Studying the parsha through the lens of Mussar---exploring the character trait of Bitachon בטחון / Trust
Bullet Points /key concepts:
- Abraham greets and serves three strangers who approach his tent
- Abraham 'bargains' with God on behalf of Sodom, but is unsuccessful and Sodom and Amorah are destroyed
- Sarah and Avimelech
- Lot escapes Sodom, but his wife turns to see the destruction and turns into a pillar of salt
- There is an alliance between Abraham and Avimelech
- Sarah conceives, bears Isaac, he is the first boy circumsized at 8 days, there is a feast when he is weaned
- Sarah asks Abraham to send Ishamael [and Hagar] away, God tells Abraham to listen to Sarah
- Abraham is asked to bring Isaac to Mount Moriah, is tested
The middah of Bitachon / Trust בטחון
בטחון (>>ביטחון) TRUST, also confidence, positiveness, reliance, safeness; security, secureness;
Emunah: A knowing, deep in the soul, that there is only ONE; One God, One Source of Good...and that Essence of Good loves you...you are created in God's Image.
Bitachon: The confidence that emerges when Emunah is challenged by circumstances. Our ability to have Bitachon is to be able to draw on this middah when real life situations come up that challenge us.
Both of these middot are extremely challenging since our intellect (rational mind) constantly fights with our hearts (our emotional brains that sometimes have an inexplicable knowing). You may struggle with it, challenge it, and even doubt...all that is fine----after all, it is the struggle that makes us who we are. ~Ruth Schapira
If Emunah is like the tree, providing a solid and sure foundation...then Bitachon is like the fruit of the tree.
Bitachon is the real life application of having Emunah.
Where is the dividing line between Emunah and Bitachon? The truth is there is no real line of demarcation; rather Emunah and Bitachon can be viewed as part of a continuum. Emunah is the intellectual knowledge of Hashem and his ways, Bitachon is the emotional internalization of that knowledge. ~Rabbi Shaya Cohen
Generally translated as “trust,” bitachon is a powerful sense of optimism and confidence based not on reason or experience, but on emunah. You know that “G‑d is good and He’s the only one in charge,” and therefore you have no fears or frets....There are varying degrees of bitachon, according to a person’s degree of emunah. One person may have emunah that although things right now are not good, they are all for the good (eventually). A higher, yet more enlightened emunah is that everything right now is good—even when it superficially looks terrible.
~Rabbi Tzvi Freeman, www.chabad.org
(ט) בִּטְח֘וּ ב֤וֹ בְכׇל־עֵ֨ת ׀ עָ֗ם שִׁפְכֽוּ־לְפָנָ֥יו לְבַבְכֶ֑ם אֱלֹהִ֖ים מַֽחֲסֶה־לָּ֣נוּ סֶֽלָה׃
(9) Trust in Him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts before Him;
God is our refuge. Selah.
(ד) בִּטְח֥וּ בַֽיהֹוָ֖ה עֲדֵי־עַ֑ד כִּ֚י בְּיָ֣הּ יְהֹוָ֔ה צ֖וּר עוֹלָמִֽים׃
For in Yah the LORD you have an everlasting Rock.
