Description: Kriah 03
She’arim BiTefillah
Kriah 03
In order to better understand the concept of Kriah, we have to delve into the mitzvah of Bitachon in Hashem.
Bitachon is one of Hashem’s middos, meaning how He relates to us. If we trust in Hashem, He will save us and look after us, as it says ‘לא יכלמו לנצח כל החוסים בך’. The Medrash in Tehillim says, this is a mashal to a bandit who was captured and they were whipping him, and then he cried out, ‘I’m related to the king!’ Not wanting to risk the king’s wrath, they bring him to the king, and the king asks him, ‘How are you my relation?’ The man answered, ‘Because I depend on you!’ The king replied, ‘If you depend on me, it’s my job to save you!’ Likewise, the mere fact that we depend on Hashem to save us, is a reason why He will save us.
The Gr”a explains the pasuk, הבוטח בה' חסד יסובבנו, one who trusts in Hashem will be surrounded by kindness, means even if the person is totally not deserving of the kindness – even a rashah. Through bitachon we find favor in Hashem’s eyes, even though our actions don’t live up to that.
However, the Brisker Rav explains, that the definition of bitachon is when we recognize the difficulty, the desperate situation we are in, and nevertheless rely on Hashem. Only inasmuch that we know that we are in a frightfully scary predicament, and we are fully aware of how in need we are, and then we rely on Hashem because we know He can save us – this is true bitachon, then we merit that Hashem will save us. At times, people don’t recognize the severity of their situation. The Brisker Rav would talk about Rosh Hashanah in this way. We don’t really understand what it means to undergo Hashem’s judgement. We don’t fear it because we don’t know it. If we don’t fear it, we can’t convince ourselves that we are truly relying on Hashem, and that’s what we are counting on – because we simply aren’t nervous to begin with!
This is what the pasuk says in Tehillim, יום אירא אני אליך אבטח, on a day that I am afraid, will I rely on You!
According to this, the greater the difficulty one is in, the greater level of Bitachon is required. If a person is faced by a single dangerous man, they need one level of belief that Hashem can save them. If they are faced with a whole troop of soldiers looking to harm them, chas v’shalom, it requires belief that Hashem can perform miracles, and save them even from this. This is true bitachon, and that kind of reliance in it of itself, merits that Hashem will save us.
For a person without merit, a rashah, to rely on Hashem, takes great bitachon. Because, not only is he in a desperate situation, he also knows that he probably deserves this – just as that bandit deserved to be whipped. It requires a powerful belief in Hashem’s capability for mercy, to have midas ha’rachamim beyond our level of understanding, to rely on Hashem and hope He will save him. For a tzaddik it is simpler, because he knows that he has served Hashem all this time, and although no one is perfect, it is much easier to rely on Hashem and hope that He will answer our call, our prayers.
She’arim BiTefillah
Kriah 03
In order to better understand the concept of Kriah, we have to delve into the mitzvah of Bitachon in Hashem.
Bitachon is one of Hashem’s middos, meaning how He relates to us. If we trust in Hashem, He will save us and look after us, as it says ‘לא יכלמו לנצח כל החוסים בך’. The Medrash in Tehillim says, this is a mashal to a bandit who was captured and they were whipping him, and then he cried out, ‘I’m related to the king!’ Not wanting to risk the king’s wrath, they bring him to the king, and the king asks him, ‘How are you my relation?’ The man answered, ‘Because I depend on you!’ The king replied, ‘If you depend on me, it’s my job to save you!’ Likewise, the mere fact that we depend on Hashem to save us, is a reason why He will save us.
The Gr”a explains the pasuk, הבוטח בה' חסד יסובבנו, one who trusts in Hashem will be surrounded by kindness, means even if the person is totally not deserving of the kindness – even a rashah. Through bitachon we find favor in Hashem’s eyes, even though our actions don’t live up to that.
However, the Brisker Rav explains, that the definition of bitachon is when we recognize the difficulty, the desperate situation we are in, and nevertheless rely on Hashem. Only inasmuch that we know that we are in a frightfully scary predicament, and we are fully aware of how in need we are, and then we rely on Hashem because we know He can save us – this is true bitachon, then we merit that Hashem will save us. At times, people don’t recognize the severity of their situation. The Brisker Rav would talk about Rosh Hashanah in this way. We don’t really understand what it means to undergo Hashem’s judgement. We don’t fear it because we don’t know it. If we don’t fear it, we can’t convince ourselves that we are truly relying on Hashem, and that’s what we are counting on – because we simply aren’t nervous to begin with!
This is what the pasuk says in Tehillim, יום אירא אני אליך אבטח, on a day that I am afraid, will I rely on You!
According to this, the greater the difficulty one is in, the greater level of Bitachon is required. If a person is faced by a single dangerous man, they need one level of belief that Hashem can save them. If they are faced with a whole troop of soldiers looking to harm them, chas v’shalom, it requires belief that Hashem can perform miracles, and save them even from this. This is true bitachon, and that kind of reliance in it of itself, merits that Hashem will save us.
For a person without merit, a rashah, to rely on Hashem, takes great bitachon. Because, not only is he in a desperate situation, he also knows that he probably deserves this – just as that bandit deserved to be whipped. It requires a powerful belief in Hashem’s capability for mercy, to have midas ha’rachamim beyond our level of understanding, to rely on Hashem and hope He will save him. For a tzaddik it is simpler, because he knows that he has served Hashem all this time, and although no one is perfect, it is much easier to rely on Hashem and hope that He will answer our call, our prayers.