Opinion & Comment
A Middos Workshop: Bitochon--A Sukkos Lesson

Part I

As we sit in our shaky, temporary structures which took no more than several hours to build, we sip at our soup and listen to the sounds of the outdoors. Crickets chirp, leaves rustle, and bees buzz. Despite the rustic circumstances, we feel a tremendous sense of joy. Indeed, Succos is called zman simchoseinu, the time of our joy. What is it about this favorite holiday that taps into our happiness?

Succos is all about bitochon, total trust in the One Above. We leave our permanent, solid homes and enter makeshift, wobbly abodes for seven days, instilling in ourselves the reality that our only permanence and solidity is Hashem. This unwavering trust in Hashem brings us true joy.

The Chazon Ish delineates two dimensions in relating to Hashem: emunah and bitochon.

He says that bitochon is the practical manifestation of emunah. The degree of trust I have in Hashem is based on my level of belief. If my internal principles -- emunah -- are solid, my conduct -- bitochon -- will reflect them.

In Orchos Tzaddikim we learn that Hashem has more compassion on us than we do for ourselves. An awareness of Hashem's kindness and concern with our welfare is emunah. If we feel that Hashem is not being kind to us, then there are cracks in our emunah. Even fleeting doubts indicate a degree of lack of emunah.

If we contemplate Hashem's involvement in the world, it seems ludicrous to question Hashem simply because we do not understand situations. The posuk tells us, "niflo'im ma'asecho" (Tehillim 139:14). Hashem's deeds are above and beyond human comprehension.

So what is it that brings doubt into our minds? When Hashem does things that I understand, my emunah is intact. But when situations develop differently than I had planned, I may think of them as "bad."

Is this logical? Definitely not. We must rise above our simple attitudes and realize that a Higher Intellect is conducting the world much better than we would. The foundation of emunah is the realization that I do not dictate policy, and in fact with my limited understanding I should be very happy that things are not in my hands.

Often we do not see the big picture, so we cannot comprehend why circumstances unfold the way they do. However, we sometimes do get a glimpse of the goodness of a seemingly bad situation. In such cases, our initial disappointment turns into relief. These situations are excellent opportunities to increase our emunah. How else can we build our emunah?

The first step in increasing our emunah is accepting three basic principles. The first principle is that no one is more concerned with my well-being than the All-merciful Hashem.

The second principle is that no one is more fair to me than Hashem. No one can judge more justly what I deserve than Him. Even if we do not sense His fairness, we know that He knows better than we what is good for us.

The third principle is that Hashem is always involved in our lives. When we integrate these attitudes into ourselves, we realize that Hashem is concerned, fair, kind and compassionate with us every second of our lives.

Even after we have accepted these tenets, we still may find it difficult to apply them. What stands between our intellectual realization and our practical application?

There is a certain force in the world which dates back to Odom Horishon that challenges our beliefs. It is called the koach hadimyon, the power of the imagination.

Odom Horishon knew these three principles, but fantasy led him astray. The Seforno states that the snake represents the koach hadimyon. Odom, with all his greatness, was swayed to step out of reality and plunge into his horrific descent. After this, fantasy became part of our human psyche. Although on a much lower level, we often follow Odom's behavior. When reality is too challenging, we look to fantasy for an escape. In truth, fantasy is the greatest threat to bitochon.

On the one hand, Hashem has set up a system of fantasy to challenge our bitochon. For example, Chazal teach us in masechta Bovo Kama that the Torah gives permission to the doctor to heal. Otherwise, one could think that since Hashem caused the sickness, who are we to interfere in His plans? We should either leave things as is or daven to Him to alter them. In fact, according to the Ramban, someone at the highest level of bitochon can turn straight to Hashem and avoid the doctor. But for most of us, the proper reaction to illness is a visit to our physician.

The trick is to keep in mind during and after the doctor's appointment that Hashem is the One Who heals. Hashem has created the illusion that doctors possess the ability to heal, in order to challenge our trust in Him and thereby increase it.

The only way to get out of our fantasies is to accept that Hashem has arranged all our circumstances. When I crawl into my world of fantasy, I damage myself, because I block my connection to Hashem and His infinite wisdom. Combating the world of fantasy entails integration of the idea that only Hashem really knows what is best for me.

In practice, how do we develop these three principles?

The best way is by contemplating them, talking about them and living them.

