This, too, shall he see [to do], to strengthen himself always in the trait of bitachon. For aside from its being a holy trait and essential for the fundamental end of [Divine] service, it is also greatly needed for the trait of guarding one's tongue. For it is well known that one is often ill disposed to his friend, and his yetzer incites him to go and publicize him as a wicked, unprincipled man for having (as he thinks) harmed his business or having detracted from his honor, and it is very difficult for him to overcome his yetzer in these things. But if one reflects upon what Chazal have said, that one cannot touch even a hair of what is set aside [by Heaven] for his friend, and that everyone will be given what was decreed for him by Heaven, both in respect to honor and in respect to possessions, as Chazal have said (Yoma 38a): "From here Ben Azzai derived: 'By your name shall they call you, and in your place shall they seat you, and of yours shall they give you, etc.'", his yetzer will relax its hold on him.
We shall explain the trait of bitachon a little before returning to our subject. David, may peace be upon him, said (Psalms 37:3): "Trust in the L-rd and do good, dwell in the land and cultivate faith." First he exhorts man in the trait of bitachon ("Trust in the L-rd") and then in the doing of good. For it [bitachon] is a strong foundation on which the entire edifice can be built. For example, our holy Torah commanded us to be heedful of Torah study at all times — at least, of the setting of assigned times for Torah study, and, likewise, with the giving of charity, and with other mitzvoth — which, on the surface, would seem to bode a loss for one's possessions. And the yetzer hara incites him to think: "What will I do in 'my latter end,' if I do not exert myself more for my business, especially at this time, which is especially auspicious for going here and there, and 'if not now, then when?'" It attempts to divert him by such devices from his assigned Torah times and, also, from the giving of charity. Scripture, therefore, comes to exhort us: "Trust in the L-rd!" For He will certainly recompense you with all that is due you; "and do good" — As a result of this, you will be able to do good. As stated in Yerushalmi, Sotah 9: "One was learning and the [potential] buyers called for him to come out and do business with him, and he said: 'I cannot interrupt my study time; if it [my livelihood] has to come, it will come,'" of itself, from the Holy One Blessed be He, even after I have completed my assigned study time.
And this is something that stands to reason. For how is it possible that the Holy One Blessed be He will decrease a man's livelihood, which He has decreed for him on Rosh Hashanah because he did not want to sacrifice his set time for Torah study? And even if it happens that because of his study time he misses his profit for that day he need not worry about it, for there are many options open to the L-rd. And if not today, He will give it to him on a different day, and he can rest assured that by the end of the time for the sustenance of that year (i.e., until Rosh Hashanah, as Chazal have said), there will certainly be paid him what was decreed for him by Heaven. And all of his increased diligence and exertion will not help him one bit. For certainly he will not add anything [to his "stipend"] by transgressing the will of the Holy One Blessed be He by interrupting his set Torah study time or [his time for] giving money to charity — unless he be one who entirely denies the L-rd and His providence, of whom it is written (Devarim 7:10): "And He pays His foes to his face [in this world] to make him go lost" [in the world to come].
And even if he sees that there are some people who entirely neglect their Torah studies and yet succeed in business, let him reflect always upon their affairs, and he will see that very often they run into adversities, such as being set upon by brigands and the like and losing much of their money thereby. And this, because of their having amassed money which was not theirs [viz. (Jeremiah 17:11): "One who makes money, but not by just (means) — in the half of his days he shall lose it"], or in a time that was not theirs, but which should have been set aside for Torah study and Divine service. As we find in Avoth d'R. Nathan (29:2): "All who nullify words of Torah are assigned 'nullifiers' correspondingly (who come and nullify what they have labored in until now), such as lions, wolves, leopards, tigers and snakes. And brigands and robbers come and belabor him and exact payment of him. As it is written (Psalms 58:12): "But there is a G-d who judges the land," measure for measure. Because he nullifies Torah and toils for wealth, he is assigned "nullifiers," who nullify what he has toiled in until now. For even if the lions and the wolves do not kill him, they nevertheless cause him monetary loss, so that he must flee them and abandon his possessions or heal himself from their wounds. And many times great suffering and rare illnesses come to him from Heaven until, in the end, he spends [on doctors] that money that he did not want to give for charity. As they have said: "A house that is not open to the poor is open to the doctor." And this, too, sometimes results from the neglect of Torah study. As Chazal have said (Berachoth 5a): "If a man sees afflictions besetting him, let him examine his deeds. If he did examine [them] and did not find [anything to attribute them to], let him attribute [them] to neglect of Torah study."
