Money in Trust

וְכִי יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ וּמָטָה יָדוֹ עִמָּךְ וְהֶחֱזַקְתָּ בּוֹ

If your brother should become impoverished, and his means falter in your proximity, you shall strengthen him.[1]

The parsha of Behar, which began talking about shemitah and Yovel years, then goes on to deal with helping one’s fellow in his time of need. What is the thematic flow here?

The shemitah year is meant to teach one bitachon – trust in Hashem. Every seventh year, he leaves his field unworked, recognizing thereby the One from Whom he received it, and relying on Hashem to provide for his needs.

There is a concern that, having absorbed the trait of trusting in Hashem to such a high degree, one may then come to apply it to others whom he sees in need, thinking, “So and so has fallen on hard times, but if there is anything I learned from the shemitah year, it is to trust that Hashem will provide for him,” and leave it at that.

To this end, the Torah follows its discussion of shemitah with the instruction to help others in need, as if to say, the bitachon you connected with in shemitah relates to matters between Hashem and yourself. When it comes to other people, however, your role is to extend a helping hand and not a lecture on the virtue of trusting in Hashem. Indeed, part of trusting in Hashem is recognizing that He has many means and agencies through which to help people. Perhaps, in this situation, with your neighbor in need, bitachon involves your considering that that agency is you.[2]

[1] Vayikra 25:35.

[2] R’ Tanchum Gershon Belitski, rabbi of Jasionawca, Poland, Ginas Chemed, drush 19.