What Are the Benefits for Those Who Trust in Hashem? Part I

In this section, I will strive to convince you, dear readers, to join the group of those who trust in Hashem. In their hearts, there is no worry, just as trust is absorbed in their soul. In a moment, I will expose the advantages of those who trust in Hashem over the richest people in the world in every matter, as written in Chovot HaLevavot in the introduction to the Gate of Trust. My brothers and friends, if you thought in your heart to invest much money to earn from various businesses, I have no doubt that after reading this section, you will understand that it is worthwhile to put most of your efforts into trusting in Hashem.

The words are simple. He who trusts in his God is the greatest, the happiest and most content person on earth. Blessed is he who enters through the front door into this wonderful palace, the palace of the trustful.

Tranquility of Soul

First Advantage – The tranquility of soul for the one who trusts in Hashem.

What is this similar to? It is like a servant who works for his master cooking meals. All his worries amount to cooking healthy and good food for his master. For other things, he does not need to worry at all. Paying rent for an apartment? He doesn’t need to, as his master must provide him with a roof over his head. Additionally, the servant doesn't pay for electricity, municipal taxes, water, building maintenance fees, or even health insurance.

The master tells his servant: "I fulfill all your needs in the world, and you shall ensure the food you cook for me is healthy and tasty." Likewise, a soldier in the army is not worried about his lodging, food, or clothes. The army chief is responsible for these, and the soldier’s duty is to train and go on the missions he is sent on.

So too, the blessed Creator asks of us, "And now, Israel, what does Hashem, your God, ask of you? Only to fear Him." That's all.

Our entire service in this world is to fear Hashem and observe His commandments. This is the essence of our tasks, and it is Hashem's responsibility to provide for the rest of our needs. Yes, while we serve the blessed Creator as a servant serves his master, the master commits to sustaining and caring for his servant's well-being. And when the master is the King of the Universe, who owns everything, a wonderful calm fills our hearts.

The famous question immediately arises, and what about the obligation of effort? Are we not commanded to provide for our household and go to a doctor, perhaps to find a remedy for our ailments, and to seek matches for our children, etc.? Shall we sit idly by?

The answer is quite simple. Rabbi Bachya in "Chovot HaLevavot" does not intend that there is no need for effort, but he wants to say that effort is needed but without worry, meaning a person must try to earn a living for his house but not worry in his heart "what if I do not succeed." Rather, he will be calm in his soul and understand that all effort is a decree from the Creator that He decreed for us to act in the world, and effort neither adds nor detracts from what Hashem has allocated for a person to receive.

In "Kad HaKemach," Rabbeinu Bachya writes, that one who trusts in Hashem feels in his heart as if he was explicitly promised by the blessed Creator, that he would succeed in all his actions, and thus can achieve true tranquility of soul. Go to sleep relaxed; you are in good hands.

Those who look at the scriptures find the explicit words in the verses in Jeremiah (Chapter 17, verse 7) where it is written, "Blessed is the man who trusts in Hashem, and Hashem will be his trust." While about those who trust in people it is written (17, 5), "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm, and turns his heart away from Hashem," and similarly in Psalms (40, 5) "Blessed is the man who has made Hashem his trust and has not turned to the proud or those who turn aside to lies."

After we have read and thoroughly reviewed these verses, we have derived a good lesson that it is most proper and worthwhile to trust in the Almighty, and not in anyone else.

Nothing Will Be Lacking

Second Advantage – For those who trust in Hashem over the capable and strong individual who trusts in their own strength and talents, the trust becomes a channel of abundance for them, and therefore they lack nothing.

On those who trust in their talents, King Solomon testified in his wisdom (Ecclesiastes 9:1), "I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise."

Many times throughout life, we have met very talented individuals, even geniuses, who got into financial trouble and reached the point of not having enough bread. We have also encountered very strong people whose robust bodies were overcome by a virus - a minuscule fraction of a millimeter. Who hasn't heard of very shrewd politicians whose wisdom and status did not help them, and they were shamefully ousted from the arena.

History books describe events and cases where strong and large armies were defeated by smaller and weaker armies. Such as the few and weak Hasmoneans, who defeated the mighty and heavily armed Greek army, equipped with weapons, tools, horses, and millions of skilled soldiers.

On those who trust in Hashem it is said (Psalms 34:11), "Young lions do lack and suffer hunger: but they that seek Hashem shall not want any good thing." These lions, David the King testifies, some lacked and were hungry, meaning they remained without food despite their great strength, and in contrast, those who earnestly seek Hashem, although they might be weak, since they continually seek their Creator and none other, they shall lack no good thing.

This is a clear and unequivocal promise from the blessed Creator that if we seek Him, we will not lack any good thing. Therefore, our sages added this verse at the end of the Grace after Meals so that we may learn that sustenance is abundant, only if we truly seek Hashem and trust Him with all our hearts.

The book ‘Yagel Libi B’Yeshuatecha’ can be found at select stores and at Hidabrut Shops