Guys today we have a very fundamental torah piece we’re going to be exploring. And this is authored by Rav Shlomo Eliyashiv, who is actually the great grandfatrher of the great Rav yosef Shalom Eliyashiv from our generation. Rav Shlomo Eliyashiv, known as the Leshem, because of his Torah work – Leshem Shevo Veachlama, in one of his books known as the sefer hadeah (Chelek 2, drush 5, anaf 4, siman 5), writes the following remarkable idea. One is to be so confident in their reliance on Hashem that their situation will turn out for the good and when a person is choosing to rely on Hashem, they can be so confident in that reliance on Hashem that Hashem will come through for them in exactly the way that they need and nothing whatsoever can distract Hashem from sending their salvation. Hashem will for sure come through for them.

Because the concept of Bitachon is not limited to an explicit passage in the Torah such as when Hashem gave certain commands to our great ancestors in the Torah itself to do certain things, and then they were called on to have Bitachon to Him. Now one might argue, if Hashem also came to me in a revelation and told me to do something, I would do it and then I would rely on Him because He's told me clearly what I am to do. So one might argue, in situations such as the characters in the Torah itself where Hashem told them to do specific things and go on certain missions, they were able to have Bitachon in Hashem that Hashem would come through for them in exactly the way that was good for them and that He told them He would come through for them because He told them so. But me, Hashem did not speak to me and tell me that He was going to come through for me in the way that I am desiring. In fact, I am asking Hashem for Parnassah. I don't know if He wants me to have Parnassah. I am asking Hashem to give me health. I don't know if He wants me to have health.

And says the Leshem, one of the most fundamental ideas behind this whole journey of Bitachon, but also the concept of Bitachon applies just as much to situations where there is no explicit command from Hashem in the Torah to rely on Him in that specific situation. By the fact that there are so many pesukim in the Torah that call on us to constantly reach out to Hashem and hope to Hashem and rely on Hashem, that He is the one that will take care of us and when we are in a challenging situation to look up to Hashem that He will send us our salvation, and many verses in the Torah, such as this example that the Leshem brings, promise that somebody who trusts in Hashem, Hashem will come through for them, it is as if Hashem has written this situation that we are going through in the Torah itself and telling us, you are to rely on Me and I will come through for you.

So not only in situations where Hashem commands the individuals in the Torah stories themselves and says you are to go on certain missions, and even though it might seem like a dangerous mission, don't worry, I will come through for you in a good way. Bitachon is not limited to those situations. Rather, each and every one of us in our own situations. Because Hashem has commanded us in so many verses, when you have a problem, you are to rely on Me. So when I'm going through a challenging relationship and I come to Hashem and I say, Hashem please save me from this challenging situation. I'm relying on You and You exclusively to save me. It is as if Hashem has told me in the Torah, you are going to go through a challenging relationship and I am going to save you by the fact that so many pesukim command us to rely on Hashem.

Any situation where we need Hashem and we choose to rely on Him, it was as if Hashem had commanded us to go through that situation and had pre-told us that He will come through for us. Bezrat Hashem in the next session, we're going to round up part 5 of our Transform Your Bittachon series. And thereafter, continue to the next section of our Bittachon journey, and with Hashem's help, together, transform our lives.

We're moving forward now to the next Torah source we're going to be exploring. And this is a passage from the Chofetz Chaim (Zechor Lemiriam, Chapter 20). The Chofetz Chaim writes that we have found in the Torah a proof to internalize just how great the power of bitachon, of relying on Hashem is. And we can see this from the story in the Torah where the town of Sedom was about to be destroyed, and Hashem sent some heavenly angels in the guise of human beings to inform Lot on what was about to happen in order to give him a chance to escape and be saved. But again to Lot they appeared as human messengers. And as we know in the story in the Torah, that the wicked people of Sedom were trying to harm these messengers, these outsiders.

And what was Lot's response to his wicked neighbors and people of the town? Please do not cause these people any harm. Why? Because they have chosen to take shelter in my roof.

Continues the Chofetz Chaim, This means to say - They chose to rely on me that I am able to be their security and save them from you wicked individuals. And therefore Lot was begging his wicked neighbors, asking them please to leave these individuals alone. Why? Because they have relied on me. Again we are seeing here this most basic principle. When someone relies on you, you are accountable to come through for them. Lot understood this with absolute clarity and therefore the sole reason he asked his neighbors and townspeople to leave these individuals alone was not because they are good people or you guys are doing bad things, but rather please they have relied on me and therefore it is completely inappropriate for me not to be accountable and responsible towards them.

And continues the Chofetz Chaim. We know from other Torah passages that Lot actually was not an upright individual whatsoever. Even though Lot was not an upright individual, he understood this most basic fundamental idea. That when someone relies on you, you are accountable to come through for them. And this story was written down in the Torah. The Torah passages are not just history lessons, but rather each episode that is recorded has a specific message and take home for us. And says the Chofetz Chaim that one of the most important take homes from this episode of Lot asking the people of his town to please leave his guests alone and not cause them harm because they have relied on him is to teach us that when someone relies on you, you are accountable and you must do anything and everything possible within your capacity and resources to make sure that those that have relied on you are taken care of in the way that they have relied on you.

And continues the Chofetz Chaim. How much more so this applies to Hashem Himself who is not limited by human capacities with all our issues and problems and challenges that we have, that Hashem Himself is really the source of all mercy and compassion, when a person relies on Hashem with sincerity, Hashem will certainly help that individual to be saved from all forms of evil.

Again, we see clearly in this beautiful passage from the Chofetz Chaim. When one relies on Hashem, Hashem will for sure come through for you and save you from the challenging situation that you are going through. It does not say here that hopefully He will save you, but maybe He might have other calculations why He might not come through for you in the way that you desire.

No, the Chofetz Chaim is teaching us when you rely on Hashem, Hashem is accountable to come through for you for the sole reason that you have chosen to rely on Him. Bezrat Hashem, in the next session, let's continue with the next passage we're going to be exploring about Bitachon and with Hashem's help, together transform our lives.