HOW TO MAINTAIN BITACHON THROUGH THICK AND THIN

By Rabbi Zalman Goldberg

To always be happy (one of the indicators of Bitachon) can be challenging at times. Constant progression is a common human trait, whether in Torah study, business, mivtzaim projects or the like. No one wants to be at a standstill; people generally wish to grow and move up and ahead.

the Rebbe always encourages people to do more. Not only mustn’t we decrease their good deeds, but we must steadily increase either the quality or quantity of good deeds, or both. This message was relayed to people after they gave a huge donation to charity and the like.  The Rebbe expressed this message even to eighty-year-olds. Whereas the world proclaims that by the age of eighty one should have retired, the Rebbe quoted the Torah perspective in Pirkei Avos that an eighty year old has special strength (לגבורה), and thus even greater achievements than before are expected of him.

The challenge can arise when we are not moving forward as we would like, and there seem to be impediments to our advance in good deeds. Even then we must maintain our joy and Bitachon in Hashem. The question is: how do we maintain a mood of simcha?                                                                              

In a sicha¹ on this week’s parsha, the Rebbe gives us a chassidishe perspective on setbacks which will certainly serve as reassurance even in those circumstances. The encouraging message is that for a Yid, even a setback is a part of the future advancement.                                                                                                                                             

The Rebbe elucidates the point by quoting the final pasuk of Parshas P’kudei which states that the “cloud of Hashem’s glory was upon the Mishkan …. in all their journeys (בכל מסעיהם).” The obvious meaning of מסעיהם-journeys is that it refers to their encampments for the Sh’china rested on the Mishkan only when they camped, and not during the actual journeys.    

The question is then raised, why does the pasuk use the word מסע-journey, to depict encamping if encamping is usually denoted by a different word in Lashon Ha’kodesh, i.e. חני’?                                                           

The answer lies in the unique quality of Yidden. Chassidus explains that Yidden differ from every other thing in the world. Every object or event not pertaining to a Yid is only there as a means to bring to something greater. On the other hand, the element of the item or occurrence that has to do with Yidden is the ultimate goal and not a means to a greater good. This means that every situation that a Yid finds himself in is not just a preparatory mode to propel him to greater heights and that (unpleasant) situation will later (after the elevation) be forgotten about, rather, the earlier unpleasant situation itself is elevated as well, when the Yid capitalizes and benefits from the earlier mishap.                                                                                                                                                  

This the pasuk alludes to by referring to the sojourns as journeys, to teach us that even the times when the Yidden were not physically moving toward Eretz Yisroel, and there was an apparent ‘setback’, they were as Yidden journeying, for by a Yid there cannot be a situation which is a means for something else.  Rather, that setback is the goal itself, by elevating it to the next journey where the Yidden were once again moving forward towards Eretz Yisroel.

When viewing our life in such a manner, one will never become frustrated when delayed on a trip, because that delay itself is the goal (not just a preparation for the good which is about to happen), which is good, even though we may often not see it. Thus, one will always strive to utilize the situation to the advantage of fulfilling the ratzon Hashem, and not in sulking.                                                                                      

A story in which we clearly see how the delay was good begins one morning in Germany where the Rov of a small town was preparing to travel to the main city to meet with the minister of education, together with a few community leaders. Just then an old man showed up at the Rav’s home claiming that he has an urgent matter of saving someone’s life to discuss. Reluctantly, the Rov invited him in but told him to make it quick because he was in an urgent rush to make the train. The old man managed to hold the Rov for quite a few minutes, first by complimenting him on a great drasha he once gave, then by giving a short version of his life’s history, leading up to his grandson’s death a day before the bris a year earlier (where he was supposed to serve as sandek), all the while the Rov warning that if he didn’t get to the point of his life and death query, then he would have to run to the train. The old man then said that his daughter had another boy and didn’t know what to do.                                                                

“Let someone else be the sandek!” shouted the Rov and he dashed out the door.                                  

“But please wait one more second,” the old man pleaded. “What name should we give the child?” The Rov blurted out 6 random names, saying, “Who cares what the name is when I have an important trip to make,” and his coach sped off to the train station. The Rov arrived as the train was pulling out. He met his colleagues and they decided to take the next train two hours later. When they arrived on time for the next train, they were horrified to learn that the previous train (the one they had intended to take) had collided with another train, killing and seriously injuring many. Needless to say the old man who caused their ‘delay’ was viewed with great admiration for his lifesaving obstruction that morning. Thus we can see that the delay was a very good thing, and in a good way assisted the in reaching their goal.                                                                                                                                          

Likewise, when a project is being slowed down, as good and holy as it may be, as charitable and positive as it is, the setback is from Hashem, and in regard to the Yid it must be considered good and forward moving, just as we would view it if it was forward moving in a visible way.                                     

There was once an intellectual (not observant) writer who wished to write a thesis on Chabad Chassidus and approached the heads of the Chabad community in Eretz Yisroel with a request for the necessary literature. The Rebbe was immediately contacted and the Rebbe’s advice was to give the man access to all our Chassidic s’farim, but not to persuade him to perform the mitzvah of t’fillin.                                             

This seemed quite different than the Rebbe’s usual approach to inspiring others to do mitzvos. In the end it became clear that the man had no intention of doing mitzvos, and upon being asked, he would have become even more alienated from Yiddishkait. So what seemed to be a setback at the outset, proved to bring great results in the end.                                                                                                                                  

This is incredibly empowering, because once this approach is perfected, never will there be a down moment in life (unless of course the Yetzer Ha’ra gives a terrible test), for at all times the Baal HaBitachon will do everything possible to employ the constant forward moving perspective.         

Reb Mendel Futerfas was a rare example of seeing the purpose in every occurrence in life, including apparent setbacks. There is an astounding incident which is told about Reb Mendel when he found himself in a truly sad situation; the levaya of his daughter where Reb Mendel was understandably crying. Between the sobs he was heard to say, “It hurts that the ²להשכילך בינה didn’t completely affect me, and I do feel some sadness over the loss.”                                                                                            

This is superhuman behavior that even in such trying and grieving time, the focus should be that the להשילך בינה – the perspective that everything Hashem does is truly good – should be internalized to the fullest. We wish that all Yidden should not experience even the smallest setback, never mind a big one; the intention here is to illustrate the point that even a חני’ can be considered and should be considered in a Yid’s mind as a נסיעה.

Rabbi Zalman Goldberg is a well sought after speaker and lecturer on Chassidic thought. His writings and recordings on the topic of Bitachon can be accessed at http://www.gotbitachon.com.

1)  לקו”ש ח”ו ע’ 234 ואילך

2)  אגרת הקודש סי’ י”א