R’ Nachman’s Tallis

Posted on January 28, 2017 by Emuna Daily

R’ Nachman of Breslov zt”l once gave his old tallis to one of his close students.  “Show this tallis a lot of respect,” he said.  “For as many threads as there are in this cloth, that is how many tears I shed in order to be able to understand what a tallis truly means.”

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Perfected by Each Other

Posted on January 27, 2017 by Emuna Daily

Every man becomes better through his fellow. Since every individual possesses specific qualities that others lack, the realization by disparate people that in essence they comprise one whole, enables them all to be complemented and perfected by each other. ~  R’ Schneur Zalman of Liadi zt”l

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Why do we need to daven?

Posted on January 26, 2017 by Emuna Daily

By Davening and verbalizing our needs, we are impressing upon ourselves that we are totally dependent on Hashem for every single thing. ~ Chovos  Halevavos

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Thankful People

Posted on January 25, 2017 by Emuna Daily

It is not happy people who are thankful; it is thankful people who are happy!

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Capacity

Posted on January 24, 2017 by Emuna Daily

According to the camel’s capacity, so is the load”(Talmud Ketubot 67a). It is the duty of those who are richer in material wealth, and those who are richer spiritually–learned Jews, Torah scholars and yeshiva students–to give generously of their greater wealth and knowledge to rescue, heal and fortify the bodies and souls of their brothers and sisters. ~ Lubavitcher Rebbe

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Thief

Posted on January 23, 2017 by Emuna Daily

Gratitude is not just a nice gesture or a worthy personal quality. It is a real obligation like any other in the code of law. If you withhold it, you are a thief. ~ R’ Yerucham Levovitz zt”l

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Right Now

Posted on January 21, 2017 by Emuna Daily

A disciple of Reb Shlomo Carlebach zt”l related:

I was in Synagogue praying the afternoon service, swaying in prayer religiously.  All of a sudden, I remembered that I hadn’t prayed the morning service or put on Tefillin that morning.  I couldn’t stand myself.  I’m the biggest fake, the biggest hypocrite.  All the people in the Synagogue give me so many honors, and I’m phony.  When I’m done, I’m leaving the Synagogue and I’m not coming back until I’m real.

Just as I was finishing, Reb Shlomo passed me, and, sensing something, he stopped and asked, “Moishele, what’s going on?” I told him the story. I told him I felt like a hypocrite and that I couldn’t stand myself.

Reb Shlomo, in his own way, got angry with me.  He said, “What are you talking about! Who cares what you did five minutes ago? What are you doing right now! Right now!”

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Bad Start

Posted on January 20, 2017 by Emuna Daily

We must sometimes permit ourselves to begin things badly, just so that we begin them.  Those who spend too much time preparing graceful entrances often never get to make them. ~ R’ Shraga Silverstein zt”l

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So Deep!

Posted on January 19, 2017 by Emuna Daily

According to the holy Zohar, when God wants to show us compassion, He first sends us a gift – a person who needs our help. When we show compassion on him, God then shows compassion on us. This is as the Talmud says, “Whoever has compassion on God’s creatures, receives compassion from Heaven.” Because our actions on Earth initiate a corresponding flow from Heaven, by developing and displaying our own compassion, we earn God’s compassion from above.

This applies to more situations than just helping the poor. Whenever God wants to bless us, He sends us a corresponding act that can initiate the flow from Above. For instance, if God is angry with us, He may send us someone to upset us. When we restrain our anger, God does likewise. Encountering situations of anger, desire, or selfishness is never accidental. These are opportunities sent to us by the Creator to fix both our souls and the upper worlds.  These are moments in which we must show our commitment to God. Whether it comes to removing bad thoughts, or strengthening our positive character traits, we must not miss the opportunity. ~ R’ Yaakov Meir Schechter

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Ashrei Ha’ish – New Song!

Posted on January 18, 2017 by Emuna Daily

Happy is the man who doesn’t live according to the advice of the wicked, and does not stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful. But who finds delight in God’s Torah and reflects on His Torah day and night. ~ Tehillim 1:1-2

These first two verses of Tehillim are a translation of the lyrics from my good friend, Rabbi Noam Weinberg’s first single, Ashrei Ha’ish, which could be purchased on iTunes for just 99 cents.  It is such a beautiful song and I wish him so much hatzlocha with his music and all the good work that he does.

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