What is "emunah", what is "bitochon"

freidasima

Thu, May 07 2009, 9:56 am

This is a spinoff of the thread on which this was discussed as an aside.

From various posters' usages of the terms I am thinking that there is a great divide between various interpretations of these two terms.

I'll start with my own and would be interested in other posters' takes on their interpretations.

I was taught that "emunah" means one thing. Emunah - belief - in the existence of the Almighty and in the truth of his torah. Meaning Rambam 13 ikarim style, that he gave us the torah, that this is the one and only torah and that it will never be supplanted by any other torah. Period. That's all. It does NOT mean that if you believe in Hashem he will protect you. It does NOT mean that if you keep mitzvos you will have a good life. You believe because you have accepted the tenet saying that there is one G-d, Hashem is that G-d and he gave you a torah so you have to keep it.

You keep mitzvos for one reason only. Because the torah, meaning Hashem, told you so. Not for a reward, not because of fear of punishment, but because, as Yeshayahu Leibowitz z"l (whether you agree with his politics or not) once said as a frum man "ki katuv", because it is written. Period.

Emunah is NOT belief that everything will turn out all right. Emunah is NOT (at least according to the definition I learned and that I life by) belief that even if we daven and do everything to the best of our ability, we will be protected, even in the slightest.

Those who say that Emunah means that Hashem always does the best for us...well maybe it's the best for our neshomo but not necessarily the best for our psyche as it is on earth. Meaning no healthy psyche wants to die. If Hashem causes our death, there may be a big cosmic reason for it, for the good of the universe or something, but there is very little way that most human beings will accept that death gladly saying "G-d is doing the best thing for us". Because we certianly don't usually see it at that time, nor do any human beings.

Hence my take on emunah has nothing to do with G-d doing or not doing the best for us because that is just too far past our earthly comprehension. It ONLY has to do with the existence of G-d. Emunah in his existence and that there is no other G-d and that he gave us the torah so the torah is true and we have to keep it.

End story.

Bitochon. Again by my deifnition it is not a belief that G-d will keep us secure and safe, or an all encompassing belief that everyting he does is for the best because there is no way that I or many others can square - at least with the mental and emotional and intellectual tools that G-d gave us on this early - that the Holocaust, or a pigua, or a war, was for the best..so what it DOES mean is total belief, once again in that THIS G-d is the only G-d and that nothing (except maybe our prayers and pleas) will stop an ALMIGHTY from doing what he decides to do.

That's pretty basic Rambam.

I know that is different from the definitions that many people seem to keep here but they are accepted religious definitions, albeit maybe from a different shita than many.

I would be interested in hearing other definitions and sources for those definitions. But more from Rishonim than from Achronim and especially not modern day reliigious philosophy but from the sources that THEY (those contemporary religious writers or rabbonim or philosophiers) base themselves on.

gryp

Thu, May 07 2009, 10:42 am

I think the different kinds of emunah and bitachon we've been reading about lately, come from whether or not you believe in Hashgacha Pratis, meaning that Hashem has planned/is planning/will plan every step of your life and every single detail that happens in this world.

I was thinking about this last night. It seems obvious to me that one who doesn't believe everything that happens to him is Hashem's Will and only Hashem's Will, can be much more insecure with everything happening around/to them.

There's a short well-known story about the 5th Lub Rebbe, the Rashab, who was once walking with his son (who would later be the Rebbe Rayatz). They saw two Chassidim on their way home from Lubavitch standing under a tree and reviewing a piece of Chassidus they had learned while they were there. The Rashab told his son: "For 5000+ years since creation, that tree has been standing there and waiting for these two Chassidim to come say Divrei Torah under it."

This is the amount of Hashgacha Pratis we believe in. That every leaf falling to the ground, every bug crawling around, has a certain purpose and certain destination that has been planned by Hashem. How much more so us, who Hashem created the world for.

I know that in our nusach we have morning brachos, I don't know about other nuschaos, where we bless Hashem: "Hamaychin Mitzadei Gaver," "He prepares the footsteps of man," "She'asa Li Kol Tzarki," " He gives us everything we need," etc. Brachos which thank Hashem for small details in our lives.
There is also: "Shetatzilanu hayom uvchol yom," "That He saves us today and every day," from a whole host of things, ayin hara, lashon hara, bad friends, bad sicknesses, etc, again details of our lives where we thank Hashem for protecting us.
Do other siddurim not have these prayers?

I know this isn't exactly the question freidasima asked, but I think it's connected.

I mean, if you trust and truly believe that everything- good and bad- comes from Hashem and that Hashem's plan is exclusively for you, I think a person is more calm and at peace with what goes on in this crazy world.

I think this is the root of one's emunah and bitachon. How confident you are and the depth of your belief that Hashem is in control and whatever happens is His decree.

We read many many stories of Tzaddikim throughout history who had incredible emunah and bitachon. These tzaddikim are our role models and these stories are a lesson for us. We don't have exemplary stories about the regular folk who were scared and didn't trust Hashem that much to save them. Simply because there's no lesson there to learn.

