By: Rabbi Shlomo Ezagui
One of the basic foundations to living as an “honorable and virtuous” person is pronounced to us by the prophet Chabakuk, “A righteous man lives with his faith”. Also, there is the true manifestation of faith and that is, trust in G-d. The difference between faith and trust is quite significant. While I may have faith, I prepare perhaps, for it not to happen. Having full trust means I know this is exactly what will happen. Trusting in G-d implies, I firmly believe without a shadow of doubt everything is in good hands, and therefore, all will be for the good.
A man’s trust in G-d is the measuring stick of the extent to which his material affairs are bound and fused with the Creator. If this fusion is complete, it is certainly impossible for anything to be lacking, because in the words above, the concept of lacking is utterly non existent.
Our sages tell us, “It was in the merit of our faith that our ancestors where redeemed from Egypt.” Faith has the very special strength and power to liberate a person from internal slavery, from the bad inner master who sometimes controls and steers us in the wrong direction.
In the Talmud it says, “A person who meditates and prolongs his concentration on the oneness and unity of G-d, how the divine providence is over all creatures and all matters in the universe, he will have a long and productive life.”
Rabbi Mendel of Kotzk, while he was still a child was approached and challenged. “I’ll give you a gold coin if you can tell me where G-d is found.” Without any hesitation he answered, “I’ll give you two, if you can tell me where he is not found.”
When a person realizes that the world could not create itself and everything we see came out of G-d who was always there, since G-d has no beginning and no end, G-d is infinite in power and in time/space. Then the person realizes, that everywhere we turn, G-d is there. Matter itself is a manifestation of G-d and “There is no place void of Him.” This thought and reflection will lead a person to realize that there is always, an eye that sees, ears that hear, and all your deeds are recorded. Nothing goes unnoticed, and everything that takes place is always under G-ds watchful eye.
Later when R’ Mendel of Kotzk became a Rebbe his Students once asked him, “Where is G-d?”. He answered, “Wherever you let him in.” Although the students knew well that G-d is everywhere because nothing can exist without Him. Their question was, “but Rabbi, we don’t see him.” To that they received an answer, that’s because you must first let him into your minds and hearts for you to feel and see Him.
A person who knows G-d, never walks alone and is constantly tweaked to do the right thing, and stay far from doing those things that could distance him from G-d. This person not only has faith, but even further, this person trusts, that G-d who put him here in this world never makes mistakes, and everything has an intelligent reason for being exactly perfect, as it is.
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