If so, my brother, why heap up money that is not yours or hold back money that you must give for the cause of the Holy One Blessed be He (i.e., charity,) or steal from the time that you must devote to the Name of the Hoy One Blessed be He and gather at that time money, which, in the end, you will be constrained to return in suffering and trouble [(such as brigandage and illness, G-d forbid)], and to rejoice at having survived them? In sum, the world and its fullness is the L-rd's, and He created all for His honor, as it is written (Isaiah 43:7): "All that is called by My Name and which I have created for My glory, etc." And certainly no option is withheld from Him, even in this world in executing His will for better or for worse, wherefore Scripture states "Trust in the L-rd and do good."
בּוֹ יְבֹאַר מִדַּת הַבִּטָּחוֹן וּקְבִיעֵת עֵתִּים לַתּוֹרָה.
In this chapter there will be explained the trait of bitachon [trust] and the setting aside of times for Torah.
עוֹד זֹאת יִרְאֶה לְחַזֵּק תָּמִיד אֶת עַצְמוֹ בְּמִדַּת הַבִּטָּחוֹן, כִּי מִלְּבַד שֶׁהִיא מִדָּה קְדוֹשָׁה וּמֻכְרַחַת לְדֶרֶךְ עֲבוֹדָה הַתַּכְלִיתִי, עוֹד זֹאת צְרִיכָה מְאֹד לְעִנְיַן מִדַּת שְׁמִירַת הַלָּשׁוֹן. כִּי יָדוּעַ הוּא שֶׁכַּמָּה פְּעָמִים יֵרַע לִבּוֹ מְאֹד עַל חֲבֵרוֹ, וְהַיֵּצֶר מְסִיתוֹ לֵילֵךְ וּלְפַרְסְמוֹ לְאִישׁ רַע וּבְלִיַּעַל עַל דָּבָר, שֶׁלְּפִי דַּעְתּוֹ נָגַע לוֹ בְּעִסְקוֹ, אוֹ שֶׁנִּגְרַע לוֹ מִכְּבוֹדוֹ עַל יָדוֹ, וְקָשֶׁה לוֹ מְאֹד לְהִתְגַּבֵּר עַל יִצְרוֹ בְּעִנְיָן זֶה. אֲבָל כַּאֲשֶׁר יִתְיַשֵּׁב הָאָדָם בְּדַעְתּוֹ בְּמַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל, שֶׁאֵין אָדָם נוֹגֵעַ בַּמּוּכָן לַחֲבֵרוֹ אֲפִלּוּ כִּמְלֹא נִימָא, וּלְכָל אֶחָד יִנָּתֵן, מַה שֶּׁנִּגְזַר עָלָיו מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, הֵן לְעִנְיַן כָּבוֹד וְהֵן לְעִנְיַן מָמוֹן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל בְּיוֹמָא (דף ל"ח.): מִכָּאן אָמַר בֶּן עֲזַאי: בְּשִׁמְךָ יִקְרָאוּךָ וּבִמְקוֹמְךָ יוֹשִׁיבוּךָ וּמִשֶּׁלְּךָ יִתְּנוּ לָךְ וְכוּ', אָז יִרֶף מִמֶּנּוּ הַיֵּצֶר.
This, too, shall he see [to do], to strengthen himself always in the trait of bitachon. For aside from its being a holy trait and essential for the fundamental end of [Divine] service, it is also greatly needed for the trait of guarding one's tongue. For it is well known that one is often ill disposed to his friend, and his yetzer incites him to go and publicize him as a wicked, unprincipled man for having (as he thinks) harmed his business or having detracted from his honor, and it is very difficult for him to overcome his yetzer in these things. But if one reflects upon what Chazal have said, that one cannot touch even a hair of what is set aside [by Heaven] for his friend, and that everyone will be given what was decreed for him by Heaven, both in respect to honor and in respect to possessions, as Chazal have said (Yoma 38a): "From here Ben Azzai derived: 'By your name shall they call you, and in your place shall they seat you, and of yours shall they give you, etc.'", his yetzer will relax its hold on him.
