Chapter 18 of Mishlei deals with a series of character traits and spiritual levels: between the sluggard and the destroyer, between the chronic complainer and the one hurt by him, and between the one who trusts in his wealth versus the one who trusts in the Name of Hashem. In this lesson, we will focus on two central verses in the chapter: verse 9 - "He also who is slack in his work," and verse 10 - "The Name of Hashem is a tower of strength." These two verses, as we will see, teach us major foundations in the service of Hashem: the value of time, the gravity of laxity, and the true essence of trust in Hashem.
גַּם מִתְרַפֶּה בִמְלַאכְתּוֹ אָח הוּא לְבַעַל מַשְׁחִית׃ (משלי י"ח, ט) - He also who is slack in his work is a brother to the master of destruction (Mishlei 18:9).
Rashi explains: "Slack in his work" - this refers to someone who withdraws from the Torah even though he is a Talmid Chacham. A Talmid Chacham who ultimately decided to leave Torah study, for instance to occupy himself with matters that are not his concern - "is a brother to the master of destruction," where the destroyer here is the Satan. What do you have to do with all of that? There is a clever hint: the Hebrew word for politics, politika, can be read as an acronym for peh lo tehei ka'ah ("do not spew here"). Do not stand there; flee from it.
And this applies in general as well. The Rav of Pardes Chana once related that he met a young avrech in rabbinic attire and asked him: What does your honor do? He replied: I am a rabbi in such-and-such place. The Rav asked him: And where does your honor learn? He answered in astonishment: What do you mean, learn? I already explained to you, I am already a rabbi, what do I have to learn? You see, a person might think that Torah is like being a university student: you earn a degree, receive official certification, get a diploma - and you are done. Leave the kollel, close the Gemara, you are all set. But Torah is not a diploma. Torah is a person who continues to grow and elevate himself in it day by day. And one who is slack in his work - is a brother to the master of destruction, attaching himself to the Satan. For through slackness itself, he grants the yetzer hara power to dominate and overpower him.
Rabbeinu Yonah explains that here the verse comes to rebuke the sluggard who is slack in his work. A person might argue: If I am an employee and I cut corners, arriving a bit late, leaving a bit early, pushing tasks aside, not doing exactly what is required of me - perhaps there is sin in that. Indeed, in doing so, one acts with outright wickedness: someone is paying you for these very moments and minutes, and instead of doing the employer's work, you surf the internet or hold friendly chats with friends. Doing his work deceitfully - that is certainly destructive.
However, one might think: if an independent worker who is doing his own work becomes slack in it - what harm has he really done? Who is hurt? Regarding this, the verse comes and says "also": not only the one who is slack in the work of others, but even the one who is slack in his own work is a brother to the master of destruction. For there is a prohibition against destruction, "You shall not destroy its trees by wielding an axe against them" - to take something good and destroy it for nothing. During that time when you slacked off, you could have worked and earned money. You might say: I do not need this money. But money is an instrument: you could have performed mitzvos with it, you could have made a Yissachar-Zevulun partnership with another person and merit eternal life. And that is without even mentioning that during that time you could have learned Torah - even in the case of someone who has no head for study and cannot sit still, he could still have earned money. Thus, this too is destruction: the destruction of time. "He is a brother to the master of destruction."
Why is this verse juxtaposed with the preceding verse that discusses the complainer (nirgan)? Rabbeinu Yonah explains: both of these are matters in which people do not perceive any sin. The complainer is a person who loves to complain constantly; he will say: Why do you care, it is my hobby, I enjoy it - there are people whose entire pleasure consists of complaining, a "chronic grumbler." Likewise, the one who is slack in his work will say: This is my own work, I am self-employed, what wrong have I done? Both of these things appear as though there is no sin in them, and therefore Scripture emphasizes: know that these are extremely negative traits.
Rabbeinu Yonah further explains that this refers to one who is slack in the labor of wisdom and divine service: a person who could have elevated himself in Torah, elevated himself in good deeds, and fulfilled the will of Hashem, yet he is slack. "Not now, later" - "As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed," turning from belly to back, and telling you: there is still time, it is not midnight yet. This person destroys his days and his years, and this is no less severe than one who destroys wealth. There is no loss like the loss of time; the loss of time is the worst loss of all.
