneg Bo: Let us find joy. How do we achieve this? Not through physical hobbies like tennis or lounging by the pool, but Kemitzvat Chukei Retzonecha —as ordained by Your will. God defines true Menucha (rest) through the observance of the thirty-nine Melachot . The Ultimate Consolation We then transition to a heartfelt request: Ve'al Tehi Tzara VeYagon... "May there be no distress or grief on our day of rest." Suddenly, we pivot to Jerusalem: VeHareinu BeNechamat Tziyon... "Show us the consolation of Zion speedily in our days." Why the shift to the Beit Hamikdash ? Because God is the Ba'al Nechamot , the Master of Consolation. The ultimate comfort is seeing the Temple rebuilt. We say: Vegam She'achalnu Veshatinu... "Even though we have eaten and drunk, we have not forgotten the destruction of Your Great and Holy house ( Beit'cha HaGadol VeHaKadosh )." The Four Dimensions of Greatness and Holiness Notice the pattern. We have now seen "Great and Holy" applied to: Shabbat (Holy Time) The Beit Hamikdash (Holy Place) Then we plead: "Do not forget us forever... for You are a Great and Holy King ( El Melech Gadol VeKadosh )." 3. God (The Source of Holiness) 4. The Jewish People (The Holy Nation) Finally, on holidays or Rosh Chodesh that falls on Shabbat, we add: V'shimcha HaGadol VeHaKadosh Aleinu Karata —"Your Great and Holy Name is called upon us." The Sanctuary in Time Shabbat and the Beit Hamikdash are intrinsically linked; Shabbat is effectively a "Temple in time." We see this in Lecha Dodi , where we pivot from greeting the Shabbat Queen to praying for Jerusalem ( Mikdash Melech Ir Melucha ). We do the same in Hashkivenu on Friday night. The parallels are everywhere: The Candles mirror the Menorah. The Two Loaves mirror the Lechem Hapanim (Showbread). The Wine mirrors the libations. The Zemirot mirror the songs of the Levites. Activating the Connection Holiness ( Kedusha ) means separation and uplifting. On Shabbat, we are no longer tied to the mundane. As the Iyun Tefillah explains, while "the holy ones" who praise God " וקדושים בכל יום יהללוך סלה "are often cited as angels, Abudarham explains they are also the Jewish people who separate themselves from worldly matters. When you embrace this holiness, you achieve greatness ( Gedulah ). Every Shabbat is an opportunity to enter this "sanctuary in time" and elevate ourselves. And as the Pele Yoetz says, bad enough that we don't think about the Beis HaMikdash while we eat. When we're saying the words even though we're eating, we didn't forget about the Beis HaMikdash . At least when you're saying that line, think about the Beis HaMikdash . And the truth is, Retzei is put in between the requests about Rachem and Boneh Yerushalayim . We're sticking this Shabbat prayer in the middle of building Jerusalem, because that's what you're supposed to be thinking about on Shabbat . And when we remember God, God remembers us. We tell God, we didn't forget about You. Don't forget about us. You want your name to be remembered by people of power. When I was looking for my house that I currently live in, I asked a real estate agent and she put my name down and I didn't get a call from her. Obviously, I wasn't on the top of the list. I was walking into an event and she was walking out and she says, "Oh, I think I have an idea for you." I wasn't on her mind and then when I was, she took care of me. You're walking out of shul and you meet the Shadhan . "Oh, I have a good idea for your daughter." You weren't on their mind. Of course God knows everything, but there's a concept of Zichronot . יעלה ויבא ויגיע ויפקד ויזכר זכרוננו . On Rosh Hashanah we talk about Zichronot . In order to activate God, that's called Zichronot . We have to activate our connection to Him. And that's what's supposed to be happening every Shabbat . The time of connection, the time that we activate our feelings for the Beis HaMikdash and we plead with God. We're not forgetting about You and Your house. You're not sitting at Your table surrounded by Your family. I'm sitting at my table surrounded by my family. I think of God that's, so to say, all alone. Like the Gemara in Berachot 3a says that God says, "Woe to a father that his children have been exiled from his table." God is all alone. He's a father without His children around His table. And that's what we think about on Shabbat .

Welcome to our daily dose of Bitachon in our Shaar Bitachon series. Chovot haLevavot describes different things to contemplate. One of the greatest things he says, which is the crowning gift of man to living creatures and to growing things, is the rain coming at the right time. And he quotes a Pasuk in Yirmiyahu that the prophet is chastising the Jewish people and he says, "Can idols bring about rain?" Now this is something to really think about. One of those things we just take for granted: it's raining. And as we've said in the past, we've been raised with "rain, rain, go away." Let's look into appreciating the rain. So we start off with most of the world's evaporation happens over the oceans, because that's where most of the rain comes from, not from freshwater lakes. Oceans, as we know, are salty and toxic to most land plants. If the salt rose with the water, the rain would destroy the earth rather than nourish it. The wonder is that the process of evaporation acts as a massive natural desalination plant. It separates the pure H2O molecules from the salt and impurities, ensuring that every drop that falls from the sky is fresh, life-giving water. But that's still not enough. Water vapor in the air doesn't just turn into liquid on its own. It needs a platform to grab onto. And these are the microscopic bits of dust, sea salt, or even bacteria floating in the atmosphere. These tiny seeds that Hashem provides causes that it grabs onto something and creates this cloud. And with that, the vapor gives birth to the raindrop. Another challenge: rain clouds are usually thousands of feet in the air. If a raindrop just fell through a vacuum, gravity would cause it to accelerate to such a high speed it would hit the ground like a bullet, destroying the crops and harming animals. It'd be like hail coming down. But because of the density of our atmosphere and the aerodynamic shape of a raindrop, the drop comes through in a nice 15 to 20 mile an hour speed, and it falls gently enough to water a delicate flower without crushing it. Another important factor: plants need nitrogen to grow. But they don't breathe nitrogen that makes up 75% of our air. They can only take it in through their roots in a liquid form. When lightning strikes, the intense heat breaks apart the nitrogen molecules in the air and they then bond with oxygen and dissolve into the falling raindrops. So rain isn't just water, it's pre-mixed liquid fertilizer that feeds the plant at the exact moment they're being hydrated, similar to vitamin water or any other type of energy drink. Now further, the Chovot haLevavot stresses the words that the rain comes in the right time, the term Yoreh u'Malkosh, early rain and late rain. Rain patterns are dictated by massive global currents and the tilt of the earth. If the rain came at the wrong temperature or the wrong month, it would rot the seeds in the ground or ruin a harvest before it's picked. And this is another wonder of rain coming at the right time. The Radak on Tehillim chapter 147 points out that this chapter starts off that it's nice to praise God. Boneh Yerushalayim Hashem, God is building Jerusalem, Nidchei Yisrael yekanes, bringing in the exiles. And then we switch to Enu l'Hashem b'todah, let us sing to God songs of praise. Hamachaseh shamayim b'avim, Hamachin la'aretz matar. God covers the heavens with clouds and gets the rain ready for the ground. What's going on over here? We're talking about ingathering of exiles and suddenly we turn to the rain? It's actually the Gemara in Masechet Taanit that tells us, sorry, it's a Pasuk in Michah chapter 5 Pasuk 6 that the Radak quotes: והיה שארית יעקב בקרב עמים רבים , the leftovers of Yaakov amongst the nations will be k'tal me'et Hashem, similar to dew, k'revivim alei esev, and like rain. So the comparison between rain and the ingathering... and the exiles. On both of them it says אשר לא יקוה לאיש , you can't hope to people. People don't bring rain and people don't bring in the exiles. The rain symbolizes that direct connection that God has in a supernatural way to creation. With all the predictors of the weather, they're never right. Rain is something that is specifically God-controlled. The Sforno says that specifically on rain we have to be thankful because these are the constants in the world, but they're really wondrous. There's a beautiful Tzror Hamor, Vayikra 26:19, written by Rav Avraham Saba, 1440 to 1510, one of the exiles from Spain and fled Portugal in the 1490s. He tells us on אם בחקתי תלכו ונתתי גשמיכם בעתם , I will give rain at the right time. That's the keyword: the right time. And he says our mitzvot bring rain because rain is something that is directly connected to what we do. And he says גאוננו ותפארתנו ועוזנו ביד שובינו , what was our glory and our greatness and our power when we were taken captive? He's talking about the Inquisition. That we had the power to bring rain at its time when we prayed and it was well known that they accepted us into their lands because they knew that we had the power to bring rain. He tells a story of Rav Chasdai Crescas, 1340 to 1410, with the King of Aragon, who was which is part of modern day Spain, where this Rav Chasdai Crescas lived. He was the leader of Spanish Jewry. And the Jewish community was physically expelled from the safety of the city walls and barred from returning. The ultimatum was clear. Unless the Jews through their prayer could end the drought and bring water, they would be left exposed to the elements, starvation and so on. And Rav Chasdai gathered everyone in prayer and he opened his drasha with the following words, lanu hamayim, the water is ours, referring to a discussion in Bereishit 26:20 with the argument between the shepherds of Gerar and Yitzchak's shepherds. And the point is lanu hamayim, the water belongs to us. We have the power to bring rain. And sure enough it rained. The power of rain is something directly connected to our tefillot and it is because ultimately Hashem is the one behind the rain. And that's another important thing to concentrate on.

Daily Bitachon: Shaar Habechina Welcome to Daily Bitachon. We are currently studying Shaar Habechina (The Gate of Reflection). Today, we explore a powerful principle of bitachon : the importance of contemplating the "end" of an event. Often, we experience difficulties in the moment and look at them with wonderment or frustration. Things happen against our will that leave us distraught, yet in the end, we are overjoyed. Conversely, things we initially celebrate sometimes turn out to be detrimental. Lessons from the Unexpected The Chovot Halevavot shares stories of divine intervention disguised as misfortune: The Fallen Wall: A traveler lay down to sleep next to a wall. A dog came by and soiled him, waking him up in a mess. Frustrated, he went to a nearby river to clean himself, distancing himself from his group. Moments later, the wall collapsed, killing everyone else. His "misfortune" was his salvation. The Overslept Traveler: A man stepped away from his camp at night to use the bathroom and fell asleep nearby. He woke up horrified to find he had overslept, only to realize that bandits had wiped out the entire camp while he slept safely in the brush. The Vision of Rav Chatzkel Levenstein In Ohr Yechezkel Michtavim (Letter 309), Rav Chatzkel Levenstein offers a beautiful insight based on this principle. He asks us to imagine standing by as Yosef HaTzaddik was sold to the Ishmaelites. You would be overcome with worry, unable to sleep at the sight of such a horrific act. In reality, you would be watching a coronation—it just needed time to develop. The opposite is also true. Imagine watching Yaakov Avinu entering Pharaoh's royal chariots to see Yosef. It looks like the "top of the world," but in truth, it was the beginning of 210 years of Galut (exile). Rav Chatzkel applies this to his own life. He was once forced out of the Kletsk Yeshiva. Naturally, he was upset. However, that transition led him to the Mirrer Yeshiva , which eventually escaped to Shanghai and Kobe, Japan, saving his life during the war. He cites Tehillim 37 : " שמר תם וראה ישר כי אחרית לאיש שלום " "Guard your simplicity and look at things straight, for there is a happy ending for the man of peace." The lesson is simple: It isn't over until it's over—and because Hashem is in control, all's well that ends well. If you are in a struggle right now, hope for that happy ending. The Shadow and the Hidden Miracle The Chasam Sofer (in his Shabbat Shuva Drasha of year 1838) notes that the Purim story follows this pattern. Vashti is killed, Haman rises, and Esther is taken forcibly. None of it "looks" good. Yet, the killing of Vashti was a miracle on the scale of the Splitting of the Sea; we just didn't recognize it yet. He explains that it is the responsibility of every person, as they age, to look back and connect the dots of their life to see how Hashem orchestrated one cause after another. This is the meaning of the verses in Tehillim 71 : "I will come with the mighty acts of Hashem... I will mention Your righteousness... You have taught me from my youth, and until today I tell of Your wonders. Even unto old age... do not forsake me, until I tell of Your strength to the next generation." A Modern Reflection My father recently celebrated his 80th birthday. He shared a story from his youth that changed his life's trajectory. He had been accepted to Columbia University but deferred for a year to study in Israel. Due to a war skirmish at the time, his father insisted he stay home. When he called Columbia to reclaim his spot, they told him it was gone. Devastated and lost, he consulted his rabbi, who told him to go to Yeshiva University. There, he was exposed to the depth of Gemara learning by the elder Mirrer rabbis. He became enamored with Torah, moved to Monsey, and raised a family dedicated to serious learning. What felt like a "terrible" missed opportunity at Columbia was actually the catalyst for his entire spiritual legacy. If we look back at our own lives with open eyes, we will find endless miracles hidden within our greatest frustrations.

