Ohr Shimshon

There is a misconception regarding the meaning of Bitachon- faith in Hashem. There are those who think that faith is to downplay the existence of a problem by placing your faith in Hashem. That somehow, if we train ourselves to have proper ”faith” in Hashem, we will come to the realization and appreciation that we need not make a big deal of our problems…that Hashem will “take care of us”.

This is a big fallacy.

We have to realize that the entire basis of proper faith, actually rests on our ability to be fully cognizant of the gravity of our predicament and of our problems and to use this as an impetus for reaching out to Hashem from the depths of our pain and anxiety.

Indeed, a person who does not fully appreciate the gravity of his problem, will be less motivated to reach out to Hashem as a result of his problems and will therefore miss the true opportunity to strengthen his emunah and bitachon as a (natural) result and byproduct of his crying out to Hashem. 

Rav Shlomo Ibn Gavriel composed a beautiful thought, a beautiful poem to describe this concept.

He says to Hashem “Im tifkod avoini – if my sins are just too much for you to bear”, “evrecha mimcha” – I will run away from you (Hashem) and I shall hide from you”, “eilecha – to you….(I shall literally run away from you – and run to you)”, “voeskaseh mechamosecha – and there shall I hide from your wrath and from your anger”….(where shall I do this?) “B’tzilecha – in your embrace oh Hashem”!

Rav Shimshon explains and illustrates this beautiful statement with the following observation. Have you ever witnessed a father playfully scare his child by making a scary face etc.? What does the scared child do? He runs “away” from his father…and straight into his fathers embrace….he literally runs from his father, to his father.

Indeed, it is only the fear of the problem and the concern, which brings us to Hashems door.

This is also reflected in the pasuk of Tehilim, where Dovid Hamelech writes: “Ani Yom Irah, Eilech Eftach” – “In a day of fear, I run to you Hashem”.

When we fear, we pray. When we pray, we come close to Hashem and we develop our Bitachon.

<Heard From Rav Shimshon Pincus>