Is it proper to exert minimal effort in the pursuit of a livelihood, and trust in G-d to endow that effort with success? Or should one anticipate the potential failure of minimal effort, and increase effort to provide for multiple contingencies?
There is a puzzling comment of Rav Zundel of Salant (מכתב מאליהו ח"א עמוד 188) in which reportedly said that the entire notion of השדלות is based on the premise that God does not desire to perform “open miracles”. Therefore man’s responsibility it only to act in the minimum effort possible that would avoid a miracle. Rav Zundel would thus purchase a lottery ticket, since his winning the lotto would suffice not to be considered an open miracle. I find this very troubling. Did he actually win the lotto; as far as I know he didn’t. If he never won yet still provided for his family than this was an open miracle! Yet we do not have these miracles recorded either. Rather through some other normative means he was able to provide, if so why did he purchase the ticket if he didn’t need to? Also, Rav Dessler in the piece initially presents that השדלות is part of the curse on Adam. According to Rav Zundel, this is not much of a curse, it merely entails going to the nearest vendor and buying a ticket.
"Is it proper to exert minimal effort in the pursuit of a livelihood, and trust in G-d to endow that effort with success?"
I'm just toying with an idea here (please don't assume that this is what I truly hold):
Yes, it is proper, but only if you're the only one who'll be affected. However, if you have a wife or kids, you can't subject them to /your/ bitachon experiment without their permission.
Another answer:
No, because you might just THINK you're trusting in God when in fact you're just trying to take the easy way out (ie: taking it easy.)
I take issue with both of your answers: 1) If it is proper because it is reliable, why does it become improper when others are involved, such as your wife and kids? The only reason it would be improper when it involves others is because it is not reliable, in which case it should be improper even when no others are involved. 2) The premise of the question is that one's trust is authentic; it is a no-brainer if one is just trying to "take the easy way out." If you mean that you can never trust the authenticity of your motives and therefore should never rely on them, does the concept of bitachon have any practical application?
Maybe one man's true-bitachon-with-minimal-effort will inspire other people to try the same thing, but those other people will likely fail because they'll only fool themselves into thinking they have true bitachon.
Of course, this would be a moot point if the man with true-bitachon-with-minimal-effort does his thing discreetly. I suspect that you're trying to find an answer that doesn't even involve other people.
SA YD 255:1 says you should "yigalgel atzmo k'tzar shelo yitztaraich l'brios". Sounds like they want you to work pretty hard, if you have to.
ReplyDeleteThere is a puzzling comment of Rav Zundel of Salant (מכתב מאליהו ח"א עמוד 188) in which reportedly said that the entire notion of השדלות is based on the premise that God does not desire to perform “open miracles”. Therefore man’s responsibility it only to act in the minimum effort possible that would avoid a miracle. Rav Zundel would thus purchase a lottery ticket, since his winning the lotto would suffice not to be considered an open miracle.
ReplyDeleteI find this very troubling. Did he actually win the lotto; as far as I know he didn’t. If he never won yet still provided for his family than this was an open miracle! Yet we do not have these miracles recorded either. Rather through some other normative means he was able to provide, if so why did he purchase the ticket if he didn’t need to?
Also, Rav Dessler in the piece initially presents that השדלות is part of the curse on Adam. According to Rav Zundel, this is not much of a curse, it merely entails going to the nearest vendor and buying a ticket.
I don't get Rav Zundel, as winning the lottery on your first try sounds like an open miracle to me, too.
ReplyDelete"Is it proper to exert minimal effort in the pursuit of a livelihood, and trust in G-d to endow that effort with success?"
ReplyDeleteI'm just toying with an idea here (please don't assume that this is what I truly hold):
Yes, it is proper, but only if you're the only one who'll be affected. However, if you have a wife or kids, you can't subject them to /your/ bitachon experiment without their permission.
Another answer:
No, because you might just THINK you're trusting in God when in fact you're just trying to take the easy way out (ie: taking it easy.)
I take issue with both of your answers:
ReplyDelete1) If it is proper because it is reliable, why does it become improper when others are involved, such as your wife and kids? The only reason it would be improper when it involves others is because it is not reliable, in which case it should be improper even when no others are involved.
2) The premise of the question is that one's trust is authentic; it is a no-brainer if one is just trying to "take the easy way out." If you mean that you can never trust the authenticity of your motives and therefore should never rely on them, does the concept of bitachon have any practical application?
Maybe one man's true-bitachon-with-minimal-effort will inspire other people to try the same thing, but those other people will likely fail because they'll only fool themselves into thinking they have true bitachon.
ReplyDeleteOf course, this would be a moot point if the man with true-bitachon-with-minimal-effort does his thing discreetly. I suspect that you're trying to find an answer that doesn't even involve other people.
Yes; we are discussing the ideal man in this scenario.
ReplyDelete