Q:
What should one do to instill within himself real bitachon?
A:
Now there’s a short way and a long way. The long way is to learn Chovos Halevavos Sha’ar Habitachon many times. It’s not easy but it certainly is rewarding.
A shorter way however is to be mispallel always for everything. As you’re mispallel you gain the idea that everything comes from Hashem.
But this means two things. Let’s say you’re going to visit today a customer that he should make an order from you. So number one, before you enter his office you stop and say a tefillah that he should make a big order for your merchandise. Never neglect that. Don’t think kochi veotzem yadi – I have a good tongue or I have good merchandise. Never mind what you think you have. Stop outside the office before you go in and ask Hakadosh Baruch Hu to help you.
Then number two, when you walk out with a big order thank Hashem. Always always thank Him. So when you do things, whatever you’re doing, beforehand pray for it and afterwards thank for it.
Let’s say you’re in a hurry to catch the bus. You’re afraid you might be late for work. So pray to Hashem you’ll get the bus. And if you get on the bus, don’t forget to thank Him that He let you catch the bus.
Most people forget right away. So Dovid says ברכי נפשי את השם – Thank Him, ואל תשכחי כל גמוליו – and don’t forget what He did for you. After it happens, thank Him.
Let’s say you had something in your eye. It was bothersome; you couldn’t get rid of it. And hours and hours pass by. Just ask Hashem; the entire time you should ask Hashem to help you. When you get up in the morning nothing is in your eye. Oh, don’t forget! אל תשכחי – Don’t forget, כל גמוליו – anything He did for you. You have to say thank you to Hashem and say it a number of times. In the very first Shemoneh Esrei, when you say modim anachnu lach, bend over and thank Him. Thank You, You took that thing out of my eye.
That’s how you have to live. Whatever you do, pray beforehand and thank Him after it happens. That’s a way of getting bitachon, to understand it all comes from Hakadosh Baruch Hu. If you do that plus you learn also Sha’ar Habitachon in Chovos Halevavos, you learn the whole sugya of bitachon, so your mind becomes illuminated.
(January 1988)