Daily Dose of Bitachon: The Secret of Movement Welcome to Daily Dose of Bitachon . We are currently in our Shaar Bechina series. The next concept we are called to contemplate is movement . Interestingly, movement ( in the internal sense as will be explained) is not something truly perceived by our physical senses alone. Rabbeinu Bachya shares a powerful insight: Without movement, nothing in the world could exist. The Spirituality of Motion One philosopher noted that most natural events result from motion. Modern science echoes what the sages understood long ago: everything is composed of atoms, neutrons, and protons, and they are in constant flux. Rabbeinu Bachya explains that if you break everything down, it is all spirituality. The Chovos HaLevavos teaches that when you grasp the spiritual nature of movement, you realize it is one of the wonders of God, born of His great compassion. Every move you make is connected to God's will. He controls the smallest and the largest, the hidden and the revealed. The only thing God left to you is your freedom of choice ; every other movement in your body is decided by Him. When you internalize this, you will: Think deeply about every move you make. Remember your constant connection to Him, as He is, so to speak, "inside" of you. Feel a sense of awe and fear of Heaven, knowing He is driving your very existence. Surrender to His judgment and desire His decrees. By living with this awareness, you find favor in His eyes and achieve a "happy ending," as the verse says: " הבוטח בה' חסד יסובבנו " — The one who relies on Hashem is surrounded by kindness. The Mover and the Moved This fundamental idea is supported across our sacred literature: The Ramban ( Drashos Toras Hashem Temimah ) and the Ba'al HaAkeidah (Gate 16) both state that nothing can move without a "Mover." The Rambam ( Yesodei HaTorah 1:5) explains that when we see the world spinning at all times, we must realize nothing spins without a "Spinner." That Mani'a (Mover) is HaKadosh Baruch Hu Himself. Rav Wolbe ( Da'as Shlomo- Yemei Ratzon ) notes that this is why we call God Chai Ha'Olamim —the Life of all Worlds ( Yishtabach prayer). He is pumping energy into everything. From the vast galaxies to the microscopic atom, there isn't a moment of stillness. Even a stone is a "miniature world" of atomic movement. He quotes Rav Yerucham Levovitz who says that without God's energy, man is like a "picture on a wall" without life. While superficial observers see the world as a self-sustaining machine, we must look deeper to see the Chai Ha'Olamim . The "Automobile" Delusion Modern technology can now take a 50-year-old wedding photo and turn it into a movie where your grandparents smile and wave. It's unbelievable, yet that is exactly what God does constantly: We are the pictures, and God is the energy creating the movie. The Kuzari (Rabbi Yehuda Halevi) wrote a beautiful piyut for Rosh Hashanah that asks: "Who prepared you? Who gave you understanding? And by whose power do you move?" The Yalkut Shimoni (Mishlei 15) contrasts this with the "fools" or heretics who claim the world is abtumtos . The Arukh explains this is Greek for a system that moves on its own without an external driver. Rabbi Eliyahu Tzion Sofer (Hanukah) notes that abtumtos is a transliteration of automatos —automatic. This "automatic" worldview—the idea that the world is an "automobile" moving on its own—stems from Aristotle. The Ramban (Vayikra 16:8) explains that Aristotle denied anything he couldn't sense, arrogantly believing that if he couldn't prove it in a laboratory, it didn't exist. This closed-system worldview misses the higher intelligence entirely. Conclusion: Making Hashem King And that's what the Chovot Halevavot starts off with. This secret of movement is something that's not tangible. And because they wrote this rule that if I don't see it it's not there, if I can't prove it in a laboratory it doesn't exist, this closed-system worldview misses the possibility of a higher intelligence, so they have a built-in system that God can't be there because I can't sense God, spirit can't be there because I can't sense spirit. They wrote their own rulebook. According to their view ,knowledge is built entirely from the bottom up; data enters through my senses and then the mind organizes them and creates ideas. This is a powerful concept and it's interesting that Rav Wolbe writes about this on Rosh Hashanah because he says that's one of the jobs on Rosh Hashanah . And the song of Rabbi Yehuda Halevi , the Kuzari is also a Rosh Hashanah song. Because when you want to make Hashem into king which we actually do, says the Midrash in Yalkut Shimoni every single day we make God into king, and it all comes from Rosh Hashanah but that's our job every day when we say Hashem ekhad to realize there's a force that's inside of me that's driving me, there's nothing else but Him and therefore I give myself over to His will and I rely on him . So it's unbelievable as we say many a time, without sha'ar habechinah you don't have sha'ar habitachon . Sorry for going overtime but this is a very deep concept that could not be squeezed.

Welcome back to our daily dose of Bitachon: Sha'ar HaBechina . Today, we explore a fundamental kindness of the Creator that we often take for granted: the psychological barrier God placed between the animal kingdom and humanity. The Divine Shield: Fear and Dread The Chovos HaLevovos explains that one of the greatest gifts to mankind is the instinctual fear animals have of us. This is rooted in the blessing given to Noach: "And your fear and your dread shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every bird of the heavens, and upon all that creeps on the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea." ( Bereishis 9:2 ) This isn't just a physical advantage; it is a spiritual reality. The Midrash ( Bereishis Rabba 94 ) makes a staggering observation: A one-day-old living infant does not need to be guarded against mice, because even a tiny baby carries the "image of God" ( Tzelem Elokim ). However, Og, King of Bashan —a literal giant—must be guarded once he is dead. Without the soul and the Tzelem Elokim , the fear vanishes, and the animal sees only "meat." The Source of Our Control The Midrash Shmuel (on Pirkei Avos 3:14 ) explains that the "endearment" of man is known not just to us, but to the animals. The Tzelem Elokim: Animals recognize the Divine spark. Lashon Chiyus: Rashi notes that v'chitcham (your dread) is related to chiyus (vitality). Your very life-force radiates a dominance that keeps the wild at bay. Secular Explanations vs. Emuna Science attempts to explain this through evolutionary biology, suggesting that animals that weren't afraid were simply killed off. But as we see, even creatures that have had little to no contact with humans—like a squirrel on a college campus or a bird in the park—will flee the moment you look at them. Rav Chatzkel Levenstein teaches that this is a "sensual proof." You don't need a lab to see God's Hashgacha Pratis (Divine Providence). You only need to walk down the street. When a squirrel—which is faster, more agile, and possesses sharp claws—runs away from you, ask yourself: "Why is he running?" Physically, he could win the fight. Spiritually, he is commanded to retreat. The Exception: The Persistent Fly If God instilled fear in all creatures, why is the fly so bold? You swat it, and two seconds later, it's back on your forehead. The Gemara ( Berachos 61a ) compares the Yetzer Hara (the Evil Inclination) to a fly. Just as the fly is never discouraged, the Yetzer Hara never gives up. God engineered the fly with three specific traits to teach us this lesson: Short-term Amnesia: Its tiny brain forgets the danger of your hand within seconds. Attraction: Human warmth and scent are irresistible to it. Slow-Motion Vision: With compound eyes, the fly sees your "lightning-fast" swat as if you are moving through molasses. The Takeaway The animal kingdom serves as a mirror. The fear they show us should strengthen our Emuna —reminding us that God is actively guarding us. Simultaneously, the persistent fly serves as a warning: our internal battles require the same relentless energy to overcome the Yetzer Hara, which, like the fly, is always looking for a way back in. Next time you see a bird take flight or a fly buzz your ear, don't just see nature—see the Hashgacha .

Daily Bitachon: Erev Shabbat Edition Welcome to Daily Bitachon, our Erev Shabbat edition. There is an interesting nuance in how the Torah describes Shabbat in Parashat Mishpatim (23:12) versus Parashat Vayakhel (35:2) . In Mishpatim , it says: "Six days you shall do your work ( ta'aseh ma'asecha), and on the seventh day you shall rest ( tishbot )... so that your ox and your donkey may rest." In Vayakhel , it says: "Six days work shall be done ( te'aseh melacha), and on the seventh day it shall be holy for you ( lachem kodesh ), a Sabbath of complete rest to Hashem ( Shabbat Shabbaton l'Hashem )." The Nuance of "Doing" vs. "Being Done" The first distinction is the verb. In the first verse, it says ta'aseh — you shall work. In the second, it says te'aseh —the work shall be done . The Pesikta Zutrata (a Midrash on Shemot 35:2) explains that when the Jewish people do the will of God ( osim retzono shel Makom ), their work is done by others. However, when we are not fully aligned with His will, we must perform the labor ourselves. The Two Types of Shabbat The Meshech Chochma (Shemot 31:16) offers a beautiful diyuk (insight) here. He notes that for the person working manually during the week, the Torah says tishbot —simply "take a break." Why? To give the cow and donkey a rest. There is no mention of "holiness" ( kodesh ) here; this is a physical break from a grueling week. In contrast, in Vayakhel , where the work "is done for you," the Torah describes the day as Kodesh and l'Hashem . This is a different level of Shabbat entirely. A person who experiences this Shabbat is oseh retzono shel Makom , and consequently, their worldly needs are facilitated by others. Bitachon: The "Magic Trick" What is the secret behind "doing the will of God"? Gemara Berachot 35b discusses the individual whose work is performed by others, citing the verse: "Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks." Rav Wolbe , based on Tosafot and the Maharsha , explains that osim retzono shel Makom refers to a person on a high level of Bitachon (trust in God). Shabbat is the "Bitachon charger." By refraining from work, we testify that Hashem created the world and sustains it. The more we treat Shabbat as Kodesh l'Hashem , the more Bitachon we absorb. When you truly internalize that Hashem takes care of your needs, you reach the level where "your work is done for you." Group A: Takes a day off because they are exhausted from working hard all week. Group B: Enters a holy day because they haven't been consumed by labor; their Bitachon allowed them to focus more on Avodat Hashem . Connection to the Parsha: Sefirat Haomer To connect this to our weekly Parsha, the Torah says: "And you shall count for yourselves... seven complete weeks ( sheva Shabbatot temimot )." "Complete" ( temimot ) implies being spiritually whole. The Midrash connects this completeness to being osim retzono shel Makom . Why is this linked to the Omer? Sefirat Haomer consists of seven sets of seven, mirroring the cycles of Shmita and Yovel —the ultimate expressions of Bitachon during the harvest season. This time of year is specifically designated to strengthen our trust in Hashem. By realizing that He is the one managing our success, we become osim retzono shel Makom , and we merit the blessing of te'aseh —that our work shall be done for us. Shabbat Shalom!

Daily Bitachon: Pesach and the Revelation of "Banim" Welcome to Daily Bitachon. We continue with our thoughts on Pesach. We mentioned yesterday that the fundamental takeaways of the Seder night are Emunah (belief), Hakarat Hatov (gratitude), and ultimately Avdut —realizing "I am a servant of Hashem." If I have gratitude, I feel the need to reciprocate and rely on Him. The Great Takeaway: "Beni Bechori Yisrael" There is another vital point brought out by Rabbi Avigdor Miller (quoted by Rabbi Yosi Sa'ida in the name of Mr. Sam Gindi). He suggests that a central takeaway of the Seder is Beni Bechori Yisrael : The Jewish people are the children of God. Now, I was initially bothered when I heard that because it feels like a chiddush (a novelty). It isn't explicitly written in the Torah as one of the primary "goals" of Yetziat Mitzrayim . However, as a takeaway for our lives, where do we see this? I thought of two points: 1. The Witness of the Sea First, we say in our nightly prayers ( Ga'al Yisrael ) that when Hashem crossed the sea for the Jewish people: הַמַּעֲבִיר בָּנָיו בֵּין גִּזְרֵי יַם סוּף "He took His children through the splittings of the Red Sea." And then: רָאוּ בָנִים אֶת גְּבוּרָתוֹ "The children saw His strength." There is something about Kriat Yam Suf (the splitting of the sea)—which is the finale of the Exodus—that reveals us as Hashem's children. In the Emunah Kol Zot prayer, we say there is nothing like God, and then: Ve'anachnu Yisrael amo ("And we, Israel, are His nation"). I once heard from Rav Moshe Shapiro that Emunah is not just believing God is King of the world, but believing we are His nation. We must believe in that identity. 2. The Father vs. The Messenger Another way God is revealed as a Father is pointed out by Rav Shmuel Birnbaum in his Haggadah. He discusses the phrase Ani velo shaliach ("I and not a messenger"). He explains that when a father truly loves his child, he doesn't want to care for them through an intermediary. It's not just about the child "being taken care of"—the father wants to be the one doing the caring. Think of a mother who waited ten years for a child; she isn't interested in a wet nurse or a nanny. She wants to care for that child herself because of her motherly love. So, too, God Himself wanted to take us out because we are His children. The Father Who Carries Us We see this again in Devarim (1:31): וּבַמִּדְבָּר אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתָ אֲשֶׁר נְשָׂאֲךָ ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר יִשָּׂא אִישׁ אֶת בְּנוֹ "And in the wilderness... where you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son." Rashi gives the famous mashal (parable) of a father carrying his child on his shoulders to protect him from attackers. The pasuk continues there by saying, "And in this matter, you do not believe"—meaning, you don't truly believe that we are Hashem's beloved children. The Kedushat Levi says almost the exact same thing: at Yetziat Mitzrayim , it was revealed we are His children because a father goes personally into the redemption. The Night of Blessings It is interesting to note that the night of Pesach is the same night Yitzchak Avinu gave the brachot (blessings) to Yaakov. This is the ultimate Birkat Habanim (Blessing of the Children). It is brought down that the most apropos time of the year to bless your children is the night of Pesach. In those blessings, Yitzchak uses the word beni ("my son") eight times. The Or Gedalyahu explains that just as David Hamelech used the word beni eight times to try and pull his son Avshalom out of the seven levels of Gehinnom, Yitzchak Avinu (thinking he was talking to Esav) wanted to lift his children up from the lowest levels. Why? Because a child is always a child. This is the message of the Arba Banim (Four Sons). Even the Rasha (the wicked son) is at the table. Regardless of what we do, we remain Banim la-Makom (Children of the Omnipresent). From Children to Brothers If we are children, that status comes with a requirement of brotherhood. The Pele Yoetz quotes the pasuk in Malachi (2:10): הֲלוֹא אָב אֶחָד לְכֻלָּנוּ... מַדּוּעַ נִבְגַּד אִישׁ בְּאָחִיו ? "Have we not all one Father? ... Why then do we deal treacherously every man against his brother?" The Tanya (Chapter 32) says that because our souls are connected to one Father, we are Achim Mamash —literal brothers. Only our bodies are separate. The Maharal tells us the Jewish people are like one big body, and God is the soul of all of them. This was the first step of Moshe Rabbeinu's journey. Vayar besivlotam —he saw their sufferings. He saw them as brothers in need. He carried the trait of brotherhood passed down from Shimon and Levi ( Achim heim ). Viewing everyone as a brother is the true key to redemption. As the Maggid of Dubno and Hafetz Haim both famously : When two brothers love each other, the Father is happy and provides for the home. When they fight, the Father hides His face. If we want our Father in Heaven to treat us like His children, we must treat each other like brothers. A Final Appeal And again, our final push: Baruch Hashem, there were people who responded yesterday to my heartfelt plea on behalf of Lev Chana Lev Zechariah , collecting for clothing cards for families in our community. How to give: Zelle: RabbiSutton@gmail.com Pledge: Email me at RabbiSutton@gmail.com Link: Click the link attached to this chat or email : https://www.rayze.it/levchanazm/ Please give generously. Thank you very much, and Tizku L'mitzvot. Thank you, and may we all merit to see the brotherhood in one another.