וַיֵּרָ֤א אֵלָיו֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה בְּאֵלֹנֵ֖י מַמְרֵ֑א וְה֛וּא יֹשֵׁ֥ב פֶּֽתַח־הָאֹ֖הֶל כְּחֹ֥ם הַיּֽוֹם׃ וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּה֙ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֔ים נִצָּבִ֖ים עָלָ֑יו וַיַּ֗רְא וַיָּ֤רׇץ לִקְרָאתָם֙ מִפֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֔הֶל וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ אָֽרְצָה׃
Rashi: וירא AND HE SAW — What does the repetition of this word וירא imply? The first time it has its ordinary meaning (“he looked”), the second that of understanding:
(ג) וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֲדֹנָ֗י אִם־נָ֨א מָצָ֤אתִי חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ אַל־נָ֥א תַעֲבֹ֖ר מֵעַ֥ל עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃ (ד) יֻקַּֽח־נָ֣א מְעַט־מַ֔יִם וְרַחֲצ֖וּ רַגְלֵיכֶ֑ם וְהִֽשָּׁעֲנ֖וּ תַּ֥חַת הָעֵֽץ׃ (ה) וְאֶקְחָ֨ה פַת־לֶ֜חֶם וְסַעֲד֤וּ לִבְּכֶם֙ אַחַ֣ר תַּעֲבֹ֔רוּ כִּֽי־עַל־כֵּ֥ן עֲבַרְתֶּ֖ם עַֽל־עַבְדְּכֶ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ כֵּ֥ן תַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּֽרְתָּ׃ (ו) וַיְמַהֵ֧ר אַבְרָהָ֛ם הָאֹ֖הֱלָה אֶל־שָׂרָ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מַהֲרִ֞י שְׁלֹ֤שׁ סְאִים֙ קֶ֣מַח סֹ֔לֶת ל֖וּשִׁי וַעֲשִׂ֥י עֻגֽוֹת׃ (ז) וְאֶל־הַבָּקָ֖ר רָ֣ץ אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיִּקַּ֨ח בֶּן־בָּקָ֜ר רַ֤ךְ וָטוֹב֙ וַיִּתֵּ֣ן אֶל־הַנַּ֔עַר וַיְמַהֵ֖ר לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת אֹתֽוֹ׃ (ח) וַיִּקַּ֨ח חֶמְאָ֜ה וְחָלָ֗ב וּבֶן־הַבָּקָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וַיִּתֵּ֖ן לִפְנֵיהֶ֑ם וְהֽוּא־עֹמֵ֧ד עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם תַּ֥חַת הָעֵ֖ץ וַיֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃
(3) he said, “My lords!*My lords Or “My lord,” referring either to the delegation’s apparent leader or to God. If it please you, do not go on past your servant. (4) Let a little water be brought; bathe your feet and recline under the tree. (5) And let me fetch a morsel of bread that you may refresh yourselves; then go on—seeing that you have come your servant’s way.” They replied, “Do as you have said.” (6) Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quick, three seahs of choice flour! Knead and make cakes!” (7) Then Abraham ran to the herd, took a calf, tender and choice, and gave it to a servant-boy, who hastened to prepare it. (8) He took curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared and set these before them; and he waited on them under the tree as they ate.
Rashbam to Bereishit 18:1
“And the Eternal appeared to him”—How so? [In the form] of the three men who came to him, who were malakhim [“messengers” or “angels”
The Rashbam implies that ambiguity can serve as a literary tactic for communicating a sense of the inherently ambiguous nature of the divine encounter. The shifting pronouns; the unnamed speakers; the repeated phrasings with slight variations; and the many titles of our subjects: God, men, messengers (maybe even angels)—all contribute to our sense that the appearance of God is a dizzying experience, a difficult thing to understand and describe. ~Rabbi David Kasher
He is their help and shield.
A person who tries to practice trust in G-d while leaving themselves a backup plan is like a person who tries to learn how to swim but insists on keeping one foot on the ground.
~The Alter of Navorodok
(כז) וַיַּ֥עַן אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הִנֵּה־נָ֤א הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֔י וְאָנֹכִ֖י עָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר׃
(27) Abraham spoke up, saying, “Here I venture to speak to my lord, I who am but dust and ashes:
The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to the Jewish people: “I delight in you, since even at a time that I bestow greatness upon you, you diminish (i.e., humble), yourselves before Me. I granted greatness to Abraham, (yet) he said before Me: “And I am but dust and ashes.” (Genesis 18:27) I granted greatness to Moses and Aaron, yet (Moses) said (of the two of them): “And what are we?” (Exodus 16:7) (I granted greatness) to David, (yet) he said: “But I am a worm, and no man.” (Psalms 22:7, Talmud translation, The Davidson Talmud) ~Talmud Bavli, Chullin 89a:
(12) But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed over the boy or your slave; whatever Sarah tells you, do as she says, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be continued for you(13) As for the son of the slave-woman, I will make a nation of him, too, for he is your seed.”
