Bitachon

How do you balance being afraid of something versus knowing that you should have emunah that everything will be ok?
Gabrielle Hiller


Hi Gabrielle,

I'm so glad you asked this question because it gives me the opportunity to share with you an idea of the Chazon Ish that changed my life. In a book called Emunah v'Bitachon, published by his students after his death in 1953, R' Avraham Yeshayahu Karelitz wrote the following:

"There is an old misconception rooted in the hearts of many when it comes to the concept of trust in Hashem. This term, bitachon, used by the righteous to name a celebrated and central character trait, has undergone a change, and has mistakenly become a term to describe the obligation to believe in any situation a person finds himself in where he faces an undecided future with two ways apparent - one good and the other not - that surely the good outcome will be the one to occur; if one is doubtful and fears the possibility of the opposite of good occurring, he is lacking in trust in Hashem. This understanding of trust is not correct, for as long as the future has not been revealed through prophecy, the future is not decided, for who knows Hashem's judgements and rewards? No - trusting in Hashem is not that, but rather the belief that nothing happens by chance, and that everything that occurs under the sun is the result of a decree in the Almighty."

The Chazon Ish goes on to write that when you find yourself in a scary situation it is natural to fear the ways of the world. But if you can internalize the known truth that this is not a chance of misfortune but rather it is all from Hashem. If you allow your faith to alleviate your fear and give you the courage to believe in the possibility of salvation; that you get yourself to understand that nothing you are facing necessarily tends more toward a bad outcome, then you have achieved the trait of bitachon in Hashem.

I found these intense words of the Chazon Ish to be insightful and they gave me clarity about what bitachon in Hashem means. It is by no means an easy thing to internalize, it takes hard work and effort but it can really transform your life and relationship with Hashem.

The sefer has recently come out in English, titled "Faith and Trust" and I recommend it as a challenging but highly rewarding work. If you would like to discuss this further in person, let me know!