I will say as an explanation of the first category of the seven, which (as outlined above) consist of matters that pertain solely to the person himself—his life and death, food for his livelihood, clothing, shelter, health and illnesses, and character traits— which a person needs in order to function well:

וְאֹמַר בְּפֵרוּשׁ הַחֵלֶק הָרִאשׁוֹן מֵהֶם, וְהוּא בְּעִנְיְנֵי גּוּף הָאָדָם בִּלְבָד, וְהֵם חַיָּיו וּמוֹתוֹ וְטֶרֶף מְזוֹנוֹ לְמִחְיָתוֹ וּמַלְבּוּשׁוֹ וְדִירָתוֹ וּבְרִיאוּתוֹ וְחָלְיוֹ וּמִדּוֹתָיו.

Regarding each of these matters, the proper manner in which a person is to rely on G‑d is to give himself over regarding all these matters to the predetermined ways in which the Creator has decided to conduct Himself with him.

וְאָפְנֵי הַיֹּשֶׁר בְּבִטָּחוֹן עַל אֱלֹהִים בְּכָל עִנְיָן מֵהֶם, שֶׁיַּשְׁלִיךְ אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ בָּהֶם לַהֲלִיכוֹת הַגֹּזֶר אֲשֶׁר גָּזַר לוֹ הַבּוֹרֵא מֵהֶם,

He should rely on G‑d, may He be blessed, and recognize that none of these matters come into being unless it has been predetermined by G‑d that they are proper for him, both in this world and the World to Come, and that all will ultimately be for the best.

וְתִבְטַח נַפְשׁוֹ בֵּאלֹהִים יִתְבָּרֵךְ, וְיֵדַע כִּי לֹא יִגָּמֵר לוֹ מֵהֶם אֶלָּא מַה שֶּׁקָּדַם בְּדַעַת הַבּוֹרֵא שֶׁהוּא הַנָּכוֹן לְעִנְיָנָיו בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּבָעוֹלָם הַבָּא וְיוֹתֵר טוֹב לְאַחֲרִיתוֹ,

The proper thing for him, both in this world and the World to Come. If an occurrence seems to be “negative,” it is surely only in this world—temporarily. G‑d cares for the person’s best interests as they apply to his life in both worlds ( Pat Lechem ).

Bottom line
G‑d knows what is best for you now and later!

It has been predetermined by G‑d that they are proper for him, both in this world and the World to Come, and that all will ultimately be for the best. Every single person is Divinely allotted specific qualities and afforded all the needs to fulfill the mission that he was created to achieve. This must become the constant goal of each and every person—to assure that he is achieving his life’s purpose and not losing one moment of it to trivial matters.

The qualities given to man are not only physical but also spiritual. A person must prepare himself for Divine revelation and a feeling of love and fear toward G‑d, but ultimately every accomplishment is bestowed by G‑d.

This can be understood from a perplexing story in the Talmud ( Brachot 28b): When Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai was on his deathbed, his students came to visit him. At the sight of his students, Rabbi Yochanan began to weep. The students asked him: “Light of Israel, the right pillar, the mighty hammer, why are you weeping?” Rabbi Yochanan had a lengthy response, in which he also said that he was weeping because “there are two paths, the path to the Garden of Eden and the path to Gehinom (purgatory), and I do not know down which path I will be led.”

Now, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai was a great leader of Israel, with unique attributes accorded to him in the Talmud; he was a man who was scrupulous in Torah study and observance. What then was his self-doubt over his destiny, for something other than the reward of the Garden of Eden?

Furthermore, the question of whether a person is following the correct path or not is something that should have guided him throughout his life. Why then are we taught that this was something that bothered him just before his passing?

One of the explanations leaves us with the following lesson: A person is allotted a precise amount of time and gifted unique talents to be able to accomplish his mission in this world. If he misses one moment of time, he is not only not growing, he is missing a moment of ultimate purpose, which was ordained for him by G‑d Himself.

Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai never wasted a moment of his time contemplating his path, achievements, or legacy. He was instead consumed with one objective—to fulfill his mission. Now, when he was on his deathbed, and his mission in this world was coming to an end, he thought for the first time about himself and how his achievements fit with his personal growth and reward, questioning his personal direction ( Torah Or 78d ff. ; Likkutei Sichot, vol. 16, p. 272).

