The previous chapter concluded with the attitude of a person who lacks bitachon in regard to his duties toward G‑d. Such a person will first ensure that all his needs are met, and only then will he contemplate his duties toward G‑d. This chapter will pose seven responses to such a person, illustrating how foolishly mistaken he is to delay paying his obligations (Torah and mitzvot ) until he has material prosperity.

I have seen that it is necessary to expose with seven points the foolishness and errors of those people who engage in this way of thinking. Although we will need to elaborate on this, it is nonetheless important to do so, because the following seven points contain substance with which to embarrass and rebuke the people who have this way of thinking.

וְרָאִיתִי לְהַרְאוֹת פְּנֵי סִכְלוּתָם וְטָעוּתָם בַּדַּעַת הַזֹּאת בְּשִׁבְעָה עִנְיָנִים, אֲגַלֶּה בָּהֶם גֹּדֶל טָעוּתָם, וְאִם יַאַרְכוּ דְבָרֵינוּ, בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּזֶה מִן הַבִּיּוּשׁ וְהַתּוֹכַחַת לְבַעֲלֵי הַדֵּעָה הַזֹּאת,

These people are called “the sect of owners of security pledges.”

וְהֵם כַּת בַּעֲלֵי הַמַּשְׁכּוֹנוֹת,

They don’t trust that G‑d will take care of them, so they “take” a “security pledge” from Him—a guarantee that if they live a long time, they will have what they need. Only when they have their security pledge in hand—meaning that they feel confident of having enough wealth for the rest of their lives—do they turn to give G‑d what they owe Him; namely, the observance of the mitzvot.

Their conduct toward G‑d is akin to a merchant who sells on credit to a person whom he does not trust to pay. He therefore takes a security pledge at the time of the sale out of fear that the buyer can’t be trusted or that the buyer won’t be able to pay for the merchandise that he purchased.

עִנְיָנָם בָּזֶה כְּעִנְיַן הַסּוֹחֵר שֶׁהוּא מוֹכֵר בְּאַשְׁרַאי לְמִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַאֲמִינוֹ, וִימַשְׁכְּנֵהוּ בְּעֵת הַמֶּכֶר מִפְּנֵי יִרְאָתוֹ מִמִּעוּט אֱמוּנָתוֹ וְשֶׁלֹּא תִמְצָא יָדוֹ לְפָרְעוֹ.

The person who concerns himself with his obligations only after he has material prosperity doesn’t trust that G‑d will pay him in return for his service, and he therefore takes a security pledge from Him in advance.