Bitachon in Times of Tranquility

בפסוק כי תאמר רבים כו' לא תירא מהם כו' תזכור כו' וגם בפרשיות שאח"כ שמזהיר משה רבינו שלא לומר כחי ועצם ידי כו' וזכרת כו' ה"א כו' הנותן לך כח כו'

Regarding the pasuk, "When you will say in your heart, 'These nations are more numerous than I,' do not fear them... you shall surely remember what Hashem your God did..." (Devarim 7:17-18), and likewise in the parshiyos that follow, where Moshe Rabbeinu warns Bnei Yisrael not to say, "My strength and the might of my hand have made me all this wealth," but rather, "You shall remember Hashem your God, for it is He who gives you strength to make wealth" (Devarim 8:17-18).

The Sfas Emes opens with two passages in Parshas Eikev: one warning Bnei Yisrael not to fear the more numerous nations, and one warning them not to attribute their wealth to their own strength but to Hashem. Both share a single theme of trusting in Hashem rather than in oneself.

דכת' בטחו בו בכל עת

As it is written, "Trust in Him at every moment" (Tehillim 62:9).

He brings the pasuk in Tehillim, "Trust in Him at every moment," as the key to understanding this theme.

פי' בכל עת פי' בכל עת דיש בטחון בעת צרה אבל עיקר הבטחון הוא בעת שלוה שלא לשום מבטחו באשר לו רק בכחו ית' וע"ז נאמר ברוך הגבר אשר יבטח בה'

The meaning of "at every moment" is as follows: surely there is bitachon in a time of distress, but the essence of bitachon is specifically in a time of tranquility, that a person should not place his trust in that which he possesses, but only in the strength of Hashem Yisbarach; and concerning this it is said, "Blessed is the man who trusts in Hashem" (Yirmiyahu 17:7).

The phrase "at every moment" teaches that while bitachon comes naturally in hard times, its true test is during times of ease, when one must not rely on his possessions but only on Hashem — the man who does so is the one Yirmiyahu calls blessed.

היפוך ממ"ש מקודם ארור הגבר כו' ומן ה' יסור לבו כו'

This is the opposite of what was stated just before, "Cursed is the man... whose heart turns away from Hashem" (Yirmiyahu 17:5).

This blessed man stands in direct contrast to the cursed man of the preceding pasuk, whose heart turns away from Hashem and relies on human strength.

רק שהגם שאין לו מחסור דבר בוטח בו ית' ולכן והי' ה' מבטחו כשיבוא לעת צרה ח"ו

Rather, even though he lacks nothing at all, he trusts in Hashem Yisbarach, and therefore "Hashem shall be his security" (Yirmiyahu 17:7) when there comes, chas v'shalom, a time of distress.

The blessed person trusts in Hashem even while lacking nothing, and precisely because of that trust, Hashem becomes his security if hard times ever come, chas v'shalom.

וזהו בכל עת

And this is the meaning of "at every moment."

This is what "at every moment" means — bitachon in good times and bad alike.

ולכן נאמר כשיירשו את הארץ יזכרו ביצ"מ ויבטחו בו ית"ש

Therefore it is said that when Bnei Yisrael will inherit the Land, they shall remember Yetzias Mitzrayim and place their trust in Hashem Yisbarach.

Therefore, even after Bnei Yisrael inherit the Land and enjoy prosperity, they are told to remember Yetzias Mitzrayim and keep trusting in Hashem.

וכמו כן כשיאמרו רבים הגוים כו' יבטחו בו ית'

And similarly, when they will say, "These nations are more numerous than I," they shall place their trust in Hashem Yisbarach.

And likewise, when faced with nations more numerous than they, they are to respond with trust in Hashem rather than fear.

והנה זה עיקר שבחן של בנ"י כמ"ש בגמ' לא מרובכם כו' חשק כו' כי אתם המעט ממעטין עצמכם כו'

Now, this is the essential praise of Bnei Yisrael, as the Gemara expounds on the pasuk "Not because you are more numerous... did Hashem desire you... for you are the fewest" (Devarim 7:7) — that you make yourselves small, you diminish yourselves.

The Sfas Emes turns to the essential praise of Bnei Yisrael, citing the Gemara's reading of "for you are the fewest" as referring to how Bnei Yisrael make themselves small and humble.

פי' דיש בבנ"י ב' הדברים שהם גבוהים מכל האומות כמ"ש הרבה אתכם הרים אתכם

The explanation is that there are two qualities within Bnei Yisrael that are loftier than all the nations, as it is written, "Hashem has multiplied you... He has lifted you up."

He explains that Bnei Yisrael have two distinct qualities above all nations: one is their loftiness and elevation, as the pasuk says Hashem has multiplied and lifted them up.

ויש להם כח הכנעה אליו ית' יותר מכל האומות

And they possess the power of submission to Hashem Yisbarach more than all the nations.

The second quality is their capacity for submission and self-nullification before Hashem, greater than that of any other nation.

ועל ב' אלו נאמר ואתן צאני כו' אדם אתם

Concerning these two qualities it is said, "And you are My flock... you are called Adam" (Yechezkel 34:31).

These two qualities — loftiness and submission — are alluded to in the pasuk "And you are My flock... you are called Adam."

ומעלה דצאני מקדים הכתוב שהוא חשוב לפניו ביותר

And as for the lofty quality of "My flock," the pasuk places it first, for it is the more precious before Him.

The Sfas Emes notes that the pasuk mentions "My flock" first, indicating that the quality of submissive humility is the more precious one before Hashem.

וגם ע"י זו המעלה זוכין לבחי' אדם אתם:

And it is also through this lofty quality that Bnei Yisrael merit the level of "you are called Adam."

And it is precisely through that humble submission that Bnei Yisrael come to merit the elevated status of "Adam," the loftier title.

Summary: The Sfas Emes weaves together two warnings in Parshas Eikev — not to fear the more numerous nations, and not to credit one's wealth to his own strength — showing that both express the single avodah of bitachon in Hashem rather than reliance on self. Drawing on the pasuk "Trust in Him at every moment," he teaches that the real test of bitachon is not in times of distress but in times of tranquility, when a person must place his trust in Hashem alone and not in his possessions; such a person is the "blessed man" of Yirmiyahu, the opposite of the "cursed man" whose heart turns away. This is why, even upon inheriting the Land in prosperity, Bnei Yisrael are told to remember Yetzias Mitzrayim and continue to trust in Hashem. The Sfas Emes then identifies the essential praise of Bnei Yisrael in their two loftiest qualities: their elevation above the nations, and their unmatched power of submission and self-nullification before Hashem. He concludes from the pasuk "And you are My flock... you are called Adam" that the humble submission of "My flock" comes first and is most precious before Hashem, and it is precisely through that humility that Bnei Yisrael merit the lofty title of "Adam."