Bitachon 255 - Escaping the Fear Trap

You're listening to the 255th edition of the B'Takhen podcast. And I just want to comment that it's nice to be back out in the hills of Bnei Brak. I missed the last few weeks because of the war I've had to be in a park area near places where one could protect themselves. So, it's nice to have a break. Um I'd like to read to you from the pasuk in Mishlei, which we spoke about last week. We started last week. Here the southern meat in my fish. The fear of a person creates a trap. What type of sham is Sugov? One trusts in Hashem will be freed, sprung, find prosperity. Pasuk in Mishlei Khav Tes Pasuk Khav Fay. Brings the base of Levi. The base of Levi says Khav Tes B'Takhen B'Sukim Khav Aleph Misaper. He says the allegation for B'Takhen comes from many different Sukim. Too many to count. Mish Ma'aser B'Yad Aver Gedolah E. Person who does not have B'Takhen it's not just a mylo, it's not just a positive thing, an advantage to have B'Takhen. He says if a person does not have B'Takhen it's an avera. It's a tremendous avera. B'Avera Zeh Atzmo Gorem L'Lipol. He says that this avera, this transgression is something that causes the person to fall. K'Mamar Kosev and he brings that pasuk. Here this other meat in my fish B'Terap Sham Sugov. The fear of a person causes a trap for him. One who trusts in Hashem so that person has freedom from the trap. Al Yedei Zeh, She Yakher L'Odem Yefakh Me'Ezeh Davar V'Lo Yevotakh B'Hashem. Cuz when a person is afraid whatever the matter is, whatever the issue is he doesn't trust in Hashem. Zeh Atzmo Goremly She Nosin Lifnei Mykesh. That itself causes him that a trap should should be in front of him. She Lo Hayah K'Lomi K'Nomi She Lo Davar. Okay? It causes a trap that wasn't there. The fear itself causes brings about that even if there is something that he's afraid of clearly but it becomes much worse. A person who trusts in Hashem he'll find prosperity. It doesn't just say he'll be saved. It says that everything's going to be awesome for him. Because the very thing that he feared or could have feared except that he's a Bobby Talker. So, he's going to be saved from it. He's going to be saved from it. The person who has the fear, not only does the thing that he fears itself become a problem for him but it the problem can be worse. But the person who has bitachon, the problem is taken away. If Hashem is with me, I don't need to be afraid. What can a human being do to me? He says that the part of the is what he's saying a a cause and effect. Hashem Hashem is mine. I don't I'm not afraid. As a result of that, as a result of that, no human being can cause me any damage. That's the base of the lady. He brings the Bachya. Bachya says Hashem ultimate right. The passage says in the context of Pinhas and uh I'm sorry. Not Pinhas. That's a good one. Joshua and Caleb two of the spies coming back and saying that the land of Israel is a wonderful place. It's a good place. It's a place we can conquer with Hashem's help. But don't rebel against Hashem, they said. This teaches us a very important thing. That of course it's natural to be afraid, but allowing the fear to overtake one is a rebellion against Hashem. The natural state of a kingdom is to trust their king to protect them. If a person is in fear whatever the case may be uh enemy armies are coming from a different country. If the person is fear, it shows that they don't trust their king. I cannot understand what Hashem wants from me in my case. Rebbe Nachman says that that's what King Solomon is saying as well. So, the actual fear itself is a tremendous danger. It creates the problem. I mean, just look at what happened over the last few weeks. Many people were hurt. I think there were those who had a heart attack from the fear. They were running on their way to the to the reinforced rooms. And the fear itself created sometimes a bigger problem than the thing itself. Young lady was unfortunately killed crossing the street quickly during a siren trying to get to a safe place. It's important to know just stay calm. That's my song that I put out during that whole thing. Just stay calm. Hashem is always with you. Bring it here from the girl of Parshat Acharei He writes in Isaiah "Only trust in Hashem." He says the girl says the fear of a person creates a stumbling block because in this world you should never be afraid. One One should never be afraid. One should always just trust in Hashem. Can I sense Hashem is here right now with me, protecting me, taking care of me. The Mara says and we're going to soon see it. The Mara brings it as well. That's the next piece, but the Gra doesn't quote it in full, but there's a particular student who is walking along and he looked fearful. And his