Eikev (4a): Defeating Our Enemies

When we believe that is only Hashem that is giving us our struggles and it is only He who can give us the strength to overcome them - it is then that we begin to become truly empowered to succeed

The Gemara (Sucah 52) says in regrades to the Yetzer HaRa: אלמלא הקב"ה עוזרו לא אוכל לו - were it not for Hashem at his side, one would never triumph over the Yetzer HaRa. In another place, Chazal liken the relationship between human and inclination to that of a King who sent a temptress to cause the prince to slip and fall from grace. Once an advisor explained to the prince that the woman herself was a sentry of the king did the prince see through the test and avoid her seduction with ease.

We are the prince and Hashem is The King. The Yetzer HaRa is the temptress and the Tzaddikim are the enlightening advisors. Once we internalize the message that the Yetzer HaRa too comes from Ratzon Hashem, do we immediately draw down the needed inner Kochos to beat Him.

This is true of other struggles as well. My financial, familial and health problems are all manifestations of the greater Divine Plan. The escape route is located in the knowledge that, "Only Hashem put me in this mess. Only Hashem can take me out."

The Shinover Rebbe in Divrei Yichezkel explained that a Pasuk in our Parshah teaches us this lesson:

כי תאמר בלבבך רבים הגוים האלה ממני איכה אוכל להורישם... לא תירא מהם

Rashi explains here that כי means "Perhaps". However, the classic meaning means "Because". Let's compare the Pshat translation to the explanation of the Shinover.

"Perhaps you may say in your heart, "These enemies are vast. How shall I overcome them" - Don't fear them."

In this understanding the Pasuk directs us to quell our fears in a situation where we may otherwise be frightened.

But when we translate כי as because - the Pasuk takes on a whole new meaning:

"Because when you will say in your heart, "These enemies are too vast, how shall I overcome them" - Don't fear them" According to this translation  the message emerges that it is due to the fact the one believes that he cannot do it on his own - that serves as the source of comfort. It is because we say, "How can I manage alone" that begins the victory process. When one believe that he alone doesn't have the sufficient resources to overcome his challenges and he realizes that עזרי מאם ה' עושה שמים וארץ, then does he begin to draw down supernatural inner fortitude.

Only Hashem put me here. Only He can take me out.

More on this to come..