Emuna Daily

I will insist the Hebrews have [contributed] more to civilize men than any other nation. If I was an atheist and believed in blind eternal fate, I should still believe that fate had ordained the Jews to be the most essential instrument for civilizing the nations … They are the most glorious nation that ever inhabited this Earth. The Romans and their empire were but a bubble in comparison to the Jews. They have given religion to three-quarters of the globe and have influenced the affairs of mankind more and more happily than any other nation, ancient or modern. ~ John Adams, Second President of the United States

Do not let a word of wickedness leave your mouth.  Do not say that you will commit a sin or be wicked even though you may be joking and have no intention of carrying out your words.  The words themselves can do great damage and later compel you to fulfill them.  This is true even if they are uttered only as a joke. ~ R’ Nachman of Breslov zt”l

Hakadosh Baruch Hu desires more the mitzvos when one is helping his fellow man, than the mitzvos that are solely for Hashem. ~ Rosh (Pei’ah 1:1)

The Baal Shem Tov zt”l said that the reason Moshiach hasn’t yet come is because people aren’t saying the bracha of ahavah rabba at length.

The ascension of the mountain of God must take place step by step.  It is impossible to leap from the bottom to the top in one bound, nor is there any sense or profit in standing stationary on one spot in the valley, merely gazing at the mountain.  One must walk, ascend, and continue to ascend without stopping.  ~ R’ Eliyahu Lopian zt”l

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.

Watch your words, for they become actions.

Watch your actions, for they become habits.

Watch your habits, for they become your character &

Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.

What we think, we become.

Happy is the person who hears an offensive remark about himself and remains silent.  He saves himself from a hundred troubles! ~ Sanhedrin 7a

The root of the word “Teshuvah” is “shuv” to return.  What are you returning to?  You are returning to your essence, to your pristine core, to your unsullied soul.    Christianity believes in “original sin” and how people are tainted and impure.  But that is not so with Judaism.  In Judaism, we believe that each one of us is holy and pure, and when we do teshuva, we return to the purity, to the essence and holiness of who we really are.  ~ R’ Yitzchok Fingerer