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    As a Father Loves His Only Son
    As a Father Loves His Only Son
    As a Father Loves His Only Son
    Ebook109 pages1 hour

    As a Father Loves His Only Son

    By Sichos In English

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    The Baal Shem Tov taught that “G-d loves every Jew like a father loves a son born to him in his old age.” Indeed, His love for us surpasses a father’s love. It is only that we, limited mortals that we are, have no better terms to describe His love.

    Now, G-d is the ultimate of goodness, and “it is the nature of One Who is good to perform acts of goodness.” He thus desires to provide every member of His people with ongoing and consummate goodness.

    When a person has bitachon, trusting without any doubt that G-d conducts the world, he is then granted the privilege of seeing this with his fleshly eyes.... At every single step; he sees how G-d takes each of us by the hand and leads us in the way that is best for us, both materially and spiritually.

    These are basic tenets of Jewish faith. The essays in this book provide the intellectual underpinnings for this unwavering trust. In doing so, it teaches us how to face those G d-given challenges that our eyes cannot appreciate as good.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSichos In English
    Release dateAug 10, 2011
    ISBN9781466151833
    As a Father Loves His Only Son

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      Book preview

      As a Father Loves His Only Son - Sichos In English

      As a Father Loves His Only Son

      Talks of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson

      on Bitachon: Trusting in G-d

      published by

      Sichos In English

      As a Father Loves His Only Son

      Published by Sichos In English at Smashwords

      Copyright 2010 Sichos In English

      ****

      by Uri Kaploun and Rabbi Eliyahu Touger

      ****

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      ****

      Sichos In English

      788 Eastern Parkway • Brooklyn, N.Y. 11213

      Tel. (718) 778-5436

      5771 • 2010

      ****

      ISBN 978-1-4661-5183-3

      Chapter 1: Overview

      Once the Baal Shem Tov and his chassidim arrived at a faraway inn. The innkeeper was delighted to have them and prepared a feast in their honor. Just as they were seated, three loud raps were sounded on the door. The innkeeper did not bother to answer and continued attending to his guests.

      The Baal Shem Tov asked him why he did not answer. The innkeeper explained that the three raps were a sign from his landlord that the day had come for him to pay the rent.

      So, go and pay it, the Baal Shem Tov suggested. We don’t mind waiting.

      I don’t have to go until he raps like that three times.

      But why not finish with the matter?

      I must pay him 300 rubles, and I don’t yet have the money. However, I’m sure G-d will provide, the innkeeper answered, continuing in absolute serenity. His calmness amazed the Baal Shem Tov’s disciples.

      They continued, sharing words of Torah interspersed with song. Some time later, the landlord’s agent rapped on the door again, but the innkeeper went about his business without paying attention. Still later, when he knocked a third time, the innkeeper put on his overcoat and took leave of his guests.

      Do you have the money yet? the Baal Shem Tov asked.

      No, replied the innkeeper.

      So how will you pay the debt?

      G-d will provide, he said, and left.

      The Baal Shem’s disciples watched from the window as their host walked alone down the road leading from his home. From the distance they saw a wagon coming towards him. Two men came out and spoke to him. After a brief exchange the innkeeper turned away and continued walking ahead. The men then turned their wagon around, caught up to the innkeeper and paid him some money. They shook hands and the innkeeper proceeded on his way.

      The Baal Shem Tov instructed two of his disciples to find out what had happened. The gentiles in the wagon explained: We are contractors, and we wanted to buy a sizable amount of liquor. The innkeeper was prepared to provide us with it, but asked to be paid in advance. We agreed, but quibbled about the price, for he said he would accept no less than 300 rubles. When he saw that we were not prepared to give him the full price, he left us, so we drove away. We changed our minds soon enough, and turned back to pay him what he had asked for, because we know he’s trustworthy. He couldn’t speak long, because he was hurrying to pay his rent.

      The Baal Shem Tov explained: The innkeeper’s simple faith and trust brought him blessing. Because he trusted in G-d completely, G-d rewarded his faith.

      At the Core of Our Bond with G-d

      The Baal Shem Tov’s approach to bitachon, trust in G-d, highlights the nature of our relationship with G-d and the core principles of our faith in Him. The Baal Shem Tov taught that G-d loves every Jew like a father loves a son born to him in his old age.¹ Indeed, His love for us surpasses a father’s love. It is only that we, limited mortals that we are, have no better terms to describe His Love.

      Now, G-d is the ultimate of goodness, and it is the nature of One Who is good to perform acts of goodness.² He thus desires to provide every member of His people with ongoing and consummate goodness.

      Is there anything that can prevent Him from doing so? He controls every element of life with precise Divine Providence. Even the rustling of a leaf in the wind comes about through His will and desire.³ Nor are the laws of nature an obstacle for Him. When necessary, to borrow a phrase from our Sages,⁴ He Who said that oil should burn can say that vinegar will burn. He can bend nature at will, compelling it to supply what is best for the Jewish people as a whole and for every individual Jew. Seen in that light, our trust in Him is an outgrowth of the strength of our Jewish identity and the degree with which our faith has been integrated into our personalities.

      An Unfailing Resource

      Over the generations, the Rebbeim who succeeded the Baal Shem Tov developed his understanding of the concept of trust and made it part of the heritage of Chassidism. So, too, in our generation, the Rebbe radiated unshakable faith and trust to the Jewish people as a whole and to individuals in their thousands, lending encouragement to all those who turned to him. To a woman suffering complications in pregnancy, he wrote:⁵

      G-d created the world and it is He Who conducts it, both… where we are situated, and ... where you are situated…. Nothing takes place in the world without Him, and everything that He desires takes place. However, G-d wants us to make a medium in nature; He wants things to happen in a natural way.

      When a Jew or Jewess doesn’t feel well and a doctor has to be called, this does not mean that the doctor is going to do whatever he feels like doing. What is really happening is that G-d has chosen this doctor to be His emissary and to carry out His mission.

      When a person has bitachon, trusting without any doubt that G-d conducts the world, he is then granted the privilege of seeing this with his fleshly eyes, too, at every single step; he sees how G-d takes each of us by the hand and leads us in the way that is best for us, both materially and spiritually.

      To a person challenged in earning his livelihood, he wrote:⁶

      One ought to know, once and for all, that faith is not something that is meant to remain only in one’s thoughts; it must permeate the whole of one’s life.

      You are, without any doubt, a believer. So, the very first point of belief is that G-d directs the world. And if He is capable of directing one-and-a-half billion people, then your own affairs will certainly see the fulfillment of the verse,⁷ "I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and deliver you."

      Now, think this over. G-d promises, I will sustain and deliver you. So think: Can a gentile from this or that land disturb G-d from fulfilling His promise (G-d forbid)? Having thought that, now consider: Is G-d really in need of your worry as to how He is going to run your affairs and solve your problems? Or will He succeed in finding good solutions even without your worrying?

      To a man under stress because of health issues, he wrote:⁸

      The stronger your trust in G-d, and the fewer your doubts in that trust, and the more you devote yourself to fulfilling your above-stated mission in this world of observing the Torah and its mitzvos and also of influencing others to do likewise, the more long years will you be granted. This is to be understood literally, without resorting to any inventive interpretations.

      And to a woman

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