We can start by recognizing Hashem's favors to us. If yesterday's experiences were pleasant and positive, don't take them for granted, but appreciate Hashem as their True Source. Conversely, if today is full of difficulty, I should consider yesterday's goodness as a vehicle to bolster me for today's challenges. I should realize that today's difficulties come from the same Source as yesterday's pleasantness: Hashem the Source of kindness and compassion. Staying in the world of reality--the awareness that Hashem conducts my life and does so with pure kindness--increases my trust in Hashem.

Hashem's Omnipotence

Sometimes we may think that Hashem would like to be kind to everyone, but He must maintain a balance in the world. Sometimes Yankel has to receive at the expense of Shmuel. We use such thoughts to comfort ourselves in situations that seem unfair.

But such notions reveal deficient trust in Hashem's Omnipotence. Hakol yochol--Hashem can do anything. Unlike humans, Hashem has the ability to bestow appropriate kindness to each person while keeping the world running efficiently. Intellectually, we understand that whatever comes into our world is fitting and proper. But the power of fantasy confuses us.

We are all familiar with the concept of hester ponim, Hashem relating to us with a hidden face. Unfortunately, this concept is mistakenly explained to mean that Hashem withdraws from us, that He is only concerned with our basic upkeep and not in personal supervision over us. This explanation of the concept of hester ponim is false.

HaRav Yitzchok Hutner zt"l once explained the halachic idea of eino ro'eh simon brochoh mizeh. This prediction is made with regard to any situation that halacha permits but does not recommend. Regarding such actions, the Shulchan Oruch states that no brochoh will come from them.

For example, a chazon is permitted to accept wages for his cantorial services on Shabbos but is guaranteed to see no brochoh from this money. The same is true for work done on chol hamoed.

HaRav Hutner asks: If it is permissible, why should one be cursed for his action? Is this a curse, as it sounds?

He answers that it is certainly not a curse. It simply means that Hashem will not assist the person in succeeding in these areas. And we know that without any assistance from Above, nothing can or will develop.

Is this what Chazal mean by hester ponim -- that Hashem is not assisting us? Obviously not. As we said, without Hashem's direct involvement, things will never develop successfully. But even in our state of hester ponim, many things do work out. This indicates that Hashem is continuously involved and maintains participation in our lives.

The famous gemora asks, Esther min haTorah minayin? Where is the source for Queen Esther in the Torah? The gemora answers with the posuk "Ve'Onochi hasteir astir ponai meihem I will surely hide My face from them."

The Vilna Gaon asks what Chazal's statement means. Is this merely a play on words: "astir" and "Esther"? Of course, the gemora is not satisfied with such word games, so there must be much more meaning here. The gemora is asking a very deep question: where in the Torah are the happenings of Purim referred to?

He explains that "lehastir" means "to conceal." There are two types of secret agents. One follows his object blatantly and even interacts and interrogates him. The other follows his target closely but hides in the bushes.

The word ponim -- face -- indicates Hashem's attention and concern for us. He is with us, but He is "hiding in the bushes." The entire Megillas Esther indicates Hashem's involvement in the welfare of the Jews, from the building of Achashverosh's throne in Shushan which forced the king to uproot himself to live there (where Mordechai Hayehudi was living), to the Persian king's interrupted sleep. We see Hashem's involvement in every step of the story. Hashem was completely involved in all of the events, but the Source of that involvement was hidden, which is why Hashem's Name is not mentioned once in the Megilla.

Hester ponim does not mean removal; it means concealment. The gemora's search for the source of Esther is actually a search for the idea of Hashem relating to us in a concealed way.

Like a Father to His Children

Hashem refers to the Jewish people as bonim, children. The parent/child connection differs drastically from any other relationship. Except for extreme circumstances, such as a mentally unstable parent, parents find it virtually impossible to stay angry at their child. Hashem is Ovinu Ov horachamon, our all- merciful Father. There is a place in Hashem's heart for all of His children.

That being the case, does Hashem's overwhelming love for us preclude punishment? The posuk in Mishlei answers this question (13:24): "He who withholds his rod hates his son." Allowing one's child to veer off the proper path points to apathy. If Hashem ceases to punish us, that would indicate disinterest.

When Rabbi Akiva saw that one of his teachers seemed to have everything good coming his way, he became worried that this rebbe was being given all of his reward in this world. Rabbi Akiva was only relieved when he saw that his rebbe's barrels of wine went sour. He then felt reassured that Hashem loved his rebbe.

