If a person strengthens himself in the service of G‑d, choosing to be fearful of Him and to rely on Him with regard to both Torah and worldly matters; additionally, if he turns away from inappropriate character traits and, instead, strives toward good character traits, and he does not rebel against G‑d even at times when he is at rest from his stresses and does not turn toward leisure; rather, he constantly involves himself with the service of G‑d, not being swayed by his evil inclination or the indulgences of the world, then, in turn, such a person will be relieved of the need to exert himself in the search to obtain his sustenance. For the two reasons mentioned above regarding why a person is required to make efforts to provide for himself—for the purpose of the testing of man by G‑d to see whether he will choose permitted or forbidden means of obtaining his needs, and so that a person will not rebel due to the goodness that he enjoys— do not apply to him.
וְאִם הוּא מַגְבִּיר עֲבוֹדַת הָאֱלֹהִים וּבוֹחֵר בְּיִרְאָתוֹ, וּבוֹטֵחַ בּוֹ בְּעִנְיְנֵי תּוֹרָתוֹ וְעוֹלָמוֹ, וְסָר מִן הַדְּבָרִים הַמְּגֻנִּים, וְכוֹסֵף לְמִדּוֹת הַטּוֹבוֹת, לֹא יִבְעַט בַּמְּנוּחָה, וְלֹא יִטֶּה אֶל הַשַּׁלְוָה, וְלֹא יַשִּׁיאֵהוּ הַיֵּצֶר, וְלֹא יִפָּת בְּכִשְׁפֵי הָעוֹלָם, יִסְתַּלֵּק מֵעָלָיו טֹרַח הַגִּלְגּוּל וְהַסִּבּוּב בַּהֲבָאַת טַרְפּוֹ, מִפְּנֵי הִסְתַּלְּקוּת שְׁנֵי הַפָּנִים הַנִּזְכָּרִים מֵעָלָיו, הַבְּחִינָה וְהַבְּעִיטָה בַּטּוֹבָה,
Such a person will be relieved of the need to exert himself in the search to obtain his sustenance. The concept that certain righteous people are exempt from—and even punished for—making any type of vessel for their sustenance and blessings is evident from the teaching of our Sages regarding Joseph.
When Joseph was in Egyptian prison, he asked the butler, who was in prison with him, to mention him in front of Pharaoh, so that he would be freed. However, we are told that Joseph was forgotten (Genesis 40:14-20). Rashi explains that Joseph’s being forgotten was a punishment for asking the butler to intervene and not placing his full trust in G‑d.
Rabbeinu Bechaya explains: G‑d forbid that Joseph placed his trust in the butler; rather, his trust was in G‑d alone. Nonetheless, Joseph thought that G‑d “prepared” the butler for him to be the messenger through which G‑d would perform the miracle of his freedom.
This was a mistake. He thought that he needed a “natural vessel” for G‑d’s blessings. However, a righteous man like Joseph should have known that he does not need natural paths through which the blessings should flow, because G‑d is the source of all vessels and blessings, and he should have placed his trust in G‑d alone ( Rabbeinu Bechaya, ibid.).
This needs further clarification: The author teaches here that it is an obligation to make a natural vessel for G‑d’s blessings. What then was Joseph’s sin?
The answer is that there are (in general) two types of people—those whom the materialistic world affects and those who are above the world even while they live in it.
The worldly Jew’s character (and soul level) is one that relates and is compatible with the world. This person, as righteous as he might be, needs to take steps to seclude himself from the temptations, challenges, and struggles of the world. This person also works with the “rules” of the world. Such a person needs to make vessels for his blessings.
The otherworldly Jew lives in the world but remains above it. His “living” in the world does not take away from his relationship with G‑d. He can walk in the ways of the land while remaining truly devoted to G‑d. This person does not work with the “rules” of the world, because he lives above them. Such a person needs to place his trust in G‑d alone.
Many righteous men, such as Jacob’s sons, were shepherds. They were “worldly Jews” who wanted to remain separate from worldly temptations because they were afraid of them. Therefore, they found a vocation that allowed them to remain devoted to G‑d. Joseph, however, was an otherworldly Jew—the world could not detract from his devotion to G‑d, which is why he was able to be (and did, in fact, become) the viceroy of Egypt, because worldly affairs posed no obstacles.
This is why Joseph was punished for making a vessel for his freedom, as Rabbeinu Bechaya explains, because on his spiritual standing, he should have been aware that he was one with G‑d and had no need to worry about “natural vessels.”
This is also true in an ordinary person’s life: Often a person sees that he needs to put an effort into something to achieve it, because at that moment and for that achievement, the “world” is an obstacle. Therefore, he needs to take natural measures to achieve his goal.
There are, however, times when a person realizes that things are moving in a miraculous manner. In such a case, if he does not make a “vessel,” he is not relying on a miracle—the miracle is happening. Or, occasionally, a person is in a situation where no “natural vessel” will help. In such a case a person must realize that the hand of G‑d is directly orchestrating these experiences, and he needs to place his trust in G‑d alone ( B’shaah Shehikdimu 5672, p. 155; Likkutei Sichot, vol. 15, p. 486 ff. ; vol. 26, p. 99 ff. ).
Instead, he will be sustained without any exertion or hard work, according to his needs and sustenance, as it says (Proverbs 10:3): The L-rd will not starve the soul of the righteous.
וִיבוֹאֵהוּ טַרְפּוֹ בְּלִי טֹרַח וּבְלִי יְגִיעָה כְּפִי סִפּוּקוֹ וּמְזוֹנוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "לֹא יַרְעִיב ה' נֶפֶשׁ צַדִּיק" (משלי י, ג).
