The following is a fundamental lesson on the interrelationship between bitachon and hishtadlus:
A person should understand that as he lessens his business dealings and strengthens himself in his bitachon, so will his need for exertion be lessened….
[On the other hand], the more a person increases his hishtadlus and plunges into those efforts and makes them primary in his mind, correspondingly, Hashem provides his livelihood only after he exerts much effort!
~ The Beis HaLevi on Bitachon
“The candle of Hashem is the soul of the Jew…” – “…נֵ֣ר ה’ נִשְׁמַ֣ת אָדָ֑ם” (Mishlei 20:27)
The collective Jewish people are likened to a big jar of oil with G-d being the flame that lights them up.
Some precious drops of oil have been taken from the jar.
We pray to G-d that He brings them home.
~ R’ Yirmi Ginsberg
“הִנֵּ֣ה מַה־טּ֖וֹב וּמַה־נָּעִ֑ים שֶׁ֖בֶת אַחִ֣ים גַּם־יָֽחַד”
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
~ Tehillim 133
In business, a person’s profit may exceed the effort invested, or it may be less.
However, in spiritual matters, the yield is exactly equal to the amount of effort expended.
~ R’ Itzele of Petersburg zt”l
R’ Shlomo of Karlin zt’l said,
“One should never feel that the place where he is isn’t good.”
Hashem arranged for you to be in that exact place.
It, therefore, must be for your good!
There is no power in the world that can stand against us when we feel a part of our history, part of our people, and part of this historic struggle.
~ Natan Sharansky
When you pray to Hashem on behalf of the Jewish people in times of distress, appeal to Hashem as our Father.
Emphasize the fact that Hashem suffers when His children suffer and make this your main concern.
This level of prayer brings salvation.
~ R’ Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev zt”l
The most challenging part of being a Jew is “Avinu.”
He’s my Father.
It’s beyond us, almost, why the King of the Universe, Creator of the Grand Canyon and the Alps, Guardian of Eretz Yisrael, Mastermind of so many details, so much precision, so much life… Why would He be busy with me? Why would it be important to Him to know every detail about me?
You have to understand, it’s a relationship. He is with us. He is saying, “I can’t build a relationship with people who understand that I’m a King, but don’t understand that I’m a Parent too. I need a nation that sticks with Me even when I hide, I need a people who don’t take off when the going gets rough, who believe that I’m not just their Power, but their Father. I need people who know it’s personal.”
“I know every one of their names…and I am with them, every day, and all day!”
Avinu! Our Father!
~ Charlie Harary
Rabbeinu b’Chayei writes, “When one has bitachon, it is like Hashem promised him.”
When he has bitachon, he can feel confident that Hashem will help him. He can view it as though Hashem told him everything will be good.
And as the Divrei Yisrael reveals to us, he can be even more confident, because emunah and bitachon are the strongest guarantees that everything will be good.
~ R’ Elimelech Biderman
Every blatt Gemara is a missile.
Every Tosfos is a rocket.
Every kapitel Tehillim is a bomb.
~ R’ Noach Isaac Oelbaum
