Emuna Daily

The Hebrew noun emuna is translated as “faith” but really means “trust, confidence, reliability, faithfulness.” The Torah does not command belief in God, but rather describes faith in Hashem, which is striving to know and understand God’s ways, of obeying His laws. We are given a sense, then, that faith is not believing, in the sense of deciding whether God exists or not, but rather a matter of expressing conviction.  The act of faith is not proving but being faithful.  As Psalms 18:25 says “To the faithful you show yourself faithful.” ~ Alan Morinis

For years I thought that my ticket to the World to Come will be the Achiezer [his classic writings on the Torah].  Now that I am getting on in years, however, I believe that what stands in my favor is that I took responsibility for sustaining widows and orphans throughout Europe.  ~ R’ Chaim Ozer Grodzinski zt”l

The past has gone;

the future is yet to happen;

the present disappears with the blink of an eye.

So why worry?

~ Ibn Ezra

Death is merely moving from one home to another.  The wise man will spend his main efforts in trying to make his future home the more beautiful one. ~ The Kotzker Rebbe

When I hear myself insulted in public, I imagine a pair of scales.  On one side I imagine my sins; on the other side I imagine the insults.  I then see that my sins are much heavier, and I remain silent, accepting my punishment as just.  I do the same any time I suffer from the deeds or words of others.  ~ Sefer Chareidim, cited in Shemiras Halashon, Tevunah, ch. 8

Some are so immersed in setting the stage that they never get to perform. ~ R’ Shraga Silverstein zt”l

A person who worked on self-improvement came to the Baal Shem Tov and complained, “I have tried for quite some time to become a better person. But I am still very plain and simple.”

“To be aware that you are plain and simple is an accomplishment in itself,” replied the Baal Shem Tov. “Take pleasure in that.” ~ Midrash Rivash Tov as quoted by R’ Zelig Pliskin

The more you practice bitachon (trust in Hashem), the more you will be surprised. Hashem will show you yesh m’ayin (something from nothing).

Sometimes fountains of money will open up. You’ll be amazed where the money comes from. If it will not be in the form of money, it will be in the form of other satisfactions.  Hashem has plenty of ways to satisfy. He will not withhold good. -~ R’ Avigdor Miller zt”l

As the Ba’al Shem Tov said, we must cultivate the ability to discern G-d’s lessons for us in every event that we witness or experience. This enables us to mature spiritually, learning how to respond to life’s challenges and opportunities in the most effective, positive ways possible. – Menachem Mendel Schneerson

You must know that Hakadosh Baruch Hu designated that you will be born specifically during the period in history in which you were born and with particular surroundings.  He decided who your parents would be for reasons that apply only to you.

He causes you to come in contact with various people some whom you should befriend and some whom you should distance yourself from. He also provided you with physical and spiritual strengths you will need to go through the path of life and contend with situations specific for you…

These are the best tools and means to achieve your purpose in life, the purpose for which you were sent to this world – to fulfill the will of the Almighty.  Here lies the source for your success. ~ R’ Shimshon Rafael Hirsch zt”l