75 words for 75 years of Israel – Bitachon/Trust

In honor of Israel’s 75th birthday, Israel365 is excited to launch a new series of essays that will unlock the secrets of the Hebrew Bible!

Excerpted from Rabbi Akiva Gersh’s forthcoming book, 75 Hebrew Words You Need to Understand the Bible, these essays illuminate the connection between related Hebrew words, revealing Biblical secrets only accessible through Hebrew.

Enjoy the series – and happy 75th birthday to the State of Israel!

בּ֓טÖøּחוֹן

BITACHON

BEE-TA-CHON

TRUST

בטח ביהוה ועשה טוב שכן א×Øׄ ו×Øעה אמונה.

הנה אל ישוע×Ŗי אבטח ולא אפחד כי עזי וזמ×Ø×Ŗ יה יהוה ויהי לי לישועה.

Bitachon, ā€œtrust,ā€ is the backbone of our relationship with God. No matter what is happening in oneā€™s personal life or in the broader world, one who possesses bitachon trusts that everything comes from God. And because God is purely good, everything that happens is ultimately for the good. Acquiring bitachon requires internalizing the belief that there are no coincidences in the world. It is the denial of randomness and chance in our world. It means that whatever happens is a function of Godā€™s will and Godā€™s decree. 

Bitachon, however, is different from faith. Itā€™s faith put into practice. ā€œTrust in God and do goodā€ (Psalm 37:3). The ā€œdoing goodā€ that comes after one has trust in God is the overcoming of fear and worry that naturally results from experiencing a challenging experience or situation.

ā€œBehold the God Who gives me triumph, I will trust, I will not be afraidā€ (Isaiah 12:2). When we trust in God we are not afraid, because we know that no matter what happens, God is there. We are not alone!

Bitachon means trusting in Godā€™s plan for humanity, even as secular culture grows more influential and many people turn away from God. ā€œFor My plans are not your plans, nor are My ways your ways, declares Hashemā€ (Isaiah 55:8). We must trust that salvation will one day come as promised.

There was a well known 1st century Jewish sage with an unusual name: Nachum Ish Gamzu, meaning ā€œNachum the ā€˜also thisā€™ man.ā€ He was given this name because he was famous for always saying, ā€œAlso this is for the good.ā€ For one who has bitachon knows that no matter what happens, it is for the good.

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