Emuna Daily

When one triumphs over his yetzer hara, the reward will be greater than the reward given for a hundred mitzvos, performed without hardships. ~ Sefer Chasidim 145

We cannot always eliminate problems, but we can learn to eliminate our anxiety over them.

You add to the technical difficulties of your problems by telling yourself how awful your situation is.  When you accept a situation, even though it is not what you would have liked, the severity of the problem will be decreased.

Learn to clarify what is the worst that could happen and accept it.  This will free you from worry. ~ Alter of Kelm

Don’t tell me you don’t sin because it is forbidden.  Tell me you don’t sin because you are too busy. ~ The Kotzker Rebbe

A person who has integrated the attribute of doing acts of kindness for others will desire to do chesed for others even when he himself is personally suffering.  If he lacks an opportunity to do chesed, he will feel suffering because he is unable to help others. ~ R’ Yeruchem Levovitz zt”l

An expensive vase broke in the home of Reb Efraim Margolios zt’l (renowned for his sefarim Matteh Efraim, Yad Efraim, and others). His wife was very upset about this, but he remained calm. She asked him, “How can you be so calm? We just lost so much money?”

He replied, “Ask me this question in a year from now and then I’ll explain.”

Exactly a year later, she asked him for an explanation. He asked her, “Are you still upset about the vase?”

“That happened a year ago. It doesn’t bother me anymore.”

He replied, “Your father chose me to be his son-in-law because he said I’m an iluy (genius) and I grasp matters quickly. When the vase broke, I immediately grasped how I would feel today, a year later, and that’s why I didn’t let it bother me then.”

~ R’ Elimelech Biderma. Shlita

I have a precious gift in My treasure vault,” God told Moshe.  “It’s name is Shabbat.  I intend to give this gift to the Jewish people.  Go inform them.” ~ Shabbat 10b

Children rarely appreciate what their mothers do for them (until, perhaps, they have children of their own), so it is a real chesed shel emes (true kindness) to care for small children.  If a housewife had the opportunity to perform these same tasks for, let’s say, the Chofetz Chayim, she would certainly be happy to do them.  It is no less a chesed for one’s own children. ~ R’ Chayim Pinchas Scheinberg zt”l

Sometimes, after many years, we feel like maybe it is okay to speak lashon hara….

The gemara relates a story of a certain student who revealed a secret that was 22 years old!  Rabbi Ami expelled him from the Bais Hamedrash, declaring “This person is a revealer of secrets.” ~ Sanhedrin 31a

I guess not.

Rebbe Nachman (of Breslov) says…Why are you so sad?  Because everything goes wrong in your life.  But, gevalt, do you know why everything goes wrong?  Because you are so sad. ~ R’ Shlomo Carlebach zt”l

One of this generation’s greatest problems is that people don’t recognize on what level they truly are. – Rebbe Rayatz Yosef Yitzhok Schneersohn

Sorry, I sent the wrong one earlier.