I would have to say that I agree with the מדרגת האדם about trust in God. That is to say I presented his opinion beforehand as some kind of academic exercise. It is look like an argument among Rishonim. And no one can decide between rishonim. Still as he pointed out the Duties of the Heart also agrees there is such a thing as trust without effort.
But what I wanted to say is that this whole thing got too much mixed up with the Torah alone approach. Just because people are learning Torah does not mean they are trusting in God. And just because a person has learned and is occupied with a vocation does not mean he does not trust in God.
In fact, nowadays it looks almost the opposite. So what I suggest is to start some kind of yeshiva that would in fact take the approach of Navardok to combine Torah with trust.
This must sound mild to most people, but I could go on a tirade about yeshivas that trust in money and make it their business to do anything to get money --anything except getting an honest job. I myself have been fooled by these places. But instead of rejecting the whole idea of learning Torah I say simply that the Rambam has already told us not to get paid or accept charity for learning Torah. I should mention that You should trust in God even when things don't go your way. That is the problem of Theodicy.
I should mention that I have seen in many yeshivas an attitude that they deserve free medical care, free food, free housing. They deserve it from the government even though they claim the government is evil. This is not the Torah approach. Though if you are learning Torah, that is not working. And if the government gives you charity, that is charity, not a pay check for honest work. And you should be grateful for the charity.
Appendix:
(1) The background of this essay is the Madragat HaAdam's view that one should trust in God and do no effort to gets one's needs met. What is decreed will come to you. What is not decreed will never get to you with all the effort in the world. He brings the Gra and the Ram'ban (Nachmanides) for proof. The Duties of the Heart says one should do effort. But also brings an idea like the 'Rambam {Maimonides} that when one accepts the service of God, then the yoke of this world is removed. (When you say Rambam you stress the first syllable. When you say Ramban you stress the last.)
[2] There were lost of miracles with Navardok people. But they were never recorded because it was considered natural that when one trust in God, God pays back in return.
But what I wanted to say is that this whole thing got too much mixed up with the Torah alone approach. Just because people are learning Torah does not mean they are trusting in God. And just because a person has learned and is occupied with a vocation does not mean he does not trust in God.
In fact, nowadays it looks almost the opposite. So what I suggest is to start some kind of yeshiva that would in fact take the approach of Navardok to combine Torah with trust.
This must sound mild to most people, but I could go on a tirade about yeshivas that trust in money and make it their business to do anything to get money --anything except getting an honest job. I myself have been fooled by these places. But instead of rejecting the whole idea of learning Torah I say simply that the Rambam has already told us not to get paid or accept charity for learning Torah. I should mention that You should trust in God even when things don't go your way. That is the problem of Theodicy.
I should mention that I have seen in many yeshivas an attitude that they deserve free medical care, free food, free housing. They deserve it from the government even though they claim the government is evil. This is not the Torah approach. Though if you are learning Torah, that is not working. And if the government gives you charity, that is charity, not a pay check for honest work. And you should be grateful for the charity.
Appendix:
(1) The background of this essay is the Madragat HaAdam's view that one should trust in God and do no effort to gets one's needs met. What is decreed will come to you. What is not decreed will never get to you with all the effort in the world. He brings the Gra and the Ram'ban (Nachmanides) for proof. The Duties of the Heart says one should do effort. But also brings an idea like the 'Rambam {Maimonides} that when one accepts the service of God, then the yoke of this world is removed. (When you say Rambam you stress the first syllable. When you say Ramban you stress the last.)
[2] There were lost of miracles with Navardok people. But they were never recorded because it was considered natural that when one trust in God, God pays back in return.
