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Daily Chizuk #1275
Parnasa / Money
Calm at the Seder: Maintaining Composure for Holiness
OUR HISHTADLUT
Chazal tell us, because Yosef Hatzaddik did too much hishtadlut with the Sar HaMashkim to get out of jail, Hashem made him stay there for two extra years. Why exactly what Yosef did was too much hishtadlut is a discussion amongst the Mefarshim, but one thing is clear, too much hishtadlut has consequences.
The standard way of thinking is that if a person did too much hishtadlut, it just means he wasted his time and would have gotten what he worked for without all that extra hishtadlut. Here, however, Chazal are teaching us too much hishtadlut actually brings about negative consequences. A person may put in too much hishtadlut, for example, in his business and then he sees good money being earned from it. What he may not realize is perhaps he was supposed to earn much more, but because of his extra hishtadlut, it decreased.
The same applies in all areas. A person may have to wait longer to get something, specifically because he's putting in too much hishtadlut to get it.
One of our main purposes in this world is to recognize that Hashem runs it, and He doesn't need our help. Hishtadlut is just meant to camouflage His involvement and make it look normal to get what He wants to give us. Hashem's plan for Yosef was so much greater than what Yosef was trying to get with his hishtadlut.
Hishtadlut is just to reveal what Hashem has already decreed for the person to get. Therefore, a person has to think before he continues doing his hishtadlut, did I do enough to cover up an open miracle from Hashem? If I did and it makes sense to get what I'm seeking with the amount of effort I put in, then I better stop because I don't want to ruin it. Effort beyond that point makes it appear that we believe it's really our efforts that are producing the results and that is a negative that has consequences.
If hishtadlut involves doing something wrong, it's definitely considered under the category of too much. If a buyer wants to go to a non-kosher restaurant, that's a negative hishtadlut and could only hurt. And even if a sale results from that meeting, we'll never know how much more we could have gotten if we did a correct hishtadlut.
The key to success is doing the hishtadlut that Hashem wants us to do. That is one that will never compromise our spiritual lives, whether it's going to minyan, learning Torah, or devoting time to our families. Hashem doesn't need our help. Our hishtadlut is just to cover up His miracles.
Chazal tell us, because Yosef Hatzaddik did too much hishtadlut with the Sar HaMashkim to get out of jail, Hashem made him stay there for two extra years. Why exactly what Yosef did was too much hishtadlut is a discussion amongst the Mefarshim, but one thing is clear, too much hishtadlut has consequences.
The standard way of thinking is that if a person did too much hishtadlut, it just means he wasted his time and would have gotten what he worked for without all that extra hishtadlut. Here, however, Chazal are teaching us too much hishtadlut actually brings about negative consequences. A person may put in too much hishtadlut, for example, in his business and then he sees good money being earned from it. What he may not realize is perhaps he was supposed to earn much more, but because of his extra hishtadlut, it decreased.
The same applies in all areas. A person may have to wait longer to get something, specifically because he's putting in too much hishtadlut to get it.
One of our main purposes in this world is to recognize that Hashem runs it, and He doesn't need our help. Hishtadlut is just meant to camouflage His involvement and make it look normal to get what He wants to give us. Hashem's plan for Yosef was so much greater than what Yosef was trying to get with his hishtadlut.
Hishtadlut is just to reveal what Hashem has already decreed for the person to get. Therefore, a person has to think before he continues doing his hishtadlut, did I do enough to cover up an open miracle from Hashem? If I did and it makes sense to get what I'm seeking with the amount of effort I put in, then I better stop because I don't want to ruin it. Effort beyond that point makes it appear that we believe it's really our efforts that are producing the results and that is a negative that has consequences.
If hishtadlut involves doing something wrong, it's definitely considered under the category of too much. If a buyer wants to go to a non-kosher restaurant, that's a negative hishtadlut and could only hurt. And even if a sale results from that meeting, we'll never know how much more we could have gotten if we did a correct hishtadlut.
The key to success is doing the hishtadlut that Hashem wants us to do. That is one that will never compromise our spiritual lives, whether it's going to minyan, learning Torah, or devoting time to our families. Hashem doesn't need our help. Our hishtadlut is just to cover up His miracles.
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