Jan 27 2025 5 mins 1
Those who understand that hishtadlut is merely a way of camouflaging Hashem's involvement—and that He alone brings results—make Hashem's will their top priority when deciding what hishtadlut to undertake. The Sefer Sas B'Imratecha shares the story of a man in desperate need of a $6,000 loan. He made an appointment at a gemach that was open only one hour a week, from 4 to 5 p.m. on Mondays. It was well known that if you were even one minute late, you would need to reschedule for the following week. When Monday came, the man became preoccupied with other pressing needs and realized that if he didn't leave immediately, he would miss his appointment. Yet he hadn't prayed Mincha yet, and by the time his appointment ended, it would be too late to pray. Initially, he thought of praying quickly by himself. But then he stopped and reminded himself that the One who could grant him the loan was the same One to whom he needed to pray. How could he compromise on tefilla ? He went to a shtiebel that had constant minyanim . There, his yetzer hara urged him to join a minyan already in progress, pray quickly, and still make it to the gemach . Once again, he overcame his inclination and joined a minyan just beginning. He prayed a full and beautiful Mincha and stayed until the last word. When he walked out of the minyan , he saw the head of the gemach , who apologized and explained that he had to leave the gemach to pray Mincha . The man told him he could process the loan immediately after finishing his tefilla . If the man had rushed to the gemach without praying Mincha , he would have missed the head of the gemach . His trust in Hashem's control over all outcomes enabled him to make the correct decision. Similarly, those who recognize that every obstacle encountered in hishtadlut comes from Hashem can handle such challenges in the right way. Rabbi Tanami from Rechasim once noticed that the mikveh in his community was run down and underutilized. He raised enough funds to restore it, but to his dismay, people still weren't using it. Rabbi Tanami invited Rabbi Baruch Raphael Toledano to inspire the community about the importance of mikveh . After Rabbi Toledano's heartfelt words, the mikveh became so popular that the attendant asked for a raise for staying so late at night. Seeing Rabbi Toledano's impact, Rabbi Tanami invited him to speak in other communities needing chizuk about mikveh . On one such occasion, they set out for a small town near Haifa in Rabbi Tanami's car. When they tried to start the car, it wouldn't start. After five minutes of trying, Rabbi Toledano suggested they walk to a bus stop and take public transportation instead. At the bus stop, Rabbi Toledano saw a man he recognized from Morocco. They exchanged pleasantries, and the rabbi asked if the man was putting on tefillin daily. The man admitted that while in Morocco he never missed a day, he had become lax since moving to Israel. Rabbi Toledano spoke to his heart, and the man resolved on the spot to never miss a day of tefillin again. Afterward, Rabbi Toledano told Rabbi Tanami, "Let's go back to the car now—it will start." Sure enough, the car started on the first try. Rabbi Toledano explained, "It's clear that Hashem caused the car not to start so I could help this Jew reconnect with tefillin . Once the mission was accomplished, the car would work." People who live their lives understanding that Hashem is in charge see the world differently. They are not bound by the apparent rules of nature because they know that everything can change in a moment according to Hashem's will. Our hishtadlut doesn't accomplish anything on its own. It is merely a "tax" we pay and a test we must pass. Ultimately, only Hashem controls everything.
