Human Reason vs. Torah Wisdom: When Even the Thief Calls Upon Hashem

In the book "A Righteous Man: Rabbi Aryeh Levin of Blessed Memory," it is told that Rabbi Aryeh's, of blessed memory, interactions and encouragement with a prisoner led to intriguing discussions about observing the Torah and commandments. Due to Rabbi Aryeh's gentleness, the prisoner naturally did not refuse to accept the burden of Torah and commandments, except... putting on tefillin. The prisoner said, "I will do whatever you tell me, even the most serious commandments, but not tefillin..."

Rabbi Aryeh was greatly puzzled, and questioned the prisoner about what difficulty he found in putting on tefillin. Why do you recoil from it? The prisoner replied that, as he was in prison for murdering his wife, how could he put holy tefillin on a hand that took a life...?

This is indeed a human perspective, but what is the Torah's view in such a case? Does a murderer get exempt from tefillin? Certainly not, and why should he? On the contrary, if he does not now repent for his heinous acts, then when? We are in a world of repair. In His love for His people, the Creator has provided them with a great good, a refuge from the trap of their offenses, as said by Rabbeinu Yonah. There is no deed that blocks a person from returning.

The verse says (Numbers 23:21), "He has not looked at evil in Jacob, nor has He seen trouble in Israel. Hashem his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them." Rashi explains: He does not look at evil in Jacob; when they transgress, He does not scrutinize the vanity within them or their toil in transgressing His law. Hashem his God is with him—even if they anger and rebel against Him, He does not withdraw from them. And the shout of a king within him—an expression of love and friendship.

The Midrash Rabbah (20:16) cites: In common practice, a legion which rebels against its king is liable to death, yet they refused to acknowledge Him and rebelled saying, "These are your gods, Israel." Should they not have been destroyed? Yet even at that time, His affection for them did not depart.

We should understand, for it is known that Hashem is not a lenient forgiver, as explained in the Gemara (Bava Kama 50), and a primary foundation of faith is that a person is judged for every specific detail of their actions. How then is there no scrutiny of their iniquity?

However, this concept can be understood by the explanation of the "Paths of Peace" of Slonim: when a Jew is broken and crushed, even in his way towards transgression, and his heart grieves over the fact that his evil inclination leads him to sin, Hashem has mercy and prolongs His patience with such a person.

The verse means: "He has not looked at evil in Jacob, nor seen trouble in Israel"—Hashem does not scrutinize the sins of whom? Of one who even during transgression, "Hashem his God is with him," he remembers that he provokes Hashem and his heart is broken within—"And the shout of a king within him." 'The shout,' an expression of shattered heart, as one who grieves before the King of all kings. For such a person, Hashem does not immediately exact punishment but instead shows mercy and waits for him to return.

Thus the words of the Gemara Berakhot (63a) are well understood: Bar Kappara expounded, What is a brief section on which all fundamental principles of Torah depend? "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:6). Rava said, even concerning a transgression. And the version in the "Ein Yaakov": Rav Pappa said, this is what people say, "A thief at the entrance of a tunnel calls out to Hashem." Explanation: The thief, while tunneling to steal, calls out to his God.

This is indeed astonishing: how is it possible to fulfill "in all your ways acknowledge Him," even concerning transgression? What relevance is there to know Hashem during a transgression, such as a thief calling out to Hashem during his theft—is such a concept possible?!

Yet, as explained, the Sages teach us that when the evil inclination overwhelms a person and they perceive their inclination as formidable and strong over them, they should remember that they are about to commit a bad deed and their heart should mourn over succumbing to inclination. And so, at the time of transgression, their heart should be pained over their action. And this is "in all your ways," even concerning transgression—"Acknowledge Him." Know Hashem. Remember that He observes your actions and request from Him to return you to Him.

Trust in Hashem is Only Possible When We Feel Him as "Our Father"

There is a fundamental and foundational commandment in our holy Torah, and that is to trust in Hashem. As the Gra quotes in Proverbs (25), the primary purpose of the commandments is to instill trust in our God. But what is this trust?

