Loving Hashem – A process of Bitachon

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    • Michal 1 year ago

      הַחֵ֣קֶר אֱל֣וֹהַּ תִּמְצָ֑א אִ֤ם עַד־תַּכְלִ֖ית שַׁדַּ֣י תִּמְצָֽא, Would you discover the mystery of God?

      Would you discover the limit of The Almighty? (Iyov, 11:7)

       

      Rabbeinu Bachya, (Ben Ashur) explains how a person is not permitted to study His Essence, but instead to study Him from His deeds.  The Glory of Hashem is hidden. (Bereishis Hakdama)  Rabbeinu Bachya Ibn Pekuda in his explanation on the Unity of Hashem in Chovos Halivavos, goes so far as to say that those who insist on studying Hashem’s Essence will wind up with losing the understanding of Hashem’s existence Chas Vishalom.  It is essential to have true Awe of Hashem, and for those people who take the time to study awe, Hashem will reveal Himself to them, if they are worthy of receiving, as I understand. On the other hand one is to do all one can to study and learn about Hashem’s ways through His deeds. 

      I think that the work to know Hashem based on His Deeds is our obligation of Hishtadlus, our efforts half a coin.  The remaining is Hashem’s Half.  When we do our part, with awe, using our intellect Hashem gives us to examine and study, and ask what He is telling us, seeking to find His Tov, His Ways, which leads us to loving Him. 

      The Ibn Ezra describes the Mitzvah of Loving Hashem, as “ואהבת. ואחר שאין לנו אלוה אחר רק הוא לבדו חייב אתה שתאהבנו כי אין לנו אלוה אחר, AND YOU  SHALL LOVE. “And After… We have no other Empowerer aside from the Hashem, you are obligated to love Him, for we have no other god. (Devarim, 6:5)

      I understand the Ibn Ezra telling us that we must study, and study, until we come to the conclusion that there is no other Power, He is THE ONLY POWER then we can love Hashem. 

      I think this is perhaps the process described in Iyov and explained by the commentary of our requirement to study, and know Hashem through His deeds.. Our Hishtadlus , and then we can reach a place of Loving Hashem that goes beyond human faculties.  When we do our Hishtadlus, our searching of His Ways, we connect to an existence beyond this realm.  It is the connection of heaven and earth. 

      Perhaps this is what we are being guided to do in all the Mitzvos we perform: וְהָיָה אִם־שָׁמֹֽעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶל־מִצְוֹתַי אֲשֶׁר֯ אָ֯נֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְ֒כֶם הַיּוֹם….

      In order to Love Hashem: לְאַהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־ה׳ אֱלֹֽקֵיכֶם֙ וּלְעָבְד֔וֹ בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶ֖ם וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁכֶֽם.

      I think that Hashem is telling us , as an expression of His Love, that we don’t have to know everything, and we can’t.  However no matter the situation we are in, if we can listen.. And find out which Mitzvah He is inviting us to participate in, and we do so,  we have processed with the abilities He gave us, and the permitted type of examination, our half of the coin so to speak which then leads to beautiful Loving responses from Our Creator with infinite expression of Love. ..

       

      To Recap:

      1. Loving Hashem is the result of combining our world (Our Hishtadlus) to Shamayim, the Heavens.
      2. Our job is to do our Hishtadlus to process, search and search, what Hashem wants, which Mitzvos are we being invited to do, and to process all He is doing for us  until we come to the conclusion that Hashem is the only power.  This is the listening of Him in our Mitzvos that is necessary.
      3. This leads to loving Hashem, which is beyond our physical senses and , thus the unification of the two parts of knowing Hashem is connected.  Hashem’s Half Kavyachol is opened to us.  From a place we are permitted when approached with awe to then attach and love Hashem beyond Human ability with Hashem’s Goodness.
      4. When doing our Hishtadlus and applying our findings of His Unity in our Mitzvos it is exercising our Middah of Bitachon, which leads to Emunah and Loving of Hashem.

       

       

       

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