What Ramban Teaches Us About Trust, Power, and Fear

In this week's Torah portion, Parashat Shoftim, the Torah gives the Jewish king a remarkable command: "Only he shall not acquire many horses for himself, nor shall he cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, for the Lord has told you, 'You shall never again return by this way.'" (Deuteronomy 17:16)

Rashi explains that the end of the verse provides the reason for its beginning. The king is forbidden to accumulate excessive horses because doing so could lead him to send the people back to Egypt to purchase them.

The Ramban, however, raises an important question. The Torah's earlier prohibition against returning to Egypt applies only to settling there permanently. If the king merely sends merchants to buy horses as part of a business transaction, no prohibition would seemingly be involved.

The Ramban therefore explains that the verse actually contains two separate commandments. The first is an independent prohibition against the king amassing excessive numbers of horses. The second is a new prohibition forbidding him from sending people to Egypt specifically to purchase horses.

Why is the king forbidden to own many horses in the first place?

The Ramban writes: "It is possible that the Torah warns the king not to accumulate many horses — even from his own land, from Shinar, or through legitimate trade — so that he will not place his trust in the greatness of his chariots and the strength of his cavalry. Rather, his trust should be in the Lord his God."

The Danger of Feeling Too Secure

Rabbi Hadar Margolin, in his work Lemargelot HaRamban, explains the Ramban's insight beautifully.

The Torah does not object to horses themselves. Rather, it warns against creating a situation in which a person no longer feels dependent on God.

When life appears too secure, too comfortable, and too self-sufficient, it becomes easy to forget where our true security comes from. A person may begin believing that wealth, military strength, or personal success alone guarantees the future.

That is precisely what the Torah seeks to prevent.

"Do Not Fear Them"

Later in the same Torah portion, we find a parallel instruction addressed to soldiers heading into battle: "When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you, the One who brought you up from the land of Egypt." (Deuteronomy 20:1)

Rabbeinu Yonah explains that this is not merely encouragement, but is a negative commandment. Even when the enemy appears overwhelmingly stronger, a Jew is forbidden to surrender to fear.

This command is not intended only for soldiers. The battlefield serves as an example for every challenge we encounter in life.

Whenever we face circumstances that seem impossible — whether illness, financial hardship, personal struggles, or any crisis that appears beyond hope, the Torah instructs us not to despair.

Our sages expressed this principle powerfully: "Even if a sharp sword rests upon a person's neck, he should never despair of God's mercy."

Every Jew is commanded to live with trust in God.

As Rabbeinu Yonah writes in Shaarei Teshuvah (3:31): "We are warned that when a person sees trouble approaching, God's salvation should fill his heart, and he should place his trust in Him."

A Mitzvah for Every Jew

The mitzvah of trust is not reserved for kings, who are warned not to rely on military power. Nor is it limited to soldiers standing on the battlefield, who are commanded not to fear their enemies.

It is a lifelong obligation for every Jew. It is a mitzvah with the power to transform the way we face life's uncertainties, replacing fear with faith and anxiety with confidence in God's guidance.

This is how a Jew lives.