(יד) וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֣ם אַבְרָהָ֣ם ׀ בַּבֹּ֡קֶר וַיִּֽקַּֽח־לֶ֩חֶם֩ וְחֵ֨מַת מַ֜יִם וַיִּתֵּ֣ן אֶל־הָ֠גָ֠ר שָׂ֧ם עַל־שִׁכְמָ֛הּ וְאֶת־הַיֶּ֖לֶד וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֶ֑הָ וַתֵּ֣לֶךְ וַתֵּ֔תַע בְּמִדְבַּ֖ר בְּאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע׃ (טו) וַיִּכְל֥וּ הַמַּ֖יִם מִן־הַחֵ֑מֶת וַתַּשְׁלֵ֣ךְ אֶת־הַיֶּ֔לֶד תַּ֖חַת אַחַ֥ד הַשִּׂיחִֽם׃ (טז) וַתֵּ֩לֶךְ֩ וַתֵּ֨שֶׁב לָ֜הּ מִנֶּ֗גֶד הַרְחֵק֙ כִּמְטַחֲוֵ֣י קֶ֔שֶׁת כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֔ה אַל־אֶרְאֶ֖ה בְּמ֣וֹת הַיָּ֑לֶד וַתֵּ֣שֶׁב מִנֶּ֔גֶד וַתִּשָּׂ֥א אֶת־קֹלָ֖הּ וַתֵּֽבְךְּ׃ (יז) וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אֱלֹהִים֮ אֶת־ק֣וֹל הַנַּ֒עַר֒ וַיִּקְרָא֩ מַלְאַ֨ךְ אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ אֶל־הָגָר֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לָ֖הּ מַה־לָּ֣ךְ הָגָ֑ר אַל־תִּ֣ירְאִ֔י כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֧ע אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶל־ק֥וֹל הַנַּ֖עַר בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הוּא־שָֽׁם׃ (יח) ק֚וּמִי שְׂאִ֣י אֶת־הַנַּ֔עַר וְהַחֲזִ֥יקִי אֶת־יָדֵ֖ךְ בּ֑וֹ כִּֽי־לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל אֲשִׂימֶֽנּוּ׃
(14) Early next morning Abraham took some bread and a skin of water, and gave them to Hagar. He placed them over her shoulder, together with the child, and sent her away. And she wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba. (15) When the water was gone from the skin, she left the child under one of the bushes, (16) and went and sat down at a distance, a bowshot away; for she thought, “Let me not look on as the child dies.” And sitting thus afar, she burst into tears. (17) God heard the cry of the boy, and a messenger of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heeded the cry of the boy where he is. (18) Come, lift up the boy and hold him by the hand, for I will make a great nation of him.”
(יט) וַיִּפְקַ֤ח אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־עֵינֶ֔יהָ וַתֵּ֖רֶא בְּאֵ֣ר מָ֑יִם וַתֵּ֜לֶךְ וַתְּמַלֵּ֤א אֶת־הַחֵ֙מֶת֙ מַ֔יִם וַתַּ֖שְׁקְ אֶת־הַנָּֽעַר׃ (כ) וַיְהִ֧י אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הַנַּ֖עַר וַיִּגְדָּ֑ל וַיֵּ֙שֶׁב֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר וַיְהִ֖י רֹבֶ֥ה קַשָּֽׁת׃ (כא) וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב בְּמִדְבַּ֣ר פָּארָ֑ן וַתִּֽקַּֽח־ל֥וֹ אִמּ֛וֹ אִשָּׁ֖ה מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ {פ}
(19) Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went and filled the skin with water, and let the boy drink. (20) God was with the boy and he grew up; he dwelt in the wilderness and became skilled with a bow. (21) He lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
Theologically, Islam is the closest religion to Judaism. There is no Avoda Zara in Islam, and in theory it is permissible to pray in a mosque. The name of God (El) appears in the name Ishmael, and the Brit Mila that Moslems perform is an indication of their closeness to God, as the Zohar asserted. Like our own nation, Ishmael shares the role of revealing and spreading God’s name in the world, as Rambam says, “And all the doings of Jesus the Nazarene and that of that Ishmaelite who came after him are nothing but to pave the way for the King Messiah and prepare the entire world to worship God together, as it says: ‘For then I will turn to the peoples a pure language, that they may all call upon the Name of the Lord, to serve Him with one consent’” (Hilkhot Melakhim 11:11). www.traditiononline.org
Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi: “Every religion that follows Judaism transforms to be like it, though seemingly it strays away from it. These religions are therefore only preparation and introduction to the long-awaited Messiah, who is the fruit, and at the end of the days in their acknowledgment of him (the Messiah)… the whole tree will become one” ~Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi, Kuzari, 4:23.