Rabbeinu Yonah explains (Proverbs 3) to hope to Hashem always, and even when one sees themselves in darkness and sees no chance for the light of salvation, they should not lose hope in their Creator, for there is nothing that can prevent Hashem from delivering salvation, whether large or small.

He who looks upon the Creator solely as a king is far from trusting in Hashem, for he feels: why would a lofty and exalted king concern himself with the aid of a miserable citizen, as in the natural world, a citizen feels distant from the king.

Especially when a person sins, for then they definitely lose trust in their Creator altogether, thinking: what business does a king have to come to the aid of a citizen when he is a criminal in his state...?

However, one who feels the Creator as "Our Father," surely a father always seeks to help their son, and even if his son strays from the right path, the father will always be pained by his son, both out of mercy and as stated in the Mishnah (Sanhedrin), "Rabbi Meir said, when a person suffers, what does the Divine Presence say? 'I am heavy from my head, I am heavy from my forearm,'" and explained there in the Mishnah that this is even with the wicked, and so much more so with every person. Because in this, there is hope that the wayward son will return to his father, as he sees that despite his wickedness, his father does not withdraw his love from him, and then his heart melts, and he returns.

And that is what our Sages expounded (Yalkut Tehillim) regarding the verse (Psalms 32:10), "Many sorrows shall be to the wicked, but he who trusts in Hashem, mercy shall surround him." Even a wicked person, if they trust in Hashem, will be surrounded by mercy.

This is indeed puzzling! Is it possible for a wicked person to trust in Hashem? How dare the wicked trust in Hashem?

This question pertains to those who perceive the Creator as "King" alone. However, for one who feels the Creator also as "Father," this question is not difficult.

A father shows compassion and is concerned for his son even if he is wicked, for this reason, a person who knows that the Creator is also their Father, will not cease to trust in Hashem in every situation.

Emphasize: Hashem is not a lenient forgiver, as referenced in the Gemara Bava Kama (50a): "Anyone who says Hashem is lenient will have their life neglected." Meaning, their life will be cut off. That is to say, Hashem definitely does not easily forgive. This non-forgiveness is indeed the great mercy and kindness upon a person, for leniency implies helplessness, and the Creator wants that His children should not fall into a state that justifies their failures, as failures are justifiable for those who are not sane, despondent, depressed, and similar; and Hashem does not want that we find ourselves innocent by being afflicted as such degraded beings. On the contrary, His desire is that despite our failures, we use the wonderful opportunity He has given us which is "repentance," and by correcting our deeds, we return to our full stature and be considered as victorious heroes.

In order to illustrate that even the wicked have a place to trust in Hashem, the Gemara provides an extreme example (Berakhot 63a in Ein Yaakov), that even the thief, when tunneling to steal, calls upon God to assist him. And this seems puzzling; is it possible?! What normal thief would pray to Hashem for help and save him from his theft? Furthermore, what is the Gemara teaching us here? Is this the correct behavior during theft?

As aforementioned, a father, upon hearing that his son is tunneling and stealing, is undoubtedly greatly disturbed, but he suffers pain upon hearing that his son was caught and beaten, for he wishes that his son return without being beaten. And this is what the thief requests: "Master of the world, I know my deeds are bad, but please be patient with me and wait until I am inspired to repent in peace, so that they don’t catch me now and break my bones..."

The Gemara provides here an extreme example to teach that in no situation should a person refrain from trusting in Hashem, thus one who views the Creator as a father, will never refrain from hoping and trusting that the Creator will aid him even when it seems impossible, for the Creator is not bound by circumstances and causes, nor by the human state as it appears to us, and He can always deliver salvation to every person, both to the wicked and the good, for all are His children.

The article is taken from the book "Living with Faith." To purchase the book by Rabbi Yaakov Israel Lugasi, click here.