Another explanation in Rabbeinu Yonah connects this verse to the preceding one in a different way: "His work" - the work of the grumbler mentioned earlier. You landed an impossible, grumbling boss. No one would wish that upon anyone; there are people who would prefer almost anything over such a boss. A boss who is never pleased with what you did; no matter how hard you try, no matter how much effort you invest, no matter how much you want to please him - he will always find the flaw, always the negative: "And why didn't you do this?" He never has a good word, never offers a compliment.
And by the way, there are parents like this as well, and one must have great compassion for their children. Always look for the good in a child, something to praise him for, give him motivation. Some say: if I praise him he will become conceited, and if he becomes conceited he will no longer do anything - this is sheer narrow-mindedness. Give him a good word: "Well done, I see you succeeded, it shows what you are capable of, I am proud of you." Praise him.
And here is the point: when one has a grumbling boss, one feels it is entirely legitimate to slack off at work - after all, he is the type from whom you will never receive a good word, and whatever you do will never be enough for him, so why make an effort? The verse says: "He also that is slack in his work" - even one who is slack in the work of the grumbler, where you think it is legitimate, is a brother to a destroyer. Yaakov Avinu worked for the wicked Lavan, the one who founded the "white lie," the one who changed his wages a hundred times; he had every reason in the world to cheat him, yet he dealt with him with absolute integrity. A person must not compromise his faithfulness and integrity because of the grumbler's corrupt character. Just because that person is dishonest, will you become a thief? Heaven forbid. If it does not suit you, leave, you are not obligated to stay with him; but as long as you remain, his being a grumbler is no excuse to breach the trust placed in you.
The Vilna Gaon explains this based on the verse, "He will not fail you, nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers." "He will not fail you" corresponds to the positive commandments, which one must not let slip but rather grasp firmly: lulav, sukkah, matzah, tefillin. "Nor destroy you" corresponds to the negative commandments, for one who transgresses them destroys and ruins. "Nor forget the covenant of your fathers" corresponds to the Torah, which is called a covenant, as it is stated, "If not for My covenant day and night."
And this is what the verse means: "He also that is slack in his work" - slackness means abandoning and letting go of positive commandments; and one who slacks off from positive commandments is a brother to a destroyer, meaning he is comparable to one who actively transgressed a negative commandment. You might say: a negative commandment is severe, that person went and actually stole; I only failed to save my fellow from theft. The verse tells you: know that one who is slack in his obligation in positive mitzvot - "Do not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor," "You shall surely return them to your brother" and returning a lost object - is just like a person who actively commits transgressions through direct action.
There are mandatory obligations upon every person, such as tefillin, and there are mitzvot that are conditional, such as tzitzit: you are not obligated to wear a four-cornered garment, and if you do not have one, you are not obligated in tzitzit. It is true that the Gemara states that in a time of divine wrath people are punished even for this - why did you not obtain a four-cornered garment in order to put tzitzit on it, and we are in a time of wrath. Yet it is not an absolute obligation required of every single person. In contrast, tefillin is an obligation on everyone. And one who did not put on tefillin must not say: Hashem wanted to grant me merit, I am very grateful to the Master of the World, but today I do not feel like it. Is there such a thing? A "head that does not put on tefillin" - they descend to Gehinnom and do not ascend, Heaven protect us. There is a "passive omission" that is extremely severe; one who is slack in his work is considered as though he committed an actual transgression, like one who violated a negative prohibition.
And this is what is stated: "He who commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; he who destroys his own soul does so." Chazal expounded: this refers to one who studies Torah intermittently. He slacks off from words of Torah - learning, stopping, returning to learn, and stopping again. These interruptions are passive omissions, yet the verse nevertheless states: "he who destroys his own soul does so" - as if it were an active commission. One who causes an interruption, even through passive inaction, is a brother to a destroyer.
Ralbag explains: a person who is slack and lazy in any work whatsoever is a companion to a destructive man. And what is a destroyer? It is the hidden snare, the trap laid to ensnare people. For one who is slack in his work does the work poorly: he builds a bridge - and builds it flimsy; he builds a building - and builds it structurally unsound. It turns out that he lays a snare for people: people will cross the bridge and the bridge will collapse, people will enter the building and the building will collapse. Thus, one who is slack in his work is a brother to one who actively destroys.
