Emuna Daily

There isn’t a single moment when Hakadosh Baruch Hu isn’t working for each individual. ~ The Or HaChaim (Shemos 22:6)

Do you want an easy life or do you want a better life?

All your existence will come down to that question.

Have you ever spoken to people who regret their choices, who wish they could live their lives again?

You ask them, so why didn’t you choose right the first time, and they say, “I don’t know.” They went for easy, then they went for easy again, and they were never able to get off the train.

The way to change that now, while you still can, is to be prepared to ask yourself, “What’s the best life that I can be living? Is this the best I can be doing, or maybe I could be doing better?

~ R’ Dovid Orlofsky

However long we live, life is short, too short. Every day matters. Every day in which we do not do some good deed, take some step towards G-d, is a day wasted – and our days on earth are too few to waste even one.

~ R’ Lord Jonathan Sacks zt”l

We should be so happy right now!

Due to the purity that Bnei Yisrael achieved on Yom Kippur, there is immense joy in heaven. Therefore, we should be happy with Hashem’s joy. ~ The Sfas Emes

From the Torah, the mitzvah of lulav is on the first day of Succos, but the mitzvah to be happy on Succos is for all seven days. The Imrei Noam zt’l says that this is to tell us that Hashem loves it when His nation is happy and in good spirits, therefore he made this mitzvah for seven days.

How much effort Bnei Yisrael invests to get the four minim! Some spend hours, seeking the best they can find. Let this be a sign of how much effort we should invest to be happy, for this is a mitzvah from the Torah for all seven days of Succos. ~ R’ Elimelech Biderman

When one sits in the succah leshem shamayim, he feels the holiness with hislahavus. He experiences the light of the mitzvah, and he knows that it is true that the cloud of glory surrounded us. This is something that cannot be explained with words, but someone who experienced it knows that it’s true. ~ The Keren L’Dovid

While performing the mitzvah of giving charity, the poor person should be treated with at least the same respect and dignity we give our esrog on Succos.

~ The Beis HaLevi

Succos comes after Yom Kippur because one needs to be pure from all sins to be accepted in the spirituality of the Succah.

~ The Shem MiShmuel

One of the reasons Chazal stressed that we should eat well on Erev Yom Kippur is so that we will be in a good mood and be willing to forgive each other. 

The Sfas Emes writes: “I think the atonement takes place more on the 9th day than on the 10th. Because on the 9th day, the Jewish nation makes peace with one another. As Chazal say, if you sinned to your fellow man, you aren’t forgiven before receiving his forgiveness. When one fasts, he is angry, and that divides people. But when one eats and drinks, he has a happy heart, and all Yidden unite.”

The Arizal says that the Kohen Gadol did not actually utter Hashem’s Ineffable Name. He merely opened his mouth, and the Ineffable Name emanated from him; it was the Shechinah speaking through his mouth. 

When all the people merited to hear the voice of the Shechinah, they sensed Hashem’s presence. Overcome with Awe, they prostrated themselves out of deep veneration of Hashem.  

~ Avodas Yisrael