Ezras Avoseinu #2: Striving to Make Hashem Our “Ozer”
עזרת אבותינו אתה הוא מעולם, מגן ומושיע לבניהם אחריהם בכל דור ודור
The Helper of our Forefathers are You alone, forever, Shield and Savior for their children after them in every generation.
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For our Forefathers, known as our “Avos” (Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov), Hashem was an “Ozer” (from the word “ezras”). For their descendants after them, Hashem is a “Moshia” and a “Magen.”
Moshia means that we are in a state of tzarah and Hashem saves us without our participating in the salvation. This is contrasted to Ozer, where Hashem helped the Avos, who participated through their total devotion to Hashem and through their worthy maasim tovim. Our maasim, on the other hand, are not deemed worthy enough of being considered for us to be saved, and therefore our salvation, post-Avos era, is completely as a result of Hashem’s chesed. Magen means that Hashem removes any tzarah before it even reaches us.
[Siach Yitzchak, brought in Rinas Chaim]
Rav Avigdor Miller zt”l points out that the word “אחריהם–achareihem” is superfluous. We all know that descendants follow forefathers. He says that the word “achareihem” was added to teach us that it is only in the merit of the Avos that salvation comes to their descendants who follow after them. He quotes the Rambam (Moreh N’vuchim 3:43), who writes:
שזה גם כן הוא ממה שהתורה תלויה עליו – רצוני לומר שכל טוב שהיטיב האלו-ה לנו וייטיב – אמנם הוא בזכות אבות מפני ששמרו דרך ה' לעשות צדקה ומשפט
“This idea is likewise a critical element of the Torah: I mean to say that whatever good we have received, and ever will receive of Hashem, is owing to the merits of the Patriarchs, who ‘kept the way of Hashem to do justice and judgment’ (B’reishis 18:19).”
Integrating Mitzvos into Our Daily Lives
What is the difference between “Emunah” and “Bitachon”? Emunah is the intellectual knowledge that Hashem exists, created the Universe, and guides and oversees every aspect of the world (Hashgachah Pratis, Divine Providence). That doesn’t seem to leave much room for Bitachon.
What exactly is Bitachon? Bitachon is the practical application of Emunah. It means that we actually live our lives, on a daily basis, trusting and relying on Hashem in every aspect of our lives.
In order to understand whether we have attained the level of Bitachon, we should ask ourselves the following: Is the knowledge of Emunah so ingrained in our hearts and minds that we actually live our lives with trust and reliance on Hashem? Do we attribute every event, everything that comes our way whether major or mundane, to Hashem? Do we really feel that all Hashem sends our way is for our benefit to learn from and to grow closer to Hashem? When we need anything, large or small, do we first turn to Hashem before putting forth our physical efforts? Do we FIRST ask Him to help us and then have hope that He will, because He loves us and wants to do chesed for us even if we are undeserving?
Let’s remember that working on our bitachon is a lifelong quest. The answers to the above questions should be: “I am working on it.” It is not easy when every media outlet and most people are constantly busy trying to explain why this happened and why that didn’t happen. People are eager to express their opinions, whether they get paid to do so or not.
We must work daily and tirelessly to remind ourselves that the only reason anything happened or didn’t happen was because that was what Hashem wanted. Everything we read or hear is only the “how” and not the “why.”
A beautiful Meshech Chochmah (D’varim 20:10) we will share (in the future, b’ezras Hashem) writes that bitachon is d’veikus. Trusting and relying only on Hashem for everything is the greatest attachment to Hashem, because it means that we are actually thinking about Hashem and cleaving to Him constantly. May we be zocheh, b’ezras Hashem, to grow each day in our bitachon and d’veikus.