rabbi told him, "You're a sinner. You must have some sin if you're afraid. You You feel disconnected from Hashem." Huh, the possuk "That praiseworthy is a person who is constantly afraid." Right? You're supposed to be I don't want to say nervous, but we're supposed to be on the lookout for for possible things that are dangerous. Praiseworthy is the one who is constantly afraid. It doesn't mean that you should be afraid of marauders, of enemies, of destruction, of ballistic missiles. I know it's out of my midst. It means to say that in one's spiritual in one's spiritual life, I need to be afraid. I need to be aware. I need to be on the trigger, looking out for opportunities to do a mitzvah, looking out for possible lacks in my mitzvah observance. That's what it means. It means praiseworthy is the one who is constantly on the lookout, making sure that his spiritual needs are met. That's the Gra. The Mara He says, in explaining our possuk, "Fear of a person creates a stumbling block, creates a trap. Trusting in Hashem gets the person out." It means to say that when a person is afraid, it shows that a person is lacking in his trust in Hashem. Right? We got to watch out. We got to watch out. How do we feel when that siren that siren sounds? The double say you tell him of my gosh. This fear itself creates a trap. You have a match on my gosh. It's the opposite of that which the second half of the puzzle says that one who trusts in a sham is going to be saved. It's going to have prosperity. You have to be sure that you have it. The net result of having we talking the net result is that I have a sense of freedom. I have a sense of calm. I have a sense of everything's going to be okay. It's going to be okay. He becomes he strengthens himself with his we talking he can share you have to admire him he only be talking club. If a person allows himself I would say to be overly fearful so it shows that he's lacking in his faith. There was a my gosh you love and that itself creates problems. We pair career. In in brock stuff some of them at all of I would tell me that we shall give you all the best day to be sure to be honest. There was a particular student who was walking behind Bish Marabou YC. Cause he had to come a fog and he saw the rabbit saw that his student was afraid. We like a thought said to him are you a sinner? Have you sinned? You said probably what you have to say to him. But he says in Isaiah and Isaiah chapter 33 verse 14 that the sinners in Zion were afraid. Right? We've discussed this is a person who's not so righteous a lot of that we talking were not exactly talking about that right now but clearly a person can lose their we talking if they experience themselves as being unworthy. Whether that actually is a true concern that's for discussion but not now. He says that the moral says that the one who's afraid is the opposite of of the sense of bitachon. Person who's a baal bitachon person who has faith in Hashem feels feels confidence, feels safe. Right? Bitachon is a sense of safety. A sense that things are good. They're going to stay good. A person who has you know trust in Hashem is not afraid. Fear itself causes difficulties upon a person. If a if you have a vessel which is strong right? There's nothing wrong with the vessel, there's no there's no cracks in the vessel so the vessel's not afraid of breaking cuz it's strong. When the vessel has cracks in it so then it could easily break. Right? So the fear itself is the first crack in the vessel. When a person is afraid it shows it's just kind of a litmus test for the fact that the person is not whole. The person is not complete. The person has cracks in the foundation. It's just like a cup with a crack. So that type of person is in a danger zone. The student who was fearful so he said you must be a sinner. Because why does a person feel broken? Why does a person feel unworthy? Because they've done something to separate themselves from the source of strength, which was Hashem. The tell me and that's why he's always afraid. That's the moral. Okay, one more small thing on this before we start actually a new thing. The other one he added a little bit. He says in Samuel that uh you have rough fear upon us. I know how I started with I stuck it cuz I see the word. So the ultimate amazing thing trying too hard wanting something too much. Yeah, and this is definitely a a sickness of our generation. Articles on and on about how to become rich, etc. Too much is trying too hard, wanting things too much. So that that is in itself. There's like a fear I'm not going to get it. Why do I have to grab at it? Why do I have to try so hard to get whatever it is? Because I don't think I'm going to get it. So that fear itself is the reason