The Malbim notes the precision of the phrase ba'al mashchit (a master of destruction): ish mashchit (a destructive person) encompasses all forms of destruction, but ba'al denotes ownership - that he has ownership over the matter, meaning he has already built and accomplished something, and then went and destroyed it all. This is the illustration the Malbim consistently teaches for this expression: one who did nothing is comparable to one who went, built, accomplished, and afterward destroyed it. Therefore, Scripture calls him a ba'al mashchit: you built, you accomplished - and now you are destroying.
מִגְדַּל עֹז שֵׁם יְהֹוָה בּוֹ יָרוּץ צַדִּיק וְנִשְׂגָּב׃ (משלי י"ח, י) - "A tower of strength is the Name of Hashem; into it runs the righteous man and is set high above danger." (Mishlei 18:10)
A person is saved from trouble when he invokes the Name of Hashem and prays before Him - that will be your tower of strength. What was the purpose of a tower? A fortified stronghold into which people enter and are elevated within it, meaning they are saved and protected inside. A "tower of strength" is a mighty tower capable of saving whoever takes refuge high within it. And this is the Name of Hashem - the mightiest fortress of all.
This aligns with what we have previously discussed regarding the verse, "It is better to take refuge in Hashem than to trust in man." The Vilna Gaon explained: Lachasot (to take refuge) means seeking shelter under something even though there is no explicit guarantee that it will save me; I simply come and take refuge there on my own initiative. In contrast, bote'ach (trusting) means relying on someone because he made a promise to me. The verse teaches: It is better to take refuge in Hashem - even merely taking refuge, sheltering under the protective canopy of the Creator without any explicit promise of salvation - than to trust in a human being who has promised to save me. The same applies here: the most secure place is the Name of Hashem. Whoever remembers the Name of Hashem and prays before Him will be saved from all trouble through this.
What is the meaning of "runs"? Rabbeinu Yonah explains: he does not fear any obstacle, as it is written, "If you run, you will not stumble." Normally, when a person runs, he cannot pay close attention to obstacles; when he walks, he watches his step, but when he runs, he may trip over something and fall. This is like driving a car: Where do you allow yourself to step on the gas? On a highway, on a paved road. But if you are driving on a bumpy, unpaved road, even if it seems possible to accelerate, you will not do so, lest there be a pit ahead. Running always reflects a paved path, free of any fear. A person is cautious about walking unless he knows the path is safe and secure.
And the righteous man, because he trusts so deeply in Hashem that no harm will befall him - and that if any hardship does come upon him, the Holy One, blessed be He, will deliver him from it - has nothing to worry about. He is not afraid to run; he runs freely, for he is in Hashem's hands, bound to Above, and if there should be a pit, he is held from Above and does not fall. It emerges, then, that whoever possesses this tower of strength - which is the Name of Hashem - can run. Furthermore, "and is set high above danger" (venisgav): even if he falls into trouble, he will be elevated above it, meaning he will be saved, as in the verses, "He who trusts in Hashem shall be set on high (yeshugav)," and "May Hashem answer you in the day of distress; may the Name of the God of Yaakov protect you (yesagvecha)."
Notice that Scripture refers to the one who trusts as a "tzaddik." Rabbeinu Yonah explains: whoever trusts in Hashem is called a tzaddik, because bitachon (trust) is among the highest levels within the attribute of yirah (awe and reverence for Heaven). How is your fear of Hashem measured? By your trust in Him. And if you do not trust in Hashem, where is your fear of Heaven? Fear of Hashem reflects how connected you are to Above, how deep your relationship is with the Master of the World. If I sense the Master of the World, I trust in Him. But if I do not sense Him, I remain suspended in the air: I do not know what to do, I do not know what will happen. But why don't you know? There is a Holy One, blessed be He! "Hashem is your shade at your right hand" - and from this it follows that you revere Hashem and also trust in Him.
Moreover, can one burdened with sins truly trust and remain calm? "Into it runs the righteous man and is set high above danger" - specifically a tzaddik. This is why it says in Tehillim, "You who fear Hashem, trust in Hashem": first you must be one who fears Hashem, and then, if you trust in Hashem, you can be assured that you will be elevated and saved. But if you are not righteous, who promises that you will be saved?
