The Trust Factor
A daily lesson that focuses on achieving unparalleled success in life using ancient wisdom in modern times.
We will be discussing critical concepts as they are laid out in the book Sha'ar Habitachon - The Gate of Trust. Written 1000 years ago, the author reminds us of the values and wisdom that have allowed humanity to thrive throughout history.
The concept of trusting in a higher power that exists purely for our benefit, puts us in the drivers seat with absolute confidence to achieve greatness.
Eliminate: Fear, Hatred, Anxiety, Depression, Jealousy, Greed...forever!
* Note that some terminology will be in the original Hebrew or Aramaic which I will always follow with the English translation.
The Trust Factor
Episode 77 - The Middle Path: Why Contentment Beats Extreme Wealth or Poverty
Finding true balance might be the most overlooked spiritual practice of our time. We're constantly bombarded with messages pushing us toward extremes - chasing vast wealth or fearing destitution - yet the most fertile ground for spiritual growth exists in the middle path.
The divine wisdom behind our need to work reveals itself through two profound purposes. First, it tests our willingness to operate within ethical parameters established by our Creator. Second, it provides the structure that keeps us engaged in meaningful activity rather than destructive pursuits. This built-in rhythm of rising each morning, fulfilling responsibilities, and returning to family creates the foundation for a well-lived life.
What many fail to recognize is that both extreme wealth and severe poverty create unique spiritual obstacles. The wealthy face endless solicitations, complex asset management, and the spiritual danger of self-sufficiency that can disconnect them from divine dependence. Those struggling financially become consumed with survival concerns, unable to focus on higher development. Yet most listeners likely occupy what the podcast calls the "balance zone" - having their needs met and many wants fulfilled. This isn't coincidence but divine kindness, positioning us where we have the optimal opportunity for spiritual success.
In a world obsessed with information and control, particularly regarding geopolitical situations that affect us deeply but remain beyond our influence, there's profound wisdom in remembering a fundamental truth: God runs this world, and no one is better qualified. Our task isn't to control outcomes but to show up fully each day, give complete effort, and trust that results remain in higher hands. Ready to discover how finding contentment in your current circumstances might be your greatest spiritual practice? Listen now and transform your perspective on what true success really means.
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, happy Sunday, welcome to the Trust Factor. This is the only podcast that is going to guarantee your success when you implement the divine age-old teachings. My friends, I hope you had a spectacular Shabbat. I certainly did. There is no such thing as a bad Shabbat. We are putting a pin in this whole concept, this whole discussion that we've been having about and around having trust and being tested. Those are the two reasons that we have to work for a living. Those are the two things that we have to develop in this world is trust in our creator, and to expect and to understand that our entire existence is one big test. Before we get into it, let's thank the United States of America.
Speaker 1:I can't help but throw a little bit of geopolitics, especially when it comes to Israel, into the podcast. President Trump and Bibi Netanyahu have been working together very carefully in a way that was unprecedented in American Israel history. At the same time, they were ruffling a lot of feathers. A lot of people weren't sure whether to believe or not believe. They took him at his word when he understood full well and talking about Trump, understood full well the negative impact of the media and the lack of reliability and the amount of corruption in the political sphere. And so he worked very closely with Bibi Netanyahu and they fooled the media and they fooled the world, and they fooled Iran into complacency, and together they made sure that the wicked, wicked, evil regime will never be a threat, at least not in the distant future. And so we have a huge debt of gratitude to pay to Israel and to the United States of America. And isn't it fantastic to watch even all those people on the right, the alt, quote-unquote right who were throwing doubt into the air, who were questioning Donald Trump, all these people who were coming out with their toxicity and flip-flopping and wavering and talking out of both sides of the mouth, which was so, so sad to see. But I'm glad they did it, because it gave us all insight into what we've been saying all along.
Speaker 1:This is Olam HaSheker a world of lies. My friends, god created it that way. It is our job to see through the lies. It is our job to ask questions and to come up with real answers and not just be complacent and accept the world and people for what they are. We have to understand that there is more that is happening behind the scenes that we don't know about and that's really what's going on. What we know is the exact opposite of what's going on, my friends, if you try and understand it. And that's really what's going on. What we know is the exact opposite of what's going on, my friends, if you try and understand it. And I know dear people who are close to me, who cannot pull themselves away from their phones and their televisions and whatever screen it is that they're getting Middle East updates on, understandably so. They are distracted, they are distraught, they are torn apart, watching images and listening to the news, who are just pulling at their heartstrings and throwing every potential scenario in their face. Those people are suffering, and they're suffering in a big way. But look at the end of the day, was it worth it? Was it worth it All of this time that you spent trying to understand what was happening in the Middle East and you were trying to drop your own conclusions In the meantime? You had no idea and no possible way of knowing what they were going to do? Absolutely, we see their hands when they move In the meantime.
Speaker 1:Like we said a couple of podcasts ago, this constant thirst for information, to know the minutiae, every small detail, is going to make you crazy. My friends, god runs this world. Remember that If you take nothing away from this podcast for the rest of your life, take that away and remember. God runs this world and there is nobody better qualified at running it than he. He's been running it for thousands of years, since its inception, and he's going to continue to run it right to the end.
