Ahavah Rabah 13: Excellent Returns for Trust

כי בשם קדשך הגדול והנורא בטחנו, נגילה ונשמחה בישועתך

Because we have trusted in Your great and awesome holy Name, may we exult and rejoice in Your salvation.

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Rav Avigdor Miller zt”l explains our phrase as part of our request to Hashem.  Please grant us our spiritual requests, which we have specified, and don’t allow us to be embarrassed by falling short in our learning and living Torah, because we put our trust and complete reliance in You, Hashem.

Through bitachon, we can merit even that which we otherwise do not deserve; our requests are fulfilled because of our bitachon.  At the end of Modim, we express this idea.  The following is from the Tefilah Focus that we wrote on the end of Modim:

In what merit do we receive this rachamim and chesed?  By definition, rachamim and chesed are even when not deserved.  Our only merit is that “מעולם קוינו לך–mei’olam kivinu lach (always have we put our hope in You).”  We place all of our hope and reliance only in Hashem, even though we know that we are undeserving of His never-ending rachamim and chesed.  Hashem is always there for those who trust and rely upon Him: “והבוטח בה' חסד יסובבנו–V’ha’botei’ach baShem, chesed y’sov’venu” (T’hilim 32:10) [Based on Sifsei Chaim – Midos/Avodas Hashem 1, Vaad 17 of “Bitachon”]

When we rely on others such as the boss, the wealthy or powerful man, etc., we will be embarrassed.  However, when we rely completely on Hashem, we will not be embarrassed.  In fact, when we have bitachon, we will rejoice and be happy in Hashem’s salvation: “נגילה ונשמחה בישועתך–nagilah v’nism’chah biy’shuasecha.”

Integrating Mitzvos into Our Daily Lives

The mitzvos of Tefilah and Bitachon are present, side by side, when we daven, especially in times of tzarah.  While we cannot possibly cover the topic of bitachon adequately in a short, few lines, and while there are differing opinions on how far bitachon extends, we present one small snippet from the Sifsei Chaim:

Rav Chaim Friedlander zt”l explains that when we daven, especially in times of tzarah, our approach should be multi-layered.  First, we must recognize that whatever is happening is coming directly from Hashem and not per se because of His messengers.  Next, we must think of t’shuvah and do a cheshbon ha’nefesh to come closer to Hashem.  Then, we should daven and have hope that Hashem will grant us salvation, because His midos are rachamim and chesed, even when we do not deserve the salvation.  Finally, we should anxiously await Hashem’s salvation, though most say we are not guaranteed that salvation.

[Some say that one can go so far – if truly on that level – as to fully expect the salvation, and if the person on that level has that kind of bitachon, he will in fact receive a salvation.  This is an extremely high level that precious few have attained.]

Every time we daven, we can fulfill these mitzvos of Tefilah and Bitachon.  This does not need to occur only during the formal tefilos.  In fact, according to the Ramban, a spontaneous tefilah during a time of tzarah is a Torah-ordained mitzvah, while a regular tefilah during normal times is d’Rabbanan.

Infusing our tefilos with bitachon is a higher level than a tefilah without bitachon.  Bitachon is the z’chus – even when we have no others – that can tip the scales in our favor.  May it be the Will of Hashem that our tefilos are accepted with rachamim and ratzon.