I think this is also about the 13 Ani Maamin's. How can one believe that what happens in this world is not Hashem's Will? Wouldn't that be saying that there are other forces besides Hashem?

There's more but I think this is enough for now.

shalhevet

Thu, May 07 2009, 11:02 am

I think the problem you have with my emuna, FI, is that you think we think if we are good girls and boys, everything will turn out all right. But that isn't true. We don't think if we keep Torah and mitzvos nothing bad (in our eyes) will happen. We think bad things can happen, chalila. But we think that whatever happens - 'good' or 'bad' as we see it - is directly from Hashem.

How did Elisha ben Avuya become Acher (one reason)? Because he saw someone climb a tree and carry out shiluach haken at his father's request, and then fell from the tree and was killed. So EbA became an apikorus, because those are the two mitzvos we are promised long life for in the Torah.

This is what Moshe Rabbenu asked Hashem to explain on Har Sinai: hareini na et k'vodecha - show me Your Splendour and Hashem answered: ki lo yirani ha'adam v'chai -For no man can see Me and live. Chazal explain he wanted to understand why bad things happen to good people and vice versa. And Hashem answered that in this world we cannot understand. That's it.

shalhevet

Thu, May 07 2009, 11:16 am

And about bitachon:

Rav Dessler explains the story in the gemorra regarding Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa. On erev Shabbos his daughter wanted to light candles and she found she had no oil, only vinegar. RCbD said; Mi she'amar shehashemen yadlik, yomar lachometz lehadlik (not sure if the quote is 100%) - the One who said to the oil to light, will tell the vinegar to light. And it did.

What does it mean asks Rav Dessler?

The more a person has bitochon in Hashem, the more he believes everything is from Hashem. That he is sick or well because Hashem decides. That he gets work because Hashem decides. That he missed the bus or met someone or phoned the wrong number or took the wrong coin out of his pocket, because Hashem decided.

With RCbD his faith was so perfect that for him it was just as much a miracle whether the oil burned or the vinegar. No difference. Because either can burn only when Hashem decides.
For a person like that there is no 'nature' and 'miracles'. Hashem generally acts through nature, but for someone like that it's all the same, so he can have a miracle too.

The more we understand that whatever happens to us is from Hashem, and that Hashem can do anything, and we blur the lines between teva (nature) and nes (miracles), the more we let hashgacha pratis into our lives.

So I would say I totally understand where this discussion is coming from. The more poster X has bitochon and believes in hashgacha pratis, the more she notices and experiences it. But if poster Y says: I can manage fine by myself Hashem. If I need money I work. If I feel sick I go to the doctor. If something breaks I take it to get fixed. - they surround their life with 'teva' and don't leave any room for hashgacha pratis. Fine, says Hashem, you don't think there's hashgacha pratis - I can't do anything too spectacular for you because for you it's breaking the laws of nature. You keep managing without Me.

freidasima

Thu, May 07 2009, 11:46 am

To me much of what is being written here smacks of determinism.

Hashgocho protis has many definitions. The one I learned and accept is that Hashem cares about everything that you do. No hiding from him. But not that he determines what you are going to do, otherwise we have no free will. So that's a big difference between the shito I learned and believe in and the one that some are mentioning here.

Does he determine everything that is happening on earth? Again, depends what you call "determine". Cause? Make happen? No. Otherwise determinism. He created man hence he stands behind everything that happens. But the business about vinegar turning into oil? Sorry, nice story but I don't buy it. No miracles like that which are against nature since the time of the end of nevuah. So we believe. Miracles that occur since then have to go with and not against nature.

Reward and punishment? That's a hard one. Certainly not in this world, otherwise we wouldn't have the questions of "zaddik vera lo, rosho vetov lo"...in the world to come, certainly. But between us, I'm not hurrying to get there so fast...nor are most people on earth. It will happen, but all in its own good time...and we certainly don't understand it. The concept of "hell" or Gehenom" is truthfully an Xtian concept that only entered jewish thought long after the Xtians began developing it. It did not exist as part of Jewish thought during the earlier period of bayit sheini...

Shalhevet be careful with the concept of "hashem decides everything" because that...is determinism of sorts. Where is man in this? Can he change Hashem's decision? We do believe that he can otherwise why do we have "tachanun" for example? So can he change Hashem's decision by his own actions? Yes he can. And so Hashem can decide, and undecide and decide again all dependent upon man's actions...but if that is true then it is dependent upon Man and not upon G-d right?

See the dilemma? Not so simple.

And, if I take up a few of the barbs on the other threads, he can create a world that extends man a choice where to live...that's his hashgocho protis...and if man makes the wrong choice, he can have a very very miserable life. Did Hashem want him to have a very very miserable life? Not necessarily..he gave him a choice. Man made the wrong choice. That's all.

And not all of religious Jewish thought accepts the narrow definition of hashgocho protis..the nitty gritty one that Hashem guides every single one of your actions. There is an entire school of thought that says differently, that Hashem may know everything but does not interfere in what happens. If you catch a cold it is not - according to this shita - because hashem decided for some reason that you should get a cold. Hashem created you. Hashem created the cold virus. If you are dumb enough to not take care of yourself and expose yourself with a weak immune system most chances are that you are going to get sick. Because of Hashem? No unless you say because Hashem created the cold virus and created you in the first place. But because of your own stupid actions.

