The Letter Ayin: How Should One Strive for Livelihood?

The letter Ayin is composed of the letter Zayin, which hints at livelihood and wealth, and the letter Nun, which hints at lowliness and poverty. Together, they form the letter Ayin, symbolizing a person who lifts their head and looks towards the heavens, with visible eyes and an unseen forehead; hinting that wealth and poverty are in the hands of Heaven. Therefore, alongside natural efforts in matters of livelihood, one should turn to the Creator of the world for help in success and not trust in humans. As the verse says: "Do not trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; in that day his plans perish. Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in Hashem his God." It is also stated: "The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due time." One should be careful not to trust in oneself or attribute success to one's strength and might, as warned by the Torah: "Take heed lest you forget Hashem your God... and you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.' And you shall remember Hashem your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth." This means a person must do their part in striving for livelihood because of the curse "By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread," but should put their trust in their Creator to provide what is appropriate and good for them.

The Degree of Effort and Definition of Trust

In defining the measure of trust, Rabbenu Bahya writes in "Duties of the Heart": Essential to trust is the tranquility of the person who trusts, and that his heart relies on the one he trusts, knowing he does what is good and right for him. He also wrote that it should be clear to a person, that after the creation of the world, everything that happens and renews in the world, occurs through two things. One is the will of the Creator for it to be so. The other is various causes, means, and agents for executing those things which the will of Hashem is that they occur. It is upon the person to implement the causes, means, and agents, with the knowledge that none of them can be achieved unless it is Hashem's will that they be achieved, and by them, he reaches his purpose - in livelihood, residence, marriage, children, health, and the like. He explained further that although it is clear to a person that his matters are in the hands of the Blessed Creator and He will give him the best for him, nevertheless, one must engage in the means that will bring him what he needs, and choose from these means those which seem best and most suitable to him according to his body's nature and character, believing that by these means, Hashem will accomplish what He decreed for him.

Regarding how much effort a person is required to exert and toil for his livelihood, it was written: The right use of trust in relation to accumulating wealth and increasing excess is: one should engage in the means of livelihood just to provide for his food and other needs, such as housing and clothing, as required to live in the world. If the Creator has decreed he should have more than this, this extra will come to him without further effort. If the Creator has decreed that he should not have more than his living, no efforts by all creatures in heaven or on earth will increase it by any means. The one who trusts in this correct manner will live with peace of mind and calmness of spirit, knowing that what is designated for him will come to him and will not pass to others, and will reach him exactly at the right time.

Famously, the Chafetz Chaim said that one who chases after money more than he needs and strives to accumulate wealth and luxury with great toil and overtime work, is like the innkeeper's maid who suggested getting rich by adding more taps to the wine barrel sold to customers. Since fifty liters come out from one tap, from ten taps five hundred liters would come out... Her husband replied: "Silly you. The amount of wine in the barrel is exactly the amount that will come out and no more. What is the benefit of the extra taps?" So too, a person should know that what is decreed for them is the amount they will obtain, whether they toil only as needed or add toil and effort. Rather, one must exercise reasonable effort, and if it is decreed that they become wealthier, Hashem will surely find the way to enrich him. They should use their time to engage in Torah and acts of kindness, gathering spiritual wealth for eternal life in the World to Come.

We conclude this important and honored topic with the words of the "Chazon Ish," who rejects the view of those who think that the concept of trust means he will certainly succeed in every endeavor for his livelihood. Here are his words: "An ancient mistake has taken hold in the hearts of many regarding the concept of 'trust.' The name 'trust,' which serves as a praised and primary trait among the pious, has turned [switched] into a concept obligating belief - in every situation a person encounters, and in facing an unknown future, with two possible outcomes, one good and not the other - that certainly the good will happen, and if someone doubts and fears the opposite of good, he lacks trust.

And this understanding of trust is incorrect. Anything not clarified by prophecy regarding the future is not determined. For who knows the judgments of Hashem and His rewards, blessed be He. But the concept of trust is a belief that there is no chance event in the world, and everything under the sun is by His declaration.

From another perspective, the letter Ayin (the letter of depth of perception) is composed of the letter Zayin (the struggle for existence) and the letter Vav (the letter of unity leading to life) standing together on one base. War on one hand, and unity on the other. For, at a deeper level, the letter Ayin teaches a person how to overcome their inclination: by learning the depth of Torah wisdom (Ayin) and not being satisfied with shallow study, they will succeed in winning the battle of inclination and existence in this world (Zayin), and attain a life of perfection and happiness (Vav).

From another viewpoint: the materiality hinted at by the letter Vav, and the spirituality within the material hinted at by the letter Zayin, representing body (Vav) and soul (Zayin), constantly at odds in this world, reach the correct balance and true peace through the force of contemplation and in-depth Torah study, hinted at by the letter Ayin.

Through observing with one's intellect, knowing that the 'higher eye' sees at every moment, one refrains from transgression even if the temptation is great at that time. As Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says in the Mishnah: "Contemplate three things and you will not come to sin. Know what is above you: an eye that sees, an ear that hears, and all your deeds are written in a book." Another contemplation that can preserve a person from sin is explained in the words of the sage Akaviah ben Mahalalel: "Consider three things, and you will not come to sin. Know from where you came, to where you are going, and before whom you are destined to give an account. From where you came? From a putrid drop. To where you are going? To a place of worms and maggots. And before whom are you destined to give an account and reckoning? Before the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He." The Chafetz Chaim already said that every technological development in the modern era, where faith is lax, is meant at a deeper level to teach a moral lesson and demonstrate to a person truth and faith. Thus, he said there is a lesson to be learned from the telephone (invented in the days of the Chafetz Chaim by Graham Bell in the year 1876): You speak here alone, but there is an ear that hears you afar. In our time, an 'eye that sees' has been added, namely, the small electronic eye that records a person and can reveal his actions instantly to the whole world. It also documents everything he did as "all your deeds are written in a book."

The Letter Ayin According to Mysticism

According to mysticism, the letter Ayin expressing depth and tangibility, hints at the Sefirah of Yesod. It is the sefirah opposite the place of the covenant where the strongest and most sensed inclination within a person lies, due to its great virtue and sanctity. For "one opposite the other, God made." The more significant the holiness and virtue of the covenant keeper, the harder the evil inclination tries to cause one to fall and fail.

Since the letter Ayin aligns with the Sefirah of Yesod, its numerical value is seventy, parallel to the letter Zayin, whose value is seven, aligning with the seventh Sefirah of Yesod.

It is written in the Book of Formation that the letter Ayin is composed of the letters Vav and Zayin. For the letter Vav hints at the first six sephiroth resembling the six lamps of the menorah, and the letter Zayin to the seventh Sefirah, Yesod, hinting at the seventh lamp toward which all six sephirah look. The word 'light' is hinted at in the form of the letter Nun within the letter Ayin (and see what Ramak wrote in his book "Pardes Rimonim" about these words in the Book of Formation, and in the explanation of the connection between the form of the letter Ayin and the Sefirah of Yesod receiving from the Sefirah of Binah through the Sefirot of Netzach and Tiferet). The Radbaz writes in his book "Magen David" that "Eye" means color and hue. As in "its eye like beryl." So too, the Sefirah of Yesod is called "eye" because all hues are visible in it. Likewise, Ayin implies 'eye of water.' For the Sefirah of Yesod is like an increasing spring receiving from the upper source, influencing, and giving to others. So too, the foundation in man.

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