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22 Sivan 5761 - June 13, 2001 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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Opinion & Comment
The Laws of Bitochon

by L. Jungerman

The Chofetz Chaim derives a practical lesson from the story of the meraglim about the attribute of bitochon. He relates to the problem that disturbs every person who finds himself in distress and seeks succor whilst trying to fortify himself in hope and trust.

There is serious vacillation. A person asks himself: Can I truly trust that Hashem will save me? Do my daily deeds justify this trust and allow me to be optimistic? My heart knows its bitterness and fears. Upon what merit can I hope that Hashem will fulfill my wishes when deep in my heart I know how worthless I am and where I truly stand spiritually. As Chazal put it, "You and your heart know the acts you committed and the suffering that you brought upon yourself. You justly deserve them; you are to blame for this situation" (Sifrei: Voeschanon 7).

This self-castigation is very disconcerting. It strikes at a person in those most difficult hours where he is suspended between despair and hope. He wishes with all his heart to place his trust in Hashem because he knows that it is what he should do, also because it is so much easier to cast one's burden upon Hashem and trust. Nevertheless, he wonders and doubts. Why?

The Chofetz Chaim, who labels himself in the introduction to his works merely as "the shammosh of the beis haknesses," whose job it is to provide the necessary books for the scholars studying there, guides the perplexed in this problem as well, and dispels the heavy sense of distress.

He rules: Hashem does not judge stringently with a person with a plea bargain, saying: "I will only save you on the condition that you be a tzaddik." He only says: "I will refuse to rescue you only if you rebel." So long as a person does not commit treason against Hashem to consciously violate His commandments on purpose, he can hope for and trust in heavenly mercy.

The source for this is to be found in this parsha. The Chofetz Chaim learns that the evil talk of the meraglim against Eretz Yisroel was anchored in it. They claimed that the land was such that one could not live a normal life upon it without specific heavenly assistance. And for such siyata deShmaya one needs merits. The generation of the desert had already grievously sinned with the golden eigel, a sin too terrible to bear, to be forgiven. Therefore, they could not permit themselves the so- called luxury of trusting in Hashem that He would allow them to survive in the land. What guarantee did they have that they had enough merits upon which to base such a trust?

Who would guarantee that they be truly worthy of miracles and salvation?

Along came Yehoshua and Calev and disproved that assumption. They said, "Only in Hashem do not rebel." For whoever does not rebel knowingly, purposely against Hashem, has grounds to trust in His succor, even if he has several "skeletons of sins in his closet," so to speak.

This is how the Chofetz Chaim states it in Shemiras Haloshon Part II chapter 19:

When they came to spy the land, their evil inclination got the better of them and argued: In order to conquer such a populated country and such mighty people one needs tremendous merit. We are not on such a level; it is not so long ago that we made a golden calf and then demanded meat to satisfy our lust. We must have great merit preceding our entry in this land for we will have to contend with the Canaanites and the Yevusites and overcome them.

"And the men that went up with him said: we will not be able to go up to that nation for it is mightier than we." Rashi explains, "As if He cannot remove His weapons from there." What they meant was this point: When will Hashem oust those inhabitants? When He finds a better nation to replace then, He will give that nation the strength to vanquish the natives and usurp their place. But as we stand today, we are great sinners, having two major incidents to our discredit. Hashem will not wish to destroy the nations in order to give the land to us. As for His promise to bequeath the land to us, that is only if we merit it through our righteousness. Only then would He banish the enemy or empower us to destroy them.

"And all of the community lifted their voices and wept." For when the spies suggested that their generation was not worthy or important enough in the eyes of Hashem because of their sinfulness and stubbornness, and not deserving that a miracle be made for them to overcome such giants, this argument was readily accepted by the people.

Along came Yehoshua and Calev and counterargued: Your maintaining that Hashem's promise of the land is only if we are deserving and righteous is faulty from its premise. Hashem does not judge a person on a fine line saying: I will only save you on condition that you are perfectly righteous. All Hashem requires is that you not be rebellious and ungrateful, that you not deny Him.

They concluded: "Only against Hashem do not rebel." For so long as a person does not go against Hashem and does not willfully, intentionally uproot or deny any of His commandments, he is eligible for Hashem's bounty and can count upon His good graces towards him.


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