...[T]he Israeli-Arab conflict is not demographic or territorial but spiritual and religious. It is a competition about which nation will reveal the name of God in this world. That is why we believe that Ishmael also carries the name of God – Yishma-El. This may also explain the extreme cruelty that we see manifested in the way that some descendants of Ishmael handle the conflict. Netziv of Volozhin suggests, “There are many nations who conquer other countries to expand their empires. And they only wish to kill the king and leaders of the conquered people, not the masses. But this is not so when they wage war for religious reasons – then they fight and wish to destroy all those who don’t believe in God in the way that they do” (Ha’amek Davar, Numbers 24:23). www.traditiononline.org
(א) וַיְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וְהָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים נִסָּ֖ה אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃
(1) Some time afterward, God put Abraham to the test, saying to him, “Abraham.” He answered, “Here I am.”
AND G-D TRIED ABRAHAM. The matter of “trial"... in my opinion, is as follows: Since a man’s deeds are at his absolute free command, to perform them or not to perform them at his will, on the part of one who is tried it is called “a trial.” But on the part of the One, blessed be He, who tries the person, it is a command that the one being tested should bring forth the matter from the potential into actuality so that he may be rewarded for a good deed, not for a good thought alone.
Know further that G-d trieth the righteous,365Psalms 11:5. See also Bereshith Rabbah 34:2. “The Holy One, blessed be He, trieth only the righteous.” for knowing that the righteous will do His will, He desires to make him even more upright, and so He commands him to undertake a test, but He does not try the wicked, who would not obey. Thus all trials in the Torah are for the good of the one who is being tried. Ramban on Genesis 22:1:1
(ח) ונמצא שהוא מושם באמת בתוך המלחמה החזקה, כי כל עניני העולם בין לטוב בין לרע הנה הם נסיונות לאדם, העוני מצד אחד והעושר מצד אחד כענין שאמר שלמה (משלי ל): פן אשבע וכחשתי ואמרתי מי ה', ופן אורש וגנבתי וכו'. השלוה מצד אחד והיסורין מצד אחד, עד שנמצאת המלחמה אליו פנים ואחור.
(8) Thus, we see that man is truly placed in the midst of a raging battlefield. For all matters of this world, whether for the good or for the bad, are trials for a man. Poverty from one side versus wealth from the other. This is as Shlomo said: "Lest I be satiated, and deny You, and say, Who is G-d? or lest I be poor, and steal..." (Prov.30:9). Tranquility on one hand versus suffering on the other, until the battle is waged against him from the front and from the rear.
The test aimed to strengthen the faith of the one being tested (Avraham), so he would be even more empowered in serving God. There’s no doubt that hard work develops our character, just like acting bravely creates even more strength in the character of a brave person. RaN (Rabbi Nissim ben Reuven of Gerona, Spain).
