Emuna Daily

A visitor to the apartment of the Chofetz Chaim, was struck by its sparseness.  “Where is your furniture?” the man asked.  “Where is yours?” replied the Chofetz Chaim.  “Oh, I am only passing through,” said the man. To which the Chofetz Chaim replied, “I am also just passing through.”

When a person is faithful to his every utterance and righteously lives up to his word, he merits that Hashem will “do all that he expressed verbally.” Thus, every person has the ability to fulfill the words of Chazal: “Tzadik gozer v’Hakadosh Baruch Hu mikayem,” – the righteous person decrees, and the Holy One fulfills it. ~ R’ Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev zt”l

Rabbi Yoself Leib Bloch used to say that regardless of how high a level a person is on, he always has natural tendencies that bring him down.  This is the very nature of man.

Rather than allowing those tendencies to keep us down, we should strengthen ourselves and try with all our might to continue to elevate ourselves.

For this reason the Torah writes about the faults and transgressions of even the greatest of men.  This can console us and teach us that it is normal to have faults.  ~ Shiurai Daas as quotes by R’ Zelig Pliskin

In order for a person to maintain proper middos, he must put himself in another’s place.  When someone does something that you consider wrong or improper, think about how many rationalizations you would have been forced to come up with to justify yourself had you done that very act.  Then, use these same rationalizations to give the other person the benefit of the doubt. ~ R’ Moshe Leib Sassover zt”l

When someone sees his neighbor acquiring some worldly property, whether some kind of food or clothing, or a house, or accumulating money, he works hard to get the same, because he thinks, “If my friend has this, I should also have it.” ~ Orchot Tzaddikim

When people want to free themselves from their humdrum workaday life, they go on vacation. They rent a cabin with half the rooms they have at home and sacrifice many of the conveniences they generally rely upon. They rough it.  And then they feel free.

As it turns out, everybody agrees: When you let go of those material things you have become attached to, then you can start to be free. ~ R’ Tzvi Freeman

Only fools waste their present moments regretting what is over and done with.  They will constantly say, “If only I hadn’t gotten involved in this venture, I wouldn’t have suffered.”  If only I would have stayed an hour longer, this would not have happened.” We are not prophets and there is no possible way to know in advance exactly what will be. Try to protect yourself from harm, but realize we can never plan for every contingency. ~ Cheshbon Hanefesh