Excellent question. The entire point is that although doing mitzvot etc are not supposed to be bribing Hashem whatsoever – the REALITY is that oftentimes without realizing it, we do indeed feel that way.
How many times have we asked or heard the question: "I prayed so much, why haven't I been answered?" This question comes because we feel that we should be answered! I mean, I prayed, I gave tzedakah, whatever we did – I did mine, right? Where is the response from Hashem?
And the point of the article is – WRONG! It doesn't work that way. We have to do mitzvot, and Hashem gives us what we need, and there is no direct link between them. We cannot bribe Hashem with anything, because anything we managed to do was already a gift from Hashem.
And THEREFORE we must let go of this feeling of "where is the result I wanted?" We must stop thinking "I did X, I did Y, I did Z – I I I – and why have I not gotten the Y result I want yet?…"
Rabbi Arush explains the end of that sentence, which we never let ourselves actually think but it truly is the end of the sentence: "…Nu, G-d, do teshuva already and give me what I want!" Because even if we know we aren't supposed to think like that, a lot of the time, we do.
Of course it is we who must do teshuva for being so arrogant, and not Hashem who is already doing the best for us, and we just don't have the ability to see it.
That's the point – to get out of thinking "But I did…" and get into the emuna of thinking "…but Hashem is doing the very best!"
Rabbi Arush explains this concept in a number of places, but specifically in "The Wonders of Thank You" (Niflaot HaTodah) which is currently in Hebrew and still in the process of being translated into English.
2. aaron
4/19/2021
okay. but don't we say multiple times throughout the Yomim Noraim that Tshuvah, Tzedakah, Tfillah will stop the harsh decrees? So therefore our actions, especially in these 3 areas do make a difference. No? We have to do our hishtadlus, correct? Or can we just sit back, have emunah and bitachon, and leave it all up to Hashem? You are stating that you realized that Hashem doesn't need any of our mitzvos. Just have faith in Him and Gd willing, He will take care of things the way you want it to work out. If He deems it okay. Regardless if we do anything on our end. So why do anything on our end? Just believe in Hashem, trust Him, and pray that He will do things the way you want them to work out. Why do mitzvos to try and "bribe" Him so to say (chas vShalom, chas vChalilah). Is that what hishtadlus / Mitzvos is? Bribing? Do you care to elaborate on this? Please reply to me. Thank you.
4/20/2021
Excellent question. The entire point is that although doing mitzvot etc are not supposed to be bribing Hashem whatsoever – the REALITY is that oftentimes without realizing it, we do indeed feel that way.
How many times have we asked or heard the question: "I prayed so much, why haven't I been answered?" This question comes because we feel that we should be answered! I mean, I prayed, I gave tzedakah, whatever we did – I did mine, right? Where is the response from Hashem?
And the point of the article is – WRONG! It doesn't work that way. We have to do mitzvot, and Hashem gives us what we need, and there is no direct link between them. We cannot bribe Hashem with anything, because anything we managed to do was already a gift from Hashem.
And THEREFORE we must let go of this feeling of "where is the result I wanted?" We must stop thinking "I did X, I did Y, I did Z – I I I – and why have I not gotten the Y result I want yet?…"
Rabbi Arush explains the end of that sentence, which we never let ourselves actually think but it truly is the end of the sentence: "…Nu, G-d, do teshuva already and give me what I want!" Because even if we know we aren't supposed to think like that, a lot of the time, we do.
Of course it is we who must do teshuva for being so arrogant, and not Hashem who is already doing the best for us, and we just don't have the ability to see it.
That's the point – to get out of thinking "But I did…" and get into the emuna of thinking "…but Hashem is doing the very best!"
Rabbi Arush explains this concept in a number of places, but specifically in "The Wonders of Thank You" (Niflaot HaTodah) which is currently in Hebrew and still in the process of being translated into English.
4/19/2021
okay. but don't we say multiple times throughout the Yomim Noraim that Tshuvah, Tzedakah, Tfillah will stop the harsh decrees? So therefore our actions, especially in these 3 areas do make a difference. No? We have to do our hishtadlus, correct? Or can we just sit back, have emunah and bitachon, and leave it all up to Hashem? You are stating that you realized that Hashem doesn't need any of our mitzvos. Just have faith in Him and Gd willing, He will take care of things the way you want it to work out. If He deems it okay. Regardless if we do anything on our end. So why do anything on our end? Just believe in Hashem, trust Him, and pray that He will do things the way you want them to work out. Why do mitzvos to try and "bribe" Him so to say (chas vShalom, chas vChalilah). Is that what hishtadlus / Mitzvos is? Bribing? Do you care to elaborate on this? Please reply to me. Thank you.