“The people would walk about and gather it [the mann]” (Bamidbar 11:8).
The Zohar states that the people were foolish for walking about to gather the mann, because in truth, the individual was able to easily acquire whatever was destined for him, and he wouldn’t even have to bend down to get it.
The mitzvah of bitachon – trusting in Hashem – means that the person has complete faith that Hashem will help him in every way, whether it is a small matter or one of great consequence and import. One has to always be aware that without Hashem’s help, he would not be able to even cross the threshold of his house. If Hashem can split the Red Sea for the Jewish people, He is certainly able to assist us with the mundane, as it says (Mishlei 3:6), “In all your ways know Him and He will smooth your paths.”
Rabbeinu Yonah explains that in every act that a person does he should remember Hashem and trust that Hashem will help him succeed. He notes that when people face major events or are embarking on an important business trip, they instinctively look to Hashem. However, Hashem’s name is often not mentioned when people are dealing with minor issues. That is because people usually believe that they can take care of those matters themselves. That is the meaning of the words in Mishlei. “Know Hashem in all your ways” – serious or inconsequential – for every ounce of success comes from Hashem.
The rosh yeshiva of the Mir, the great R’ Yechezkel Levenstein, remarked that if one has what to eat today and does not ask what he will eat the next day, he is not considered to be an individual on an elevated spiritual level. He compares it to a father and son who agree to leave on a train at 10:00 the next morning. The son arrives at the station early, at 9:00, and begins to worry when he sees his father is not there. Is there, in fact, any reason for him to worry? No, he arrived an hour early; his father has plenty of time to arrive.
Similarly with food. Why does a person need tomorrow’s food with him the day before? However, since Hashem knows that the people become concerned about their food He, in His supreme kindness, prepares for us food for tomorrow.
R’ Yitzchak Pinchas Goldwasser notes that we recite (in bentching) the words, “For He is G-d Who nourishes and sustains all, and benefits all,” and we continue, “and He prepares food for all of His creatures …” The last few words seem superfluous. We already acknowledged that Hashem provides for us and feeds us. What does it mean “He prepares food?”
We praise Hashem for preparing our food even before we need it, so that the food is in our possession and we do not have to be worried about the next day’s sustenance.
The Medrash (Bamidbar Rabbah) tells us that the Torah was given amid three elements: fire, water, and the desert. The Darkei Mussar cites R’ Moshe Rosenshtein that this is to teach us the attribute of bitachon. One who puts his complete faith in Hashem, Hashem will guard and shield him throughout life, as it says in Devarim (32:10). It is the faith and trust that our sages speak of (Sotah 49b) that we can only rely on our Father in Heaven.
The great R’ Meir of Premishlan (1703-1773), a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov and founder of the Chassidic dynasty of Premishlan, earned his living as a trustworthy middleman between merchants, and as such he became very successful.
One day, however, he decided that perhaps his occupation demonstrated a lack of emunah in Hashem, and he decided to disengage from his activities and return to the beis medrash to learn.
One day a non-Jew came to market, holding a beehive, and looking for R’ Meir, the intermediary. Although others tried to help him, the businessman insisted that he only wanted to meet with R’ Meir. “He is honest and has integrity,” the man explained, “and I will only sell my hive to him.”
He went to the house of R’ Meir, and the rebbetzin told him to wait while she went to inform her husband in the beis medrash. R’ Meir told her that he would finish his learning first, and then he would come home to eat.
Since at this point there was no money left in the house, R’ Meir had to borrow money from the neighbor to buy the beehive from the non-Jew. R’ Meir then returned to the beis medrash, while his wife tried to remove the honey from the hive. But when she tried to do so she did not find any honey, only a piece of wood on the bottom of the hive.
The rebbetzin informed her husband who said, “If that is the will of Hashen then we will sell our house in order to repay the loan.” When R’ Meir returned home in the evening, he checked the hive himself and saw that underneath the piece of wood there were gold pieces hidden.
R’ Meir said, “This is a miracle,” and he did not want to take pleasure from something miraculous. He said he would, instead, distribute the money to the poor people.
The next day, the non-Jew happened to return to R’ Meir’s house to sell him something else, and again only found the rebbetzin at home. She asked the businessman where he had gotten the beehive and he explained that he had been in the forest and saw a thick branch with a large hole, and bees were swarming around the hole. He cut off the branch and discovered the beehive, but noticed that the beehive had been used to store money in it. He decided to give the hive to R’ Meir Premishlan because he was so impressed with his integrity and honesty.
Since this was not a miracle, R’ Meir was now able to benefit from the money that had been in the hive. The grandson of R’ Meir remarked that his grandfather had been rewarded with the gold coins for his resolute faith in Hashem.
