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Trust IS the Process

Trust is generally viewed as an extra in one's day-to-day life. The fact that I trust that I'll make ends meet by the end of the week has no real effect on me actually making ends meet by the end of the week. In the following Torah from the Noam Elimelech, we are shown that, in fact, trust is the cause of our success:

ื•ึฐื›ึดึฃื™ ืชึนืืžึฐืจึ”ื•ึผ ืžึทื”ึพื ึผึนืื›ึทึ–ืœ ื‘ึผึทืฉืึผึธื ึธึฃื” ื”ึทืฉืึผึฐื‘ึดื™ืขึดึ‘ืช ื”ึตึšืŸ ืœึนึฃื ื ึดื–ึฐืจึธึ”ืข ื•ึฐืœึนึฅื ื ึถืึฑืกึนึ–ืฃ ืึถืชึพืชึผึฐื‘ื•ึผืึธืชึตึฝื ื•ึผืƒ ื•ึฐืฆึดื•ึผึดึคื™ืชึดื™ ืึถืชึพื‘ึผึดืจึฐื›ึธืชึดื™ึ™ ืœึธื›ึถึ”ื ื‘ึผึทืฉืึผึธื ึธึ–ื” ื”ึทืฉืึผึดืฉืึผึดึ‘ื™ืช ื•ึฐืขึธืฉื‚ึธืชึ™ ืึถืชึพื”ึทืชึผึฐื‘ื•ึผืึธึ”ื” ืœึดืฉืึฐืœึนึ–ืฉื ื”ึทืฉืึผึธื ึดึฝื™ืืƒ

ื ื•ืขื ืืœื™ืžืœืš ืขืœ ืคืกื•ืง ื”ื ืœ:

ื•ื›ื™ ืชืืžืจื• ืžื” ื ืื›ืœ ื‘ืฉื ื” ื›ื•' ื•ืฆื•ื™ืชื™ ืืช ื‘ืจื›ืชื™ ืœื›ื ื›ื•'... ื›ืฉื”ืื“ื ื ื•ืคืœ ืžืžื“ืจื’ืชื• ื•ืื™ืŸ ืœื• ื‘ื˜ื—ื•ืŸ ื‘ื‘ื•ืจื ื‘"ื” ื”ืžืฉื’ื™ื— ืืžื™ืชื™ ื”ื–ืŸ ื•ืžืคืจื ืก ื‘ืจื™ื•ืช ื‘ืœื™ ื”ืคืกืง ื›ืœืœ, ืื– ืขื•ืฉื” ื”ืื“ื ื”ื”ื•ื ื‘ืžื—ืฉื‘ืชื• ื”ื”ื™ื ืืฉืจ ืœื ืžื˜ื•ื”ืจ ืคื’ื ื—ืœื™ืœื” ื‘ืขื•ืœืžื•ืช ืขืœื™ื•ื ื™ื, ื•ืžืชื™ืฉื™ืŸ ื›ื— ืคืžืœื™ื ืฉืœ ืžืขืœื” ืจ"ืœ, ื•ืื– ื ืคืกืง ื”ืฉืคืข ื—ืœื™ืœื”, ื•ืฆืจื™ืš ื”ืฉื™"ืช ื‘"ื” ืœืฆื•ื•ืช ืžื—ื“ืฉ ื”ืฉืคืข ืฉืชืœืš ื›ืžื• ืžืชื—ื™ืœืช ื”ื‘ืจื™ืื”, ื•ื–ื” ื”ื•ื "ื•ื›ื™ ืชืืžืจื•" ื›ื•', ืฉื”ืชื•ืจื” ืžืœืžื“ืช ืœืื“ื ื“ืจื›ื™ ื”ืฉื ืฉื™ื”ื™ื” ืฉืœื ื‘ื‘ื˜ื—ื•ื ื• ืขืœ ืืœื”ื™ื•, ื•ืœื ื™ืืžืจ ื›ืœืœ ืžื” ื™ืื›ืœ, ื›ื™ ื›ืืฉืจ ื—ืœื™ืœื” ื™ืคื•ืœ ืžืŸ ื”ื‘ื˜ื—ื•ืŸ ืœื—ืฉื•ื‘ ืžื” ื™ืื›ืœ, ื”ื•ื ืขื•ืฉื” ืคื’ื ื—ืœื™ืœื” ื‘ื”ืฉืคืข, ื•ืื˜ืจื—ื• ื›ืœืคื™ ืฉืžื™ื ืœืฆื•ื•ืช ืžื—ื“ืฉ, "ื•ื›ื™ ืชืืžืจื•" ืคื™' ื›ืืฉืจ ืชืืžืจื• ื›ืš ื•ืื– ืชื˜ืจื™ื—ื• ืื•ืชื™ "ื•ืฆื•ื™ืชื™" ื›ื•', ืืœื ืœื ืชืชื ื”ื’ื• ื›ืš, ื•ืชื‘ื˜ื—ื• ื‘ื”' ื‘ื›ืœ ืœื‘ื‘ื›ื, ื•ืื– ืชืœืš ื”ืฉืคืข ื‘ืœื™ ื”ืคืกืง ื›ืœืœ, ืชืžื™ื“ ืœื ื™ื—ืกืจ ื›ืœ ื‘ื”.