Speaker 1:And we were talking about making a living and we said life is a test. Are you going to do as well and work within his parameters? That's question number one. Number two is that it's going to keep you out of trouble. It's going to keep you occupied with doing the things that you need to do Getting up every morning, getting dressed, dealing with the children, dealing with whoever it is you need to deal with, getting to the office, putting in a good, honest, hard day's work and coming back nice and tired and winding down with your family On the weekends. You do the things that bring you guys together, especially Shabbat. That's the way he created it. Why did he create it that way? Because we set a life of leisure, a life of material wealth and abundance and leisure. My friends, it will only lead to bad things and we've given example after example.
Speaker 1:So what's the takeaway? What's the real takeaway here? Guys, pay close attention, because what I'm about to tell you applies to 98% of the listeners to this podcast, if not 100%. The takeaway in my mind should be and we've discussed this in the past if you have too much, if you have too much wealth and abundance I'm not talking about your character here, because we've said there are people who are well built to handle it and there are others who aren't but if you have too much, then you are inundated with challenges. You are preoccupied all day long with difficulties and challenges.
Speaker 1:People knocking on your door, people asking for handouts, always questioning motivations. Why are these people around? Why are they coming around? How come? I've never seen them before? Suddenly I've seen them. How come? Every time I see them, they're asking All you're thinking about is from a financial perspective, because you're inundated with people who know that you have ample and all they do is try to get that ample out of you. For a good reason or for a bad reason, whatever it is, they're always concerned with trying to get you to donate or help out with whatever causes they're involved in, and that's not a great way to live If that's all you're doing all day long is trying to analyze who should I give to, who shouldn't I give to? This guy I'm going to make happy, this guy I'm going to disappoint.
Speaker 1:And more than that, it's all of your assets, it's all of your wealth, each one of them. We said you increase your dealings, your affairs, you increase your worries, you live. Most people, almost everybody, lives outside their means. That means if they're worth millions, they're living like they're worth hundreds of millions, and so on and so forth. And so they've got assets and they've got homes and they've got cars and they've got planes and they've got all these different things and and investments, and each one of them needs to be overseen and maintained. It requires time and attention, my friends. That's on top of all the personal relationships and the community affairs.
Speaker 1:If you have an abundance of wealth, you are inundated with challenges. The opposite is also true. If you have nothing God forbid then you are always inundated with challenges. Those challenges maybe not as many as the guy who has a lot, but certainly your day and your mind is consumed with the challenges of where am I going to get my next meal from? Where am I going to call home eventually? Am I ever going to find a place to call home? Am I ever going to find work? Am I ever going to actually get on my own two feet? There are plenty of challenges for somebody who is poor. What's the takeaway?
Speaker 1:The takeaway from here in terms of trust is knowing that if you are in a place where you are in the middle, you are in what I call the balance zone, because, I've said before, balance is the secret to life. If you are in operating in the zone, you find yourself in an area where, thank God, you have a house and you have a job, and you have family members, whether it's children or parents or siblings or cousins or whatever it is people who love and care about you. You have money in the bank, you have food in the fridge, you got cars on the driveway, you live in a Jewish neighborhood. You have a job that's paying the bills. I don't know if I've said that already, but, whatever it is, the point is, if you've done the analysis and you recognize it, you're sitting in a place where you've got all of your needs met and many, if not most, of the wants met. Then, my friends, I have to tell you you are in the best possible place that you can be. Stop striving to make hundreds of millions of dollars. If you're going to make it, it's going to come to you.
Speaker 1:Be grateful with what you have right now and dedicate your excess time and real estate in your head to focusing on the good things in your life that make you a well-balanced individual. There is no better place to be than in the middle. You get up, you go to work. It keeps you busy, keeps you occupied, keeps you out of trouble, it gives you tests along the way, where you get to see God's hand operating your life and in doing so, you get to rebuild or build a relationship with your creator. It is the best place to be.
Speaker 1:If you've got too much, the risk is you don't need your creator. You've got everything and you can run this world. And if you don't have enough, at the end of the day, you're living a very difficult life where you cannot focus on the things that make you a balanced person. If you are finding yourself in the middle, like what I had just described, then consider yourself extremely, extremely fortunate, and it's no coincidence that that happens to be where 98% of the population is the vast majority. Okay, I can't give you the exact number, but the vast majority of the population is sitting in a position that I just described for you.
Speaker 1:That's out of his loving kindness. He wants you to occupy your time, he wants you to be tested in a healthy way. He wants you to pass that test and he wants you to come out of this world successful. And that zone of balance not too much, not too little, just the right amount is the prime place to be if you're going to have opportunities for success. I hope that applies to you. I'm sure it does. I don't even have to think about it. But now you can appreciate more how much you have right now in your life.
Speaker 1:If that's going to change tomorrow, it's out of your hands. You just have to show up and do the work. If the millions have to drop into your lap, then suddenly your job changes, your task changes. You now have to become preoccupied with what you're going to do with that wealth. You're going to do good or bad with it and if you're destitute, again you have to make your effort, step up and if god's going to put the money in your bank and the roof over your head, he's going to do that one way or another, he has his ways. You show up and give 100%, my friends. That's our choice. The rest, the result, is out of our hands. Have a spectacular Sunday and amazing week.
