Since we have completed in this gate, to the best of our ability, a fitting amount of discussion on the themes of trust, it is now proper to clarify the things detrimental to trust in the Al-mighty. I say that the detrimental things mentioned in the 3 preceding gates of this book are all likewise detrimental to trust [in G-d].

Additional things which cause a loss of trust:

(1) Ignorance with regard to the Creator, and His good attributes, because one who does not realize the Creator's mercy towards His creations, His guidance, providence and rule over them, and that they are bound by His chains, under His total control - he will not be at peace (from mishaps - PL) and will not rely on Him (for providing his needs - PL).

(2) Another, ignorance of the Creator's commandments, namely His torah, where He instructed us in it to rely on Him and trust in Him, as written "test Me in this..." (Malachi 3:10), and "trust in G-d forever" (Yeshaya 26:4).

Another detriment to trust is to tend to rely on the means which one can see, without realizing that the nearer the causes are to the one affected by them, the less ability they have to help or harm him, and the further [up] they are, the stronger and the more power it has to help or harm him.

As an illustration, when a king decides to punish one of his servants, he commands his prime minister to take care of it, and the prime minister orders his chief of police, and the chief of police orders his sergeant, and the sergeant orders his officer, and the officer orders the policeman, and the policeman inflicts the punishment with the instruments (whip, stick, etc. ) he has.

The instruments have the least capability of all of them to reduce or increase his suffering because they have no will of their own. The policeman has greater capability than the instruments (to reduce the number of whippings - PL). Likewise, the officer has greater capability than the policeman, and the sergeant than the officer, and the chief of police than the sergeant, and the prime minister than the chief of police, and the king more than all of them, because if he wants, he can pardon the man (from everything - TL).

As you can see, the weakness and strength of the agents to affect the person are according to their remoteness from him or nearness to him. And the exalted Creator, who is the First Cause and infinitely remote from those affected by Him, is the One who it is proper to trust and rely on because of His infinite power to help or harm, as we explained.

The general principle in the matter of trust is that the degree of trust among those who trust in G-d increases according to the amount of knowledge of G-d, faith in His protection of them, and in His abundant providence to promote what is for their good.

(1) An infant, at the beginning of his existence, trusts in his mother's breast, as written "For You drew me from the womb; You made me trust on my mother's breasts" (Tehilim 22:10). (2) When his perception strengthens, his trust moves to his mother, due to the great care she gives him, as written "I swear that I calmed and quieted my soul like a weaned child with his mother" (Tehilim 131:2). (3) When his understanding grows more, and he observes that his mother depends on his father, he moves his trust to his father due to the greater degree of protection he receives from him. (4) When his body strengthens, and it becomes possible for him to earn for himself a livelihood through work or business, or the like, he moves his trust to his strength and resourcefulness, due to his ignorance that all the good that came before this was through the providence of G-d.

It is said of one of the pious, whose neighbor was a swift scribe and would earn his livelihood through his scribal skills. One day he inquired to the scribe: "how are things?" He answered "good, as long as my hand is still in good shape." Then, that evening his hand was crushed, and he could not write with it for the rest of his life. This was his punishment from G-d, in that he placed his trust in his hand. (to atone for him. Note that he must have been at a very high level of piety, therefore G-d paid him in this world even for minute sins so as to spare him from any punishments in the next world)

(5) If his livelihood comes through one of his fellow human beings, he will transfer his trust to them and rely on them.

(6) But when his wisdom grows and he realizes their lacking and their need for the Creator, he will then move his trust to G-d, and rely on Him for things beyond his own control and which he cannot escape submitting to the decree of G-d, such as the falling of rainwater on the crops, or (safely) traveling through the sea, or crossing a barren desert, floods, outbreak of a plague among the living, or the like among matters which human beings have no plan whatsoever, as written "In the time of their trouble they will cry out: 'arise and save us' " (Yirmiyahu 2:27).

(7) If his knowledge of G-d strengthens more, he will put his trust in G-d in matters where he has some plan, such as avoiding earning a livelihood through dangerous means or exhausting occupations that wear down the body, and trusts in G-d that He will provide for him through a lighter occupation.

(8) If his knowledge of G-d strengthens more, he will put his trust in G-d in all the means, whether difficult or easy, and while occupied in them, his intent will be directed to serve G-d and guard His commandments.

(9) If his knowledge of G-d strengthens more regarding His mercy on the created beings, he will accept with heart and mind, outwardly and inwardly, the decrees of G-d. He will rejoice in whatever G-d does to him, be it death or life, poverty or wealth, health or sickness. He will not desire other than what G-d has chosen for him, and desire only what G-d has chosen for him.

He will give himself over to G-d, and surrender his body and soul over to His judgment. He will not prefer one matter over another and will not choose anything other than his current situation, as one who trusts in G-d said "I never resolved to do a thing and desired something else".

(10) When his knowledge of G-d strengthens more than this and he understands the true intent why he was created and brought to this fleeting world, and he recognizes the exaltedness of the eternal, next world, he will think lightly of this world, and its means. With mind, soul, and body, he will flee from this world and surrender himself to the blessed Al-mighty, and delight in remembering Him in solitude. He will feel desolate when he is not (capable of - MC) meditating on His greatness.

If he is among a crowd of people, he will long for nothing else than to do His will, and yearn only to come near to Him. His joy in his love of G-d will distract him from the pleasures worldly people have for this world, and even from the joy of souls in the next world.

This is the highest of the levels of those who trust in G-d, reached by the prophets, pious ones, and treasured, pure men of G-d, and this is what the verse refers to in saying "Even [for] the way of Your judgments, O L-ord, have we hoped for You; for Your Name and for Your remembrance is the desire of [our] soul directed." (Yeshaya 26:8), and "my soul thirsts to the Al-mighty, the living G-d; [when shall I come and appear before G-d?]" (Tehilim 42:3).

These are the ten levels of trust which one cannot escape belonging to one of them. We find the matter of trust in scripture expressed in 10 synonyms corresponding to these 10 levels. They are:

Mivtach (trust), Mishan (support), Tikva (hope), Machse (protection), Tochelet (waiting), Chikui (expecting), Semicha (reliance), Sever (resting), Misad (confidence), and Chesel (assurance).

May G-d place us among those who trust in Him, who give themselves over to His judgment outwardly and inwardly, in His mercy, Amen.

The Gate of trust is Complete, to G-d the last and the first.