The Vilna Goan describes how a person must put his trust only in Hashem. He quotes the passuk in Mishlei (3:5), “בטח אל ה’ בכל לבך ואל בינתך אל תשען” “Trust in Hashem with your entire heart, and don’t rely on on your intellect.” The Gaon explains that the word tishaen is similar to the word mishenes – a crutch. Your bitachon must be complete and you shouldn’t be relying on your own intellect as backup.
Dr. David Livingstone (1813 – 1871) was once interviewed after an expedition to Africa where he found himself being attacked by a lion. The interviewer asked Livingstone what was going on in his mind while the lion had his arm in his mouth? Livingston replied, “I was too busy thinking of how I would escape, that I didn’t even feel any pain.”
The mind is constantly looking for a way out in every difficult situation, whether or not there is one. However, a ba’al bitachon doesn’t need to find a way out; he knows that Hashem has the solution and will take care of his problems. We don’t need to rely on ourselves to get through or troubles, Hashem takes care of us on His own.