The Remedy Precedes the Illness

However dire the financial situation may feel, one should always keep in mind that the remedy for the issue has proceeded the problem, as illustrated from the following Gemara:

ื•ึฐืึธืžึทืจ ืจึทื‘ึผึดื™ ื™ึดืฆึฐื—ึธืง ืื•ึนืชื•ึน ื”ึทื™ึผื•ึนื ืฉืึถื‘ึผึธืืช ืจื•ึผืช ื”ึทืžึผื•ึนืึฒื‘ึดื™ึผึธื” ืœึฐืึถืจึถืฅ ื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตืœ ืžึตืชึธื” ืึดืฉืึฐืชึผื•ึน ืฉืึถืœ ื‘ึผึนืขึทื– ื•ึฐื”ึทื™ึฐื™ื ื•ึผ ื“ึผึฐืึธืžึฐืจึดื™ ืึดื™ื ึธืฉืึตื™ ืขึทื“ ื“ึผึฐืœึธื ืฉืึธื›ึตื™ื‘ ืฉืึดื™ื›ึฐื‘ึธื ืงึธื™ึฐื™ืžึธื ืžึฐื ื•ึผ ื‘ึทื™ึฐื™ืชึตื™ื”ึผ -
ืจืฉ"ื™ ืžืชื” ืืฉืชื• ืฉืœ ื‘ื•ืขื–: ื•ืœืืฉืžื•ืขื™ื ืŸ ืืชื ืฉื”ืงื‘"ื” ืžืงื“ื™ื ืจืคื•ืื” ืœืžื›ื” ื•ื™ืฉ ืœื• ืœืื“ื ืœื‘ื˜ื•ื— ื‘ื”ืงื‘"ื”.
And Rabbi Yitzแธฅak also says with regard to this passage: That very day when Ruth the Moabite came to Eretz Yisrael, the wife of Boaz died, i.e., from the moment of their arrival the possibility was created for Ruthโ€™s eventual marriage to Boaz. This explains the adage that people say: Before the deceased dies, the person who will next be in charge of his house arises; as in this case, Boazโ€™s new wife, Ruth, arrived as his previous wife died.
Rashi: This comes to teach us that Hashem precedes the illness with the remedy and one should have trust in Hashem

Bava Basra 91a


When One May Overspend on Mitzvos

Notwithstanding the โ€œone-fifth restrictionโ€ mentioned above, there are certain Mitzvos where one can go beyond the fifth and even do so by means of borrowing.

