And this pasuk adds to that which the previous pasuk said initially, “trust in Hashem with all your heart.” For there is a person who trusts in Hashem in a general way, and believes that everything is in the hand of Heaven, and trusts in Him, and does not trust in another man or in his own strength or sechel, yet does not return the matter of bitachon to his heart with respect to particulars; that is to say, in every individual deed that he performs. For this reason [Shlomo] said: “in all your ways know Him,” the explanation being: in each particular of your deeds, in every way and every action, remember Him and return to your heart that you possess no strength or capability in that particular deed, and it is not in your hand, but rather in the hand of Hashem, and hang upon Him your hope and your expectation for the chesed of Hashem Yisborach. (Avos 2:12)

And concerning this matter David HaMelech alav hashalom said, “I hoped to Hashem, my soul hoped; my soul [is directed] toward Hashem.” (Tehillim 130:5-6) And this matter is exceedingly weighty, and by means of this habitual practice the soul comes to absorb the inner inclinations toward bitachon.

And know that there are people whose eyes are turned toward Hashem regarding a great undertaking, as when they seek to set out upon the sea for trade, or to go forth with a caravan, but regarding a minor deed they do not remember Hashem, because the action is light in their eyes and appears certain in their estimation that it will turn out successfully for them; or because no great loss will befall them if that particular deed should come to nothing and not turn out for them.

It is for this reason that [Shlomo] said: “in all your ways know Him,” whether in a great matter or a small one. For since all actions are dependent upon the hand of Hashem, and all successes come through His chesed, a person is obligated to remember Him in all of his deeds. For if the deed succeeds in his hand and he did not remember Hashem in the course of it, and did not lift his eyes in it toward Hashem, behold, he has fallen short in the duty of his avodah.

He must also take into his heart that the reward for bitachon and for hope toward Hashem, in the matter of seeking Him to grant success to the action, is exceedingly greater than the benefit of the action itself. And [the scope of the lesson] likewise includes in its words “in all your ways know Him,” whether to permissible labor or to the labor of a mitzvah, as Chazal have taught: proper intention avails even regarding matters of Torah.

And He shall make your paths straight: apart from the reward of bitachon, which is greater than the heavens themselves, you will also succeed in that very deed in which you remembered Hashem and in which you knew that the action is not in your own control.

And behold, the substance of this interpretation which we have just set forth, emerges from the words of Chazal, who said in Perek HaRoeh: Bar Kapra expounded: what is a small passage upon which all the essentials of Torah depend? You must say: “in all your ways know Him.” And Rava said: even regarding a matter of sin; know that this is so, for as people say, the thief, at the mouth of his tunnel, calls upon the Merciful One.

Behold, from this it has become clear to you that this pasuk is spoken concerning the matter of bitachon, and that the essentials of Torah depend upon bitachon; and so, too, the very order of the passage, both above and below, bears this out.

And behold, the order of the passage is this: to warn first concerning chesed and emes, and afterwards concerning bitachon, and finally concerning hope at all times in all of his ways. And so it is written: “guard chesed and justice, and hope to your G-d always.” (Hoshea 12:7)

There is another way to explain בְּכָל דְּרָכֶיךָ דָעֵהוּ: that all your deeds shall be for the sake of Heaven, and you shall not seek from this world pleasure, enjoyment, honor, or wealth, or any desire, but only to the end of attaining the avodah of Hashem Yisborach. “And He shall make your paths straight”: apart from the great reward that inheres in this middah, even the deed itself will prosper in that you do it for the sake of Heaven.

There is yet another way to explain בְּכָל דְּרָכֶיךָ דָעֵהוּ: do not, in the press of your work, forget the awareness of the yoke of Heaven, and of His yirah and His exaltedness. “And He shall make your paths straight”: and by keeping to this practice your work will succeed. And Chazal have said: because they are chasidim, their Torah endures and their work is blessed.

There is also yet another way to explain בְּכָל דְּרָכֶיךָ דָעֵהוּ: at the outset of every deed, return to your heart the question whether there is a way of iniquity by which one might sin by that very deed, and do not perform it until it becomes clear to you that it is pleasing before Hashem Yisborach. And then it shall prosper in your hand, and He shall make your paths straight.

Indeed, the first interpretation that we have written is borne out from the flow of the passage itself, and from the path of the interpretation of our Rabbosainu z”l in the Gemara cited above. And yet all four interpretations are, together, good.