Real Trust

There are times in life that we find ourselves facing challenging circumstances. At those moments — and all moments for that matter — we must strengthen our bitachon, trust, in Hashem, allowing us to feel a sense of calm and be capable of handling the stressful situation. Nonetheless, what does having bitachon actually mean?

The Chofetz Chaim once spoke of a man who visited a certain town for Shabbat. All appeared normal until the Shabbat morning t’filah when the man noticed all the prosperous congregants were seated in the front of the synagogue, yet all the aliyot were given to the men in the rear who each dressed rather unkempt, quite unbecoming for a shul environment. When it came time for the rabbi’s drashah, the speech focused on the weather and the continuous rain the past week and failed to mention a single word on the parshah. As if that wasn’t odd enough, at the end of davening everyone went to the back of the venue for a kiddush that included a lavish spread, however nobody ate a morsel. The scenario was bizarre, especially for an outsider.

Extremely puzzled, the guest asked an attendee, “What is going on over here?” The congregant offered, “The reason all the aliyot were given to the men appearing destitute is because they were unjustly imprisoned for the last several months. During that period, our community has been working very hard for their release and this is their first Shabbat back home following the lengthy imprisonment.” Still a bit confused, the guest pushed forward, “Okay. And what about the rabbi’s remarks?” The congregant responded, “When the rabbi rose to deliver his sermon, he first surveyed his congregation and thankfully understood and acknowledged that he was speaking before a community of farmers. For the last number of months there has been a drought in our region leaving residents disheartened. However, this past week it finally rained, and it did so quite heavily, so the rabbi with intention to uplift the mood in the shul spoke of the weather providing a feel good moment for the community about the rain to make everyone feel good.” The guest took in the words of the resident and then inquired about the stagnant kiddush food. The congregant continued, “Lastly, at the end of davening we often have a communal lunch with incredible delights. Nonetheless, once a month pack up and donate the elaborate spread to our local hospital for all to benefit.”

To an onlooker this theory of strengthening trust in Above may appear confusing; however, there is a bigger picture at play with many more components. The idea of trust and faith comprise the core fundamentals of placing this trust in a greater power - Hashem although we lack comprehension of the intricate aspects and only see one angle of the picture.

The Chazon Ish writes in Emunah U’Bitachon of a common misconception regarding bitachon. People often think that trust in Hashem means that when facing a challenging circumstance there are only two potential outcomes: one that sounds “good” and the other with a “bad” appearance. One may think, “I have trust in Hashem that what I perceive as a ‘good outcome’ will come my way.”

The Chazon Ish discourages such an approach since the full picture is not apparent. We do not know what constitutes “good” or “bad.” We fail to comprehend what Hashem has pre-planned in our lives, because ultimately His plan contains our best circumstance. The true definition of bitachon is having trust in Hashem that no matter the current happenings, Hashem places us into the best sequence of events for our wellbeing. Always remember that Hashem loves us even more than the most loving parent, and without question has each of us living in the paramount circumstances. In some situations this might result in unexpected growth from a challenge, to benefit us with a kaparah (atonement), or for reasons beyond our understanding. Real bitachon is having the clear knowledge that Hashem is our father and placed us in our situations because they are best for our ultimate purpose.

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Rabbi Yaakov Moskowitz is a motivational speaker who has inspired Jews around the world through his engaging lectures and videos on a wide array of practical Jewish topics. To receive Rabbi Moskowitz’s short clips, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..