(יב) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אַל־תִּשְׁלַ֤ח יָֽדְךָ֙ אֶל־הַנַּ֔עַר וְאַל־תַּ֥עַשׂ ל֖וֹ מְא֑וּמָה כִּ֣י ׀ עַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּֽי־יְרֵ֤א אֱלֹהִים֙ אַ֔תָּה וְלֹ֥א חָשַׂ֛כְתָּ אֶת־בִּנְךָ֥ אֶת־יְחִידְךָ֖ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ (יג) וַיִּשָּׂ֨א אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ וְהִנֵּה־אַ֔יִל אַחַ֕ר נֶאֱחַ֥ז בַּסְּבַ֖ךְ בְּקַרְנָ֑יו וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ אַבְרָהָם֙ וַיִּקַּ֣ח אֶת־הָאַ֔יִל וַיַּעֲלֵ֥הוּ לְעֹלָ֖ה תַּ֥חַת בְּנֽוֹ׃ (יד) וַיִּקְרָ֧א אַבְרָהָ֛ם שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא יְהֹוָ֣ה ׀ יִרְאֶ֑ה אֲשֶׁר֙ יֵאָמֵ֣ר הַיּ֔וֹם בְּהַ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה יֵרָאֶֽה׃ (טו) וַיִּקְרָ֛א מַלְאַ֥ךְ יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֑ם שֵׁנִ֖ית מִן־הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ (טז) וַיֹּ֕אמֶר בִּ֥י נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה כִּ֗י יַ֚עַן אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשִׂ֙יתָ֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה וְלֹ֥א חָשַׂ֖כְתָּ אֶת־בִּנְךָ֥ אֶת־יְחִידֶֽךָ׃ (יז) כִּֽי־בָרֵ֣ךְ אֲבָרֶכְךָ֗ וְהַרְבָּ֨ה אַרְבֶּ֤ה אֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֙ כְּכוֹכְבֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְכַח֕וֹל אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־שְׂפַ֣ת הַיָּ֑ם וְיִרַ֣שׁ זַרְעֲךָ֔ אֵ֖ת שַׁ֥עַר אֹיְבָֽיו׃ (יח) וְהִתְבָּרְכ֣וּ בְזַרְעֲךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ עֵ֕קֶב אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ בְּקֹלִֽי׃ (יט) וַיָּ֤שׇׁב אַבְרָהָם֙ אֶל־נְעָרָ֔יו וַיָּקֻ֛מוּ וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ יַחְדָּ֖ו אֶל־בְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב אַבְרָהָ֖ם בִּבְאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע׃ {פ}
(א) ר' יהודה אומ' כיון שהגיע החרב על צוארו פרחה ויצאה נפשו של יצחק וכיון שהשמיע קולו מבין הכרובים ואמ' לו אל תשלח ידך נפשו חזרה לגופו וקם ועמד יצחק על רגליו וידע יצחק שכך המתים עתידים להחיות ופתח ואמ' ברוך אתה ה' מחיה המתים.
R. Yehuda says: Since the knife came upon [Isaac's] neck, Isaac's soul burst out and departed. And since God projected His voice from between the Cherubs and said to [Abraham], "Do not raise your hand" (12), [Isaac's] soul returned to his body. Isaac rose up and stood on his feet, and Isaac knew thus that in the future the dead will be revived. He opened his mouth and said, "Praised are You, Adonai, who revives the dead."
ולמה נותנין אפר בראש כל אחד ואחד פליגי בה ר' לוי בר חמא ור' חנינא חד אמר הרי אנו חשובין לפניך כאפר וחד אמר כדי שיזכור לנו אפרו של יצחק
And why do they place ashes upon the head of each and every individual? Rabbi Levi bar Ḥama and Rabbi Ḥanina disagree with regard to this matter. One said that this is as though to say: We are considered like ashes before You. And one said that these ashes are placed in order to remind God of the ashes of our forefather Isaac, on our behalf.
מדרש הגדול בר׳ כב: יט
וישב אברהם אל נעריו. ויצחק היכן הוא? אלא אמר ר׳ אלעזר בן פדת אע״פ שלא מת יצחק מעלה עליו הכתוב כאלו מת ואפרו מוטל על גבי המזבח. לכך נאמר ״וישב אברהם אל נעריו.״
ד״א וישב אברהם. ויצחק היכן הוא? אלא שהכניסו הקב״ה לגן עדן וישב שם בה שלוש שנים.
Midrash HaGadol Gen. 22:19
And Abraham returned to the youths. And where was Isaac? R. Eleazar ben Pedat said even though Isaac did not die, the text regards it as if he died and his ashes were sprinkled over the altar.
Another interpretation: And Abraham returned... And where was Isaac? The Holy One brought him into the Garden of Eden and he dwelt there three years.