actually why I have to try so hard because my fear of not getting it actually makes it more necessary for me to try. I'm a shame of them after the time is if a person is running after their desires. How many cars I can have? How many How much real estate I can own? How much whatever it is. Okay, that's what he had a little bit. This fear Why why does a person run after Tyva? Why does a person want so much to have desires? Cuz the person feels empty. Person feel like that's going to fill them up. If I have enough money, everything will be fine. I'll have just enough money so I don't have to have any connections to Hashem. I can do it myself. That's why a person wants money. Person wants all kinds of other titus, whatever it is, food. It's a sense of pretend wholeness. Person trusts in Hashem and and realizes that they have enough. They don't need so much. They realize that they're already full. We're already full. I already have all my needs. It's imaginary that I don't have something and I need to fill. That's why I feel so empty when I get it. Because I wasn't really empty to begin with. I just fill in a hole that wasn't there. And it just feels me you talk. It feels extra. It feels unnecessary. The the uh the difference between the reality and my imagined reality creates cognitive dissonance. There's this dissonance. I'm trying to get something to be full, but I'm already full. And then when I get it, it doesn't make me feel better cuz I wasn't really broken to begin with. Interestingly, he brings here in a in a note by Evan Evan Shlema. The girl writes Shugum can't clash men and women yakha. He brings together these two concepts. We talk on the stock cuz he make love me the status. He says we talk on and he stock cuz we talk on means faith, trust, confidence. But he puts it alongside the concept of feeling like I have enough. Right? Yes, of course, the person can use we talk on in order to get more. But at a deeper level, we talk on is a sense of completeness. I am complete and I'll always be complete. Hashem is with me, he'll always be with me. And this is he says "Klal um l'khol hamidos tovot." This is the foundation of all good middos. Think about it. Why am I jealous of somebody else? Cuz he has something that I want. He has some honor that I want. He has some object that I want. I think I'll feel more complete if I have it. Histapkus means I recognize that everything I have is what I need. I already have everything I need. I don't need anything more. Histapkus. Have a Have a Have a taiva v'khamda says the Gra. They are the opposite of desire and grabbiness. And if I'm trying to grab something, trying to get something, money, kina taiva koved, whatever it is I'm trying to grab, that means I don't feel whole. Histapkus and histovevus means I'm already whole. I already have what I need. I don't need any more. Right, we're going to make a a little start cuz we still have a little bit of time. We're going to make a little start on the next pasuk. We will go over this again next time. So pasuk in Iyov, pasuk says in Iyov perek yud alef pasuk yud chet, "U'vakhta ki yesh tikva." Iyov was being told by his friend that even though things seem bleak, you could still trust. There is still hope. "V'khafarta if you dig, l'vetakh tishkav." So you'll be able to sleep soundly. You'll be able to sleep with confidence. Okay, exactly what the pasuk means, we'll see a few different explanations of it, but just to give a pashut pshat of it, when a person Why Why does a person have trouble sleeping at night? What is it that is khafer in Hebrew, which is the word used here? Modern Hebrew means something is egging him on. Something is bothering him. What bothers the person prevents him from sleeping at night? Last night I had a dream. I was performing at a concert and the music I didn't have the music and the band was saying we got to play. We need the music. And I said just It's so funny. I just hopped it now in this context. I said I said play Hatikvah. I said play Hatikvah. It's a song that the band for sure is going to know. It's a song that I was lucky to compose. Write some of the lyrics. So that was my dream. Like so there's a nervousness inside of us. I'm not going to have the I'm not going to have the music to play when it comes my my turn to stand to stand up on that stage and sing. I'm not going to have the music and what takes it away? What gives me back my ability to sleep soundly? Start singing Hatikvah. That's this very possuk. How prophetic. I hadn't yet prepared this possuk when I had that dream. All right. So I think we're here at 18 minutes. So we're going to come back to this possuk and we'll see you again next time. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you again.