וְאַגַּב נְבָאֵר מְעַט מִדַּת הַבִּטָּחוֹן וְנָבוֹא אַחַר כָּךְ לְעִנְיָנֵנוּ. דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם אָמַר (תהילים ל"ז ג'): "בְּטַח בַּה' וַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב שְׁכָן אֶרֶץ וּרְעֵה אֱמוּנָה". מִתְּחִלָּה הִזְהִיר אֶת הָאָדָם בְּמִדַּת הַבִּטָּחוֹן וְאַחַר כָּךְ עַל עֲשִׂיַּת הַטּוֹב, כִּי הוּא כִּיסוֹד חָזָקּ, שֶׁיּוּכַל לְהִבָּנוֹת עָלָיו כָּל בִּנְיָן. לְמָשָׁל, הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה צִוְּתָה אוֹתָנוּ שֶׁנִּזָּהֵר בְּלִמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה תָּמִיד, וּלְפָחוֹת בִּקְבִיעוּת עִתִּים לַתּוֹרָה, וְכֵן בִּנְתִינַת הַצְּדָקָה, וְכַדּוֹמֶה מֵעִנְיְנֵי הַמִּצְוֹת, אֲשֶׁר יֵרָאֶה לִכְאוֹרָה הֶפְסֵד לָאָדָם עַל יְדֵי זֶה בְּמָמוֹנוֹ. וְהַיֵּצֶר הָרָע מְסִיתוֹ לֵאמֹר: פֶּן מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה בְּאַחֲרִיתִי, אִם לֹא אֶשְׁתַּדֵּל בְּיוֹתֵר בְּעִנְיַן עֲסָקַי, וּבִפְרָט בְּעֵת זוֹ שֶׁמֻּכְשֶׁרֶת בְּיוֹתֵר לִסַּע וְלֵילֵךְ לְשָׁם וּלְשָׁם, וְאִם לֹא עַכְשָׁיו, אֵימָתַי? וּמִשְׁתַּדֵּל לְהַפְרִיעַ מִמֶּנּוּ עַל יְדֵי זֶה הָעֵת הַקְּבוּעָה לַתּוֹרָה. וְכֵן מִנְּתִינַת הַצְּדָקָה עַל יְדֵי טְעָנוֹת אֵלּוּ וְכַדּוֹמֶה לָזֶה. לְכָךְ בָּא הַכָּתוּב כְּמַזְהִיר: "בְּטַח בַּה"', שֶׁהוּא בְּוַדַּאי יַשְׁלִים לְךָ אֶת כָּל הָרָאוּי לָבוֹא לְךָ. "וַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב", עַל יְדֵי זֶה תּוּכַל לַעֲשׂוֹת כָּל טוֹב. וְכַמֻּזְכָּר בִּירוּשַׁלְמִי (סוטה פ"ט) וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ: בְּאֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה לוֹמֵד וַהֲווֹ צָוְחִין לֵהּ בִּפְרַגְּמַטְיָא (פֵּרוּשׁ: שֶׁהָיוּ צוֹעֲקִים הַקּוֹנִים שֶׁיָּבוֹא עִם סְחוֹרָתוֹ לִמְכֹּר) וַהֲוָה אָמַר: לֵית אֲנָא מְבַטֵֹּל עֹנָתִי, אִין חָמֵי לְמֵיתֵי מֵיתֵי הוּא, (וְזֶה לְשׁוֹן "קָרְבַּן הָעֵדָה": וְהָיָה אוֹמֵר: אֵין אֲנִי מְבַטֵּל הַשָּׁעָה, שֶׁקָּבַעְתִּי לְלִמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה בִּשְׁבִיל הַרְוָחַת מָמוֹן, אִם רָאוּי שֶׁיָּבוֹא לִי רֶוַח, יָבוֹא הוּא מֵעַצְמוֹ מֵהַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אַף לְאַחַר שֶׁאֶגְמֹר קְבִיעַת לִמּוּדִי).