Daily Bitachon: The Lens of Gratitude Welcome to Daily Bitachon. With only three days remaining until Pesach, our focus naturally shifts toward the holiday. However, we are not moving away from our fundamental topic, Sha'ar HaBechinah (The Gate of Reflection). From Reflection to Service Sha'ar HaBechinah is about recognizing God within creation. But what is the purpose of that recognition? It isn't just to sit back and be fascinated by the world. According to the Chovos HaLevavos , the true outcome of recognizing God's handiwork is Hakarat HaTov —gratitude. When I realize that God placed my nose in the middle of my face specifically so I can smell and enjoy my food, I recognize that He did this for me . As the Sages say, "Bishvili nivra ha'olam" —the world was created for me. When I internalize how much God has done for me, the natural reaction is a desire to reciprocate. This leads us directly to the next gate, Sha'ar Avodat HaElohim (The Gate of Serving God), and subsequently to Sha'ar HaBitachon (The Gate of Trust). If I am a servant of God, I must rely on Him. This progression is the essence of the Seder night: Emunah: Recognizing God in the world. Hakarat HaTov: Feeling gratitude for His kindness. Avodah: Dedicating ourselves to serving Him. Bitachon: Relying on Him as His servants. The Heart of the Haggadah: Bikkurim I saw a fascinating thought from Rav Shmuel Birnbaum regarding the structure of the Seder. As a refresher, the core of our Haggadah (which I explore through 30 lessons in the Bitachon Haggadah ) centers on four verses from the section of Bikkurim (First Fruits). In the times of the Temple, a farmer would bring his first fruits to God as a thank you. But we don't just say "thanks for the crop"; we recount our history starting from "Arami Oveid Avi." This is the shortest version of the Exodus story that exists. Rather than recounting every detail from Miketz through Bo , the Torah gives it to us in four verses. When you reach the section of Arami Oveid Avi in the Haggadah, wake up. Why do we use the Bikkurim text as our backdrop? Because the entire theme of Bikkurim is Hakarat HaTov. We are meant to view the entire night through the lens of gratitude. The Warning of Lavan Why do we start with Lavan? Rav Shmuel Birnbaum offers an unbelievable insight in his commentary (with Hakarat HaTov to Rabbi Press from the Mir Yeshiva for publishing it). Lavan was a kefui tovah —a person who denies the good done for him. Before Yaakov arrived, Lavan was poor and had only daughters. After Yaakov came, Lavan became wealthy and had sons. Lavan even admitted, "God blessed me because of you," yet he refused to feel beholden.{ letters of Lavan ( ל-ב-ן ) are the same as Naval ( נ-ב-ל ), which means an ingrate.} When someone does you a favor, you have two options: Recognize it, be grateful, and reciprocate. Find faults in the person so you don't have to feel obligated to them. This is often why people choose atheism. Recognizing God means recognizing everything He has done for us, which makes us beholden to Him. To avoid that responsibility and those boundaries, people find excuses to deny Him. The Haggadah starts with Lavan as a warning: if you don't cultivate gratitude tonight, you risk becoming an ingrate. A Personal Opportunity This theme of gratitude—for God and for people—is why we see Moshe Rabbeinu refusing to strike the Nile or the dust during the plagues; he had Hakarat HaTov because they had once protected him. In that spirit, I have a personal pitch. In previous years, I've raised money for Lev Chana , an organization that provides clothing cards for families in need. This year, I didn't push it as hard, and we are currently far short of our goal. While Bitachon is essential, we must also do our hishtadlut (effort). If you benefit from this class every day, I ask you to practice Hakarat HaTov by helping me reach the finish line for these families. How to give: Zelle: RabbiSutton@gmail.com Pledge: Email me at RabbiSutton@gmail.com Link: Click the link attached to this chat or email : https://www.rayze.it/levchanazm/ Please give generously. Thank you very much, and Tizku L'mitzvot.

Welcome to Daily Bitachon: Erev Shabbat HaGadol Welcome to our Erev Shabbat series. Today is EREV Shabbat HaGadol , and we will explore its connection to Bitachon (trust in God) based on a beautiful insight from the Meshech Chochma (Devarim 10:20). The Universal vs. The Unique Shabbat The Meshech Chochma notes that, theoretically, Shabbat should apply to all of humanity. Since God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh, every nation should seemingly have a connection to that rest. Yet, only the Jewish people received the commandment of Shabbat. Why? Because keeping Shabbat requires a specific level of Bitachon —a reliance on God that is unique to the Jewish people. To truly rest, you must know with certainty that your parnassah (livelihood) is set by God. The Meshech Chochma points out that in Jeremiah (17:7), right after the prophet discusses Bitachon — "Blessed is the man who trusts in Hashem" —he immediately speaks about Shabbat. A person who trusts in Hashem welcomes Shabbat because they view weekday labor as a "tax" or a necessity to cover miracles (as discussed in Chovot HaLevavot ). The servant of Hashem is happy to stop working because they believe they will lose nothing by taking the day off. The Power of Yetziat Mitzrayim This level of trust was forged during Yetziat Mitzrayim (the Exodus). We witnessed Hashgacha Pratit (Divine Providence) firsthand—such as when a glass of water remained water for a Jew but turned to blood for an Egyptian. This direct experience gave us the power to keep Shabbat. The Midrash Rabbah on the verse "The blessing of Hashem brings wealth" explains that this refers specifically to Shabbat. Other nations aren't commanded to keep Shabbat because, without the historical experience of the Exodus and the resulting Bitachon , it would be an impossible burden. God does not give a mitzvah that a person is incapable of fulfilling. The Desert and the Manna This explains why Shabbat was given to us at Marah , even before the revelation at Sinai. When we followed God into a desolate wilderness without asking, "How will we survive?", we demonstrated the "kindness of our youth" ( Chesed Ne'urayich ). By following Him into the desert, we proved we were ready for Shabbat. This is why Shabbat and the Manna were introduced together. The Manna was the ultimate exercise in Bitachon : "My cupboard is empty today, but I know there will be enough tomorrow." Only those with that level of trust ( Ba'alei Bitachon ) can truly keep Shabbat. The Connection to Shabbat HaGadol On the 10th of Nissan in Egypt—which fell on a Shabbat—the Jewish people faced a tremendous test of faith. They were commanded to take a sheep (an Egyptian deity) and tie it to their bedposts. When asked by their neighbors what they were doing, they boldly proclaimed their intent to slaughter it and that the Egyptian firstborns would soon die. It took immense Emunah (faith) to make such a proclamation openly. This act of reliance is the core of Shabbat HaGadol. We celebrate it as "The Great Shabbat" (rather than just the 10th of Nissan) because it marks the moment we showed we were ready to keep Shabbat by displaying our absolute Bitachon . Cleaving to Hashem The Meshech Chochma writes this immediately following his essay on the mitzvah of "U'vo Tidbak" (To Him you shall cleave). He explains that "cleaving" to God is the mitzvah of Bitachon . When you rely on Hashem, He is always on your mind, and you are constantly connected to Him. He poignantly notes that in his own generation, spiritual levels dropped because people worried too much about the future and how to support their families, leading them to turn away from Torah study. He attributed the challenges of European Jewry to a lack of Bitachon . This Shabbat is a wonderful opportunity to strengthen our own Bitachon. Just as our ancestors did on that first Shabbat HaGadol in Egypt, let us reaffirm our reliance on Hashem, knowing that He provides for all our needs. Have a wonderful day and a Shabbat HaGadol Shalom!

Welcome to Daily Bitachon. In our Sha'ar Habechina series, the Chovot HaLevavot says the next thing that we should appreciate in our development is we are a year old or so, we're able to see, we're able to hear, and we're infants. But Hashem puts us for chen and chesed and mercy in the eyes of our parents. That raising us should not be too difficult and they start caring for us more than they care for themselves when it comes to eating and drinking and all the hard work, the bathing, the diapering, all becomes easy. And they do everything they can to protect us. Now how does that happen? Now of course God makes everything happen, but what's the natural explanation for this phenomena? Where does this maternal love stem from? It's a combination of biological, neurological and emotional factors designed by Hashem to ensure infant survival. It's driven by a hormone called oxytocin, which is released during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and supported by brain changes that enhance empathy and nurturing. So this is wonder of wonders. Mothers care about their children, they might not be the biggest baalei middot, they didn't learn Mesilat Yesharim, and yet they're waking up in the middle of the night to take care of their children, because a hormone is released that enhances empathy and nurturing. Wonders of wonders. And a lot of other hormones are shifting, estrogen, prolactin, and they all influence the maternal feelings. The maternal brain undergoes structural changes that prioritize the baby's safety. The vagus nerve is also involved, creating feelings of warmth and dedication. Once upon a time I spoke about the vagus nerve, which is something that's activated when you take deep breaths and you just suddenly calm down. Deep breath, calm down, that's coming from this vagus nerve that runs down your neck. But what does God do? The mother doesn't have time to breathe. That's a saying, I don't have time to breathe. They don't have time to breathe. So God gets this nerve stimulated and creating that feeling of warmth and dedication and calm while the mother is raising her children during those early years. And studies are showing now that gut bacteria can also play a role in influencing maternal nurturing behavior. Studies are still very early in this, but as we spoke about previously, you have what's called gut bacteria that are not part of you, and they help modulate the oxytocin. These bacteria also help communicate between the brain and the vagus nerve. Studies show when these specific bacteria are missing, the oxytocin levels drop and maternal behaviors diminish. So it's fascinating what's going on to bring about this wonder that God put into the mother to care about her children. The next stage is now the child becomes a teenager. Teenagers are difficult, their brains are not developed yet, and yet we don't get disgusted with them, we tolerate them with all their difficulty, and more than that, תגדל הדאגה לו בלבם . We worry about them, we care about them. Another wonder is that children's brains don't develop intellectually until they're older. And this is also a phenomena, that as the body grows, the physical body grows, so too does the intellect also develop, which is very interesting. I mean why what does your intellect and your understanding and your language have to do with the size of your pinky? But somehow everything grows emotionally and physically at the same time. Now why did God make it that way that children don't understand? You know, so what, okay they're small, but why couldn't their brain start working immediately? He says because if they would realize how limited they are, how they can't do anything, how everyone's taking care of them, they would die from de'aga ve'yagon, which literally means anxiety and depression. They would die from anxiety and depression. So therefore, God made that they don't understand. Another wonder. Next wonder, babies cry. God put into babies to cry and there's tremendous benefits from it. And he goes to the doctors of his time that say that the crying causes certain parts of the brain to develop properly. Modern science tells us the reason why we need crying. First of all, communication and safety. It's the primary way that babies call for help, allowing them to express their needs such as hunger, pain, or discomfort. Physical development, the act of crying stimulates the heart and lungs and improves circulation and aids in establishing proper breathing. So crying is actually a breathing therapy. Like when people are in the hospital they have this this gizmo, you blow into it and there's a little ball in there and it goes up. I don't know what it's called, breathalyzer, whatever it may be called, I don't know, but God put that into children that they're constantly developing their lungs. It also helps for emotional regulation. It helps babies release tension and manage emotions, helping them transition from distress to a calmer state. And finally, it causes a bonding and caregiver response. Crying triggers nurturing responses from caregivers, which strengthens the attachment and trust. Children need to get the message that when I cry, there's someone there that cares about me. I live in a world where people care for me. And that comes about by having needs that are fulfilled. So God put into the child a being constantly conditioned, I cry, someone comes and soothes and cares for me. I'm in a world that's a safe world. He's being trained in that important lesson from a young age. And all these wonders and wonders and wonders that Hashem put into creation that we're supposed to be recognizing. So next time you hear a baby cry, don't just say what a baby's cry. There's good reasons why they cry.

Welcome to our daily Bitachon Shaar Bechinah series. We are exploring the wisdom embedded within the human being. In Chovot HaLevavot (Shaar Cheshbon HaNefesh, Chapter 3), Rabbeinu Bachya outlines thirty different things we are meant to appreciate. 1. Something from Nothing First on his "hit parade" is the contemplation of your own existence: think about how, once upon a time, you didn't exist, and now you do. You are literally yesh me-ayin —something from nothing. Just as God created the universe ex nihilo , He created your "mini-world" as well. While we technically stem from a microscopic seed, the transition to a living human is essentially something from nothing. This was granted without God owing us anything; it is pure kindness, goodness, and generosity. Consider your stature. You were lifted up; you aren't an animal, grass, or a mineral. That alone is reason enough to thank Hashem for your existence. 2. The Adopted Child He brings the famous mashal (parable) of a child abandoned by the roadside. A passerby sees him, feels mercy, and brings him home. He raises him and provides everything he asks for. Hashem is much more than that—He didn't just find us; He meticulously created every one of our limbs. The Steipler Gaon ( Chayei Olam , Chapter 2) echoes this, noting that everything we have is an unearned kindness. Our problem is that we don't appreciate our gifts until they are threatened. We don't value our eyes unless, chas v'shalom , we lose our vision for a time. When it returns, only then do we celebrate. The same is true for our hands; a person in a cast only appreciates the limb once the cast is removed. We must learn to appreciate them while they are functioning. 3. The Miracle of Birth Returning to Shaar Bechinah , the Chovot HaLevavot tells us to appreciate the moment we emerged from the womb. Without any training or "birthing courses," you navigated that narrow canal. Who helped you? Only the Chacham, ha-Rachum, v'Chanun —the Wise, Merciful, and Gracious One. You entered the world weak, with almost no senses functioning other than touch and taste. Yet, God prepared your sustenance immediately. He created a wellspring of milk from your mother, perfectly suited to your needs. It is sweet, tasty, and flows effortlessly—like a spring appearing just as you are stuck in a desert. It isn't too heavy or too light; it's perfect so the child doesn't gag. Beyond the milk itself, Hashem implanted the instinct —the desire and the physical ability to nurse. 4. The Great "System Switch" The Gemara ( Niddah 30b ) discusses a wonder we often overlook: breathing. We cannot survive more than a few minutes without air, yet a child lives in the womb for months without breathing at all. Folded inside, the fetus eats what the mother eats and receives oxygenated blood directly through her system. Think about modern medicine: if someone can't breathe, they need a massive ventilator or a tracheotomy. Man hasn't yet figured out how to perfectly pump oxygenated blood into a person to bypass the lungs the way God does in the womb. This is what we acknowledge every day in the berachah of Asher Yatzar : "If one of them were to be opened, or one of them were to be closed..." ( im yipateach echad meihem o yisatem echad meihem ). The commentaries explain that if the mouth were to open and try to breathe inside the womb, or if it failed to open and breathe the moment we emerged, we could not survive. Hashem performs a perfect "system switch" from the mother's oxygen to the world's air. We get used to these miracles, but we shouldn't. I once knew someone who had to go on dialysis; when they were finally able to get off the machine, their joy was boundless. The Takeaway: Take a moment today to appreciate your birth and the perfect timing of your existence.

