Emuna Daily

On the first day of Sukkos, the Torah commands us to fulfill many mitzvos: sukkah, lulav, esrog, simcha, etc.  On the rest of the days of Yom Tov, there are just two mitzvos:  sukkah and simcha.  But on Shemini Atzeres the Torah is very clear.  There is only one mitzvah that we must perform with every fiber of our being –“And you shall be only joyous.” ~ The Chasam Sofer

Emunah and Bitachon are segulos for happiness. Believe that everything is exactly as it should be, and trust in Hashem that things will become better, and you will be happy with your lot. ~ R’ Elimelech Biderman, Shlita

Someone who is joyous and has a happy heart, without any distress, on this holy holiday, it is certain that he will have a good year, and he will be happy throughout the year. ~Arizal

The Sfas Emes teaches that on Succos, “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 gemara in Sukkah 27b states: “It is proper for all of Israel to sit in one Sukkah.”

This doesn’t mean that we  should actually sit in one Sukkah, but we should all be willing to sit together with each other.   ~ The Nikolsburg Rebbe

Obviously only with social distancing 🙂

Chag Sameach!

If I had already died and the Almighty told me I could come back to life again, imagine how happy I would be.  Now that I am still alive, shouldn’t I still feel that same joy? ~ R” Nochum of Horondna zt”l

The first thing in being an oved (servant of) Hashem is to say, “Thank you Hashem!”  That’s the basis of everything: A person who is not in the mindset of expressing gratitude can’t be an oved Hashem.  As it says “What is good in This World? It is to give thanks to Hashem.” ~ R’ Avigdor Miller zt”l

I post this every few years the day after Yom Kippur because it is so important.   This explains why we sometimes go from such a spiritual high to a spiritual low.

“When a person wishes to enter into the service of God…he must at all times advance and rise from level to level.  Now, every time a person is about to move from one level to the next, each in his own way, he has to encounter the full force of the [evil inclination] all over again.  These are the desires and fantasies and wild thoughts, the distractions and obstacles which are ranged against a person at every moment and try to prevent him from entering the gates of sanctity.

This often leads to great confusion in the minds of honest people who have truly worked hard on themselves.  Suddenly they find all these old desires, confusions and obstacles rising up against them.  They start thinking that they must have fallen from their level because before this they had had rest from all these desires and confusions… But this is no fall!  What is happening is that the time has come for them to advance from one level to the next, each in his own way.  This is why all the desires and confusions and obstacles – all the ‘crookedness in the heart’ – are stirred up against them with fresh force.  Each time this happens you must fortify yourself and refuse to lose heart.  Strengthen yourself against these forces and break then anew.” ~ R’ Nachman of Breslov in Lekutey Moharan

When one does teshuvah, he becomes a brand-new person. He isn’t the same person who committed the sin. And this is the reason teshuvah atones…” ~ Chofetz Chaim

We say, “Al cheit shechatanu lifanecha” – “For the sin that we committed before You.” Rebbe Asher of Stolin zt’l explained that our primary regret is “shechatanu lifanecha” that we sinned before You; that we caused Hashem distress. People can regret their sins for several reasons (a primary motive is fear of punishment) but the most ideal form of regret is shechatanu lifanecha, we regret sinning against Hashem. ~ R’ Elimelech Biderman Shlita