We shall explain the trait of bitachon a little before returning to our subject. David, may peace be upon him, said (Psalms 37:3): "Trust in the L-rd and do good, dwell in the land and cultivate faith." First he exhorts man in the trait of bitachon ("Trust in the L-rd") and then in the doing of good. For it [bitachon] is a strong foundation on which the entire edifice can be built. For example, our holy Torah commanded us to be heedful of Torah study at all times — at least, of the setting of assigned times for Torah study, and, likewise, with the giving of charity, and with other mitzvoth — which, on the surface, would seem to bode a loss for one's possessions. And the yetzer hara incites him to think: "What will I do in 'my latter end,' if I do not exert myself more for my business, especially at this time, which is especially auspicious for going here and there, and 'if not now, then when?'" It attempts to divert him by such devices from his assigned Torah times and, also, from the giving of charity. Scripture, therefore, comes to exhort us: "Trust in the L-rd!" For He will certainly recompense you with all that is due you; "and do good" — As a result of this, you will be able to do good. As stated in Yerushalmi, Sotah 9: "One was learning and the [potential] buyers called for him to come out and do business with him, and he said: 'I cannot interrupt my study time; if it [my livelihood] has to come, it will come,'" of itself, from the Holy One Blessed be He, even after I have completed my assigned study time.
וְהִנֵּה זֶה דָּבָר שֶׁהַשֵּׂכֶל יְחַיְּבֵהוּ וַדַּאי, כִּי אֵיךְ יִתָּכֵן שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִגְרַע מִן הָאָדָם מְזוֹנוֹ, שֶׁקָּבַע לוֹ בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, עֲבוּר שֶׁלֹּא רָצָה לְבַטֵּל הַזְּמַן הַקָּבוּעַ לוֹ לַתּוֹרָה? וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם אֵרַע לוֹ, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי קְבִיעַת עִתִּים שֶׁלּוֹ, נִסְבַּב לוֹ מְנִיעַת הָרֶוַח בְּיוֹם זֶה, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן אַל יִדְאַג מִזֶּה, כִּי הַרְבֵּה סִבּוֹת יֵשׁ לַמָּקוֹם, וְאִם לֹא בְּיוֹם זֶה, יִתֵּן לוֹ בְּיוֹם אַחֵר, וְיֵדַע לְנָכוֹן כִּי עַד כְּלוֹת זְמַן הַקָּבוּעַ לַטֶּרֶף שֶׁל שָׁנָה זוֹ, וְהוּא עַד רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל, בְּוַדַּאי מְשַׁלֵּם מַה שֶּׁנִּגְזַר לוֹ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם. וְאֵין הַחֲרִיצוּת וְהַהִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת בְּיוֹתֵר מוֹעִיל מְאוּמָה, כִּי בְּוַדַּאי לֹא יִתּוֹסֵף לוֹ מְאוּמָה עַל יְדֵי זֶה, שֶׁיַּעֲבֹר עַל רְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְיַפְרִיעַ אֶת הָעֵת הַקְּבוּעָה לוֹ לְדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה, וְכֵן מִלִּתֵּן מָמוֹנוֹ לִצְדָקָה וְכַדּוֹמֶה. אִם לֹא מִי שֶׁכָּפַר לְגַמְרֵי בַּה' וּבְהַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ, דְּעָלָיו כְּתִיב (דברים ז' י'): "וּמְשַׁלֵּם לְשׂנְאָיו אֶל פָּנָיו לְהַאֲבִידוֹ".
And this is something that stands to reason. For how is it possible that the Holy One Blessed be He will decrease a man's livelihood, which He has decreed for him on Rosh Hashanah because he did not want to sacrifice his set time for Torah study? And even if it happens that because of his study time he misses his profit for that day he need not worry about it, for there are many options open to the L-rd. And if not today, He will give it to him on a different day, and he can rest assured that by the end of the time for the sustenance of that year (i.e., until Rosh Hashanah, as Chazal have said), there will certainly be paid him what was decreed for him by Heaven. And all of his increased diligence and exertion will not help him one bit. For certainly he will not add anything [to his "stipend"] by transgressing the will of the Holy One Blessed be He by interrupting his set Torah study time or [his time for] giving money to charity — unless he be one who entirely denies the L-rd and His providence, of whom it is written (Devarim 7:10): "And He pays His foes to his face [in this world] to make him go lost" [in the world to come].
וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם הוּא רוֹאֶה, שֶׁיֵּשׁ אֵיזֶה אֲנָשִׁים, שֶׁמְּבַטְּלִים לְגַמְרֵי מִלִּמּוּדָם וּמַצְלִיחִים בְּעִסְקָם, יִתְבּוֹנֵן הֵיטֵב תָּמִיד בְּעִנְיָנָם וְיִרְאֶה, שֶׁכַּמָּה פְּעָמִים יִזְדַּמֵּן לָהֶם סִבּוּבִים, שֶׁיָּבוֹא עֲלֵיהֶם גַּיִס וְכַדּוֹמֶה מֵעִנְיְנֵי הַסִּבּוּבִים וְיִכְלֶה הַרְבֵּה מִמָּמוֹנָם עַל יְדֵי זֶה, וְהוּא מַה שֶּׁקִּבֵּץ אֶת הַמָּעוֹת שֶׁאֵינָן שֶׁלּוֹ (כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ירמיה י"ז י"א): "עֹשֶׂה עֹשֶר וְלֹא בְמִשְׁפָּט, בַּחֲצִי יָמָו יַעַזְבֶנּוּ"), אוֹ בְּהַזְּמַן שֶׁאֵינוֹ שֶׁלּוֹ, כִּי הָיָה לוֹ לְיַחֵד עֵת זֶה לְתוֹרָה וְלַעֲבוֹדַת ה'. כְּמוֹ דְּאִיתָא בְּאָבוֹת דְּרַבִּי נָתָן פֶּרֶק כ"ט מִשְׁנָה ב' וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ: כָּל הַבּוֹטֵל מִדִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה מוֹסְרִין לוֹ בַּטְלָנִין כְּנֶגְדּוֹ, (שֶׁיְּבַטְּלוּ אוֹתוֹ מֵעִנְיָנָיו שֶׁעָמַל בָּהֶן עַד עַתָּה) כְּגוֹן: אֲרִי וּזְאֵב וְנָמֵר וּבַרְדְּלָס וְנָחָשׁ וְהַגְּיָסוֹת וְהַלִּסְטִים בָּאִין וּמַקִּיפִין אוֹתוֹ וְנִפְרָעִין מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים נ"ח י"ב): "אַךְ יֵשׁ אֱלֹהִים שׂפְטִים בָּאָרֶץ", עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹנוֹ. וְהוּא מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה, דְּתַחַת שֶׁהוּא מִבַּטֵּל מִתּוֹרָה וְעָמֵל לֶאֱסֹף הוֹן רַב, מוֹסְרִין לוֹ בַּטְלָנִין כְּנֶגְדוֹ, שֶׁיְּבַטְּלוּ אוֹתוֹ מֵעִנְיָנָיו שֶׁעָמַל בָּהֶן עַד עַתָּה, דַּאֲפִלּוּ אִם אֵין הוֹרְגִין אוֹתוֹ הָאֲרִי וְהַזְּאֵב, נִסְבַּב לוֹ עַל כָּל פָּנִים עַל יָדָם הֶפְסֵד בְּמָמוֹנוֹ, כְּגוֹן שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִבְרֹחַ מֵהֶן וּלְהַפְקִיר אֶת רְכוּשׁוֹ, אוֹ לְרַפְּאוֹת אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִמַּכּוֹתָם. וּפְעָמִים רַבּוֹת נִסְבַּב לוֹ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם יִסּוּרִים רַבִּים וּמַחֲלוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת, עַד שֶׁלְּבַסוֹף מוֹצִיא אוֹתָן הַמָּעוֹת, שֶׁלֹּא רָצָה לִתֵּן לִצְדָקָה, וּכְמַאֲמָרָם: בֵּיתָא דְּלָא פָּתוּחַ לְעַנְיָא, פָּתוּחַ לְאַסְיָא. וְגַם זֶה גּוּפָא בָּא לִפְעָמִים עֲבוּר בִּטּוּל תּוֹרָה וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (ברכות ה'.) אִם רוֹאֶה אָדָם, שֶׁיִּסּוּרִין בָּאִין עָלָיו, יְפַשְׁפֵּשׁ בְּמַעֲשָׂיו. פִּשְׁפֵּשׁ וְלֹא מָצָא, יִתְלֶה בְּבִטּוּל תּוֹרָה.