Daily Bitachon: Sha'ar Habechina Welcome back to our series on Sha'ar Habechina . We are continuing our journey through the human being as a "miniature world," viewed through the lens of the Chazon Ish . He points out something fascinating: most people are completely unaware of the vast armies standing guard over them, toiling tirelessly to preserve their lives. Just as a country has a military to defend its borders, there is a literal army inside of you. The Internal "Iron Dome" Who are these soldiers? They are your white blood cells . Your body contains billions of living cells that belong to you, along with billions of "inhabitants"—microbes and bacteria in your gut—that live alongside you. Every day, we face biological "terrorists": viruses, fungi, and harmful bacteria. It isn't just geopolitical threats like ballistic missiles; these wars are happening under your skin right now. God installed an Internal Iron Dome that intercepts these threats. If we could hear what was happening inside our veins, we would hear sirens going off constantly. I remember an elementary school teacher describing a simple infection or a "pus pimple" in a graphic way: she said that when you see pus, you are looking at the battlefield. Those are the "dead soldiers"—the white blood cells that gave their lives to protect you. A high white blood cell count on a medical report is simply a dispatch from the front lines, telling you that a war is being waged on your behalf. Note: This isn't just a science class. This is the Torah of the Chazon Ish, the Gadol Hador . These insights are so holy that one must say Birkat HaTorah (the blessings over Torah study) before learning them. Communication: The Mouth and the Ear Now, imagine this "robot" is perfect—it sees, moves, and has a defense system. But what is it worth if it cannot communicate? At first, you might imagine the Inventor fashioned a machine that chirps a variety of sounds. We call this machine a mouth . It is an incredibly expensive, highly complex piece of engineering. But a "chirping machine" is useless without a sensor. So, corresponding to the mouth, the Inventor created a machine that senses every sound wave: the ear . This presents a massive challenge to the theory of random evolution. What use is a voice box if no one is listening? What is the purpose of an ear if nothing is making sound? They are two separate, highly complex systems that must exist simultaneously to have any value. Yet here we are, the "lucky survivors" of this perfect design. Intellect and Continuity Beyond the physical, God granted us intellect . Without it, we would be no different from an ox eating grass. He gave us wisdom so we could fulfill our unique role in creation. Then, the Inventor addressed the problem of "stock." He didn't want to manually build every single robot; He wanted them to procreate. He created male and female so that these two machines could continue the "production line" forever. Imagine buying a robot on Amazon and the seller saying, "Just buy these two, and you'll never need to buy another one again." We are so accustomed to this marvel that we don't notice it, but for thousands of years, billions of people have been produced "undercover" in the mother's womb, all running on Divine autopilot. The Self-Healing Body The Inventor also built in a repair shop. When you cut yourself and blood flows, your organs and tissues immediately send "coagulants" to freeze the surface and stop the leak. Eventually, the body fuses the flesh back together, creating new membranes and scar tissue. And for those serious battles where our internal army needs help? God created a "storehouse of mercenaries"— herbs, vegetation, and medicines —hidden in the natural world to serve as antibiotics. Conclusion: The Ultimate App The Chazon Ish notes that the only thing stopping us from seeing this is the "constant busyness" of life. We get so excited about an iPhone and its gazillions of apps. You can open your front door or talk to someone across the world and you say, "Wow!" But hold on—God is the original Developer. Your eye is an app. Your ear is an app. Your tongue is an app. Need to charge your battery? Take a nap. We get so impressed by what human beings can build. It's time we get excited about what God has already done.

Daily Bitachon: Sha'ar Habechina Welcome to our series on Sha'ar Habechina , where we explore the art of recognizing God within creation. The Chovot Halevavot teaches that the most profound way to find the Creator is by looking at the human being. Interestingly, the Chazon Ish , in his seminal work Emuna ve'Bitachon (Faith and Reliance), begins by following this exact directive—treating the human body as the primary evidence of Divine wisdom. After all, you cannot reach bitachon (reliance) without first establishing the fundamentals of emuna (faith). The Master Inventor The Chazon Ish offers a powerful mashal (parable): God is the Master Inventor . But He isn't just a builder; He is a kind, benevolent Inventor seeking to create a magnificent "machine" that can actually enjoy existence. Imagine an inventor building a complex robot. To benefit from this spectacular world, that robot needs to perceive it. Our tradition says that a blind person is "as if dead" because they are hindered from fully experiencing the world's beauty. So, the Master Inventor created two "seeing machines" and placed them in the head. We call them eyes , but that's just a simple name for a marvelous invention that focuses, adjusts to light, and processes depth. We could write entire libraries just on the mechanics of the eye. Interaction and Mobility Next, the Inventor looks at His creation and realizes it needs to interact with its environment. The Arms: He "pops in" two arms, perfectly symmetrical. He adds elbows for leverage, wrists for rotation, and fingers for precision. The Hands: He adds a thumb for grasping and embeds "touch sensors" so the machine can distinguish hot from cold, dry from wet, and soft from hard. The Legs: To provide mobility, He crafts legs with knees, ankles, and toes designed to grip the surface and maintain balance. The Spark of Life But even with all these parts, the machine would be nothing but clay without a soul . God breathed a soul into the human being. What is a soul? We don't exactly know, much like we don't fully "know" gravity—we simply testify to its existence by observing its effects. The Fuel System Once the machine is built, its survival is not guaranteed; it requires constant nutrition. We acknowledge this in the blessing of Borei Nefashot : בורא נפשות רבות וחסרונם —"He creates many souls and their deficiencies." We are like cars that run out of gas. Think about that feeling when your Waze says you have 50 miles to go, but your tank only has 30. You feel that surge of "range anxiety." Yet, do we ever stop to wonder how our own "gas" is always available? God created an abundance of food with countless varieties and nutrients to keep us running. The Internal Laboratory To process this fuel, the Master Inventor designed the digestive system. We have a stomach and intestines that chemically break down food into components, distributing each nutrient to the exact part of the body that needs it. Every organ—the gallbladder, spleen, kidneys, heart, and brain—has a unique, meticulous role. Think about your last blood test. You scan the results and see "Normal, Normal, Normal." Who keeps your blood pressure at a perfect 120/80? Who manages the pump that has been running since before you were born? All these systems are fine-tuned and regulated by the Inventor to work in perfect harmony. We will stop here for now and continue this lesson from the Chazon Ish tomorrow.

Yetziat Mitzrayim: The Catalyst for Shabbat Welcome to our daily Bitachon series, and specifically to our special Friday edition dedicated to the essence of Shabbat. As we have often noted, Shabbat is deeply intertwined with both Ma'aseh Bereishit (the Creation) and Yetziat Mitzrayim (the Exodus). In a profound sense, the Exodus actually "created" Shabbat as we know it today. Originally, Shabbat served primarily as a connection to the act of Creation; through our redemption from Egypt, God transformed Shabbat into a sign ( Ot ) of our unique relationship with Him. The Three Signs of the Exodus The Exodus did not only establish Shabbat; it created other essential Otot (signs) as well: Tefillin: Two of the four passages contained within our Tefillin explicitly discuss the Exodus. Brit Milah: The Midrash teaches that while in Egypt, many were hesitant to perform circumcision as it marked them as distinct from the gentiles. however, when the time came to leave, they were commanded to eat the Korban Pesach (Paschal Lamb), of which the Torah states: "No uncircumcised man may eat of it." Thus, the Brit Milah became a prerequisite for and a part of the Exodus story. Shabbat: The day that testifies both to God's mastery over nature and His intervention in human history. The "Upside-Down" Theory of History In Parshat Bo, God tells Moses the reason for the plagues and the miracles: "Lema'an shiti ototai eleh bekirbo" —"So that I may place these signs of Mine in his midst." While the simple meaning refers to the plagues as signs of God's power, the Ma'or Vashemesh offers a fascinating deeper reading. He suggests that the goal of the Exodus was specifically to "implant" these Otot (Shabbat, Tefillin, and Brit Milah) within the Jewish people. This leads to what we might call the "upside-down theory" of Jewish history: We usually assume that because we left Egypt, we have a Shabbat to remember it. The Ma'or Vashemesh argues the opposite: Because God wanted us to have the holiness of Shabbat, He orchestrated the Exodus. The memorials are not an afterthought to history; history was created to facilitate the memorials. The classic proof is found in the Haggadah: "Ba'avur zeh" —"Because of this." We say God took us out of Egypt "because of this " (pointing to the Matzah and Maror). Logic would suggest we eat Matzah because He took us out, but the Torah suggests He took us out so that we would have the opportunity to perform the Mitzvah of Matzah. The Priority of the Mitzvah Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz famously applied this concept to the Fifth Commandment. We don't respect our parents simply because they happen to be the ones who brought us into the world. Rather, God created the biological reality of parenthood so that we would have the opportunity to fulfill the Mitzvah of "Honor your father and your mother." The Mitzvah exists in the spiritual realm first; the physical world is then constructed to allow that Mitzvah to manifest. The Exodus was the catalyst to create the Shabbat of Kiddush and Hallel . When the Torah says, "Lema'an tesaper be'oznei vincha" ("So that you may tell it in the ears of your children"), it is referring to the Friday night Kiddush . The entire purpose of the Egyptian exile and redemption was so that a Jewish father could sit with his children on Friday night and testify that God is the Master of the world. The Cause of All Causes The term "Hit'alalti" (usually translated as "I have mocked" or "wrought") used in reference to Egypt shares a root with Eilat Kol Ha'eilot —the Cause of all Causes. As Rabbeinu Bachya explains, this shows that God is the remote cause behind every event. Shabbat is the weekly reminder of this truth. God directed the course of history—slavery, plagues, and redemption—specifically so we would have this special Shabbat. As we approach Pesach, let us appreciate that every Shabbat we keep is a fulfillment of the very purpose for which we were liberated.

The Human Being: A Miniature World Insights from Shaar HaBechinah (The Gate of Trust), Chapter Five Welcome to our daily Bitachon series. We are beginning the fifth chapter of Shaar Bitachon , where the Chovot HaLevavot poses a fundamental question: Of the seven areas of creation we've discussed—the stars, animals, the earth, and so on—which one should we delve into most? While every area of creation is necessary and wondrous, he explains that our greatest responsibility lies in the area closest to us, where God's wisdom is most accessible: the human species. The "Olam Katan" (Miniature World) The Sages teach that a human being is an Olam Katan —a miniature universe. Every bit of wisdom found in the vast cosmos can be found mirrored within a single person. We see this connection through the repeated use of the word Chochma (Wisdom) in the Torah: The World: "Hashem founded the earth with wisdom ( Chochma )" (Proverbs 3:19). The Mishkan: "I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom ( Chochma )" (Exodus 31:3). The Human: "...Who fashioned man with wisdom ( Chochma )" (Blessing of Asher Yatzar ). Just as the world developed from a central point (the Even Shetiyah in the Holy Temple), a human develops from a single point—the umbilical cord. The Otzar Midrashim (in Agadat Olam Katan ) takes this even further, drawing vivid parallels: Our hair is like a forest. The different fluids in our body mirror the streams of the earth: salty water in the eyes, cold in the nose, bitter in the ears, and sweet in the mouth. The stomach is like the vast ocean. Even the animal kingdom is mirrored in the diverse traits and "winds" that exist within human nature. Our Obligation to Observe Because there is so much wisdom packed into our own bodies, we are obligated to examine: Our origins: How we develop from a hidden spark. Our structure: The joining of parts and the specific function of every limb. Our psychology: Our character traits, the faculties of the soul, and the "light" of our intellect. Our essence: Our desires and our ultimate purpose. The wise men of old taught that the highest level of understanding is knowing yourself. As Iyov (Job) said: "From my own flesh, I see God" (Job 19:26). By looking inward, we see the Creator. The Goal: Humble Gratitude What is the point of all this "delving"? It isn't just for anatomy; it's to awaken us from our indifference. When we realize the kindness and complexity invested in our very existence, we are moved to humble ourselves before the Creator. King David expresses this perfectly in Psalm 139: "I acknowledge You, for I am awesomely, wondrously fashioned... My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in concealment... Your eyes saw my unshaped form (Golmi)..." When David mentions being "knit together," he refers to the incredibly complex organism of bones, sinews, and tissues. When he uses the word Golmi (my unshaped mass), he reminds us that while an embryo is just a "lump" of potential, God sees the fully realized person from the moment of conception. The development of a human takes years, but to God, it is all one. This journey of appreciation—seeing the infinite in the individual—is what the Chovot HaLevavot invites us to continue.

