Taking it With You-The Faith of Purim

My grandfather, the Baal Shem Tov said, on, “Blessed is the man who trusts in God, and whose security is God (Jeremiah 17:7),” that there is one who trusts, one who promises, and a cause which secures the fulfillment of the promise.

An illustration: God assures us that He will provide our needs if we follow the ways of God. We trust this assurance. The agency through which we attain trust is the means through which God will provide us with sustenance; for example, trade or some other means.

However, at this point we have not yet attained true faith. True faith is attained when we realize that God exists alone and there is none other than He; therefore no intermediary agent or cause is needed to sustain us. The reason is that God is the Source of all causes; even if we should take no initiated in obtaining a livelihood for ourselves, God, in His great kindness, will provide for us.

This is the meaning of, “Blessed is the man who trusts in God and whose security is God,” God should be our security, only God and no other cause to provide for us. God assures us that we need take no initiated in worldly matters which is an agent for sustenance. Everything is from God. Even if we gave the object because of an intermediary agent, we must believe fully that it is directly from God, Who wished to sustain us in this way. We must not think that the object was necessarily derived from the agent, but should trust in God. (Degel Machaneh Ephraim, Beshalach)

“Blessed is the man who trusts in God, then God will be his security. Trust in God forever, for in the Lord, God, is the strength of the worlds (U’va l’Tzion).” The people of the Purim story lived in a time of great Hiddenness of God, and yet, maintained great trust  that He would save them and protect them. This time of the year is a perfect time to focus on trust in God.