The following Gemara lists both Shabbas and Yom Tov as the first two of the three Mitzvos where no restrictions apply:

ืžึทืื™ ืดื›ึผึดื™ ื—ึถื“ึฐื•ึทืช ื”ืณ ื”ึดื™ื ืžึธืขึปื–ึผึฐื›ึถืืด? ืึธืžึทืจ ืจึทื‘ึผึดื™ ื™ื•ึนื—ึธื ึธืŸ ืžึดืฉึผืื•ึผื ืจึทื‘ึผึดื™ ืึฑืœึดื™ืขึถื–ึถืจ ื‘ึผึฐืจึทื‘ึผึดื™ ืฉืึดืžึฐืขื•ึนืŸ: ืึธืžึทืจ ืœึธื”ึถื ื”ึทืงึผึธื“ื•ึนืฉื ื‘ึผึธืจื•ึผืšึฐ ื”ื•ึผื ืœึฐื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตืœ: ื‘ึผึธื ึทื™, ืœึฐื•ื•ึผ ืขึธืœึทื™, ื•ึฐืงึทื“ึผึฐืฉืื•ึผ ืงึฐื“ื•ึผืฉึผืึทืช ื”ึทื™ึผื•ึนื, ื•ึฐื”ึทืึฒืžึดื™ื ื•ึผ ื‘ึผึดื™ ื•ึทืึฒื ึดื™ ืคึผื•ึนืจึตืขึท.

ื‘ื™ืฆื” ื˜ื• ืข"ื‘ 

The reason for the above is because the expenses one has for Shabbas, YomTov, and expenditures for the school fees of children's chinuch are not included in the original assessment of how much money one is to receive at the beginning of the year:
ื›ึผื‡ืœ ืžึฐื–ื•ึนื ื•ึนืชึธื™ื• ืฉืึถืœ ืึธื“ึธื ืงึฐืฆื•ึผื‘ึดื™ื ืœื•ึน ืžึตืจึนืืฉื ื”ึทืฉึผืึธื ึธื” ื•ึฐืขึทื“ ื™ื•ึนื ื”ึทื›ึผึดืคึผื•ึผืจึดื™ื, ื—ื•ึผืฅ ืžึตื”ื•ึนืฆึธืึทืช ืฉืึทื‘ึผึธืชื•ึนืช ื•ึฐื”ื•ึนืฆึธืึทืช ื™ื•ึนื ื˜ื•ึนื‘ ื•ึฐื”ื•ึนืฆึธืึทืช ื‘ึผึธื ึธื™ื• ืœึฐืชึทืœึฐืžื•ึผื“ ืชึผื•ึนืจึธื”, ืฉืึถืึดื ืคึผึธื—ึทืช โ€” ืคึผื•ึนื—ึฒืชึดื™ืŸ ืœื•ึน, ื•ึฐืึดื ื”ื•ึนืกึดื™ืฃ โ€” ืžื•ึนืกึดื™ืคึดื™ืŸ ืœื•ึน.

