We continue with the Maharal’s list of Pesukei Bitachon, letter Vav, Tehilim13,6: וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ בְּחַסְדְּךָ֣ בָטַחְתִּי֮ יָ֤גֵ֥ל לִבִּ֗י בִּֽישׁוּעָ֫תֶ֥ךָ אָשִׁ֥ירָה לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה כִּ֖י גָמַ֣ל עָלָֽי I rely on Your kindness. My heart rejoices in Your salvation. I will sing to Hashem because He has bestowed upon me kindness. The Avudarham, who finds sources for our prayers in Scripture, says that this pasuk is the source the Beracha , הגומל לחייבים טובות שגמלני כל טוב God is the Gomel, the One that gives to those that don’t deserve it . It was chosen because of its theme, similar to that of HaGomel , which is that I don't deserve it. That's why after a person gets off a plane, is healed from an illness or safely competes desert or boat travel, he makes this beracha which is saying, I don't deserve it; I didn't deserve it. Rather, וַא ֲנִ֤י ׀ בְּחַסְדְּךָ֣ בָטַחְ תִּי֮ /I relied your kindness. Rabbenu Yonah, in Mishleh 3,26 tells us that in order to have Bitachon, we have to rely on Hashem's mercy, which is abundant, and His kindness, which is tremendous, and strengthen our hearts in that belief in Hashem's kindness. And that's our pasuk, וַא ֲנִ֤י ׀ בְּחַסְדְּךָ֣ בָטַחְתִּי֮ / I relied your kindness. The Rambam’s son, Rabbenu Abraham, in his sefer Maspik L’Ovdeh Hashem , talks about a higher level of bitachon , which is when a person believes, בוודאות ובלי ספקות … guaranteed, without a doubt, I will get that. That's a high level. Not everyone's holding there. Rav Elya Weintraub explains that this comes from the belief in En Od Milevado /There's nothing else but Hashem, so I'm convinced He can do it and He will do it, and I have no doubt it will happen because there's nothing that can stop Him. That certainty of reliance undoes all evil and puts a person in a certain zone of God’s protection and benevolence. The role model of En Od Milevado was Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa. When a witch was trying to cast a spell on him ( Mesechet Chulin) he said leave your witchcraft, It's not going to affect me. En Od Milevado/ there is nothing else but God, even your witchcraft. I always understood that Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa’s main power was his belief in the Oneness of God and nothing else but God. But it’s interesting to note that when Rabbenu Abraham talks about Vada’ut/certainty of reliance , and cites the story of Chanina ben Dosa which shows his belief in En Od Milevado , he adds the following: ועם היות שבעלי המעלה הזאת בטוחים בהשגת מבוקשם, אין זה מפאת בטחונם בצדקתם וזכויותיהם אלא מפאת בטחונם בחסדיו יתעלה, כמו שאמר דויד (תהלים י"ג ו') "ואני בחסדך בטחתי" וכו': / Even though the people on this level are guaranteed in getting what they want, it's not because they rely on their righteousness and merits, but because they rely on Hashem’s kindness, as it says בחסדך בטחתי …. This is a big hiddush . In order to achieve the level of Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa, he says we need two things: - We need to believe in Hashem's all-inclusive powers, but that's not enough. -We also have to believe in Hashem's kindness, and that His kindness is abundantly That is extremely important. The Hovot Halevavot says that one of the reasons why people don't have bitachon is because they don't understand how great Hashem's kindness is. We have to learn that constantly, but the truth is, it's not that difficult. Just look outside. Look at how much food there is, not just for us, but for the animal kingdom. Look how much abundance there is of everything. Hashem's kindness and mercy is unfathomable. Even as people are sinning, He continues to give them life- and not just sinners, but murderers, terrorists, and the like. Hashem has unfathomable kindness. And when we rely on Him, that knowledge is also important- the knowledge of Hashem's kindness. And that's why David Hamelech says, ַאֲנִ֤י ׀ בְּחַסְדְּךָ֣ בָטַחְתִּי֮ “ As for me, I rely on Your kindness .” Y The next time you say Hagomel , realize the important words, HaGomel L’chayavim Tovot… I’m chayav, and yet Hashem gave me kin