B”H

Foundations of Judaism Lecture 4 (Part 2):

Balancing Trust in G-d with Human Effort
© M. Zauderer 2012

LECTURE OUTLINE
Part #1: 1. Defining Emunah (Belief in G-d) and Bitachon (Trust in G-d)
2. Objective of Bitachon in G-d
Part #2: 3. Human Effort
A. As a test
B. Keeping people occupied in productive activity
C. Functioning through natural means
4. Balancing Bitachon with Human Effort

Human Effort
If it is only G-d Who determines the outcome of events, why would He want us to put forth the
effort to engage in what appear to be ineffective or inconclusive actions? Classical sources offer
several answers to this question:

A. As a test
Rabbi Bachyai Ibn Pakuda (ibid.)
[Introduction to Rabbi Bachyai’s Explanation: In order for human beings to earn reward
for righteous behavior, G-d created man with free will, and placed him in a world filled
with unlimited opportunities to exercise that free will. This ability to earn reward is in
itself a gift from G-d,. As we read in last week’s Lecture (Lecture Three – Rabbi
Sa’adiah), goodness that results from effort provides us with greater enjoyment than
undeserved goodness. In general, people would feel uncomfortable living an easy life for
which they have not worked.]

G-d created man with physical needs such as food, clothing, shelter and a sexual drive,
and through them G-d tests man. When people seek to fulfill these needs in a manner
that is sanctioned by G-d, they triumph in the test which G-d has given them. [Through
these triumphs, which we have the opportunity to gain countless times each day, we
gain endless benefits, since they strengthen our resolve to act righteously, and through
them we earn the reward that G-d desires to give to every human being.]
As we discussed in last week’s Lecture (Lecture Three - Free Will), G-d is committed to allowing
people to function with free will. In order to enable us to exercise our free will to the fullest
extent, G-d generally does not interfere with our moral decisions. Were G-d to reward a person
immediately for his decision to act righteously, or punish a person immediately when he
chooses to act immorally, people would cease to exercise their free will. Their desire for the
immediate reward that would follow correct choices, and their fear of the immediate
punishment that would follow those choices of which G-d does not approve, would replace the
Foundations of Judaism Lecture 4 (Part 2): Page 1 of 5
Balancing Trust in G-d with Human Effort
Copyright © 2012 Moshe Zauderer, Jewish Interactive Studies www.jewishstudies.org
decision-making process. Instead of imposing such psychological constraints upon human free
will, G-d has communicated to us His moral standard, so that we can know how He wishes us
to satisfy our human needs. G-d thus judges people according to the manner in which they
attempts to fulfill their needs.

B. Keeping people occupied in productive activity

Rabbi Bachyai Ibn Pakuda (ibid.)
The time-consuming, physical demands of earning a living are one means of protecting
a person from overindulging in the allures of worldly pursuits, and from the immorality
that often accompanies carefree living. The fact that people are forced to keep
themselves occupied much of the time with the demands of maintaining a reasonable
standard of living makes it far more difficult for people to indulge in sinful behavior,
since their work allows them little time to be idle.
In order to appreciate this second reason for man’s expending effort to earn a livelihood, it will
be beneficial for us to review the original state of man’s existence in the Garden of Eden.
After creating man, G-d placed him in the Garden of Eden "to work it and to guard it" (Genesis
2:15). In this utopian environment, what improvement or protection could G-d have expected
of man? Rabbi Ovadiah Sforno (1470-1550, Italy) explains that Adam’s "work" was to develop
and perfect his own spiritual nature, through attaining ever higher levels of closeness to G-d.
Since they could subsist through partaking effortlessly of the wondrous fruits of the Garden,
Adam and Eve would be free to raise themselves continuously, constantly strengthening their
connection to G-d, unimpeded by external forces.

One Divinely ordained test, however, would have to be completed successfully in order for
Adam and Eve to merit this eternal, blissful existence. They would have to resist a calculated
attempt at convincing them to ignore G-d’s command not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge.
This test of obedience to G-d’s Will would determine whether they were worthy for immediate
perfection of the human condition. Had they withstood the test, it would have released all of
mankind from the need to earn his ultimate reward through physical toil.
What form of knowledge did this tree offer, of which man was forbidden to partake?
Nachmanides explains that prior to man’s sin of eating from the Tree of Knowledge, man had a
natural tendency to follow his inclination to adhere to G-d’s Will, just as all other created beings
(other than mankind) naturally and instinctively follow divinely ordained patterns. Partaking
from the fruit of the tree, however, gave man a sharper awareness of the presence of evil in
creation, awakening within him an independent will, and a desire to choose between good and
bad. Whereas prior to eating the forbidden fruit, man’s standards relative to good and bad had
mirrored the objective truth of G-d’s standards, after eating the fruit, man acquired the ability
to set his own standards of good and bad, even though those standards might prove injurious
to him.
Together with this newfound independence of will came a heightened awareness of man’s
sensual nature. Man could now readily choose to subordinate his true spiritual/moral goals to
his physical/sensual impulses. The possibility that Adam would forget G-d’s purpose in
endowing him with a divine soul and a higher, more sensitive intelligence became a strong

Foundations of Judaism Lecture 4 (Part 2): Page 2 of 5

Balancing Trust in G-d with Human Effort
Copyright © 2012 Moshe Zauderer, Jewish Interactive Studies www.jewishstudies.org
reality. G-d responded to the new circumstances of mankind’s more complicated mentality with
a program designed to assist man in regaining his lofty position of closeness to G-d.

