The Power of Certainty and Trust
Opening Meet a young married man. He sits at a table, and his thoughts are spinning. Should he take this offer? Should he move to another neighborhood? Should he open a business? He has asked, he has looked into it, he has done the math, and he is still sitting there. The decision does not come. The “maybe” keeps growing. The “what if” keeps multiplying. Meanwhile, life passes him by. This is not only a state of mind. It is a spiritual state. Its name is doubt. In Hebrew, every letter has a number value. The Hebrew word for doubt adds up to the same number as Amalek, the ancient enemy of the Jewish people. Above, There Is No Doubt There is a well-known teaching in the name of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of the Hasidic movement: before Hashem in heaven, there is no doubt. Hashem is absolute reality, perfect oneness, a certainty with nothing beyond it. Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, author of the Tanya, explains this in the part of the Tanya called “The Gate of Unity and Faith.” He teaches that all of reality flows from Hashem’s power, which gives it life and brings it into being at every moment. In that reality there is no separation, no “maybe,” and no change. Doubt belongs to this world. This is a world where Hashem is hidden and concealed. Doubt grows from a self that feels cut off from its Source. So doubt is not only a lack of knowledge. It is a lack of connection. Doubt Is Separation, Certainty Is Closeness There is a deep idea here. To live with Hashem means to live from a place of certainty. This is not the certainty of arrogance. It is not a certainty that denies reality. It is the certainty of faith that Hashem guides His world and every detail in it. As the Bible says: “Trust in Hashem and do good.” Trust is the power that makes action possible and drives it forward. When a person lives in constant doubt, he is not living with Hashem. He is living with himself, with his fears and with his calculations. Clinging to Hashem means clinging to Hashem’s certainty. The inner work of trust is to bring that certainty down into the actions of daily life. Certainty Doesn’t Just Attract Success, It Creates It And here is the new idea. Most people think certainty is a sign of success. They think that someone who has already succeeded is the one who feels sure of himself. But the truth is the opposite. Certainty creates success. At the Red Sea, Nachshon son of Aminadav did not wait for the sea to split and then walk in. He walked in, and then the sea split. The vessel is made by the act of trust itself. A firm decision is not only an expression of faith. It is the vessel through which blessing comes down. This is also the meaning of a well-known Hasidic saying: “Think good, and it will be good.” This does not deny that problems are real. It means knowing that thought and trust are a real, active power that creates reality. Trust is not just a spiritual good-luck charm. It is the vessel. In Real Life This is not a call to close your eyes. Our Sages taught: “Find yourself a teacher.” Looking into things, learning and asking for advice are a necessary stage. Duties of the Heart, a classic medieval book of ethics, explains this in its section on trust. Trust does not cancel your own effort. It is the foundation that lies underneath it. Check, ask, learn. Do your part. But once the decision is made, go forward. Don’t look back. Don’t go back and doubt again. A decision made with complete trust will succeed more than a “correct” decision made with hesitation. Trust is the power that fills the vessel.
Putting It into Practice
The next time you face a decision, whether about your livelihood, about raising your children or about anything else, give yourself time to look into it. But also set yourself a date: “By such-and-such a day, I will decide.” On that day, after you have checked things out, decide. Then move forward without “maybe.” Doubt is Amalek. Certainty is closeness to Hashem. And the decision itself, made with trust in Hashem, is the beginning of salvation.
Questions and answers
Q: Why does a young man get stuck in endless doubt when facing a decision like taking a job offer or opening a business?
Rabbi Landau answers: Meet a young married man. He sits at a table, and his thoughts are spinning. Should he take this offer? Should he move to another neighborhood? Should he open a business? He has asked, he has looked into it, he has done the math, and he is still sitting there. The decision does not come. The “maybe” keeps growing. The “what if” keeps multiplying. Meanwhile, life passes him by. This is not only a state of mind. It is a spiritual state. Its name is doubt. In Hebrew, every letter has a number value. The Hebrew word for doubt adds up to the same number as Amalek, the ancient enemy of the Jewish people.
Q: What does the Baal Shem Tov's teaching that there is no doubt before Hashem mean?
Rabbi Landau answers: There is a well-known teaching in the name of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of the Hasidic movement: before Hashem in heaven, there is no doubt. Hashem is absolute reality, perfect oneness, a certainty with nothing beyond it. Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, author of the Tanya, explains this in the part of the Tanya called “The Gate of Unity and Faith.” He teaches that all of reality flows from Hashem’s power, which gives it life and brings it into being at every moment. In that reality there is no separation, no “maybe,” and no change. Doubt belongs to this world. This is a world where Hashem is hidden and concealed.
Q: Does certainty come after success, or does certainty create success, as with Nachshon at the Red Sea?
Rabbi Landau answers: Most people think certainty is a sign of success. They think that someone who has already succeeded is the one who feels sure of himself. But the truth is the opposite. Certainty creates success. At the Red Sea, Nachshon son of Aminadav did not wait for the sea to split and then walk in. He walked in, and then the sea split. The vessel is made by the act of trust itself. A firm decision is not only an expression of faith. It is the vessel through which blessing comes down. This is also the meaning of a well-known Hasidic saying: “Think good, and it will be good.” This does not deny that problems are real.
Q: Does trusting in Hashem mean I should skip research and advice before deciding?
Rabbi Landau answers: This is not a call to close your eyes. Our Sages taught: “Find yourself a teacher.” Looking into things, learning and asking for advice are a necessary stage. Duties of the Heart, a classic medieval book of ethics, explains this in its section on trust. Trust does not cancel your own effort. It is the foundation that lies underneath it. Check, ask, learn. Do your part. But once the decision is made, go forward. Don’t look back. Don’t go back and doubt again. A decision made with complete trust will succeed more than a “correct” decision made with hesitation. Trust is the power that fills the vessel.
Q: How can I make a decision without getting stuck in "maybe"?
Rabbi Landau answers: The next time you face a decision, whether about your livelihood, about raising your children or about anything else, give yourself time to look into it. But also set yourself a date: “By such-and-such a day, I will decide.” On that day, after you have checked things out, decide. Then move forward without “maybe.” Doubt is Amalek. Certainty is closeness to Hashem. And the decision itself, made with trust in Hashem, is the beginning of salvation.