Emuna Daily

Those who make their Torah their main purpose in life and their worldly occupation secondary will succeed in both. ~ Berachos 35b

As a person behaves here below, so he is treated above.

Perhaps someone once tried to tell you about the ugly deeds of another. Perhaps you responded, “I’m not interested.” And you didn’t listen.

Then there will be a time when a heavenly being will wish to report on your doings here on earth. If you have had the guts to respond this way, G‑d will also say, “I’m not interested. I don’t want to even listen.”

~ The Lubavitcher Rebbe

If we spent less time trying to make Hashem’s world a better place to live in, and more time trying to make ourselves better persons to live with, Hashem’s world would be a better place to live in.

~ R’Shraga Silverstein zt”l

There is a famous story about the Chofetz Chaim who was ready to move to Eretz Yisrael. He gave his goodbye sermon to his community in Radin on the Shabbos before his planned departure. Afterwards, a simple man came over to him and asked, “Why didn’t you say  אם ירצה השם (G-d willing)?”

That Motzei Shabbos, the Chofetz Chaim’s wife suddenly became ill and the Chofetz Chaim never ended up going to Eretz Yisrael.

How important it is, when making plans, to always say אם ירצה השם

The yetzer hara (evil inclination) is misunderstood. Hashem is all goodness. Therefore, if He made a yetzer hara, it’s a tremendous chesed (kindness). But it’s a perilous form of chesed.

If you know how to utilize the yetzer hara, you can become great.

But if you don’t think about it, you can’t even try to protect yourself, and it’ll conquer you.

~ R’ Avigdor Miller zt”l

Here is the formula:

If you want to know how rich you are, count all the things you have that money can’t buy.

A man came to a Tzaddik – “My boss fired me – how will I get my Parnassah?!?”

The Tzaddik asked him – “Do you know who your mailman is?”

“No.”

“But you get your mail – right?

“Right.”

“So don’t worry who your boss was, is, or will be.  Either way you’ll get your Parnassah from Hashem!”

~ R’ Elimelech Biderman Shlita

Hashem created two doors – one in Shamayim and one in the heart of man. 

When one opens his heart for the needs of his fellow man, then the corresponding door in Shamayim is opened to hear his cry. ~ Vilna Gaon

A man is walking down the street. Suddenly, someone comes up from behind and gives him a big slap on the back. He turns around to see who it is.

If it is his enemy, he will be furious at him, but if it’s his friend he will greet him joyfully.

Sometimes we receive a “slap on the back,” but we have to realize that it’s all from Hashem, and Hashem loves us!

~ Divray Chaim of Sanz

My rosh yeshivah, Rav Moshe Chait, told us how, as a child, he went to the zoo and saw a massive lion, growling in its cage. It was frightening, and Rabbi Chait asked the zookeeper if the animal was able to break out of the cage.

“Yes,” said the zookeeper, “but don’t worry, because the lion doesn’t know it.”

Rabbi Chait said, “That’s every one of us.”

We don’t know what we can do. We settle for okay rather than exceptional, even in the most important areas of life. If we realize what we can do, how much more we’re capable of, then Mashiach is so close. Miracles are waiting to happen – and they’re in our hands.

~ R’ Dovid Orlofsky