The Chazon Ish notes that a deep-seated error has taken root regarding the understanding of the concept of bitachon (trust in Hashem), and this is a fundamental principle that everyone must know and review. People commonly think that bitachon means: when a person stands before two potential paths and does not know the outcome - he might succeed or he might fail, things might go well for him or, Heaven forbid, the opposite - the one who trusts in Hashem is the one who says, "I am sure things will go well for me; I believe and trust that everything will turn out well and that I will succeed." And whoever says, "It is possible that the opposite will happen," is considered to be lacking bitachon.
The Chazon Ish says: this is an absolute mistake. Is one who trusts in Hashem guaranteed that things will turn out well for him? Who promised you that? If someone is in a dangerous situation - is the one who trusts in Hashem the one who is certain he will be saved, while whoever is not certain lacks bitachon? Not at all! What you must trust is that whatever Hashem does is for the best. That is, even if Hashem decides to take him from this world, I believe with complete faith that this is the best outcome for me and that this is the will of Heaven. But to say, "I am certain Hashem will save me" - who guaranteed that to you? Does the Holy One, Blessed be He, work for you? How can you be so certain?
However, the Chazon Ish adds, there is a level of tzaddikim who possess perfect bitachon in Hashem, and they can indeed be completely at ease. King David could say, "I will pursue my enemies and overtake them, and I will not return until they are destroyed." So too on the level of the wagon driver in the story of the holy Alshich - he could say: I trust in Hashem one hundred percent, relying on Him to provide my livelihood. That is absolute, one hundred percent trust, without any practical effort (hishtadlus). But an ordinary person - "And Hashem will bless you in all that you do" - must make his practical efforts. And making normal hishtadlus is not a flaw in one's bitachon at all. Bitachon does not guarantee that you will succeed; bitachon means: I am certain that whatever Hashem does with me will be for the good.
When someone opens a business, and he says, "I do not know whether it will succeed," people tell him: "You lack bitachon! Say: 'I am certain in Hashem that it will succeed.'" Not at all! What you ought to say is: "I am certain that whatever happens to me in this business is from the hand of Hashem, and everything Hashem does is for the best." That is complete bitachon. But to say that things will necessarily go well for me? Perhaps the true good is specifically that you lose money in the business! For without that loss, you might, Heaven forbid, have had to leave this world, but the Holy One, Blessed be He, brought about a loss of a half-million shekel investment, and in exchange you were granted another twenty years of life. Is it worth it or not? It is supreme kindness. You say, "I am sure I will succeed," whereas in fact, your true benefit lies in not succeeding. Therefore, a person must know: bitachon does not mean being certain that good will necessarily happen to you; that is not the essence of bitachon.
And therefore this is what is stated here: one who has sins should fear his sins. "Into it the righteous runs and is elevated" - if he is a tzaddik, he can truly be at ease. And if not, he should first become a fearer of Hashem, as it says: "You who fear Hashem, trust in Hashem."
Rabbeinu Yonah elaborates, explaining that from the power of the tzaddik's bitachon, he gains the strength to run in the service of Hashem. For the service of Hashem requires great exertion, and no work compares to the service of Hashem. In any other job, there is a point when you finish; even if you have a very tough boss, there is an hour when you clock out, leave, and go home, and there are vacations too. By contrast, the service of Hashem is a twenty-four-hour endeavor, around the clock: not only how you eat, how you drink, and what you do, but even what you think; and what is more, even how you sleep - for there are halachos regarding sleep: on one's stomach, on one's back, on one's side, the right side and the left side. Thus, the service of Hashem is an immense task, night and day without interruption, and often a person can become weary. Therefore, it is specifically bitachon in Hashem that gives him the strength to run.
The two pesukim we learned complement each other. "Even one who is slack in his work is a brother to a destructive person" teaches that slackness is no trivial matter: whether in the work of others or in one's own work, whether with money or with time, whether regarding positive commandments or intermittent Torah study - one who is slack is considered as though he built with his hands and then destroyed, and as though he committed an active transgression. On the other hand, "A tower of strength is the Name of Hashem; into it the righteous runs and is elevated" teaches from where one draws the strength to run: from taking refuge in the Name of Hashem, which is the strongest fortress of all. Yet true bitachon, as the Chazon Ish explains, is not a guarantee that things will turn out well according to my desires, but the certainty that whatever the Holy One, Blessed be He, does is for the best. One who attains such bitachon possesses complete fear of Heaven, and he runs in the service of Hashem without fear of stumbling - and is elevated.