Bitachon 265 - Levels of Bitachon

You're listening to the 265th edition of the podcast and we spent a few years together studying theim from Rab Zundal. Last week we finished the last of theukim and I'd like to turn now to a safer which we studied a few years ago called Bashm. It's a beautiful safer got it from the author himself. It's a leut collection of many different sources in kazal sources in our sages for the concept of trusting in hem every different we've spoken about it we've spoken about withadus without trusting in hashem putting in efforts ourselves and now what I'd like to do is at the very beginning of the book there's a hakama there's an introduction and then there's also a summation of the different shittas, the different opinions about the different approaches and the different ways of trusting in Hashem. So, I'd like to actually go through this carefully with you, study this together. We've been studying for a long time. We started up this podcast again in 2019 and we are still going here in 2026. But I'd like to, you know, it's good to come out sometimes with clarity. And this s gives us some clarity. And I'd like to share with you what he says like this. Here's the this is the introduction. The says and we say it in halal. The people of Israel will will trust in Hashem. He is their helper. He is their protector. So we have first the people of Israel then we have the house of which is the priests they will trust in hem is their protector is their helper those who fear God they will trust in hashem or it's a command trust in hashem he is their helper and their protector so we King David gives usim describing what sounds like the same thing. He says says the offer author of these don't seem to be understood. We're talking first about the people of Israel. Are the priests not included in the people of Israelim? Are the Are those who fear God the are they not included in Israel? Why do we need to specify each of these different details within the more general populace? Just say the people of Israel would trust in Hashem and we would know that both the and those who fear Hashem need to trust in Hashem. Why does it say by each of them trust in Hashem? He is their protector. He is their helper. Just say the people of Israel, the h the house of the of Aaron, the kohanim, those who fear, let them all trust in hashem, God is their helper and protector. Why does it need to separate give three different to teach us the same thing about each and every one of them? Why? When it comes to the people of Israel, as I say it in a singular language, you singular, trust in Hashem, oh people of Israel, and when it comes to the house of Aaron and those who fear Hashem, it says it in a plural language. It says, "You plural trust in Hashem." We also need to understand what is the concept that Hashem is their protector, their helper and their shield. So he says like this, King David, the author of the Tahum of Psalms is turning to the people of Israel and requesting of them as follows. You singular trust in God, there is nothing greater than this. Trusting in Hashem is the highest thing that there is. It's the highest goal in it's the greatest attribute. This is how you reach completion or perfection or greatness in service of Hashem. And since faith in God is the level which is most important it's the foundation of the entire as our sages tell us it's explicit says came the prophet came and he said that all of the 613 mitzvah If you want to sum them all up and understand what's the maybe the goal of all of them or the or the foundation of all of them he says the righteous individual lives by his faith and here he's clearly using the word to mean the same thing faith and trust says King David says in in Tahill in Psalms chapter 119 verse 86 right that's the peric the long per all of your commandments are amuna they're all about having so he says that oh he does separate between amuna and so amuna is the foundation amuna includes all of the mitzvah Amuna is at the root of every commandment. But is even higher than amuna. Includes amuna like the Ramban writes. Anyone who is a bayak bayak means somebody who is confident that Hashem is going to help him. We'll see more. Anyone who is a betak is called a mman. One who believes but not everyone who believes is called a you could believe but not be confident. Allah says the even though it's true that this is a very high level it's a transcendent level it's not beyond what we can achieve. King David says I expect this of all of you. You can all do this. Russia. The word which is the general populace includes B of isim middle people of isim the wicked everyone. Even the wicked individual is required enjoined to trust in Hashem. Like we find it says in the in the one who trusts in Hashem even a Russia as we'll see even a wicked person the one who trusts in Hashem will be surrounded by Hashem's kindness like the says in section 719 even a wicked person who trusts in Hashem he will be surrounded by Hashem's kindness. We are not wicked by the way. We are middle type of people. But the point is that even a wicked person, a person who is disconnected from even that person is enjoined to and can attach himself to. So certainly we it's something that we are also called upon to do. Even though the mitzvah and the the characteristic the attribute of is something that is attainable applicable to every individual every type of person. So nevertheless, a number of different sages of the people of Israel, it's an obvious thing, but they wrote there are many levels in clearly the level of a wicked person is not the same as the level of of a righteous individual. Therefore, the house of Aaron now we're coming to explain why does the why does the excuse me why does King David separate talk about the people of Israel generally then talk about the individual and the priests those who fear Hashem it's because there are different levels within the Jewish people of Asak