The Host and the Guest: Insights into Bitachon The Seven Pillars of Creation Welcome to our daily Bitachon session in our Sha'ar HaBechinah series. We have previously explored seven areas of contemplation, and the Chovot HaLevavot notes that some believe this is what Shlomo HaMelech alluded to in the opening verses of Proverbs (Mishlei), Chapter 9: "With all forms of wisdom did she build her house; she carved out its seven pillars." The core point here is that these seven pillars refer to the world God built through seven areas of divine benefit. The passage continues: "She prepared her meat, mixed her wine, and also set her table. She has sent out her maidens; she announces upon the heights of the city: 'Whoever is a simpleton, let him turn here.' To the one who lacks an understanding heart, she says: 'Come, partake of my food and drink of the wine that I have mixed.'" Recognizing the Host Rashi explains that this passage refers to Creation, with the seven pillars representing the seven days of the week. Continuing this metaphor, Rashi suggests that "mixing the wine" refers to the creation of solids and liquids, while the Gemara (Sanhedrin 38a) suggests it refers to the oceans, rivers, and all the world's necessities. But who are the "fools" and those who "lack heart"? Rav Yeruchem Levovitz explains that we live in a magnificent world created by God, yet the "fools" are those who attend the party without realizing who the Host is. Our world is God's house, and God is throwing a party for everyone. Midrash Rabbah (Vayikra 11:1) notes that God invited Adam and Chava to this party, yet they acted foolishly by following the snake—whose message was essentially that God didn't really create the world and isn't truly the Host. The Good Guest vs. The Bad Guest Even if we recognize God as the Host, how do we view our stay? The Gemara (Berachot 58a) describes two types of guests: The Good Guest says: "Look at all the effort the homeowner went through for me! Look at the wine, the meat, and the desserts. All of this effort was for my sake." The Bad Guest says: "What did he really do for me anyway? He had to prepare the wine, meat, and dessert for his own wife and children; I'm just a tag-along." The Chafetz Chaim (Letter 45) invokes this Gemara to emphasize that we must appreciate the modern inventions and benefits God provides. We are guests in this world, and we must maintain the right outlook. As the Gemara (Bava Kamma 92b) quips: "The wine belongs to the host, yet we give thanks to the bartender." When you're at a wedding drinking expensive Scotch, you thank the bartender—but he didn't pay for it; the host did. We receive benefits through many messengers, but the ultimate Homeowner paying the bill is God. The Divine "Housewarming" Midrash Tanchuma (Bereshit 2) takes this a step further regarding Shabbat, quoting, "And God finished (Vayechal) His work on the seventh day." The Midrash explains Vayechal can be understood as a "crowning party"—what we call a Chanukat HaBayit (housewarming). After creating the world in six days, God celebrated the completion of His home on Shabbat. At a Chanukat HaBayit, guests look around and admire the chandelier or the moldings. Similarly, the goal of Shabbat is to enter God's house and admire the wonders of Creation. This is why we recite Mizmor Shir L'Yom HaShabbat, focusing on His works. Rav Yeruchem Levovitz (Da'at Torah, Vayikra) warns that a guest can mistakenly think, "This is my party," forgetting who the "birthday boy" is. In this world, God is the Guest of Honor at His own party. He invites us and sets a place card for each of us, but we must remember our place. The Responsibility of the Wealthy Guest This leads to a famous mashal (parable). A man held a grand wedding and invited his two sons—one wealthy, one poor. He told the wealthy son, "I'll pay for your travel, but please, your brother has nothing. Go tailor fine clothes for him so he can attend the party with dignity. I will reimburse you for that, too." The wealthy brother, indifferent to his sibling, spent very little. When the poor brother arrived looking like a beggar, the father was upset. He told the wealthy son, "Why should I pay for your tickets? You only cared about yourself. If you cared about me, you would ensure your brother looked his best." An Invitation to God's Table We are all at God's party, especially during a Simchat Yom Tov. On the night of the Seder, we are sitting at God's table. Tosafot (Berachot 42a) mentions that when one eats at the house of the Resh Galuta (the Exilarch), the guests are not in charge of when the meal ends; they follow the host. We apply this to the Seder: even if one thought they were finished, they can still eat the Afikoman because they are guests at God's table. If we are truly guests at His table, it is our obligation to ensure our brothers and sisters are properly clothed for the event. This shows we recognize that God is the ultimate Boss. How You Can Help This is the time of year I hold a drive for Lev Chana and the Sefardi division, Lev Zicharya. We provide clothing cards to hundreds of families in need, including 100 widows in the Flatbush area alone. To support these families, you can: Zelle: rabbisutton@gmail.com Credit Card: https://www.rayze.it/levchanazm/ Check: Payable to Lev Chana, 1059 East 10th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11230 Pledge: Email rabbisutton@gmail.com and we will bill you. Thank you for helping us make sure everyone is ready for the party.

Daily Bitachon: Shaar Habechina Welcome to Daily Bitachon. We are in Shaar Habechina , and we have reached our final category—category number seven—of the areas we are meant to contemplate. While the first five categories dealt with the wonders of creation and the sixth covered man's inventions, the seventh is perhaps saved for last because it represents the highest level: the sign of wisdom found in the Torah and in the chukim (statutes) with which we serve Hashem. The Infinite Depth of Torah When you sit and learn Torah, you encounter a vast wisdom that is beyond human contemplation. Torah is eternal. Anyone who learns a sugya in Gemara sees the complexity and the microscopic detail. Despite the endless sefarim of the Oral Law, the greatest minds continue to toil over it, yet its depth remains bottomless. As we know, istakel b'oraitha u'bara alma —God looked into the Torah to create the world. The Torah is the blueprint of existence. The goal of Shaar Habechina is to see God through His handiwork. When you study Torah, you realize that only something Divine could be so complex, yet so perfectly integrated. Pleasure in This World Additionally, we must appreciate that dedication to Torah and mitzvos brings what the author calls le'hanot ha'olam hazeh miyad — immediate pleasure in this world —as well as the reward of the World to Come. It is a vital principle to understand that "religion" brings joy here and now. It provides a framework for living that allows you to actually enjoy this world. Take the famous story of Rav Shach: he was once asked who had more Olam Haba (the World to Come), himself or the great philanthropist Mr. Paul Reichmann. Rav Shach answered, "About Olam Haba , I cannot say. But as for Olam Hazeh (this world), I can definitely tell you I have more than he does. I enjoy this world more than he enjoys his." We often mistakenly think pleasure comes from material indulgence, but true oneg (delight) is found in a Shabbat table or a Pesach Seder with family. The Prophet Yeshayahu says, "Incline your ear and come to Me... and your soul shall live." He further says, "Listen diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance." The Chazon Ish once remarked that if the secular world knew the sheer pleasure of learning Torah an hour before Shacharit on Shabbat morning, they would convert just to experience it. Shabbat is the "hidden treasure" in God's storehouse. Nature Subservient to Torah Finally, the author makes a powerful statement: madreigat hateva min haTorah, k'madreigat haeved me'adonav — the level of nature relative to the Torah is like that of a servant to a master. The physical world follows the decrees of the Torah. The Ramban writes that the rewards and punishments of the Torah in this world are essentially hidden miracles; everything that happens in nature is dependent on the Torah. There is a classic story of a man with a lung ailment who consulted a great Sage. The Sage told him to move to Safed (Tzfat). The man asked, "Why not the Swiss Alps? The air is just as clear there." The Rabbi explained: "This isn't about the air. In Jewish law, your specific ailment is a dispute. According to the Rema (whose rulings are followed in Europe), such an animal is a treifa and cannot live. But according to the Beit Yosef (Rabbi Yosef Karo), whose rulings are followed in Israel, such a creature is viable. As long as you are in the Rema's territory, nature follows his decree. To live, you must move to the domain of the Beit Yosef." This illustrates that nature is bound to Torah. As the Or Ha-Chayim Ha-Kadosh explains, God set a condition at Creation that the natural world must be "humbled and bent to the Torah and those who toil in it." This concludes our analysis of the seven areas of contemplation. Tomorrow, we will continue with a recap.

Welcome to our Daily Bitachon and Sha'ar HaBechina Series We have been exploring the various realms of God's wisdom as revealed in the world. So far, we have covered: The foundations of the earth. Man as a "miniature world" ( Olam Katan ). The intricate makeup of the human body. The animal kingdom. The world of plants. Today, we move on to an area most people wouldn't even think to include on a list of Divine creation: the wisdom found in human activity and invention. Divine Inspiration in the Mind of Man Whether it is a lightbulb, a car, or any modern convenience, the wisdom behind it is a gift. As the Chovot HaLevavot teaches: Asher natanan HaBorei Yitbarach be-lev ha-adam —these are thoughts that the Creator put into the heart of man. God provides these insights to help man complete his perfection in this world, allowing him to secure food and other benefits that would be impossible to achieve without such inventions. This is the deeper meaning of the verse in Job (38:36): "Who gave the Sechvi understanding?" While Rashi notes that Sechvi can mean a "rooster," he also explains that it refers to the human heart. The root Soche means "to see from afar," similar to how Sarah Imeinu was called Yiska because she could "see" with Ruach HaKodesh (Divine Spirit). The human mind is called Sechvi because it possesses the foresight to solve future problems and innovate. As the Sages say: "Who is wise? He who sees the outcome" —one who sees beyond the present. The Chafetz Chaim on Technology In his letters (Letter 45), the Chafetz Chaim discusses this at length. Writing in the early 1900s, he noted how man once had to endure weeks of difficult travel by wagon. Then, God "came up" with the train to condense that journey into a single day. Soon after came the automobile, making it even easier to reach the station. He explains that the ultimate purpose of these advancements is to allow us to serve Hashem with greater ease. He applies this same logic to the telephone and the camera—inventions that remind us that we can be heard and seen from one end of the world to the other. These tools exist to strengthen our Emunah (faith). A Point of Gratitude When we enjoy central air conditioning or drive an electric car, we shouldn't just thank the inventor; we must thank God, who placed the idea in the inventor's mind. If you ask, "Who created the iPhone?" the ultimate answer is God. People argue that technology has dangers, but so do many things in nature, like cyanide. The existence of danger doesn't mean God didn't create it. From the fax machine to recessed heating under a sidewalk, every convenience is a Divine idea. The "Accidental" Inventions To prevent human arrogance, God often allows the greatest breakthroughs to happen "accidentally." Consider these wonders: Penicillin: Alexander Fleming went on vacation and left a Petri dish uncovered. He returned to find a mold that had killed the bacteria—leading to the first antibiotic. The Microwave: Engineer Percy Spencer noticed a chocolate bar melted in his pocket while he worked on radar sets. A few kernels of popcorn later, a new way of cooking was born. Post-it Notes: 3M makes a billion dollars a year off a "failed" experiment. Dr. Spencer Silver was trying to make a super-strong glue but accidentally made a weak, reusable one instead. The Pacemaker: Wilson Greatbatch grabbed the wrong size resistor for a circuit. When he installed it, it emitted a pulse that mimicked the human heart. Teflon: Roy Plunkett was trying to create a refrigerant gas. He left a sample overnight and found a white, waxy solid instead—the slipperiest substance known to man. Conclusion From chocolate chip cookies to the Slinky, "accidents" are often just God's way of handing us a gift. Even when someone works hard to innovate, we must remember the verse: "He is the One who gives you the strength to achieve success." As the Targum explains, this doesn't just mean physical strength; it means He gives you the ideas necessary to succeed. Every bit of human progress is a direct reflection of God's ongoing kindness.

Welcome to Daily Bitachon on our Friday afternoon special Shabbat edition. The Sefer Yereim , written by one of the Rishonim, Rabbi Eliezer of Metz (Volume 2, Siman 410), teaches us that just as there is a mitzvah to fear the Beit HaMikdash , there is also a mitzvah to fear Shabbat. Now, as we know, there is no single definitive list of the 613 mitzvot in the Torah; while the Gemara tells us the total number is 613, many Rishonim count them differently. The Yereim specifically chooses to include the "Fear of Shabbat" on his list. What is his source? The Gemara in Yevamot 6a points to a comparison between Shabbat and the Beit HaMikdash , as it says in Vayikra 19:30 : " את שבתותי תשמורו ומקדשי תיראו " —"You shall keep My Sabbaths and fear My Sanctuary." Just as there is a mitzvah to fear the Sanctuary, so too there is a mitzvah to fear Shabbat. The Gemara continues by clarifying: " לא משבת אתה מתיירא " —"It is not Shabbat itself that you fear," " אלא ממי שהזהיר על השבת " —"but rather the One who commanded the Shabbat." This means there is a specific responsibility for Yirat Shamayim (fear of Heaven) on Shabbat, just as there is when one enters the Beit HaMikdash . Holiness in Three Dimensions The question arises: What is so unique about Shabbat that it warrants this special mitzvah? We have many commandments—like Tefillin—that God also commanded. Why is "fear" attached to this one? The answer, as we have mentioned many times, is that holiness ( kedusha ) manifests in three dimensions: Person, Place, and Time. The Kohen Gadol was the holiest person. The Beit HaMikdash is the holiest place. The Shabbat is the holiest time. In a sense, the Beit HaMikdash is our "Shabbat in space," and Shabbat is our "Sanctuary in time." We see this connection even in people; the Gemara says a Talmid Chacham is like the Beit HaMikdash . The Zohar even suggests that for a Talmid Chacham —who is immersed in Torah constantly—all seven days of the week are like Shabbat. Regarding the verse " את ה' אלהיך תירא " ("Fear Hashem your God"), the Sages teach lerabbot talmidei chachamim —this includes fearing the Torah scholar, who acts as a sanctuary where God dwells. God dwells in people, He dwells in places, and He dwells in time. The Atmosphere of the Day Once we understand this, the mitzvah to fear Shabbat becomes obvious. Just as you feel a sense of respect, sanctity, and decorum when you stand by the Kotel HaMa'aravi or enter a Shul, Shabbat demands the same. We must approach the day with dignity because its essence is kedusha . Entering Shabbat should feel like walking into the Holy Temple or into the presence of a great Gadol . I remember the sense of trepidation and awe when walking in to see the Steipler Gaon or Rav Shach. That same Yirat Shamayim is intrinsically woven into Shabbat. The Zohar even notes that the word "Bereishit" (In the beginning), when re-scrambled, spells "Yarei Shabbat" (Fear of Shabbat). This awe is the foundation of our entire Torah. A Gift from the Treasure House One commentary explains the famous Midrash where God says: " מתנה טובה יש לי בבית גנזי "—"I have a good gift in My treasure house [and its name is Shabbat]." What exactly is kept in God's treasure house? The Gemara says that the only thing Hashem keeps in His "storehouse" is Yirat Shamayim . Why? Because a person's treasure house usually contains the things most precious to them, often things they don't "possess" naturally. God "owns" everything, but there is one thing He doesn't "have" unless we give it to Him: " הכל בידי שמים חוץ מיראת שמים "—"Everything is in the hands of Heaven except the fear of Heaven." That fear is God's treasure. Every Shabbat, He gives us a "dose" of it from His private collection. He builds that awe into the very fabric of the day. The Natural Fear of the Day The Yerushalmi (cited by the Rambam in Hilchot Ma'aser ) brings down a fascinating concept regarding Terumot and Ma'asrot (tithes). Generally, the Sages did not trust an Am HaAretz (an unlearned person) regarding whether their produce was tithed. However, on Shabbat, if an Am HaAretz claimed the food was tithed, we believed him. Why? " אימת שבת על עמי הארץ "—"The awe of Shabbat is upon even the unlearned." The holiness of the day was so palpable that it would stop a person from lying or committing a transgression. While we may not feel that "natural" fear as instinctively today, it is something we are meant to work on. According to the Yereim , it is a direct commandment to maintain an extra sense of awareness and reverence for the sanctity of Shabbat

