Trust Brings Miracles

In this week's parsha, Behar, we learn about the mitzvah of Shmita, the sabbatical year. "Six years you should sow your fields..., and gather its produce. And in the seventh year, the land must be given complete rest, a sabbatical for Hashem, you may not sow your fields..."

This is one of the most difficult mitzvahs, because if all of Israel refrains from sowing their fields, what will we eat?

In answer to this question, Hashem says, "I will command my blessing for you in the sixth year, and it will yield (enough) produce for three years." For the end of the sixth year, the whole seventh, and until after the harvest of the eighth year.

Still we find, that this mitzvah is so difficult, that during the First Temple era, seventy Sabbatical years were not kept properly. Because of this, after the destruction of the first Temple, we were in exile for seventy years. It is obvious that this mitzvah is super important to Hashem, and that keeping this mitzvah is key to bringing Moshiach.

By taking a look at what is at the core of this mitzvah, everything becomes clear. What is at the essence of this mitzvah?

We all have a relationship with Hashem. For some of us it is weak, for others it is stronger, and yet for some, it is one of rejection. Many of us run the gamut, a roller coaster ride relationship with Hashem.

What Hashem wants most from us, is that we trust in Him. And this is, what is at the core of this mitzvah.

Trust is stronger than belief, and we are tested regularly by Hashem to see if we put our trust in Him.

Yet it is hard to trust, in any person or even ourselves for that matter. How often do we watch ourselves fail at what we set out to do? How often are our hopes dashed, only to find ourselves hurt and broken? We have trust issues.

When it comes to Hashem, we need to take a different approach. Because in Him we truly can trust, and the more we get to know Him, the stronger our trust in Him becomes. You come to realize that He is the only one you can actually trust in.

Hashem is the one that takes care of us. This becomes clear in the sixth year of the Sabbatical, when one would think the field has been drained of its nutrients, due to five years of sowing and reaping. When the sixth comes, there is nothing left for the field to give. It is our trust in Hashem alone, that make our fields yield three times their normal production.

The same is true for Jewish fathers and especially Jewish mothers. As you give, and give, and give, until there is nothing left to give. It is your relationship with Hashem, your trust alone, that gives you the strength you never would have imagined you had.

I have experienced this first hand. Now, it is already three years, since I have been diagnosed with ALS. For me, though it has been difficult, it has not been draining, because I really can't do much. But watching my wife Dina, do everything, double, maybe triple her normal work load. And on top of that all, the emotional drain and the hurt and suffering of not having a regular husband to come home to. I have no idea how she does it. Then she finds the strength to smile and give inspirational talks. When there is no gas left and you can still do so much, there is a miracle happening. And this miracle is because of your trust in Hashem.

It is my hope that through our building our trust relationship with Hashem, we will merit the coming of Moshiach very soon.