The Powers of the Soul to Experience God
Introduction: The Internal Dimension | |||||||||||
| Emunah | Ta'anug | Ratzon | Bitul | Simchah | Yichud | Ahavah | |||||
| Yirah | Rachamim | Bitachon | Temimut | Emet | Shiflut | ||||||
"Confidence"
Bitachon is the spiritual state associated with the sefirah of netzach.
There are two forms of bitachon: active bitachon and passive bitachon.
Active bitachon is the confidence one possesses in his own power and ability to succeed in his life's ambitions.
Passive bitachon is the trust in Divine providence, that "all will be good." In particular, it is the active bitachon which is associated with the sefirah of netzach; while passive bitachon is associated with the sefirah of hod (or more precisely, with the interinclusion of hod within the sefirah of netzach ). This is so in accordance with the general principle that an active state is relatively "male" while a passive state is relatively "female" (though, needless to say, both male and female possess both psychological states).
Of the pair of sefirot, netzach and hod, it is said "he [in his union with her] is in [the general psychological state of] netzach and she [in her union with him] is in [the psychological state of] hod." The active bitachon of netzach represents the power of the soul to take initiative. God desires of us great, "independent" initiative–the initiative to rectify and bring redemption to the entire world. In our own taking of initiative, we must continually recognize that "it is He who gives us the power to succeed." It is His lifeforce and energy which is the source of our inspiration to achieve. In our active bitachon, Netzach Yisrael–God, the "victory and eternity of Israel"–becomes manifest.
