There's a well-known Gemara, in Masechet Beitza 16A, that says that Shammai and Hillel had two different approaches to how to prepare for Shabbat. Shammai would find a nice animal on Sunday and say, “ This is for Shabbat. ” Then, if on Monday he found a nicer one, he'd take the one from Sunday, use it on Monday and save the newer one for Shabbat, and so on. Hillel had a different approach. It says about Hillel that all his deeds were L’Shem Shamayim , /for the sake of God. He waited for Erev Shabbat to prepare, and that was it. Rashi says he relied on Hashem that he'd get a nice one for Shabbat without any extra effort. The Ben Ish Chai, in his sefer Ben Yoyada, explains this Gemara as follows: He says Hillel had a level of Bitachon called Bitachon B’Derech Pele/ Bitachon in a wondrous way, which he later states is the highest level of Bitachon. As we've mentioned in the past, everything in our religion is about levels. ] For example, Hacham Ben Sion once said that someone who shaves with a razor should shave with a shaver , and someone who shaves the shaver shouldn't shave; meaning there are levels upon levels. Some people hold that a shaver is not good enough. But you can't say a shaver's not good, because there are people using razors. So, if you are going to use a razor, it’s better to use a shaver. But if you're going to use a shaver, move up a little bit to not shaving at all. [ The same is true in Bitachon. He says this high level is contrary to someone that has bitachon but is not willing to announce his bitachon. He doesn’t say, “ Oh, I'm going to win the lottery, ” because he's afraid it's not going come through, and he'll look like.l a faker. But, he says, there are people that have Bitachon which he calls B’Derech Pele/ in the wondrous way, where it's so clear to that person that he's not embarrassed to announce it, because he has it already. He has conviction and fortitude and he's convinced it's going to be. The Ben Ish Chai explains the pasuk in Tehilim 22 5, which says, בְּ֭ךָ בָּטְח֣וּ אֲבֹתֵ֑ינוּ בָּ֝טְח֗וּ וַֽתְּפַלְּטֵֽמוֹ Our forefathers relied on You, They relied and they were saved. אֵלֶ֣יךָ זָעֲק֣וּ וְנִמְלָ֑טוּ בְּךָ֖ בָטְח֣וּ וְלֹא־בֽוֹשׁו They called out to You and they were saved. They relied on You and they weren't embarrassed. What does it mean that ‘They relied on You and weren’t embarrassed ?’ It means that they were like Hillel. They were able to announce it beforehand. They weren't afraid that they'd be found out; that it wouldn't happen, because in their minds, it happened already. That's how guaranteed they were. Another example of Hillel’s bitachon is found in Gemara Masechet Berachot 60A, which says Hillel was coming into the city and he heard a scream. Some one cried out, (as if an ambulance was coming down the street) and he said, “ I'm guaranteed that it's not coming from my house .” How could he make such a statement? What if he was wrong? And the answer is, Hillel was so convinced, he was ready to announce it. He wasn't afraid that in a few moments from then, he'd be turned into a fool. That's the super high level of bitachon. Some might ask why Hillel shared this with people. Wouldn’t it look like he was showing off? Well, that’s why the Gemara says that everything he did was L’Shem Shamayim. He wanted to show people that there is such a bitachon. Let them learn that it exists. I don't know why, but there are people who are afraid to share this level of bitachon. Maybe because people will misunderstand it? Maybe people will use it as a cop out and won't do their proper Hishtadlut? I don’t know, but for whatever reasons, they're concerned. However, it seems that the Ben Ish Chai was not concerned, and neither was Hillel, to share their understanding of this super high level called Bitachon B’Derech Pele. That's what it means when the Gemara says that Hillel HaZaken was on a different level. He had a different approach to Bitachon. It’s interesting that the Mishna Berurah (siman רנ ) says that Hillel did this (Referring to his manner of shopping for Shabbat) in order to strengthen his Bitachon; which means that this is one of the ways that a person can strengthen his own Bitachon- by preparing for Shabbat, by looking out for things and relying on Hashem that you’re going to find those things for Shabbat. There may be an extra zechut for Shabbat, possibly, but this is the higher level of Bitachon called Vada’ut , when a person is certain . Of course, every level of Bitachon is wonderful. Rav Chaim Vital writes, in his sefer Shaar Kedusha (section 2,4 th gate), about the praise of Bitachon, realizing that Hashem is watching and can do whatever He wants, and he's guaranteed that he'll get everything that he needs. But he adds one thing: “ On the condition that it has to be in truth, with all his heart, without any doubts.” If you have 70% bitachon, you're not guaranteed. Of course, you're going to get rewarded, and things will happen. But to have that level of Bitachon is a separate category.