To Adam He said…"The ground will be cursed because of you. You will derive
food from it with anguish all the days of your life…By the sweat of your brow
you will eat bread…"
G-d’s original instruction was that man be wholly occupied with spiritual pursuits. G-d now
added to man’s purposes in life the toil of physical employment. When G-d curbed the bountiful
produce of the earth, He effectively forced man to engage in strenuous activity to wrest his
sustenance from the earth. Man must use his time productively in physical pursuits, to prevent
him from succumbing to the adverse affects of his heightened sensual awareness. This helps
him avoid the tendency to subordinate the spiritual/moral parts of himself to the superficial and
sensual aspects. Engaging in a livelihood in order to sustain oneself keeps one occupied in
positive activity.

C. Functioning through Natural Means

Rabbi Bachyai surveys the Torah’s view of balancing human effort with reliance upon G-d:
Rabbi Bachyai (Torah commentary)
"The war horse is prepared for battle, but G-d determines victory."

This and numerous other biblical verses establish the general requirement that man
must endeavor to succeed through natural means, yet at the same time he must
recognize that the results of his efforts lie in G-d’s Hands. If we have put forth a fair,
honest effort to succeed, and have not forgotten G-d’s role in our success, G-d may
intervene to bring matters to a favorable conclusion, but He will do so after we have
exhausted the natural means at our disposal.

[If G-d controls the outcome, why does G-d require human effort at all?] When G-d
created man, He placed him in an environment that sustains his existence. In this
environment, man is required to make reasonable efforts to fulfill his human needs,
efforts that follow the natural systems according to which life in this world functions.
Herein lies mankind’s greatest challenge, for while we must work along with the systems
of the world in which we live, we are expected to rely not upon our own efforts, but
rather to trust in G-d and to rely upon His providence.

We find this principle applied in many biblical narratives. For instance, in the account of
the Great Flood , G-d could have saved Noah, his family and the animals miraculously,
without having commanding Noah to build a large ark that could save them through
natural means. Likewise, in the Jewish people’s conquest of the land of Canaan , G-d
commanded the people prepare for war against the Canaanites by forming an army and
engaging in tactics of conventional warfare . In each of these instances, G-d in fact did
miraculously intervene, both to protect Noah and grant victory to the Jewish People, but
only after they had made efforts to succeed through natural means. These instances
make it clear that G-d does not want us to rely on the miracles that He can perform if
He so desires, for this would run counter to the whole purpose of our existence in this
world .

Foundations of Judaism Lecture 4 (Part 2): Page 3 of 5

Balancing Trust in G-d with Human Effort
Copyright © 2012 Moshe Zauderer, Jewish Interactive Studies www.jewishstudies.org
Balancing Bitachon with Human Effort
We have discussed the need to put forth a reasonable amount of effort to manage our lives,
while at the same time trusting that the success or failure of that effort lies only in G-d’s hands.
How are we to coordinate human efforts with a bitachon-reliance on G-d? That is to say, what
portion of our energies should we invest in our own efforts to control circumstances, as
opposed to the amount of energy we should put into trust in G-d? Rabbi Yosef Soloveitchick
recommends a relative standard that each person can use to establish his/her own balance in
life, between effort and trust in G-d:
Rabbi Yosef Soloveitchik (Bait Ha’Levi Torah commentary, Weekly Torah-reading portion of
Miketz )

The amount of human effort that is appropriate in any given situation should be
measured in terms of how much effort an individual must make in order to afford him
peace of mind, and from that point on, he can apply his bitachon (reliance on G-d) to
carry the rest of the burden. Each person must determine what is the amount of effort
that he needs to invest in order for him to feel confident that he has done his part, and
that the rest is up to G-d.

Such a measure is necessarily a subjective standard, and will result in different amounts
of human effort appropriate for different people. Some people’s level of bitachon will
allow them peace of mind with less effort expended on their part, while other people
cannot have peace of mind without resorting to greater efforts. For this reason it is
impossible to set a universal standard for the amount of human effort that is required of
all people. In general, it is proper for each individual to nurture within himself a stronger
feeling of reliance on G-d as he progresses through life, for this is a most effective
means by which to grow spiritually.
Conclusion
A religious lifestyle has been compared to the lifestyle of an athlete. To reach a level at which
he can hope to compete with other athletes, he must engage in a strict regimen of rigorous
physical training to build his strength and to sharpen his skills. He develops his abilities very
gradually, and though he aims for perfection, the mature athlete will recognize that he must
make his best effort to succeed, but there is no assurance of victory.
In the same way, a religious lifestyle also demands that one follow a regimen to enable one to
nurture emunah (belief in G-d), and then to apply this emunah to the practical situations of life,
in the form of bitachon (trust in G-d). Like the athlete, we must never neglect our constant
quest for perfection, and in every situation we must put forth our best efforts to succeed. At the
same time we must realize that no one but G-d can assure our success, for He controls the
outcome in every situation.

Foundations of Judaism Lecture 4 (Part 2): Page 4 of 5

Balancing Trust in G-d with Human Effort
Copyright © 2012 Moshe Zauderer, Jewish Interactive Studies www.jewishstudies.org
For consideration
1. A religious leader calls upon his followers to have "perfect faith," telling them that they
must believe that no bad will befall them. How would you react to such a call]

2. Sarah has just discovered that she is suffering from a dangerous illness. What might you
advise her to do?

3. In a college business ethics course, a student proposed a dual standard of moral

behavior: one standard to apply to the workplace and another standard for the home.
The student argued that the competitive nature of today’s work environment justifies an
aggressive ("dog-eat-dog") stance, which would be improper in the home environment.
What is your opinion of this proposal?

Foundations of Judaism Lecture 4 (Part 2): Page 5 of 5

Balancing Trust in G-d with Human Effort
Copyright © 2012 Moshe Zauderer, Jewish Interactive Studies www.jewishstudies.org