Daily Bitachon: The Structural Geometry of Plants Welcome back to our Sha'ar HaBechina plant series. Today, we look at what I found to be the most fascinating aspect of this research: the structural geometry of plants . The way leaves are arranged on a stem isn't random; it is mathematical. Most plants follow the Fibonacci sequence : $1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34...$ and so on. In this sequence, each new number is the sum of the two before it ($5+8=13$, $8+13=21$). The Efficiency of the Spiral Why does HaKadosh Baruch Hu put this math into plants? Because it is the most efficient way to survive. Imagine a plant growing leaves. If every leaf grew directly above the one below it, the top leaf would steal all the sunlight and rain, and the bottom leaves would die. By following a spiral based on these Fibonacci numbers, the plant ensures that each leaf is tucked into a gap where it can still see the sun. ![Illustration of leaf phyllotaxis showing Fibonacci spiraling] Packing Perfection Look at a sunflower or a pinecone. The seeds are packed so tightly there is no wasted space. This happens because the seeds grow in two sets of spirals that criss-cross. If you count the spirals going left and those going right, they are almost always two neighbor numbers from the sequence, like 34 and 55 . Lilies usually have 3 petals. Buttercups have 5 . Daisies often have 34, 55, or 89 . Pineapples have scales that form spirals following these exact counts. Binyan vs. Tzmicha: The Growing Building The late Rav Wolbe used to contrast Binyan (building) with Tzmicha (growth). A building is made of dead blocks following a blueprint; a plant grows organically. But the novelty here is that there is a "building" happening inside the growth! There is an architectural design working within the plant itself. It is a "growing building"—a structure that isn't happening randomly but according to a specific mathematical stamp of wisdom. The Golden Ratio: God's Favorite Recipe While the Fibonacci sequence is a string of numbers, the Golden Ratio ($approx 1.6$) is the relationship between them. It is a way of dividing things so they are perfectly balanced. Imagine a bar of chocolate. If you break it so the big piece is $1.6$ times larger than the small piece, and the whole bar is $1.6$ times larger than the big piece, you've hit the "Golden" proportion. ![Diagram of the Golden Rectangle and the Fibonacci Spiral] Why it Matters to Us Aesthetics: Humans find this ratio naturally pleasing. Your credit card, a standard index card, and even the Mona Lisa are shaped close to this ratio because it feels "right" to our brains. Art & Music: Artists place subjects at the "Golden Line" (about 60% across) to make an image feel stable yet dynamic. Some composers even time the climax of a song to hit at the "Golden Moment"—62% of the way through. The Universal Stamp This isn't just in plants. The same ratio appears everywhere: The Human Body: The proportion between your hand and your arm, or the features of a balanced face. The Cosmos: The spiral of a massive hurricane and the structure of the Milky Way galaxy follow this exact geometry. Microscopic Life: Even DNA molecules measure in a way that reflects this sequence. In the language of Bitachon , this shows us there is One Designer . He put His stamp on everything. As the Sha'ar HaBechina teaches, even though everything in creation looks different, there is a singular, divine similarity that runs through it all. This mathematical sequence is the "identity card" of the Creator, found in every corner of the universe.

Daily Bitachon: The Chemical Warfare and Social Media of Plants Welcome back to our series on Shaar Habechina . We often think of plants as helpless because they are rooted to one spot—unable to run from a hungry caterpillar or hide when a neighbor is attacked. However, Hashem has equipped them to be world-class chemists. Using a complex language of smells and underground signals, they fight back and share resources. As we discussed, a plant is a living laboratory; it is alive. The Plant as a Living Laboratory While its primary biology handles growing and eating, the plant produces secondary metabolites —special-force chemicals designed for specific missions: Deterrents (The "Get-Away" Chemicals): Many plants produce toxins or bitter compounds to stop predators. The heat in a chili pepper or the sting of mustard is the plant's way of saying, "Stop chewing!" Caffeine is actually a natural pesticide produced by coffee plants to paralyze or kill encroaching bugs. Attractants (The "Come-Here" Chemicals): These are the perfumes of the floral world, carefully designed to attract specific couriers—bees, birds, or bats—to carry their pollen. The Wood Wide Web: Nature's Internet Perhaps the most mind-blowing discovery in modern botany is that trees are not isolated individuals. They are connected by a massive underground internet made of fungi—a perfect symbiotic relationship . Tiny fungal threads called mycelium wrap around tree roots. The tree provides the fungi with sugar, and in exchange, the fungi scavenge the soil for minerals the tree cannot reach. Through this network, they send alerts. I remember working in a summer camp where an inspector would visit the kitchens. The first camp to get hit would immediately call all the other camps in the mountains to "get ready." Trees do the exact same thing! When a tree is attacked by a beetle, it releases warning chemicals into the fungal network. Neighboring trees receive the signal and immediately start pumping bitter toxins into their leaves to prepare for the attack before the beetles even arrive. There is even Chesed (kindness) in botany: older "mother trees" send extra sugar through this network to struggling saplings in the shade to help them survive. Calling the Police: Airborne Communication Plants also talk through the air. That distinct smell of fresh-cut grass? That is actually a distress signal . Some plants, when being eaten by a caterpillar, release a specific scent that attracts parasitic wasps. The wasps follow the scent, find the caterpillars, and remove them. The plant is essentially calling the police to handle the intruder. The Brain in the Roots The root system is a hidden mirror of the plant above. Roots are the plant's brain and sensory system: Gravity Sensing: Even in total darkness, a root knows which way is "down." Tiny starch grains act like weights, falling to the bottom of the cells to guide growth. Acoustic Navigation: Recent studies suggest roots can "hear" the tiny vibrations of water moving through pipes and will grow toward the sound. Selective Mining: Roots act as a sophisticated purification system, deciding which minerals to take in and which to block out. Masterpieces of Engineering: Seed Travel If a seed just falls straight down, it dies in the shadow of its parent. To solve this, Hashem engineered transportation devices that are masterpieces of physics: Aerodynamics: Dandelion seeds use "parachutes" to catch the breeze, while maple seeds are shaped like "helicopter" wings to spin and stay airborne. The Original Velcro: Burrs use tiny hooks to hitchhike on animal fur. This was the actual inspiration for Velcro! Organic Cannons & Bio-Boats: Some plants build up pressure until they literally explode, launching seeds away. Others, like the coconut, are waterproof "bio-boats" designed to float across entire oceans to find a new home. Everything we see—from the "Wood Wide Web" to the exploding seed—is a wonder of wonders designed for us to appreciate the infinite wisdom of the Creator.

The Wonders of the Plant: Xylem, Phloem, and the Growing Soul In our previous journey through Shaar Habechina , we explored the miracle of photosynthesis—how a plant manufactures glucose from thin air. But that process requires a constant supply of water. Without a mechanical heart, how do plants move water hundreds of feet upward against gravity? The Xylem: The Solar-Powered Straw The secret lies in the xylem . Think of it as a bundle of microscopic, hollow drinking straws running from the deepest root tip to the highest leaf. These tubes are made of dead cells, allowing pure physics—or as we know it, Hateva (Nature), which shares the Gematria of Elokim —to take over. Cohesion: Water molecules are naturally "sticky." They cling to each other like a long silver rope. The Solar Engine: The sun warms the leaf, causing water to evaporate through tiny pores called stomata . As one molecule leaves, it tugs the one behind it. This suction is strong enough to lift water to the top of a giant Sequoia. Root Pressure: While the sun pulls from the top, the roots push from the bottom. Through osmosis , the roots draw in water, giving it that initial upward nudge. An oak tree can "sweat" 40,000 gallons of water a year without spending a single calorie of its own energy. It is a hidden miracle of efficiency. The Phloem: The Intelligent Delivery Service While the xylem is a one-way street for raw water, the phloem is a multi-directional delivery service for the finished product: glucose. Smart Distribution: The phloem sends energy down to the roots, up to the flowers for nectar, and sideways into the fruit to make it sweet. The Pressure System: It works like a tube of toothpaste. By loading sugar into the tubes, water rushes in to dilute it, creating intense pressure that squeezes the sap exactly where the plant needs it most. A Living System: Unlike the xylem, phloem cells are alive . They require "companion cells" to act as life-support systems, managing sugar levels with incredible precision. Nefesh Hatzomachat: The Soul of Growth In Jewish thought, we call this the Nefesh Hatzomachat —the growing soul. As the Ramban explains (Bereishit 1:20), a tree isn't just a biological machine; it possesses a level of "life" that responds to its environment. The Midrash Rabbah (41:1) tells of a palm tree in Chamat that refused to bear fruit because it was "longing" for a palm in Yericho. Only after it was grafted with a branch from its "neighbor" did it produce fruit. We might think trees lack understanding, but as we see through these intricate systems of life and communication, there is a profound intelligence embedded in every leaf and root.

Our Journey Through Shaar Bechina: The Wisdom of Plants Welcome to our daily Bitachon session as we continue our journey through Shaar Bechina . We are currently exploring the unit on plants, where the Chovot HaLevavot instructs us to observe the botanical world, understand its myriad benefits, and contemplate the diverse natures of vegetation. He cites a powerful Pasuk from Melachim Aleph (5:13) regarding the wisdom of Shlomo HaMelech: "Vayeidaber al haetzim" —he spoke of the trees— "min ha-erez asher ba-Levanon ve-ad ha-ezov asher yetzei ba-kir" (from the great cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall). Simply understood, Shlomo HaMelech used his Divinely granted wisdom to analyze the intricate nature of plants. What is the "wisdom" hidden within a plant? To understand this, let's look at some of the general wonders found across the plant kingdom. 1. The Miracle of Photosynthesis The most profound wonder of the plant world is photosynthesis. Plants essentially live on "thin air" and light. Through this process, plants capture photons from the sun and convert water and carbon dioxide into glucose. As we know, glucose is sugar—the fundamental energy source we all need to survive. It is worth noting that every human invention—though Divinely inspired—finds its precursor in nature. Every leaf is a sophisticated solar panel, perfectly oriented to maximize sun exposure. While the plant "feeds" itself, it produces a byproduct: oxygen. This creates the very atmosphere that allows all complex life to breathe. The "Kitchen" of the Leaf To put photosynthesis in layman's terms, think of it like baking a cake. You need specific ingredients and a heat source: The Energy (The Oven): Sunlight. The Liquid: Water, drawn up through the roots. The Air: Carbon dioxide, breathed in through tiny pores in the leaves. Inside the leaves are millions of microscopic "factories" called chloroplasts , which contain a pigment called chlorophyll . Chlorophyll's job is to catch solar energy; this is why most plants appear green. The pigment absorbs red and blue lightwaves to power the factory and reflects the green waves back to our eyes. When sunlight hits the water inside the leaf, something incredible happens: the energy is so powerful that it splits the water molecule ($H_2O$) apart. The plant keeps the hydrogen to build its food and releases the oxygen as a "waste product." The plant doesn't need that oxygen for its own process, so it exhales it into the air—providing exactly what we need to breathe. Just as we learned previously that the sun "unlocks" the Vitamin D already inside us, the sun here "unlocks" the oxygen held within the water of the plant. 2. The Warehouse: From Glucose to Starch Once the plant has hydrogen from the water and carbon dioxide from the air, it uses its captured solar energy to assemble them into glucose . This is the plant's fuel. It uses some immediately for growth and stores the rest for later. However, there is a "packaging" challenge. Glucose is a simple sugar that dissolves easily in water—great for moving energy around, but too unstable for long-term storage. To solve this, the plant performs a sophisticated chemical "zipping" process: it links thousands of glucose molecules into complex chains called starch . Starch is like a compressed file; it is stable, doesn't dissolve easily, and packs a massive amount of energy into a small space. When we eat a potato or a grain of rice, our bodies simply perform the reverse: we break those starch chains back down into the glucose our brains and muscles crave. 3. Raiding the Vault vs. Accepting a Gift Plants store this extra energy in different ways, leading to two distinct types of "food" for us: The Tubers (The Vault): A potato is actually a swollen underground stem. The plant pumps it full of starch so that when spring arrives, the "eyes" of the potato have enough fuel to grow a new plant before they even reach the sunlight. When we eat a potato, we are essentially "raiding the vault," taking the fuel intended for the next generation. The Fruit (The Transaction): While tubers are for the plant's survival, fruits are designed to be eaten. This is Hashem's brilliant strategy for seed dispersal. While a seed is immature, the plant keeps the fruit sour, hard, and green. Once the seeds are ready, the plant converts starches into sweet sugars and changes the fruit's color to make it "pop" against the green leaves. This is a beautiful transaction: the plant pays an animal with a high-energy meal in exchange for the animal carrying the seeds to a new location and depositing them in natural fertilizer (manure). 4. The Ultimate High-Density Storage: Seeds Finally, we have seeds like beans, corn, and almonds. These are the ultimate "survival kits." Because a baby plant (the embryo) must grow its first root and leaf without any help, the parent plant packs the seed with a concentrated mix of starch, fats, and proteins. This is why nuts and grains are so calorically dense; they are the "first meal" for new life. Just as an egg contains a yolk to feed the developing chick, a seed contains the food for the plant embryo. When we eat these seeds, we are consuming the very sustenance God prepared for the next generation of growth.