Bottom line
It is man’s task to enhance the world and make it great.

He also should realize that G‑d conducts Himself equally regarding all those matters, so that no other being’s advice or behavior can help him—unless it is with G‑d’s permission and according to His decree and judgment.

וְשֶׁהַנְהָגַת הַבּוֹרֵא לוֹ בְּכֻלָּם שָׁוָה, אֵין לְשׁוּם בְּרִיָּה בָּהֶם עֵצָה וְלֹא הַנְהָגָה אֶלָּא בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ וּגְזֵרָתוֹ וְדִינוֹ.

Just as a person understands that no being has power over his life or death, his illnesses or health, so, too, no being has any control over his livelihood, his other needs, his clothing, and the other matters pertaining to his body.

וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאֵין בְּיַד הַבְּרוּאִים חַיָּיו וּמוֹתוֹ וְחָלְיוֹ וּבְרִיאוּתוֹ, כֵּן אֵין בְּיָדָם טֶרֶף מְזוֹנוֹ וְסִפּוּקוֹ וּלְבוּשׁוֹ וּשְׁאָר עִנְיְנֵי גוּפוֹ.

True bitachon means understanding that even if others seem to have influence over a person’s livelihood and needs, in truth, everything is in G‑d’s hands, and no one can have any influence over his livelihood or needs unless G‑d has predetermined it.
The author now returns to further elaborate on the topic of hishtadlut (endeavor)—which was discussed in Chapter 3—by saying that even a person who fully relies on G‑d must still make efforts to pursue the natural means that will benefit him:

However, accompanying the person’s conviction that 1) all his matters are completely under the jurisdiction of the decrees of the Creator, may He be exalted, and that 2) everything that the Creator chooses for him is the best choice; the person is also obligated to make efforts to pursue the means that will benefit him and to choose those means that appear to be the best. G‑d will then do what He has already decreed.

וְעִם בֵּרוּר אֱמוּנָתוֹ כִּי עִנְיָנוֹ מָסוּר אֶל גְּזֵרוֹת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְעַלֶּה, וְשֶׁבְּחִירַת הַבּוֹרֵא לוֹ הִיא הַבְּחִירָה הַטּוֹבָה, הוּא חַיָּב לְהִתְגַּלְגֵּל לְסִבּוֹת תּוֹעֲלוֹתָיו וְלִבְחוֹר הַטּוֹב כַּנִּרְאֶה לוֹ מִן הָעִנְיָן, וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲשֶׂה מַה שֶּׁקָּדְמָה בּוֹ גְּזֵרָתוֹ.

The author compares this conviction to the universal understanding that one must eat in order to stay alive, and that one must take other measures to protect his life:

By way of comparison: Although the end of a person’s life and how long he will live have been fixed by the decree of the Creator, may He be blessed, the person must nevertheless pursue the means that preserve his life, such as food, drink, clothing, and living quarters, according to his needs. Regarding them, he is not to rely on G‑d by saying: “If it has been predetermined by the decree of the Creator that I should live, then He will keep me alive, even without food for my entire life, and I will not exert myself in pursuing sustenance or in the toil that is necessary to obtain a livelihood that will pay for the sustenance.”

וְהַדּוֹמֶה לְזֶה, כִּי אָדָם אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁקִּצּוֹ וּמִדַּת יָמָיו קְשׁוּרִים בִּגְזֵרַת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרֵךְ, יֵשׁ עַל הָאָדָם לְהִתְגַּלְגֵּל לְסִבּוֹת הַחַיִּים בְּמַאֲכָל וּבְמִשְׁתֶּה וּמַלְבּוּשׁ וּבְמָעוֹן כְּפִי צָרְכּוֹ, וְלֹא יַנִּיחַ אֶת זֶה עַל הָאֱלֹהִים, שֶׁיֹּאמַר: אִם קָדַם בִּגְזֵרַת הַבּוֹרֵא שֶׁאֶחְיֶה, יַשְׁאִיר נַפְשִׁי בְּגוּפִי מִבְּלִי מָזוֹן כָּל יְמֵי חַיַּי, וְלֹא אֶטְרַח בְּבַקָּשַׁת הַטֶּרֶף וַעֲמָלוֹ.