Each one of Klal Yisroel's tribulations is also Hashem's. Our pain hurts Him, too. The verse in Shir Hashirim refers to the Jewish people in relation to Hashem as, "Achosi samosi--My perfect sister." Chazal say, "Don't read samosi, but read te'omosi, My twin. As we know, when one twin suffers, the other one feels his pain and actually experiences it with him. Likewise, Hashem feels everything that happens to us.

The Nefesh HaChaim takes this a step further. When I sin, I pain Hashem. Hashem has to punish me and make me ill, and Hashem then feels my pain again. So I should daven that Hashem should heal me so that Hashem will not go through my pain. That may be so for Rav Chaim Volozhiner, or even for most of Klal Yisroel. But what about blatant sinners? Does Hashem experience their suffering too?

Let's take an extreme example: one who curses Hashem. As retribution, this sinner is hanged on gallows. However, he is only left there until nightfall. Why? Because seeing this Jew hanging there troubles Hashem. Hashem says, `Lighten My burden from My head, lighten My burden from My arms.'"

Although this sinner deserved his punishment, Hashem is pained by the sinner's execution. First of all, even this sinner was made in Hashem's image. And second, "Bonim atem leHashem," he is one of Hashem's children, with whom He cannot stay angry. Hashem loves even the lowliest sinner.

Justice and Mercy

Hashem relates to His world in two ways: din -- justice -- and rachamim -- mercy. Originally, Hashem sought to run the world with din, which does not mean harshness but unadulterated fairness. But seeing that the world could not withstand complete din, Hashem introduced the concept of rachamim. In other words, din would have been better but we would not have been able to tolerate it.

What's wrong with rachamim? Isn't compassion fair?

HaRav Don Segal answers by reminding us that Hashem created this world to bestow goodness on His creations. But that goodness extends far beyond the mere 70-120 years we spend in this world. We know that Hashem's unlimited kindness will be showered on us in Olom Habo.

The Zohar explains that good can only be appreciated and felt through hard work. For example, a naturally brilliant person who succeeds in a particular area does not feel the same satisfaction as one with mediocre intelligence who worked hard for his achievements.

We were placed in this world to acquire the goodness that Hashem sees fit to bestow on us, and we can only appreciate this through our efforts. The easier Hashem makes our choices for us, the less we must work to choose correctly and the less we will appreciate our achievements.

Hashem therefore mixed a good dosage of rachamim into this world, so that we can withstand our tests. But keeping in mind that the strict justice we receive is for our own good increases our trust in Hashem.

Suffering

How do yissurim play into this? How can we hold onto and develop our trust in Hashem at times of suffering?

Sometimes Hashem gives difficulties to people to bring out their potential. We believe but our faith has strong limitations. Hashem knows that a higher level is possible. When we find ourselves in challenging situations, we turn to Hashem and find a strength we did not know that we had. At times, things are not going right because they are actually going right. Hashem has given us an opportunity-- although difficult--to achieve new levels of bitochon.

When Avrohom brought Yitzchok to the Akeidoh, Hashem was giving him a nisoyon. Hashem knew that Avrohom would pass the test, so why put Avrohom through it? What is the purpose of a nisoyon?

The posuk tells us "I have given those who fear You a banner to lift themselves up" (nes lehisnoses -- Tehillim 60:6). Our success lifts us to new heights and brings us to a new level of challenge. Difficult experiences prove to us what we can really accomplish.

Another form of suffering is known as kaporoh, atonement. There are many levels of punishment which we may actually deserve. At the age of sixty, one of our pious amoraim made a feast celebrating that Hashem had not subjected him to koreis. Keeping in mind that the punishment of koreis comes to one who intentionally transgressed severe Torah prohibitions, it may surprise us that this pious man worried about being punished with koreis.

But on his level, a high degree of perfection was expected of him. Although he undoubtedly did not transgress a koreis prohibition, he may have unintentionally been involved in a trace of such prohibitions. For a tzaddik of his sort even this could have brought him the severe punishment of koreis.

We are not on the level of amoraim, so we do not agonize over such concerns. But we should worry about the cleansing fires of Gehennom. We are taught that the fire of Gehennom is forty-nine times the intensity of the fire of this world. With this in mind we are happy to receive any exchange that may come our way in this world. This is kaporoh.

Another form of suffering that people endure is when Hashem tests them before He bestows great goodness on them. Such was the case in Ur Casdim before Avrohom became the father of the Jewish people, and with Dovid Hamelech before he became king. Tests prove that we are deserving of the good we will receive. Viewing our suffering and hardship as kaporoh or nisoyon and not as useless pain is another way of increasing our trust in Hashem.

End of Part I

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