Perceived Reality and the True Reality - Bitachon is the Key
Vayigash
This past week, an incredible video was posted on one of the community Whatsapp chats. The video was of a concert being held in Israel.
In the middle of the concert, a warning siren for an incoming missile attack went off. The musician began to sing a song that has become incredibly popular in Israel in the course of the current war, embraced by religious and secular Jews alike. The lyrics are “Hashem Yisbarach always loves me and everything will always only be good for me… more good and even more good.” In the midst of the threat, instead of panic and fear, thousands of voices joined joyously in the singing, turning their thoughts to Hashem.
Attributed to a noted Breslev leader and teacher, these words encapsulate the theme of Bitachon. Based on the Shaar Habitachon of Rabbeinu Bachye Ibn Pakuda and as expounded in Chassidic teaching, Bitachon differs significantly from Emunah.
Emunah is faith, Bitachon is trust. Emunah is a belief or level of awareness that Hashem is involved in everything that happens and that ultimately everything is for the good, even when we are currently experiencing struggles and darkness.
Bitachon is trust and absolute reliance that Hashem controls everything and will certainly provide for us in the best possible way, and in a way that we can perceive its goodness.
What underlies Bitachon is love. Since Hashem loves us infinitely and no matter what, like a parent loves their child, we are sure that He has our best interests at heart and will only give us good.
In the beginning of the Parsha, Yehudah and the brothers find themselves in a very difficult situation. Not knowing that he was really Yosef, in his mind, Yehuda was coming before the viceroy of Egypt, the second-most powerful man in the world, a man who had absolute power of life and death over Yehudah and his brothers. This situation would instinctively cause fear and trepidation.
The true reality was that this man was his brother Yosef and that there was no reason for fear. Yosef would never seek to cause his brothers harm. In fact, everything that was occurring was part of Hashem’s plan to provide for and look after Yaakov’s family in the best possible way.
Yehuda did not know that the viceroy was Yosef. He did not tangibly see how everything would be good. But he believed that it would and this gave him strength and confidence. When he acted with confidence and trust, without fear, the veil of the perceived reality was pierced and the true reality of goodness was revealed to him, as Yosef revealed his true self to them.
Everything in our lives plays out on these two levels; the perceived reality and the true reality. In our perceived reality, we may face and experience negative events, threats and situations. Despite our faith, these hardships and tribulations rock our world, leaving us feeling weak, vulnerable and threatened. We experience fear and worry about what will happen and what the outcome will be.
With Bitachon, even though we don’t see it manifest, in our mind’s eye we perceive that there is a true reality, that Hashem is in control of everything and therefore we have nothing to fear. Hashem loves us always and will take care of us, providing us with only good.
Bitachon gives us optimism and confidence in every situation. With Bitachon, a person will always be calm and tranquil and feel completely secure.
So how do we attain Bitachon? On the words ויגש אליו יהודה, our sages teach that ויגש refers to prayer. In this context, אליו - “to Him”, refers to Hashem. The root of the word Tefillah (prayer) means to connect. Through Davening, we strengthen our connection to Hashem; our awareness that He is always with us and that He is in control of everything. Davening is the experience of love, where we declare our love to Hashem and we meditate on His great and eternal love for us.
Our connection to Hashem is the key to attaining Bitachon.
When the missiles of war threaten our people, instead of falling into fear and despair by focusing on the perceived reality that we are experiencing, let us advance with confidence and positivity that comes from our assuredness that Hashem Yisbarach always loves us, His children, and therefore He will take care of us and do good for us.
May our Bitachon in these challenging times be rewarded that, like Yosef revealing himself to his brothers, we will be able to tangibly see and experience the true reality of Hashem’s goodness. Starting with immediate victory over our enemies and the safe return of our captives and עוד יותר טוב, growing ever more good.
In the middle of the concert, a warning siren for an incoming missile attack went off. The musician began to sing a song that has become incredibly popular in Israel in the course of the current war, embraced by religious and secular Jews alike. The lyrics are “Hashem Yisbarach always loves me and everything will always only be good for me… more good and even more good.” In the midst of the threat, instead of panic and fear, thousands of voices joined joyously in the singing, turning their thoughts to Hashem.
Attributed to a noted Breslev leader and teacher, these words encapsulate the theme of Bitachon. Based on the Shaar Habitachon of Rabbeinu Bachye Ibn Pakuda and as expounded in Chassidic teaching, Bitachon differs significantly from Emunah.
Emunah is faith, Bitachon is trust. Emunah is a belief or level of awareness that Hashem is involved in everything that happens and that ultimately everything is for the good, even when we are currently experiencing struggles and darkness.
Bitachon is trust and absolute reliance that Hashem controls everything and will certainly provide for us in the best possible way, and in a way that we can perceive its goodness.
What underlies Bitachon is love. Since Hashem loves us infinitely and no matter what, like a parent loves their child, we are sure that He has our best interests at heart and will only give us good.
In the beginning of the Parsha, Yehudah and the brothers find themselves in a very difficult situation. Not knowing that he was really Yosef, in his mind, Yehuda was coming before the viceroy of Egypt, the second-most powerful man in the world, a man who had absolute power of life and death over Yehudah and his brothers. This situation would instinctively cause fear and trepidation.
The true reality was that this man was his brother Yosef and that there was no reason for fear. Yosef would never seek to cause his brothers harm. In fact, everything that was occurring was part of Hashem’s plan to provide for and look after Yaakov’s family in the best possible way.
Yehuda did not know that the viceroy was Yosef. He did not tangibly see how everything would be good. But he believed that it would and this gave him strength and confidence. When he acted with confidence and trust, without fear, the veil of the perceived reality was pierced and the true reality of goodness was revealed to him, as Yosef revealed his true self to them.
Everything in our lives plays out on these two levels; the perceived reality and the true reality. In our perceived reality, we may face and experience negative events, threats and situations. Despite our faith, these hardships and tribulations rock our world, leaving us feeling weak, vulnerable and threatened. We experience fear and worry about what will happen and what the outcome will be.
With Bitachon, even though we don’t see it manifest, in our mind’s eye we perceive that there is a true reality, that Hashem is in control of everything and therefore we have nothing to fear. Hashem loves us always and will take care of us, providing us with only good.
Bitachon gives us optimism and confidence in every situation. With Bitachon, a person will always be calm and tranquil and feel completely secure.
So how do we attain Bitachon? On the words ויגש אליו יהודה, our sages teach that ויגש refers to prayer. In this context, אליו - “to Him”, refers to Hashem. The root of the word Tefillah (prayer) means to connect. Through Davening, we strengthen our connection to Hashem; our awareness that He is always with us and that He is in control of everything. Davening is the experience of love, where we declare our love to Hashem and we meditate on His great and eternal love for us.
Our connection to Hashem is the key to attaining Bitachon.
When the missiles of war threaten our people, instead of falling into fear and despair by focusing on the perceived reality that we are experiencing, let us advance with confidence and positivity that comes from our assuredness that Hashem Yisbarach always loves us, His children, and therefore He will take care of us and do good for us.
May our Bitachon in these challenging times be rewarded that, like Yosef revealing himself to his brothers, we will be able to tangibly see and experience the true reality of Hashem’s goodness. Starting with immediate victory over our enemies and the safe return of our captives and עוד יותר טוב, growing ever more good.