The Power of Bitachon

I am a ba’alas teshuva raised as a tinok shenishba (one who was not given the privilege of learning the wisdom of the Jewish faith). I was clueless about Judaism; yet I yearned for truth. Hashem led me to the truth at the time I was supposed to integrate it into my life, not a moment sooner nor a moment later. I believe that sharing our stories, authentically and honestly, will help shift the paradigm to a focus on the spiritual/emotional component of life. As I strengthened my trust in Hashem, He showed me evidence that He hears and listens to my personal conversations, inquiries, and desires for my life. As our sages believe, if one person experiences something miraculous, the energy of miracles becomes available to all.

I know, with steadfast certainty due to an intense spiritual experience over a decade ago on September 26, 2009, during the Ten Days of Repentance, that Hashem desires a close relationship with us. The more we turn to Him and trust in Him, the more we feel His Presence in our lives, and the less hidden He is to us. The more we teach people this truth and share our amazing stories the more influence we will have in bringing Hashem home to “dwell amongst us,” which is what He wants to do. Hashem yearns to return to us, but He wants us to initiate communication with Him with the same kind of passion that He has for us. 

If speaking to Hashem as our primary confidante feels like it is beyond our comfort zone, we know that when we do that which is beyond our nature, Hashem will move nature for us. This is Nissan—the month of miracles, of freedom from the shackles of a false reality that keeps us small. It is time to move into the supernatural realm of elevated consciousness, wondrous events, and co-creation. 

It is extremely unifying to share our stories of Divine correspondence and Providence—hashgachah pratit. Therefore, I am sharing a recent story that happened one Shabbat in the month of Adar2, 5784—April, 2024.  I was davening Shacharit and was finishing the part of the Amidah called the Modim where we thank Hashem. I just happened to look up to the tall tree that is outside the window where I was davening. When I first started my spiritual Journey back in 2009, I was accustomed to looking at this tree and quite often would see a bird fly to the very top. Birds are Hashem’s messengers. Psalm 125:7 states, “Our soul is like a bird which has escaped from the fowler’s snare; the snare broke, and we escaped.” I remembered that verse and concluded that birds are free to carry the messages (the questions, the requests, the communication) we give over to Hashem up to the Heavenly Throne.  I felt deep within that this bird always heard my prayers and would bring them to the Creator. However, in recent years I haven’t noticed a bird fly to the top of that tree. 

To my surprise on this one Shabbat in Adar2 when I glanced up from praying, I saw the bird. Had I looked up a minute before or a minute after I would not have seen him because after he landed, from my vantage point, he was hidden from view. Strange that I looked up at the right moment! As I read the Modim and itemized so many things for which I am grateful, I then decided to ask Hashem for specifics. At the conclusion, I announced that I had given over the last of my prayer requests, and I then saw the bird fly away. Quickly, I recanted and said, “Wait!  I have one more important request that I need to tell Hashem!” Although the bird did not circle back to the top of the tree, I believed he must have heard me, for something uncanny happened later that day. 

While we were having the third meal on Shabbat (shalosh seudot), I “just happened” to look up at that same tree, and lo and behold the bird returned. It certainly looked like the same bird! Could it be?  Well, just in case, I quickly left the table, and, while still looking at the bird, I asked that he deliver to Hashem the one request I had forgotten to make during my earlier prayer session. This took less than one minute. While the bird lingered for well over ten minutes earlier, now he flew off at the precise moment that I finished saying, “I have now completed my request for this Shabbat. Please take my message to Hashem.”  At that very moment the bird flew away. Coincidence? It certainly did not feel like it. 

The word bitachon means “trust.” The root of the word is tach, which means “cement”. When our trust is like cement, when we commit with every fiber of our being to Hashem with the certainty that upon no other entity should we rely, He knows it. We learn that Hashem has seven qualities no person has to the degree that He has, making it prudent to rely exclusively on Him. Those seven qualities are demonstrated to the ultimate level only by the Creator, and they are: compassionate, attentive, invincible, wise, close, protective, and generous. He has a vested interest in us. He desires that we turn to Him alone. Wishing everyone a miraculous month of Nissan, enduring trust in Hashem, and many positive stories to share! 

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Lori is an educator and life optimization coach. Her book entitled Living in Happiness: The Call to Return is available on BookBaby Bookshop currently with a 20% discount for our readers, when applying the code UNITY20.