Shabbat Creation and Yesiat Misrayim Welcome to the Daily Bitachon . Today on our Erev Shabbat series we speak of Shabbat . I saw a beautiful thought, real hashgacha pratit as it directly connects Sha'ar Bechina and Shabbat . The Sefer Neos Deshe written by the same author as the Avnei Nezer , a famous work. He asks the following question: Why is it that in Parshat Yitro and Ki Tissa , the reason for Shabbat given is to remember creation, and when it comes to Va'etchanan , the second Dibrot , it talks about zecher l'Yitziat Mitzrayim ? And he explains that there are two ways to recognize God. One of them is through creation, and the other one is through the miracles of Yitziat Mitzrayim . Now, which is the way to go? And he says they're both true. Looking into creation is a great way to recognize God, and he says that's what the Chovot HaLevavot bases himself on in Sha'ar HaBechina . But he says not everyone can do that and use that as a cause to recognize God. And therefore, we needed Yitziat Mitzrayim with all the wonders and all the plagues we saw with our own eyes in order that God's power and control should be seen openly to everybody. Further he says, the souls of yesteryear were very great souls, and they could see God just through creation, just through seeing the daily wonders. But the souls of later are not as powerful, their eyes are a little bit weaker, and if they don't see open miracles, they're not going to see it. But he says once a person has seen the miracles of Yitziat Mitzrayim and his vision starts getting clear, now he could see God in creation as well. And that's the additional work that we do now after we have Yitziat Mitzrayim . Explains the Gemara that says that in the future we will no longer talk about Yitziat Mitzrayim because the whole purpose of Yitziat Mitzrayim was only when we were weak and we needed to have those open miracles to see God. Once Mashiach comes and our vision will be clear, we'll go back to the pre-sin stage and be able to recognize God in creation. Now, hold on. If that's the case that we needed Yitziat Mitzrayim , then why is it the first set of commandments talk about Ma'aseh Bereishit and the second set of commandments go back to Yitziat Mitzrayim again? And he explains that after we got out of Egypt, we became purified and we were ready to see God through creation alone. But when we sinned the sin of the Eigel HaZahav , we dropped. And then we have to keep on reminding ourselves of Yitziat Mitzrayim first and then we can see God through creation. And he says therefore in Yitro and in Ki Tissa , which both were mentioned before the sin of the Eigel HaZahav , we talk about Ma'aseh Bereishit . We could see God through creation alone. After the sin of the Eigel HaZahav , we need to always start again with Yitziat Mitzrayim . We see God through Yitziat Mitzrayim . Everything's zecher l'Yitziat Mitzrayim . Pesach , which is coming soon, we work on Yitziat Mitzrayim . And therefore we can't do anything, even our Shabbat , without first going through Yitziat Mitzrayim because we need to have that clear understanding that we got from the open miracles to remove that layer from our eyes and now we're able to see things clearly and now once we see things clearly due to the message of Mitzrayim , we can once again start looking into creation and seeing God there. So it turns out that every single day of the year we talk about zecher l'Yitziat Mitzrayim in our Kriat Shema . We need that, and once we have that, then we can start going on to our Ma'aseh Bereishit which is our Sha'ar HaBechina . So all of our Sha'ar HaBechina work is important work. That's how Avraham Avinu got there. But in our times, we can't start with that. And that's probably why answers our question on the world, why don't we see the world spending their time on Sha'ar HaBechina ? And the answer is it's not so simple. Sha'ar HaBechina isn't so simple, but again it's important, that's the whole Chovot HaLevavot depends on that. That's the building. the building block of a person's personal search, but again it starts with the clear and open miracles of Yetziat Mitzrayim . That's a beautiful thought on Shabbat . Again, that's what we're talking about, that Shabbat has to be both Zecher L'ma'aseh Bereshit and once we get that message, we can go on to

The Platypus and the Kangaroo: A Daily Bitachon Class Welcome to our daily Bitachon class in our Sha'ar HaBechina series. We are exploring the wonders of the animal world, and today we're talking about the duck-billed platypus. I'll give you a second to think back to your elementary school days—do you remember why a platypus stands out from every other mammal? I'll give you three seconds... The answer is: it's the only mammal that lays eggs! But we aren't even going to talk about that today. We're looking at its "duck bill." We've discussed machines of endurance like the camel and machines of speed like the cheetah; now, we are looking at a high-tech submarine. Hashem equipped this creature with the world's most sensitive "metal detector," allowing it to navigate a world made of electricity. 1. The Electrical "Minesweeper" Imagine trying to find a single grain of rice hidden under mud at the bottom of a lake in total darkness while wearing a blindfold and earplugs. That is exactly how a platypus hunts. When it dives, it seals its eyes, ears, and nostrils completely shut. It is effectively blind and deaf to the physical world, yet it never misses its prey. The platypus's bill isn't hard like a bird's; it's soft, flexible, and packed with over 40,000 electrical sensors. The Bio-Electric Spark: Every time a living creature moves a muscle—even a tiny shrimp flicking its tail—it creates a microscopic spark of electricity. The Scanning Motion: As the platypus swims, it wags its head side-to-side. It is literally scanning the water like a minesweeper, picking up tiny voltage changes in the mud. It doesn't "see" its prey with eyes; it sees the electricity that the prey is leaking! 2. The Master Calculator: Flash and Click But seeing the electricity isn't enough. The platypus's brain is a master calculator that uses two different sensors to find the exact "GPS coordinates" of its dinner. It has an Electrical Sensor that picks up the "flash" of the muscle movement (which travels instantly through water, like light). It also has a Vibration Sensor that picks up the physical "click" or ripple of the movement (which travels much slower). By measuring the microsecond delay between the "flash" and the "click," the platypus knows the exact distance and direction of its dinner. It's like counting the seconds between a lightning flash and a thunderclap: Imagine you're in a dark football stadium. You're blindfolded, but you have a light sensor and a sound sensor. Your friend claps their hands. The light sensor goes off the millisecond the clap happens because light is the fastest thing in the universe. The sound of the clap takes a bit longer to reach your ears. If you perceive the flash and the clap at the exact same time, your friend is right in front of you. If there's a delay— one, two, three —you know they are way across the stadium. That is exactly how the platypus works! It feels the "spark" instantly, then waits for the "ripple." If they hit at the same time, it snaps its jaw—lunch is served. If there's a delay, its brain calculates: "The ripple took 0.05 seconds to get here, so the shrimp is three inches away." It's doing high-speed math without even thinking! 3. The Kangaroo: The Perpetual Motion Machine Now for our kangaroo. We know they jump and have pouches for their young, but let's talk about how they recycle energy. In the Australian Outback, food and water are scarce. If the kangaroo had to "pay full price" for every mile it traveled, it would burn out. Instead, it uses the laws of physics to travel for "free." In almost every other animal, going faster requires more fuel. But once a kangaroo reaches a certain speed, it actually uses less energy to go faster! It's like a biological hybrid car. The Secret: The Tendon Battery The secret is in the massive Achilles tendons. Think of the kangaroo's legs as giant, high-tension rubber bands. When a 150-pound kangaroo lands, its body weight stretches that "rubber band" to the limit. Instead of that energy being wasted as a "thud" against the ground, the tendon stores it as elastic energy. When the kangaroo jumps again, the tendon "snaps" back, flinging the animal into the air. The Result: 70% of the energy from the previous jump is "refunded" into the next one. The muscles barely do any work; the physics of the snap does it for them. The "Third Leg" We usually think of a tail as a rudder, but the kangaroo's tail is essentially a third leg. It's packed with more muscle and bone than a human leg! When moving slowly, the kangaroo uses its tail like a crutch to push itself forward. This saves the "high-performance" springs in its back legs for the long-distance travel. Don't think car makers are the only ones who know how to save energy; HaKadosh Baruch Hu did it first with the kangaroo. All of these are wonders of design!

Welcome to our daily Bitachon class. We are now talking about the wonders of Sha'ar Habechina and we're up to the camel. Now let's not look at a camel as just a regular old animal but as a high-tech biological machine engineered specifically for the most hostile environment on Earth. While we carry a water bottle that eventually runs dry, the camel is the water bottle and here's how it works. In humans our round blood cells are shaped like little red donuts if you ever took a science class and saw what they looked like under a microscope. If we get dehydrated our blood gets thick like syrup. Those round donuts get stuck in the pipes which are our veins causing a traffic jam that leads to organ failure and that's why people can lo aleinu die from dehydration. Camel blood cells are shaped like footballs. They're oval so even when the blood gets thick and sludgy from heat these footballs can slide through narrow passages more easily than round discs. Another interesting aspect is that when a camel finally finds water and drinks 30 gallons in one sitting its blood volume expands rapidly. A human's round cells would pop like overfilled water balloons. However the camel's oval cells are incredibly stretchy. They can swell up to two and a half times their original size to soak up the water without bursting. So that's why A they can last long without water and when they finally do drink they could store more water. Now every time you exhale on a cold day you see a cloud. That cloud is actually water leaving your body and it becomes gas for a moment and then disappears. That is not a very good thing in the desert to lose water. So the camel has a cooling sponge inside its nose. It's packed with bone and tissue that act like a massive sponge. As the camel breathes out this tissue steals the heat from the breath and because cold air can't hold as much moisture as warm air the water vapor turns back into liquid. It condenses right there in the nose and instead of breathing out the water into the desert air the camel's nose traps and sends it back into the bloodstream so it's essentially recycling its own breath to stay hydrated. Now another interesting fact is the hump. Of course the hump is not filled with water but the hump is fat and here's the genius of God's design. When the body burns the fat for energy it produces water as a chemical byproduct. It's like a backup battery that creates a tiny bit of juice as it drains and that's what's happening over here. The camel is built in a way to survive on less water. Next we'll talk about the cheetah which is the fastest on land animal that can go to a speed of 70 miles an hour. How does that work? Now what really's working is that the cheetah is a living slingshot we'll explain in a moment what that means. To contrast it to the camel where God built the camel for endurance and saving the cheetah's built for a single violent burst of energy. It's all about acceleration. Most animals use their legs like pistons in an engine. They push and the body moves. A cheetah uses its legs of course but it uses its spine as a second motor. Imagine a metal slinky. When you compress it it stores energy. When you let go it snaps open. When the cheetah runs its spine curves upward like a bow bringing its back legs past its front legs. Imagine that. The back legs are going in front of the front legs because the spine bends up. When the spine snaps straight again it flings the body forward. This allows the cheetah to cover 23 feet in a single leap. Because the spine is doing so much work the cheetah actually spends about half its sprint flying. It only touches the ground to reload the spring for the next jump. So that's the first aspect is that speed. Now it's chasing something. It has to make turns. If you try to turn a car at 60 miles an hour on a dirt track you spin and flip. So a cheetah has the same problem so what did Hashem do for it? He created a counterweight. The tail is surprisingly heavy and muscular so when the cheetah needs to make a sharp left turn to follow its prey it whips its tail hard to the right. This tail whip shifts the cheetah's center of gravity and creates a counterforce that pulls it back to the middle and saves it from this wreck. Other cats like lions and house cats have claws that can go in and go out. The cheetah cannot retract its claws. As they stay out all the time, acting like a track spike to provide permanent grip on the dirt. Now, you need to take in a lot of oxygen to give that energy. So its nasal passages are massive to suck in huge amounts of oxygen. Now, again, these are all very important things that don't have time and millions of years to mutate and then come back and all together. So you have to have that spring, because you need the speed, but if you had that speed and you didn't have the oxygen, you wouldn't make it. So you've got these two things working together nicely. It would have crashed into the wall without that heavy tail. So we've got the heavy tail, we have the spring, we have the turbo intake. But interestingly enough, it's a sprinter, not a marathon runner, because it can only hold this speed for 20 to 30 seconds because it's so fast, its brain would start to cook. So it knows to stop after that first burst and hopefully catches its prey on that one. So here we have two unbelievably engineered mammals, our camel and our cheetah.

Welcome to our daily Bitachon Shaar Bechina series. We have finished our journey through the world of fish, insects, and birds, and now we move on to the mammals. The Giraffe: A Masterpiece of Biological Engineering We often hear the theory of Evolution and Natural Selection used to explain the giraffe's long neck—the idea that taller giraffes reached higher leaves, survived, and passed those traits down. But when we look closer at the "wonders" necessary for that neck to actually function, we see a level of design that goes far beyond just "getting taller." The 25-Pound Engine: To pump blood all the way up that neck, a giraffe needs a heart far more powerful than a human's. It possesses a 25-pound heart that produces double the blood pressure of a human. The "Exploding Brain" Problem: Normally, when a giraffe dips its head to drink, the sheer force of gravity combined with that high pressure should cause its brain to explode. The Divine Solution: Hashem provided a pressure-dampening system —a cluster of highly elastic blood vessels that act as a biological surge protector. These vessels regulate blood flow so precisely that a giraffe can shift its head from 18 feet in the air to ground level in seconds without losing consciousness. The Expansion Tank: The skull contains a network of vessels that function like an industrial expansion tank. When the head is lowered, they expand to absorb the blood; when raised, they constrict to squeeze blood back to the brain so the giraffe doesn't faint. The Anti-G Suit: To prevent blood from pooling in its lower legs under such high pressure, the giraffe has exceptionally tight, thick skin. It works exactly like a fighter pilot's anti-G suit or compression stockings, forcing the blood back up the veins toward the heart. The Elephant: The Seismic Acoustic Radar Next, we look at the elephant, which possesses its own "secret language" and a sophisticated vibration-sensing system. The Subwoofer Effect: Elephants communicate using low-frequency rumbles. Like standing next to a giant subwoofer at a wedding, you don't just hear the bass; you feel it thumping in your chest. These rumbles flow around obstacles and can travel over 150 miles . Hearing with Feet: An elephant's foot isn't a hard hoof; it's a shock absorber filled with a gelatinous fat . These fatty pads act like magnifying glasses for vibration, catching tremors from distant storms or other elephants and funneling them through the leg bones to the ear. Biological GPS: With specialized nerve endings (Pacinian corpuscles) in their feet and trunks, they can detect a vibration as small as a microscopic hair moving. By comparing when a vibration hits each of its four feet, the elephant's brain triangulates the exact direction of the sound. The Purpose of the Design: This allows them to find water sources by "feeling" a thunderstorm days before it arrives and helps lost family members recognize a relative's specific "voice" through the ground from miles away. The Wisdom As we learn in Chovot HaLevavot , these are not random accidents of nature. They are extremely sensitive tools built by God to ensure survival. Just as He provided the giraffe with a surge protector and the elephant with a seismic radar, He surely provides us with the tools we need to find our "water" and our "missing mates" in life.

