We are in pesukim that talk about the concept of Machseh , which means that God is a Protector , God is a Refuge. Today’s pasuk, Yirmiyah 17,17 is not a well-known pasuk. To give some background, Yirmiyah HaNavi was the prophet of doom. He was the one that described the Churban, and he lived through it and wrote the Eicha , the Lamentations on the Churban. He was not a very popular Navi, to put it lightly. People did not want to hear his negative prophecies. They were happier with the prophecies of the false prophets. And with all his negative prophecies, Yirmiyah cared about the people, and he was concerned that his prophecies would backfire. Therefore, he says, according to Radak, אַל־תִּֽהְיֵה־לִ֖י לִמְחִתָּ֑ה בְּי֥וֹם רָעָֽה It should not be a breaking for me. My prophecy should not cause me to be broken. Yirmiyah mean was thrown into jail? They were libels made up about him. And he says, why not? Because, מַחֲסִי־אַ֖תָּה בְּי֥וֹם רָעָֽה / on the days that they're planning evil against me, I know You are there to save me, and I know You're not going to break me. The Malbim gives an added nuance- that Yirmiyah, in concern for the people, was praying that his prophecy shouldn't come true. And when a prophet makes a prophecy that doesn't come true, he could be revealed as a false prophet. Therefore, Yirmiyah was praying that My good deeds shouldn't cause me to get into trouble. Why? Because I know You're there to protect me . This is important. Not always does a person know exactly what to rely on and what to protect himself from. It's like a principal who’s doing what's best for a child, but little does he know that the parents of the child are out to get him; or it's the rabbi that's trying to help a couple and little does he know that the couple is out to get him. Or a person tries to help somebody who is being hurt, by taking him into his home, but then the person that he takes in turns against him. There are many such cases. When a person hears these stories, he might think, “ Why should I be involved in this? What do I need this headache for? Why do I need to take care of this person? Why should I listen to this person, if in the end, it's not going to be the best thing for my name?” A lot of times you help people, and it backfires. As the story goes, one of the rabbis was walking in the street with his aid and someone started yelling and screaming at him. In jest, the rabbi tells the aid, I don't remember doing him any favors recently . Which means a lot of times when you try to help somebody, they end up, believe it or not, not liking you. Therefore, Yirmiyah says (and this is the prayer of any community servant) אַל־תִּֽהְיֵה־לִ֖י לִמְחִתָּ֑ה / My service (i.e .his prophecy ) shouldn't cause me to be broken. Any community servant knows that- people that are helping in any any capacity know the danger of trying to help people that don't appreciate your help. But it's not enough just to say the words; that prayer is a good prayer. But you need to add the Chisayon agreement. / מַחֲסִי־אַ֖תָּה I know Hashem, that You're protecting me. I know that You're my refuge. I know that You're watching over me. That's what will ultimately protect me . This is something that everyone needs to know. We can't tell who's going to come out to get us. There are rabbis that are sued because they're trying to help a lady get a divorce, and many such cases, and they never dreamt these things would happen. So, you have to always have in your head, Yes, I'm in a dangerous business . There is no community service, malpractice insurance, the prophecy business is a dangerous business. Why am I doing it? Because I care . What do I need the headache for? Because I care. But what's going to protect me? מַחֲסִי־אַ֖תָּה בְּי֥וֹם רָעָֽה You are my refuge on the difficult day That's Yirmiyah’s prayer and that's the prayer and the reliance of the community servant.