Following the Law

There was a news item about illegal housing no longer being tolerated anywhere in Rockland (the Monsey area). "An upcoming plan expected to debut in late April will crack down on health, housing, zoning and fire code violations in each of Rockland’s five towns."

This is a disaster for many home owners and landlords as well as their tenants.  To make an apartment legal costs a lot of money and then, I am told, property taxes, which are already high, will be even higher.  Presumably, that will make rental costs even higher.

In discussing this with someone I said, but do we believe that Hashem designates our finances for the coming year on Rosh Hashana? Do people really think they have to help G-d out by having illegal property? Does Hashem have no other eitza but to provide them with money in this way?

Well, what about the smuggling and illegal activities that Jews did back in Europe? That is how they survived.  One could have asked the same question, did they have to do things illegally to get what Hashem designated for them? 

Apparently, in Europe, when the laws were skewed against the Jews, and in the Soviet Union, against the citizens in general, the normal hishtadlus entailed doing things illegally (smuggling, black market, illegal activities).  But under normal circumstances, one would not be allowed to do this.

Making Money

Ami magazine has a column which features a successful businessman.  He is interviewed and is asked how he got started, what was the best advice he received, how he handles stress, etc.

Many of the people interviewed are chassidishe fellows (occasionally yeshivish) who formed a business from scratch and are making lots of money, without any advanced schooling and degrees and sometimes without much English. I get a kick out of it.  They have guts, they work hard, they love what they do, and they demonstrate that parnassa is from the Aibershter.

Nobody Can Help or Harm Me

I keep going back to the conundrum of hishtadlus as I wrote about: here.  The Chovos Ha'Levavos in the Shaar Ha'Bitachon says, nobody can do anything to help or harm you other than Hashem, who has complete control over everything.

With the three kidnapped boys on our minds, I thought -  nobody can do anything to harm them unless Hashem allows it.  At the same time, those running the country are obligated to take the necessary steps to defend the people.

The story of how Hatzoloh came to be has to do with a man named Weber seeing that the usual response time of an ambulance was 20 minutes, too long, sometimes, to help someone in distress.  Hatzoloh is a wonderful organization, and one that I've given money to many times, but my same question applies.  Hashem is in charge.  He decides how long someone will live.  Speedier response times don't change Hashem's plans.  We are not in control.  So what is gained with speedier response times?

There are medical referral organizations that guide people so they can pick the best doctor.  Judaism says a doctor has permission to heal, and some of our great people have been doctors, but if only Hashem can heal, then why do look for the best doctor? Why not look for a board certified, decent doctor? It seems to me that we can be much more sincere in our bitachon if we don't seek the best doctor but find someone adequate and truly rely on Hashem.

More on Health and Hishtadlus

follow-up to previous post

I have read many times where someone in Eretz Yisrael, when asked about living in a dangerous place or during war time, responded with: If my time is up, it's up no matter where I am.

That sounds correct because we know that Dovid Ha'Melech, for example, was allotted a certain number of years, and so too, for all of us.

However, on Rosh Hashana we say, "You apportion a set time for all Your creatures ... who will live and who will die; mee b'kitzo u'mee lo b'kitzo - who will die at his predestined time and who before his time ..."

Oh, so there is such a thing as dying before your designated time.  How does that happen? By smoking? Not using a seatbelt? By consuming sugar and not enough vegetables? By being sedentary?

"Ein somchin al ha'neis" - we do not rely on miracles.  It is easy to explain this by saying, don't cross a major highway blindfold.  The problem is, when it comes to ordinary activities, we each decide what our definition of "reasonable" is.  For some people, it is not normal to do an activity just for the sake of exercise; they think that going about one's normal activities is enough.  Others regularly walk, swim, cycle, and take an exercise class for their health.  Some people think nutritional supplements are a must; others think it's enough to eat a balanced diet (and they decide what a balanced diet is).  Some think having an annual physical and screening tests are the norm while others don't visit a doctor unless a particular reason to do so arises. 

We pick what is comfortable for us, what we like doing, and if we are obedient and disciplined types we do as current medical knowledge advises (although doctors contradict one another), and it's usually a combination of these.  And then we think we are "balanced" and doing the right thing.  And we feel in control.  And we're not.

a related post: here

On Health and Hishtadlus

I've been pondering hishtadlus in health matters.  I know that taking care of one's health is a mitzva (Devarim 4:15) so I do many things in this regard.  At the same time, I know about numerous situations in which a person made efforts to take care of him or herself and they experienced illness or injury in that very area. 

For example, being careful on the steps, holding on to the bannister, and falling anyway.  Doing a screening test faithfully and getting that disease anyway.

Even as Hashem enjoins us to take care of ourselves, He lets us entertain no illusions that we are in control.  Because if we think we are, He reminds us that we're not. 

So where does that leave us? It leaves me feeling unsettled.  I know the proper outlook is to think I do my part and Hashem runs the show.  The Chovos Ha'Levavos talks about this. 

It can be hard to maintain this way of thinking because human nature is such that we either 1) go overboard in taking steps to maintain our health * or 2) we are more lackadaisical about it.  To get it just right, i.e. to take the right steps while believing nothing is up to me; it's all up to Hashem, is an avoda.

So sometimes, when I am careful about how I bend down, for example, holding on and bending carefully, I think how sensible I am; but then I think - who am I kidding? I've heard so many cases of "freak" accidents, of missteps, of unexpected and sudden falls and illnesses.  Do I think I can avoid injury because of my awareness and taking care? But we have to be aware and take care ... And so I keep pondering.

* the same goes for parnassa