Welcome to our daily dose of Bitachon as we continue in Shaar Habechina in the wonders of the fish world and today we'll have a very interesting one: the flying fish. The wonder is it can fly for over 600 feet and reach heights of 20 feet above the water, and it could stay airborne for up to 45 seconds. It has an asymmetrical tail, the bottom lobe is longer, and oversized fins that function as a type of wing. What is the purpose of this? To escape fast-swimming predators by launching into a different medium where the predator's speed advantage becomes zero. Imagine you're just chasing a car and then it just disappears, well that's basically what the predator is feeling when it chases this flying fish. The flight doesn't start with wings, as we know it's underwater, so it can't start with its wings. It starts with a specialized engine. As the fish's body leaves the water, the long bottom lobe of the tail remains submerged. It vibrates its tail 70 times per second, acting like an outboard motor, continuing to accelerate the fish after its body is already in the air. By flying inches above the waves, the fish traps a cushion of air between its wings and the water surface. This ground effect provides extra lift and allows the fish to travel much further than it could in the open sky, saving vital energy during its escape. Now, there's another big problem that this fish should have because transitioning from water to air is difficult because light refracts differently in each medium. So flying fish have flattened corneas. This specialized eye shape allows them to see clearly both underwater and in the air. Most fish are effectively blind the moment they break the surface, but the flying fish maintains its situational awareness. Now let's keep reminding ourselves: these are multiple adaptations that are all necessary together in this fish. They can't develop separately. There's no reason to have flat corneas if you're staying underwater all the time. There's no reason to have a tail that vibrates 70 times per second. And another thing I left out is that they have enlarged fins that act as wings, which other fish don't have. So all these things are working in sync to create what's necessary. Again, evolution doesn't know how to do that, or quite anything. One of the most interesting fish is the deep sea anglerfish. The wonder is in a world where food is scarce, it doesn't search for prey. It brings them to its mouth. How so? It grows a fishing rod out of its spine that glows with a blue-green light. They use curiosity as a weapon, luring prey through the dark abyss towards its enormous needle-like teeth. So they're basically like the light that attracts flies. Now where does this light come from? I'm sure you're familiar with symbiosis, which is a phenomena where different creatures work together to help each other's survival. And the light is not made by fish. It is made by bioluminescent bacteria that live inside a specialized bulb on the fish. So the fish benefits from these bacteria because it gives it the light that it needs. So basically this specialized bulb is a high-tech apartment for the bacteria. Now what do the bacteria gain out of it? The fish provides the bacteria with oxygen and nutrients from its own blood. In exchange, the bacteria provide light through a chemical reaction. The fish can turn the light off by constricting the blood flow to the bulb, allowing it to vanish instantly if a larger predator appears. And again, symbiosis is a wonder of wonders how fish work in tandem. Why in the world would you need a fishing rod if it couldn't attract anything? And you have to have this bulb on top. Well how would you know that these bacteria would decide to rent space in this specialized bulb coming out of your spine? All of these things can. And maybe one day we'll dedicate some classes on the phenomena of symbiosis, how different creatures work together in synchronization

Welcome to our daily Bitachon and our weekly Shabbat message. As Purim approaches, we'll discuss our second class on the connection between Shabbat and Purim. The Megillah says bayamim hahem ("in those days") regarding the story of Esther. The Midrash Esther points out that this same phrase appears in Nechemia 13 , discussing chilul Shabbat (desecration of Shabbat), where Nechemia saw people pressing grapes on the holy day. The Midrash explains that during Achashverosh's party, the angels argued before God: "The Beis HaMikdash is destroyed, and this rasha (wicked man) is partying!" Hashem responded that the days of the party corresponded to the days the Jewish people had desecrated Shabbat. We see here that a root cause of the Megillah story was a weakness in Shabbat observance. The Shield of Shabbat It is interesting to note that when Amalek first attacked— Vayavo Amalek —the Gemara ( Shabbat 118b ) tells us that if the Jewish people had not desecrated Shabbat by attempting to gather the mann (manna), Amalek never would have come. Haman and Amalek are only empowered when the Jewish people falter in Shabbat. The Sefer Hago'os Vechidushim notes that on the seventh day of his party—which was Shabbat—Achashverosh intentionally brought out promiscuous topics. He wanted the Jewish people to sin specifically on Shabbat because he knew that is where their power lies. However, the Jewish people passed the test; while the Persians were acting lewdly, the Jews were busy with Divrei Torah and Divrei Tishbachos (words of praise). Esther's Seven Maidens The Gemara in Megillah 13a asks why Esther had seven maidens. Rava explains it was so she could keep track of the days of the week to ensure she never forgot Shabbat. Each maiden had a name representing a day—for argument's sake, we'll call Sunday's maiden "Sunny" and Monday's "Moonie." This allowed Esther to count, "Today is day one to the Sabbath... today is day two..." until the seventh maiden arrived on Shabbat. The Sefer Rei'ach Dudaim (from the Bnei Yissaschar) explains that Esther was so meticulous because she knew that if the Jewish people kept Shabbat, it would lead to the destruction of Amalek. This is why we read Parashat Zachor —the command to remember to wipe out Amalek—specifically on a Shabbat. Measure for Measure On that same Shabbat, Vashti was executed. The Gemara ( Megillah 12b ) notes this was mida keneged mida (measure for measure). Because Vashti forced Jewish girls to work on Shabbat while unclothed, she was ordered to appear before the King in the same manner, leading to her death. The Siftei Chachamim adds that both Achashverosh and Vashti were engaged in a "tug of war" to make the Jews sin on Shabbat. We fought back then—and we fight back now—by keeping Shabbat properly with Kiddush, Torah, and song. The Root of Emunah In Shemot 17 , we see the sequence: the people gathered manna on Shabbat, then they arrived at Rephidim and complained about water, asking: "Is Hashem among us or not?" Immediately after this question, Amalek attacked. Rashi famously compares this to a child on a father's shoulders asking, "Where is my father?" The father puts the child down, and a dog bites him. So, did Amalek come because they lacked Emunah (faith), or because they broke Shabbat? The answer is: both . If they had kept Shabbat, their Emunah would have been so fortified that they never would have doubted God's presence. The Navi Yechezkel ( Chapter 20 ) says God wanted to destroy the Jews in the desert because they desecrated His Sabbaths. Rabbi Yaakov Kaminetsky asks: wasn't it the Golden Calf or the Spies that caused that decree? He answers that the weakness in Shabbat was the "gateway" sin. Without the shield of Shabbat, their Emunah crumbled, leading to the Golden Calf, the Spies, and eventually the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash . Turning it Around To turn everything around, we need a chizuk (strengthening) in Shabbat. This is the opportunity of Shabbat Zachor . By strengthening our Shabbat, we provide the spiritual power to finally wipe out Amalek.

Daily Dose of Bitachon: The Master's Design Welcome back to our study of Shaar HaBechina . Today, we look at three marine creatures that appear physically vulnerable but are equipped with high-tech biological systems for survival. These examples highlight how the Creator balances a creature's weaknesses with extraordinary, "custom-built" strengths. 1. The Cuttlefish: The World's Most Advanced Camouflage The cuttlefish lacks a hard shell, making it a soft target. To compensate, Hashem gifted it the most advanced active camouflage system on Earth. Unlike a soldier's static uniform, the cuttlefish uses a multi-layered biological screen made of "pixels"—tiny sacs of pigment called chromatophores. Rapid Change: By contracting or relaxing muscles around these sacs, it can change its color pattern in less than 200 milliseconds —faster than a human blink. Texture Mimicry: It doesn't just change color; it changes its physical shape. Specialized muscles can transform smooth skin into a jagged, rocky texture to match granite or seaweed. To a predator, it doesn't just look like a rock; it feels like a rock. Hypnosis: It even uses its skin to hunt, creating rhythmic, moving waves of light that daze and hypnotize prey before it strikes. 2. The Box Jellyfish: The High-Pressure Defense The box jellyfish is 95% water and extremely fragile. Because its body would be torn apart in a physical struggle with a thrashing fish, it requires a "one-hit" solution: Instant total system failure of its prey. The Mechanism: Its tentacles are lined with millions of microscopic capsules that fire venom with the acceleration of a bullet . The Potency: It carries enough venom to kill 60 adult humans. This isn't "overkill"—it is a necessary biological deterrent for a creature that cannot afford to fight back. 3. The Electric Eel: The Mobile Power Plant The electric eel is a master of electrochemical engineering. It can generate a discharge of up to 860 volts —enough to stun a horse or power forty lightbulbs. What is truly remarkable is its dual-voltage regulation : Low Voltage: Used as a biological radar to navigate murky waters. High Voltage: Used for "remote control." The eel sends out bursts that force the muscles of hidden prey to twitch. Once the prey twitches and reveals its location, the eel strikes. Modern battery packs actually follow the same engineering principles that eels have used from the beginning of time. Conclusion: The Master Artist Whether we look at the cuttlefish's "photography," the jellyfish's "chemistry," or the eel's "electrical engineering", we see the same hand at work. Hakadosh Baruch Hu —the Master Artist and Engineer—provides every vulnerable creature with exactly what it needs to flourish.

Daily Dose of Bitachon: Wonders of the Deep Welcome to Daily Dose of Bitachon. We continue in our Shaar HaBechina section, exploring the world of fish and the specific wonders found therein. Today, we'll look at three incredible examples of Divine design. 1. The Archerfish: The Underwater Sniper The archerfish is a true specialist. It uses a high-pressure jet of water to shoot down insects sitting on branches above the surface, hitting moving targets from six feet away with 100% accuracy. This presents a massive physics challenge: when looking from water into air, light bends ( refraction ), making an insect appear to be where it isn't. However, the archerfish's brain contains a built-in refraction correction program . Much like corrective lenses, its brain automatically adjusts for the visual distortion. To pull this off, the fish requires three synchronized systems: Binocular Vision: Eyes positioned specifically to see upward through the surface. The Blowgun: A deep groove in the roof of its mouth that, when pressed by the tongue and powered by the gills, acts as a barrel for a bolt of water. Rapid Calculation: The ability to calculate distance and light-bend in a split second. Evolution struggles to explain this; a "partial" blowgun or "partial" refraction correction offers no benefit. They only work—and provide survival value—if they function perfectly together. The answer is a Designer : Hakadosh Baruch Hu. 2. The Sailfish: The Liquid Shield The sailfish can reach speeds of 68 mph . At that velocity, the friction of the water would tear the skin off a normal fish. To survive, it uses micro-turbulence . Its V-shaped scales create tiny swirls of water that act like biological ball bearings, allowing the ocean to slide past with almost zero resistance. Furthermore, its famous sail isn't just for show. It acts as a stabilizer (like a keel) during turns, but the moment the fish strikes, it folds the sail into a specialized groove on its back. This transforms the fish into a perfectly smooth, drag-free torpedo. 3. The Great White Shark: The Biological Voltmeter While we rely on eyes, the Great White Shark possesses a sensory suit that detects bio-electrical signatures . It can sense a heart beating or a gill twitching in total darkness. Its snout is covered in hundreds of jelly-filled pores that act as voltmeters . This jelly has the highest proton conductivity of any biological material, allowing the shark to detect a gradient as tiny as five billionths of a volt per centimeter . It converts these electrical fields into nerve impulses, telling the shark exactly where its prey is located. The Song of Creation These aren't just "nature facts"—they are the wonders of God's design. This study is a profound spiritual exercise. In Tehillim 148 , when David HaMelech calls upon the world to praise Hashem, he begins with the heavens ( הללו את ה' מן השמים ). But when he turns to the earth ( הללו את ה' מן הארץ ), the very first thing he mentions is: "Tanninim vechol tehomot" — Sea giants and all watery depths. The ocean is the starting point for praising the Creator from the earth, and through these wonders, we see w

Welcome to Daily Bitachon We are currently exploring Shaar Habechina , discussing the incredible wonders of creation. Today, our journey takes us beneath the waves as we talk about the world of fish. Before we dive into specific species, let's look at the "engineering" Hashem granted to aquatic creatures in general. 1. The Challenge of Buoyancy The first challenge of underwater life is stability—maintaining a specific depth without constantly burning energy to keep from sinking or floating away. To solve this, Hakadosh Baruch Hu created a gas-filled sac called a swim bladder . By precisely adjusting the gas inside this organ, a fish achieves neutral buoyancy, effectively becoming weightless at any depth. Hashem even lined the organ to make it perfectly gas-tight and positioned it near the spine—the ideal "sweet spot" to ensure the fish remains upright automatically. It's the same principle a submarine uses with ballast tanks, but Hashem embedded this technology directly into the fish's anatomy, allowing it to remain perfectly still while resting or waiting for prey. 2. The Gills: A Masterpiece of Efficiency The next challenge is extracting oxygen from water, which is far denser and contains significantly less oxygen than the air we breathe. To overcome this, Hashem designed a counter-current exchange system . In the fish's gills, blood flows in the opposite direction of the water flowing over them. This brilliant arrangement ensures that oxygen-poor blood is always encountering oxygen-rich water along the entire length of the gill. Without this "opposite-flow" system, fish would receive only half the oxygen they need to survive. It is an unbelievable piece of Divine design. 3. Navigation Without Waze How do you know where you're going in the vast, trackless ocean? Similar to what we see in birds, fish possess tiny magnetic crystals in their brains that act as an in-born compass , sensing the Earth's magnetic field. Furthermore, they have an incredibly sensitive sense of smell. They can detect the unique chemical signature of their "home river"—a scent imprinted on them when they were tiny fry—allowing them to return exactly to where they came from after traveling thousands of miles. 4. Seeing in the Dark In the murky depths, sight isn't always enough. Hashem created a series of fluid-filled canals along the sides of the fish's body containing sensory hairs. This system allows the fish to detect minute pressure waves . They can literally "feel" the vibration of a predator or the movement of prey from a distance, even in total darkness. The Acoustic Engineer: The Blue Whale To see this wisdom in action, let's look at one fascinating creature: the Blue Whale . A Blue Whale's call is louder than a jet engine and can travel over 1,000 miles underwater. To put that in perspective, that's like someone in New York having a clear conversation with someone in Florida without a telephone. But it's not just about volume; it's about understanding the environment. Imagine the ocean as a multi-story building. Usually, sound spreads out in every direction and fades quickly. However, between 2,500 and 4,000 feet down, there is a "sweet spot" where temperature and pressure hit a perfect balance. In the warm upper layers, sound travels too fast and scatters. In the crushing bottom layers, it doesn't work either. But in that middle layer, sound creates a natural lane that traps noise. Instead of fading, the sound bounces back into the center of this layer, like shouting into a long, smooth hallway. When a Blue Whale wants to find a mate a thousand miles away, it doesn't just sing anywhere. It dives down until it hits that specific "hallway" and lets out its 188-decibel call . Because the sound is trapped in that layer, the energy stays focused, allowing another whale on the other side of the ocean to hear the "ping" as if they were standing right next to each other. The Lesson in Bitachon It is fascinating to realize two things: The Design: G-d created an "underground telephone line" within the very physics of the ocean. The Instinct: The whale has the "understanding" to find that line and use it to communicate. Everything we see in modern science is just a replica of the technology Hakadosh Baruch Hu naturally embedded into creation from the very beginning.