1. April: Trust in God The Hebrew word for this kind of trust is Bitachon. Trust in God means believing that things will work out the way they are supposed to. As a middah, Bitachon does not require belief in an omnipotent God. Rather, developing Bitachon means finding a balance between trying to control everything and accepting that we are not always in control. What Does Jewish Tradition Say About Trust in God? We learn in Exodus that, when God gave Manna to the Israelites in the desert, God only gave them enough for that very day. They were not allowed to save any for the next day; if they did, the Manna would rot. (16:4-20) The Israelites had to trust that God would provide them with the food they would need when the next day came.

2. Mindfulness Guide Try this exercise: Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Have you ever noticed how amazing it is that your body knows how to breathe on its own? Take a moment to notice all of the things your body does without your conscious control… your heart beats, your blood circulates, your GI system digests your food. We can trust that our bodies will do their jobs to keep us alive. This is similar to Bitachon – we have a level of trust that the universe knows how to function, just as our bodies do. Ideas for Growth For some people, Bitachon means trusting that an all-knowing, all-powerful God is in control of the world. For others it means trusting that everything that happens is there for us to learn from, that everything is an opportunity for growth. In some ways these seem like two very different concepts. But are they? Is it possible that the phrase “trust in God” can mean different things that are not so different after all?

3. Questions for Family Discussion What kind of things in your life do you work hard to control? When are you more likely to let go of control? How does that feel? What does Bitachon mean to you? How does each person in the family define “trust in God”? Do you all agree or do you have different ideas? Imagine you were an Israelite wandering in the desert and God only provided enough Manna to last your family one day. How might you feel going to sleep at night? Would you be worried that you might not have food for the next day? Many people in our country live in poverty and do worry about where they will get food for their family the next day. Do you think Bitachon is harder for people to have when they are living with poverty? With illness? The Tikkun Middot Project curriculum says, “Bitachon may be one of the most difficult middot to acquire.” Why do you think this is? Portions of this month’s packet are taken from The Tikkun Middot Project Curriculum, Draft, October 2013