And even if he sees that there are some people who entirely neglect their Torah studies and yet succeed in business, let him reflect always upon their affairs, and he will see that very often they run into adversities, such as being set upon by brigands and the like and losing much of their money thereby. And this, because of their having amassed money which was not theirs [viz. (Jeremiah 17:11): "One who makes money, but not by just (means) — in the half of his days he shall lose it"], or in a time that was not theirs, but which should have been set aside for Torah study and Divine service. As we find in Avoth d'R. Nathan (29:2): "All who nullify words of Torah are assigned 'nullifiers' correspondingly (who come and nullify what they have labored in until now), such as lions, wolves, leopards, tigers and snakes. And brigands and robbers come and belabor him and exact payment of him. As it is written (Psalms 58:12): "But there is a G-d who judges the land," measure for measure. Because he nullifies Torah and toils for wealth, he is assigned "nullifiers," who nullify what he has toiled in until now. For even if the lions and the wolves do not kill him, they nevertheless cause him monetary loss, so that he must flee them and abandon his possessions or heal himself from their wounds. And many times great suffering and rare illnesses come to him from Heaven until, in the end, he spends [on doctors] that money that he did not want to give for charity. As they have said: "A house that is not open to the poor is open to the doctor." And this, too, sometimes results from the neglect of Torah study. As Chazal have said (Berachoth 5a): "If a man sees afflictions besetting him, let him examine his deeds. If he did examine [them] and did not find [anything to attribute them to], let him attribute [them] to neglect of Torah study."
וְאִם כֵּן אָחִי, לָמָּה לְךָ לְקַבֵּץ מָעוֹת שֶׁאֵינָן שֶׁלְּךָ אוֹ לְעַכֵּב מֵהַמָּעוֹת שֶׁאַתָּה צָרִיךְ לִתֵּן לְחֶלְקוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְהִיא הַצְּדָקָה אוֹ לִגְזֹל מֵהַזְּמַן שֶׁאַתָּה צָרִיךְ לְיַחֵד לִשְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּלְקַבֵּץ בְּזֶה הַזְּמַן מָעוֹת, אֲשֶׁר לְבַסּוֹף תֻּכְרַח לְהַחֲזִירָם עַל יְדֵי יִסּוּרִים וְצָרוֹת [כְּגוֹן גְּיָסוֹת וּמַחֲלוֹת, רַחֲמָנָא לִיצְלָן, וְכַנַּ"ל] וְלִשְׂמֹחַ אֲשֶׁר נַפְשְׁךָ נִשְׁאֶרֶת לְךָ בַּחַיִּים מֵהֶן? כְּלָלוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר, הָעוֹלָם וּמְלוֹאוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְהוּא בָּרָא כָּל הַבְּרוּאִים לִכְבוֹדוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאוֹמֵר הַכָּתוּב (ישעיה מ"ג ז'): "כָּל הַנִּקְרָא בִשְׁמִי וְלִכְבוֹדִי בְּרָאתִיו" וְגוֹ', וּבְוַדַּאי לֹא יִגָּרַע מִמֶּנּוּ שׁוּם סִבָּה, אֲפִלּוּ בְּזֶה הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁיִּגְמֹר רְצוֹנוֹ, בֵּין לְטוֹב בֵּין לְמוּטָב, וְלָזֶה אָמַר הַכָּתוּב: "בְּטַח בַּה' וַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב".
If so, my brother, why heap up money that is not yours or hold back money that you must give for the cause of the Holy One Blessed be He (i.e., charity,) or steal from the time that you must devote to the Name of the Hoy One Blessed be He and gather at that time money, which, in the end, you will be constrained to return in suffering and trouble [(such as brigandage and illness, G-d forbid)], and to rejoice at having survived them? In sum, the world and its fullness is the L-rd's, and He created all for His honor, as it is written (Isaiah 43:7): "All that is called by My Name and which I have created for My glory, etc." And certainly no option is withheld from Him, even in this world in executing His will for better or for worse, wherefore Scripture states "Trust in the L-rd and do good."