ื‘ื™ืฆื” ื˜ื– ืข"ื

The Alter Rebbe codifies this above-mentioned exception to the restriction as law in his Shulchan Aruch adding, however, that the above only applies if one has the property to use as collateral when one borrows. If one, however, does not have any property, one should not borrow:
ื•ืืฃ ืขืœ ืคื™ ื›ืŸ ืชื—ืฉื‘ ืœื• ืœืฆื“ืงื” ืœืขื ื™ืŸ ืฉื™ื›ื•ืœ ืœื”ื•ืฆื™ื ื›ืœ ื”ื•ืฆืื•ืช ืœื™ืžื•ื“ ื‘ื ื™ื• ื”ื’ื“ื•ืœื™ื ืžืžืขื•ืช ืžืขืฉืจ ืฉืœื• ืื• ื”ื—ื•ืžืฉ ืื ืื™ืŸ ื™ื“ื• ืžืฉื’ืช ืžืฉื"ื› ื‘ืฉื›ืจ ื”ืœื™ืžื•ื“ ืขืฆืžื• ื›ืžื• ืฉื™ืชื‘ืืจ ื‘ื”ืœื›ื™ืช ืฆื“ืงื”. ืืš ืžื™ ืฉืื™ื ื• ืžื—ืฉื‘ ื”ื•ืฆืื” ื–ื• ื‘ืžืขืฉืจ ืื• ื‘ื—ื•ืžืฉ ืฉืœื• ื”ืจื™ ื–ื” ื–ืจื™ื– ื•ื ืฉื›ืจ ื›ืžื• ืฉืืžืจื• ื—ื›ืžื™ื ื›ืœ ืžื–ื ื•ื ื•ืชื™ื• ืฉืœ ืื“ื ืงืฆื•ื‘ื™ืŸ ืœื• ืžืจืืฉ ื”ืฉื ื” ื•ืขื“ ื™ื•ื ื”ื›ืคื•ืจื™ื ืžื” ืฉืขืชื™ื“ ืœื”ืฉืชื›ืจ ื‘ืฉื ื” ืฉื™ื”ื ื ื™ื–ื•ืŸ ืžืฉื ืงืฆื•ื‘ ืœื• ื›ืš ื•ื›ืš ื™ืฉืชื›ืจ ื‘ืฉื ื” ื•ื™ืฉ ืœื• ืœื™ื–ื”ืจ ืžืœืขืฉื•ืช ื™ืฆื™ืื” ืžืจื•ื‘ื” ืฉืœื ื™ื•ืกื™ืคื• ืœื• ืฉื›ืจ ืœืžื–ื•ื ื•ืช ืืœื ืžื” ืฉืคืกืงื• ืœื• ื—ื•ืฅ ืžื”ื•ืฆืื•ืช ืฉื‘ืชื•ืช ื•ื™ืžื™ื ื˜ื•ื‘ื™ื ื•ื”ื•ืฆืื•ืช ื‘ื ื™ื• ืœืชืœืžื•ื“ ืชื•ืจื” ืฉืื ื”ื•ืกื™ืฃ ืžื•ืกื™ืคื™ืŸ ืœื• ื•ืž[ืž]ืฆื™ืื™ืŸ ืœื• ืฉื›ืจ ืœืฉืขื” ืื• ืœืื—ืจ ืฉืขื” ื•ึฐื›ึธืœ ื”ึทืžึผึทืจึฐื‘ึผึถื” ื‘ึผึฐื”ื•ึนืฆึธืึทืช ืฉืึทื‘ึผึธืช ื•ึผื‘ึฐืชึดืงึผื•ึผืŸ ืžึทืึฒื›ึธืœึดื™ื ืจึทื‘ึผึดื™ื ื•ึฐื˜ื•ึนื‘ึดื™ื ื”ึฒืจึตื™ ื–ึถื” ืžึฐืฉืึปื‘ึผึธื—โ€Š ื•ึฐื”ื•ึผื ืฉืึถื™ึผึธื“ื•ึน ืžึทืฉึผื‚ึถื’ึถืช.