says the priests and the Levites who are close to Hashem their whole essence their whole being in this world revolves around service of Hashem. So King David turns to them separately. He expects from them a higher level of Depending on who the person is, everyone has to have but depending on the person, depending on their connection with their place in the world, their particular way of serving Hashem, a different type of is expected of them. The red says that those who are individuals who serve Hashem, who fear Hashem, who are sitting and learning language, listen to this beautiful language. The wise ones who are alone in the house of Hashem to learn and they're involved in the wisdom of knowing Hashem. Okay, we're talking to the Lyra, the the who are sitting and learning, dedicating their lives to the service of Hashem, to studying what it means to serve Hashem. There's a different expectation of them. There's a different expectation of what their looks like to them as well. King David turns Their level needs to be even higher than the priests and the Levites because they are serving Hashem an even deeper and more focused type of service. It's even more important because of their choice and which is not the case of the priests and the Levites. The the priests and the Levites were chosen by Hashem. But when a person chooses himself to make his focus the service of Hashem, a different type of bet is expected of them. Okay. So this is important. This is just thinking of it in terms of today. Those who are learning Torah, those who are focused on learning has to be a different type of approach to the way that they get their sustenance or taken care of by we're going to read a little bit further. We're going to probably get stuck in the middle of this paragraph. love to come back here says the I believe it seems to me we could explain another reason why King David turns to the people of Israel the kohan and the priests and those who fear Hashem separately of and then bas the tribe of the Levites who are the the priests and the Levites who are referred to in this verse as the house of Aron who they are separated from the rest of the nation because their in the world their purpose in the world is to be involved with spiritual matters. So Hashem personally takes interest in and cares and and takes care of their physical needs. At that time, Hashem separated the tribe of the Levites to carry the the the ark of the covenant of Hashem to stand in front of Hashem to serve him and to bless in his name until this very day. Therefore, the tribe of Levi does not have a portion in the land of Israel. Hashem is their portion as Hashem said to them. Okay? So, they have a special there's a special on the individual who is chosen by Hashem to serve him. the tribe of the Levites, they're separated. They don't have a portion of the land because they eat the corbanas, the sacrifices, the kohanim, they eat the trumas and maestras, the special tithes that are given to the to the kohan and the Levites. since they are set aside to be spiritual beings whose whose firm focus is serving Hashem and facilitating service of Hashem. So they are not to be involved in gashrias and and they're not to be concerned with and bothered with physical things. Their job is to just trust in Hashem. Hashem is going to provide for them. That's all they need to worry about. They don't need to worry about anything else except for serving Hashem properly. Hashem provides for them. Like the Ram writes, "Why is the tribe of Levy not merit a piece of the land of?" Because they were separated to serve Hashem and to teach the paths of righteousness and his laws, his righteous laws to the to the public. That's their brahenu that he gives to the tribe of Ley. He says, "You shall teach the statutes to Jacob and your to the people of Israel." The were separated therefore from the ways of the world. Israel, you want to understand this is it? They are not to be involved in going out to war like the rest of the people of Israel. They don't get a piece of the land of Israel with their with their power of their physical body. They are the army of blesses his army. Hashem says, "I am your portion. I am your inheritance. should be talking living at this level complete faith trust placing myself completely on Hashem that's not for everybody that's for individuals who are on this level of Israel that's the general populace it's called the people of Israel but don't make a mistake and think that this very high level is only for the tribe of the of the Levites. Don't think that chose him separated them from the the rest of the nation. King David says those who fear God also trust in Hashem. He turns to them separately and he says to them, "You can choose to be like the Levites. focus completely on spirituality and you can have that higher level of like the Rambam writes. Not only is this applicable to the to the tribe of the Levites, but every single person in the world and by the way that can be a Jew or a non-Jew as well. His heart his heart causes him to feel like I got to do this. His his whole essence says I I need to be separate. I I want to be different. I want to stand in front of Hashem. I want to serve him to know God and he goes straight the way Hashem made him. I'm not going to be involved in all of the worldly matters that human beings are seeking. I raised him. This individual has become holy of holies. Hem will be his portion forever. He'll have everything he needs in this world. Just like the priests and the Levites. Hashem chose them. But you and I can choose to be like them. King David says, I seem you are my portion. You are my cup. You are the one who supports supports my lot in life. That's his understanding of why we have three different very nicely he says humbly that the first answer that we gave is the correct answer and we will continue from here next time. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you again next time.