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Shiur notes No Fear Only Trust in H'shem (Ekev)

Opening: The Source of Our Strength

"וזכרת את ה כי הוא הנותן לך כח לעשות חיל" - "For it is He who gives you the strength to do everything" (Devarim 8:18)

H'shem is the one who gives us the koach (strength) to accomplish everything in our lives. The Ben Ish Chai teaches us about "V'zacharta" (and you shall remember) - because we will probably forget who is truly controlling everything.

The Torah's Command: Do Not Fear

From Parshat Eikev, we learn: "כי תאמר בלבבך רבים הגוים האלה ממני איכה אוכל "להורישם לא תירא מהם זכור תזכור את אשר עשה ה' אלהיך לפרעה ולכל מצרים

Rabbenu Yona, as explained by Rav Gladstein, teaches us that the directive "לא תירא" (do not fear) doesn't only apply to going out to war, but to any situation we face in life.

Why? Because we must trust in H'shem's salvation, knowing that it is always close.

This is not a suggestion - it is a warning. We are not allowed to be afraid.

Who Can Trust in Hashem?

Rabbenu Yona explains in Sha'arei Teshuvah: Those who guard themselves from sin - H'shem will be there for them.

What does this mean? According to Rav Gladstein, If one is not actively rebelling against Hashem, he is considered someone who can trust in H'shem and strengthen his heart with this trust.

The Three Levels of Bitachon

First Level: Working with Joy

Work for the King with a happy heart, even when you haven't been paid yet, because you know Hashem will be good on His word. If you have tzaros (troubles), your reward will be doubled and tripled. Be Miyachel (hope) with confidence that things will be okay.

Second Level: Tzipita L'Yeshuah

You know H'shem will be good on His word and fulfill His promises.

Third Level: Everything is B'Yad Shamayim

Everything is in Heaven's hands. Hashem can change anything in a moment, and it is not difficult for H'shem to change anything instantly.

Key principle: Even if the tzarah (trouble) is very close, the salvation is even closer. Nothing prevents H'shem from bringing salvation in the blink of an eye (k'heref ayin).

The brain can’t do two things at once
If I fear H’shem, I can focus on Him and, in this way, control other fears. Moshe is listing many of the sins that Am Yisroel did, yet in the same Parsha H'shem says "Do not fear, trust in Me". What do we learn? No one deserves H'shem's salvation. It is not about what we deserve. The Yanuka says everyone must think in his heart only of the endless kindness and rachamim H'shem has for us. The Bal Shem Tov in Sefer Tal Chaim it quoted as saying. By seeing all the hardship and understanding it is H'shem and trusting in H'shem's kindness, you can turn the hardship into joy even more than it was supposed to be to begin with.  

The Paradox of Yaakov's Fear

But wait - if we're not supposed to fear, why was Yaakov Avinu afraid before meeting Eisav?

The answer: Yaakov didn't fear Eisav - he feared sin, causing him to turn his fear to Yirat Shmayim, then allowing him to trust only in H'shem bringing him the salvation. Because if you fear man, you don't properly fear GD.

The only fear we are allowed to have is fear of sin that will bring us to fear H'shem, allowing us to turn our hearts to Him and trust in His kindness and salvation.

The Spiritual Mathematics of Trust

According to Rabbenu Yona, trust is like a muscle that needs to be strengthened.

"חרדת אדם יתן מוקש" (Mishlei) - Being afraid of anything other than H'shem is an aveirah (sin).

But here's the remarkable thing: If you strengthen your trust in Hashem at the very moment of fear, that act alone creates enough merit for you to be saved from that situation!

What Are We Trusting In?

We trust in Hashem's middot harachamim (attributes of mercy).

"ואני בחסדך בטחתי" - "But I have trusted in Your kindness"

But what if I don't deserve it? Rabbenu Yona answers: You must trust H'shem in all situations. Even if a person has many sins, he can have faith that H'shem will save him.

"כי לא על צדקותינו" - We do not rely on our own deeds. Who are we? We all have sin. All we have is to trust in H'shem.

Even if our sins seem too great to bear, H'shem's chesed (kindness) is greater.

Two Pillars of Trust

  1. Trust in Hashem's Kindness - His mercy is infinite

  2. Humility in Suffering - If a person is hurting and humbles himself, he can trust that H'shem will have mercy on him because he is experiencing yesurim (afflictions)

When you do this, your trust in H'shem will be stronger than any fear.

The Mitzvah of Bitachon

Trust in Hashem is not just a nice idea - it's a mitzvah.

Remember:

  • Never put your faith in any person or thing

  • No one can help or harm you without H'shem's will

  • Never be scared of any tzarah

  • H'shem is equally able to save after a tzarah as before it

  • According to the extent of your hope, that is how much your soul (neshamah) will grow (upgrade)

The 40-Day Transformation

Rav Ashkenazi says, From Tu B'Av (15th of Av) until the 25th of Elul - 40 days leading to the day of creation. Just as 40 days before a baby is born, H'shem calls out their destiny, and just as we see this pattern from Tu B'Shvat to the 25th of Adar/Nissan, we learn that 40 days is the time it takes to change a person's nature.

This is our opportunity for transformation through strengthening our bitachon. Photo by James Healy on Unsplash


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