To summarize what we learned last week: All that will happen to us is preordained by Heaven on Rosh Hashanah. Why will it harm us if we just stay in bed and not perform hishtadlus (the actions that, according to the natural order of the world, lead to what it is we seek*)? Because the negligence of lack of hishtadlus opens us to receiving a new decree, likely much worse than whatever was already decreed upon us at the beginning of the year. So though we do not attain anything positively through all our hishtadlus, it does act as loss prevention for what has already been decreed upon us.
Based on the above, there may not always be a significant difference between the daily actions of one who has bitachon (on its simple level) and one who does not, since even one who has bitachon has an obligation to perform hishtadlus. However, the intent behind all their actions will be very different. One who lacks bitachon will perform hishtadlus throughout the day, with the belief that that is indeed what will bring him success. Such a person will have the constant stress with the belief that he has nothing coming to him and all his earnings are dependent on his success at finding profitable business deals. In contrast, one who has bitachon knows that whatever he will receive is already written Above, all he is doing by performing hishtadlus is fulfilling an obligation, in order to prevent a change in what is written Above. Such a person is not stressed out throughout the day for he knows that unless his is negligent in his obligation, he has, in essence, already received what is coming to him. This is similar to one who has a simple job such as a secretary for a successful company, whose income is already assured, he merely must fulfil his obligation to answers phone calls and takes messages in order not to lose it.
In summary: To have the simple level of bitachon, which is just performing hishtadlus based upon what we already know is the way Hashem runs the world, we must merely change our intent behind the actions we perform throughout the day. We must merely keep in mind: Everything that will be is already written on High and everything we do is merely fulfilling our obligation so as not to lose it. No matter what we do we should have the stress level of a simple secretary not a business man or like one who has already received his paycheck and must merely do the act of cashing it in order to receive the funds.
This change in our intent alone will already significantly improve our lot (besides our stress level and happiness) in life as we will explain next week.
*We should note that the Beis HaLevi explains that the obligation of hishtadlus becomes reduced according to one’s level of trust in Hashem.
Other parts to this series: Inspiration in Bitachon