โ€Š ื•ึฐืึทืฃ ืึดื ืึตื™ืŸ ืœื•ึน ืขึทื›ึฐืฉืึธื• ืžึธืขื•ึนืช ืžึฐื–ึปืžึผึธื ึดื™ื ืึถืœึผึธื ื—ึฒืคึธืฆึดื™ื ื™ึฐืžึทืฉืึฐื›ึผึฐื ึตื ื•ึฐื™ึดืœึฐื•ึถื” ืขึฒืœึตื™ื”ึถืโ€Š ื•ึฐื”ึทืงึผึธื“ื•ึนืฉื ื‘ึผึธืจื•ึผืšึฐ ื”ื•ึผื ื™ึทืžึฐืฆึดื™ื ืœื•ึน ืœึดืคึฐืจื•ึนืขึท ื•ึฐืขึทืœ ื–ึถื” ืึธืžึฐืจื•ึผ ืจึทื–ึท"ืœโ€Š ืึธืžึทืจ ื”ึทืงึผึธื“ื•ึนืฉื ื‘ึผึธืจื•ึผืšึฐ ื”ื•ึผื ืœึฐื•ื•ึผ ืขึธืœึทื™ ื•ึทืึฒื ึดื™ ืคื•ึนืจึตืขึท ื›ึผึฐืœื•ึนืžึทืจ ืฉืึถืึตื™ืŸ ื”ื•ึนืฆึธืึทืช ืฉืึทื‘ึผึธืช ื•ึฐื™ื•ึนื ื˜ื•ึนื‘ ืขื•ึนืœึถื” ื‘ึผึฐื—ึถืฉืึฐื‘ึผื•ึนืŸ ื”ึทืงึผึดืฆึฐื‘ึธื” ืฉืึถื ึผึดืงึฐืฆึทื‘ ืœื•ึน ื‘ึผึฐืจึนืืฉื ื”ึทืฉึผืึธื ึธื” ืœึดืžึฐื–ื•ึนื ื•ึนืช ื›ึผึธืœ ื”ึทืฉึผืึธื ึธื” ื•ึผืฉืึฐืึธืจ ืฆึฐืจึธื›ึธื™ื• ืฉืึถื›ึผึธืšึฐ ืึธืžึฐืจื•ึผ ื—ึฒื›ึธืžึดื™ืโ€Š ื›ึผึธืœ ืžึฐื–ื•ึนื ื•ึนืชึธื™ื• ื•ึฐื”ื•ึนืฆึธืื•ึนืชึธื™ื• ืฉืึถืœ ืึธื“ึธื ืงึฐืฆื•ึผื‘ึดื™ืŸ ืœื•ึน ืžึตืจึนืืฉื ื”ึทืฉึผืึธื ึธื” ืฉืึถืงึผื•ึนืฆึฐื‘ึดื™ืŸ ืœื•ึน ื›ึผึทืžึผึธื” ื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืชึผึทื›ึผึตืจ ื‘ึผึฐืฉืึธื ึธื” ื–ื•ึน ืœึฐืฆึนืจึถืšึฐ ืžึฐื–ื•ึนื ื•ึนืชึธื™ื•โ€Š ื•ึผืฉืึฐืึธืจ ืฆึฐืจึธื›ึธื™ื• ืฉืึถืœ ื›ึผึธืœ ื™ึฐืžื•ึนืช ื”ึทืฉึผืึธื ึธื” ื—ื•ึผืฅ ืžึตื”ื•ึนืฆึธืื•ึนืช ืฉืึทื‘ึผึธืชื•ึนืช ื•ึฐื™ึธืžึดื™ื ื˜ื•ึนื‘ึดื™ื ืฉืึถืึตื™ืŸ ืงื•ึนืฆึฐื‘ึดื™ืŸ ืขึธืœึถื™ื”ึธ ื›ึผึฐืœื•ึผืโ€Šืึถืœึผึธื ืึดื ืžื•ึนืกึดื™ืฃ ื‘ึผึฐื”ื•ึนืฆึธืึทืช ืฉืึทื‘ึผึธืช ื•ึฐื™ื•ึนื ื˜ื•ึนื‘ ืžื•ึนืกึดื™ืคึดื™ืŸ ืœื•ึน. ืึฒื‘ึธืœ ืึดื ืึตื™ืŸ ืœื•ึน ื—ึฒืคึธืฆึดื™ื ืœึฐืžึทืฉืึฐื›ึผึฐื ึธื ื•ึฐืœึดืคึฐืจื•ึนืขึท ื‘ึผึธื”ึถื ืœึนื ื™ึดืœึฐื•ึถื” ื•ึฐืฉืึถื”ึทืงึผึธื“ื•ึนืฉื ื‘ึผึธืจื•ึผืšึฐ ื”ื•ึผื ื™ึดืคึฐืจึทืขโ€Š ื›ึผึดื™ ืžึตืึทื—ึทืจ ืฉืึถืึตื™ืŸ ืœื•ึน ืžึดืฉึผืึถืœึผื•ึน ืึตื™ืŸ ืขึธืœึธื™ื• ื—ึดื™ึผื•ึผื‘ ื›ึผึฐืœึธืœ ืœึฐื”ึทืจึฐื‘ึผื•ึนืช ื‘ึผึฐื”ื•ึนืฆึธืึทืช ืฉืึทื‘ึผึธืช ื™ื•ึนืชึตืจ ืžึตื”ึทืฉึผื‚ึธื’ึทืช ื™ึธื“ื•ึน:

ืฉื•ืœื—ืŸ ืขืจื•ืš ืื“ื”โ€ื– ืกื™ ืจืž"ื‘ ืกืขื™' ื’

This unrestricted budget is likewise highlighted in the Alter Rebbeโ€™s Hilchos Talmud Torah:
ื•ืืฃ ืขืœ ืคื™ ื›ืŸ ืชื—ืฉื‘ ืœื• ืœืฆื“ืงื” ืœืขื ื™ืŸ ืฉื™ื›ื•ืœ ืœื”ื•ืฆื™ื ื›ืœ ื”ื•ืฆืื•ืช ืœื™ืžื•ื“ ื‘ื ื™ื• ื”ื’ื“ื•ืœื™ื ืžืžืขื•ืช ืžืขืฉืจ ืฉืœื• ืื• ื”ื—ื•ืžืฉ ืื ืื™ืŸ ื™ื“ื• ืžืฉื’ืช ืžืฉื"ื› ื‘ืฉื›ืจ ื”ืœื™ืžื•ื“ ืขืฆืžื• ื›ืžื• ืฉื™ืชื‘ืืจ ื‘ื”ืœื›ื™ืช ืฆื“ืงื”. ืืš ืžื™ ืฉืื™ื ื• ืžื—ืฉื‘ ื”ื•ืฆืื” ื–ื• ื‘ืžืขืฉืจ ืื• ื‘ื—ื•ืžืฉ ืฉืœื• ื”ืจื™ ื–ื” ื–ืจื™ื– ื•ื ืฉื›ืจ ื›ืžื• ืฉืืžืจื• ื—ื›ืžื™ื ื›ืœ ืžื–ื ื•ื ื•ืชื™ื• ืฉืœ ืื“ื ืงืฆื•ื‘ื™ืŸ ืœื• ืžืจืืฉ ื”ืฉื ื” ื•ืขื“ ื™ื•ื ื”ื›ืคื•ืจื™ื ืžื” ืฉืขืชื™ื“ ืœื”ืฉืชื›ืจ ื‘ืฉื ื” ืฉื™ื”ื ื ื™ื–ื•ืŸ ืžืฉื ืงืฆื•ื‘ ืœื• ื›ืš ื•ื›ืš ื™ืฉืชื›ืจ ื‘ืฉื ื” ื•ื™ืฉ ืœื• ืœื™ื–ื”ืจ ืžืœืขืฉื•ืช ื™ืฆื™ืื” ืžืจื•ื‘ื” ืฉืœื ื™ื•ืกื™ืคื• ืœื• ืฉื›ืจ ืœืžื–ื•ื ื•ืช ืืœื ืžื” ืฉืคืกืงื• ืœื• ื—ื•ืฅ ืžื”ื•ืฆืื•ืช ืฉื‘ืชื•ืช ื•ื™ืžื™ื ื˜ื•ื‘ื™ื ื•ื”ื•ืฆืื•ืช ื‘ื ื™ื• ืœืชืœืžื•ื“ ืชื•ืจื” ืฉืื ื”ื•ืกื™ืฃ ืžื•ืกื™ืคื™ืŸ ืœื• ื•ืž[ืž]ืฆื™ืื™ืŸ ืœื• ืฉื›ืจ ืœืฉืขื” ืื• ืœืื—ืจ ืฉืขื”

ืฉื•ืข"ืจ ื”ืœื›ื•ืช ืชืœืžื•ื“ ืชื•ืจื” ืคืจืง ื ื”ืœื›ื” ื” 

In a letter dated 5722, the Rebbe similarly highlights the importance of spending whatever means necessary on one's children's Chinuch:

โ€ฆJewish parents are always self sacrificing in order to safeguard the happiness of their children. If this is so even in matters which are not very essential, how much more so should this be in such a vital issue as education, which is the foundation of the whole future life.
I am, therefore, confident that you will overcome all difficulties and make the financial sacrifice, if necessary, to ensure the best Torah education for your children. All the more so, since, actually, there is no financial sacrifice involved, as the Torah assures us that all expenses connected with Torah education come under a special account, upon which a Jewish parent can draw as much as he wants. Our Sages state that the blessing of Kesivo vachasimo toivo includes a fixed budget for all needs throughout the year, but this budget does not include expenditures connected with such things as Shabbos and Yom Tov observance and the Torah education of children, which allowances are not fixed and limited, but elastic, and the more money spent for these sacred purposes, the more is providedโ€ฆ

See image of the unsigned letter in Teshura Marosov-Posner page 18


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