Emuna Daily

The seismograph has taught us that a tremor in any part of the world can be felt by a sufficiently sensitive instrument everywhere in the world.  The same is true of a person’s deeds.  One should not think that his actions do not affect others.  Everything one does in some ways affects everyone else in the world.  ~R’ Yehucham Levovitz zt”l

Chazal tell us that anger is compared to idol worship.  One of the reasons is because neither of them accomplish anything.

It states in Tehillim 115:5 “they have mouths but they can’t speak.”

Anger is also futile as it states in Kidduhsin 41a “whoever becomes angry, all that he has is anger.”

Nothing is accomplished.

A person makes himself a drop holy and [Heaven] makes him very holy.  He makes himself holy below [on earth] and he becomes holy from Above.  He makes himself holy in Olam HaZeh, and he becomes holy in Olam HaBah.” Yoma 39b

Therefore, even by taking just a small step towards holiness here, is considered a large step above.  Plus by doing so, you will be granted assistance from Above and become extremely sanctified.

There is a concept called “descending for the sake of ascending.”

One of the reasons people fall from their level is so they can grow even higher when they pick themselves up again.  It can be compared to someone who wants to jump high.  He first goes back a few steps, so he can have a running start. 

People fall, but if they don’t lose hope and try again, they will rise even higher.  Accordingly, lows aren’t necessarily a deviation from Hashem’s service.  They can be considered a step towards future growth. ~ R’ Elimelech Biderman Shilita

People regard us as what we have been; we regard ourselves as what we would like to be – only G-d regards us as what we are. ~ R’ Shraga Silverstein zt”l

We have so much greatness that even if we live a thousand years we would not exhaust our potential. ~ R’ Avigdor Miller zt”l

Someone consulted the Chofetz Chayim, “My evil inclination does not give me any rest.  What can I do?”

“That is really for your good,” replied the Chofetz Chaim.  The purpose of our being in this world is to overcome our forbidden impulses.  We are frequently in a state of conflict.  By controlling our desires for evil, we elevate ourselves.  The more difficult it is, the greater the merit. ~ R’ Zelig Pliskin

When a person’s fear of God diminishes, he should realize that he is being judged Above. ~ R’ Nachman of Breslov

The ideal bitachon is to trust in Hashem, and to know that Hashem can help in various, and even infinite ways.  If one had bitachon in that spirit, he will merit salvations.  But when one thinks that Hashem will help him by a specific means, it limits the influence of bitachon. ~ R’ Elimelech Biderman Shlita

For example, don’t just daven that your parnasah should come through your business as that limits where it can come from.

The holy master, the holy of holiest, the deepest of the deep, the heilege Rebbe, the heilege Rebbe Nachman of Breslev, says: How does war begin?

Somewhere…Somewhere…Somewhere… Somewhere on a lonely island, there is a father and mother and children, and they all woke up in the morning. The parents did not say good morning to the children; the parents did not kiss the children, and the children were so broken, “Nobody, nobody knows how to love us.” And the vibrations traveled all over the world, and the vibrations traveled from one corner of the world to the other, and at the end of the world people kill each other and hate each other.

So where does peace begin? Where does peace begin…where does peace begin…?

Somewhere, Somewhere, Somewhere, on a lonely island, a father, mother and children wake up in the morning and the parents kiss the children, and they say, “Good morning, good morning little angels from heaven. Good morning, most beautiful children, thank you for being in the world, we could never live without you.” And the vibrations, and the vibrations … at the end of the world, people begin loving each other. People who yesterday hated each other, wake up at the same time, and suddenly there is so much love in their heart that they have to make peace.  ~ R’ Shlomo Carlebach zt”l