“O, do Thou regard the ashes of Father Isaac heaped up on top of the altar, and deal with Thy children in accordance with the Mercy Attribute.” (Supplication prior to sounding the ram’s horn, Heidenheim Machzor, Vienna, 1827)
Isaac said to him: “Father have no fears. May it be His will that one quarter of my blood serve as an atonement for all Israel.” (Bereshit Rabbati 22:8, ed. Albeck, p. 90)
To resolve the seeming conflict between the tradition that he was sacrificed and the text that says a ram was substituted, later Jewish sages suggested that Isaac was laid upon the altar after the wood was kindled (in accordance with priestly law [Leviticus 1:7–8]); although the angel prevented Abraham from slaying his son, Isaac was burned to death and his ashes cast on Moriah. Moriah, in Jewish tradition, is the Temple Mount, where the Temple was later built and where sacrifices were offered in commemoration of the Akedah. www.biblicalarcheology.org
In Christianity, Isaac plays an important role in the “prefiguration of Jesus as Christ". Just as Isaac atones for the sins of the Children of Israel, the sacrifice of Jesus atones for the sins of all mankind. While Isaac’s sacrifice is part of the covenant between God and the Children of Israel, Jesus’s sacrifice represents the beginning of a new covenant...an historical narrative evolved in which Ishmael was considered the intended sacrifice and that through him a unique relationship developed between God and the Arab Muslims. https://themaydan.com/
The Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice) is no exception. In fact, it teaches us one of the most fundamental lessons in our struggle to achieve nearness to God, and that is, ‘Sacrifice is essential to meet God.’
It reminds us of the great sacrifice offered by Abraham (as) who lived over 4,000 years ago in the country now known as Iraq. www.Reviewofreligions.org
More sources on the middah of Bitachon / Trust
than to trust in the great.
But someone who does not want to guide himself in an intelligent manner and exposes himself to dangers - this is not trust in G-d but rather foolishness. Such a person sins in that he is acting against the will of G-d who desires that a man guard himself.
"Internalizing the attribute of bitachon [trust in God] leads to two benefits, First, the person who trusts in God is freed from all the troubles of the world. They are spared the emotional fragmentation caused by overly intense involvement in too many worldly concerns. They are also saved from wearing themselves out, body and soul…
Second, they have acquired the habit of trust, a path and a course in life. The direction that one has in this world is even more important than the benefits to which it leads. The advantages gained through bitachon are only indicators of its supreme value and by no means its only measure."
Rabbi Yosef Yozel Hurwitz in Madregat Ha'Adam (edited for gender)
Once you recognize that the world is not meant to be comfortable, certain, or easy, but rather an ideal training ground for the soul, trust in God can begin to take root.
~Alan Morinis
EXCERPTS: This story is certainly one of the masterpieces of biblical literature... Chap. 22 is a tale of God’s seeming retraction of his promise (of “seed”) to Avraham. The fact that other issues may be involved here (i.e., Israel’s rejection of local and widely practiced ideas of child sacrifice) may be quite beside the point. Coming just one chapter after the birth of the long-awaited son, the story completely turns around the tension of the whole cycle and creates a new, frightening tension of its own. The real horror of the story lies in this threatened contradiction to what has gone before. Most noticeable in the narrative is Avraham’s silence, his mute acceptance of, and acting on, God’s command. We are told of no sleepless night, nor does he ever say a word to God. Instead he is described with a series of verbs: starting-early, saddling, taking, splitting, arising, going (v.3; similarly in vv.6 and 9–10). Avraham the bargainer, so willing to enter into negotiations with relations (Chap. 13), allies (Chap. 14), local princes (Chap. 20), and even God himself (Chap. 18), here falls completely silent. The chapter serves an important structural function in the Avraham cycle, framing it in conjunction with Chap. 12. The triplet in v.2 (“Pray take your son,/ your only-one,/ whom you love”) recalls “from your land/ from your kindred/ from your father’s house” in 12:1; “go-you-forth” and “the land that I will tell you of” (v.2; the latter, three times in the story) similarly point back to Avraham’s call (12:1, “Go-you-forth … to the land that I will let you see”). There he had been asked to give up the past (his father); here, the future (his son). Between the two events lies Avraham’s active life as man of God, ancestor, and intercessor. After this God will never speak with him again. In many ways this story is the midpoint of Genesis. It brings the central theme of continuity and discontinuity to a head in the strongest possible way. After Moriyya, we can breathe easier, knowing that God will come to the rescue of his chosen ones in the direst of circumstances. At the same time we are left to ponder the difficulties of being a chosen one, subject to such an incredible test. The story is also the paradigmatic narrative of the entire book. The Patriarch passes the test, and we know that the fulfillment of the divine promise is assured. Yet there is an ominous note: love, which occurs here by name for the first time, leads almost to heartbreak. So it will be for the rest of Genesis.