Other things are random chance. And yes, there is a shita - and don't make out please that it is "less" or "more", it is just different - no marks here - than the one you quote - that accepts that a lot of what happens to us is random chance.

Different shitos. Has nothing to do with the depth or breadth of belief. Has to do with the shita, that's all.

shalhevet

Thu, May 07 2009, 11:57 am

NotInNJMommy wrote:

freidasima wrote:

What makes you believe in the first place that there is any "bargain'? What leads you to think in the first place that Hashem will take care of you? Why should he? Just because he created you? So what. He created our enemies as well...what makes you think that he will choose you? Because you keep the torah? But it doesn't work like that, does it? You keep torah and you can get smashed just as well as those people who never ever heard of torah, or our enemies...so?

Bc one of the principles of faith is the belief in reward and punishment for keeping Hashem's directives (or not, RL)

Not in this world.

NotInNJMommy

Thu, May 07 2009, 12:02 pm

shalhevet wrote:

NotInNJMommy wrote:

freidasima wrote:

Bc one of the principles of faith is the belief in reward and punishment for keeping Hashem's directives (or not, RL)

Not in this world.

That's not what I learned. Many a time the Rebbe advised someone seeking advice or brachah for parnossah to be sure to be living according to the SA.

Also, everyday I say: "eilu devarim sh'adam ochel peroseihem b'olam hazah, v'ha'keren kayemes l'olam haba." One can enjoy the "fruits" of certain mitzvos in this world, even though the main reward is in olam habah. This is just what I learned.

gryp

Thu, May 07 2009, 12:36 pm

From a book written by a Lubavitcher but has lots of different haskamos from all types:

Bitachon: Every Jew is obligated to believe with a complete and strong belief that Hakadosh Baruch Hu will give him great kindnesses, until his heart can rely on this without a single doubt, that only good and kindness will find him, and in a way that he will recognize and feel that it is all good.

Reward and punishment: For the good deeds a man does he receives reward from Hashem, first he receives his reward in this world when Hashem gives him livelihood and health so that he is able to fulfill Torah and Mitzvos without any bothers. But the main reward is in the next world. "Schar Mitzvah Mitzvah," like it says, doing a mitzvah causes a revelation of G-d in his neshama in the next world, according to which mitzvah it is and how it was fulfilled. For bad deeds we receive punishment in this world but mainly in the next world in Gehinom.

shalhevet

Thu, May 07 2009, 2:17 pm

NotInNJMommy wrote:

shalhevet wrote:

NotInNJMommy wrote:

freidasima wrote:

Bc one of the principles of faith is the belief in reward and punishment for keeping Hashem's directives (or not, RL)

Not in this world.

That's not what I learned. Many a time the Rebbe advised someone seeking advice or brachah for parnossah to be sure to be living according to the SA.

I think this was pretty much discussed in the segula thread last week, I believe that when a person strengthens themselves in a mitzva it is teshuva, and they are now a different person, possibly with different gezeiras. I'm sure you don't believe this is always the case - there are poor tzaddikim too. I brought examples from the gemorro that mitzvos in this world do not necessarily mean a good life in the way we understand it.

Quote:

Also, everyday I say: "eilu devarim sh'adam ochel peroseihem b'olam hazah, v'ha'keren kayemes l'olam haba." One can enjoy the "fruits" of certain mitzvos in this world, even though the main reward is in olam habah. This is just what I learned.

For sure. But that's the whole point. They are just the fruits, not the actual reward at all.

shalhevet

Thu, May 07 2009, 2:23 pm

GR wrote:

Reward and punishment: For the good deeds a man does he receives reward from Hashem, first he receives his reward in this world when Hashem gives him livelihood and health so that he is able to fulfill Torah and Mitzvos without any bothers. But the main reward is in the next world. "Schar Mitzvah Mitzvah," like it says, doing a mitzvah causes a revelation of G-d in his neshama in the next world, according to which mitzvah it is and how it was fulfilled. For bad deeds we receive punishment in this world but mainly in the next world in Gehinom.

The Chofetz Chaim gave the following moshol:

The king came to inspect his troops and he picked out an ordinary soldier. He called to him and said, 'I'm the king. Tell me whatever you want, and I'll grant it to you.'

The simple soldier said, 'Thank you, king. I ask you that I always have a clean uniform to wear, and that I get food to eat and somewhere to sleep.'

'Fool!' said the king. 'You could have asked for anything money could buy. All the time you serve in my army of course you are provided with food, clothing, and lodging. Otherwise you can't serve me.'

And the nimshal:

All the time we are serving Hashem, He will give us the basics that we need - lechem le'echol u'veged lilvosh as Yaakov Avinu asked, because otherwise we can't serve Him properly. But that's not a reward. S'char mitzvos b'hai alma leicha (not sure if that's 100% accurate) - there is no reward for mitzvos in this world.