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Posted on March 14, 2016 by Emuna Daily

It is not enough for one’s heart to be in the right place; his hands must be there too. ~ R’ Shraga Silverstein zt”l

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No Names

Posted on March 13, 2016 by Emuna Daily

All forms of loshon hora are prohibited even when no names are mentioned, if it will be possible for people to determine who is being discussed.  If names are omitted but the story will reflect badly on an entire group of people, it may not be spoken.  Speaking critically about an unnamed student at a yeshivah is often taken as a statement about the entire student body or as a reflection on yeshivah students in general.  If this is the implication, the statement is a more serious form of loshon hora, for it reflects on a multitude of Jews. ~ Sefer Chofetz Chaim

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The Steipler zt”l

Posted on March 12, 2016 by Emuna Daily

The Steipler once made a surprise appearance at a bar mitzvah seudah to which he had not been invited.  He wished the father “Mazel tov,” then sat down next to the bar mitzvah boy, spoke with him for a very short while, and left.  After the Steipler left, the bar mitzvah boy explained that several years earlier, the Steipler had seen him enter the Lederman’s Shul on Yom  Kippur carrying a large sefer, which the Steipler assumed was a gemara.  He told the boy, “Yinge’le (young boy), now we are to daven; learning is for later.” The boy then showed the Steipler that he was carrying not a gemara, but an oversized machzor.

The mechilah (forgiveness) of a kattan (boy under bar mitzvah) is not valid, so the Steipler made sure to find out when and where the boy’s bar mitzvah celebration would be held, so that he could ask forgiveness at the first opportunity. ~ 5 Great Lives

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Tears

Posted on March 11, 2016 by Emuna Daily

Tears are the sweat of the soul ~ R’ Samson Rapahel Hirsch zt”l

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Needs

Posted on March 10, 2016 by Emuna Daily

Who seeks more than he needs, hinders himself from enjoying what he has.  Seek what you need and give up what you need not.  For in giving up what you don’t need, you’ll learn what you really do need. ~ R’ Shlomo Ibn Gabirol zt”l (1021-1058)

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Missed the Train?

Posted on March 9, 2016 by Emuna Daily

If you see that someone came to the station after the train he wanted had already left, do not say that the man was late and missed his train, but that he came early for the next train.  For everything is in the hands of Heaven. ~ R’ Yosef Yozel Hurwitz zt”l

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“Practice what you Preach”

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Emuna Daily

We must see to it that what we preach is practicable and what we practice preachable.  ~ R’ Shraga Silverstein zt”l

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What a Gift!

Posted on March 7, 2016 by Emuna Daily

Because God has commanded us to regret our actions and admit our sins, by doing teshuvah, we are not merely dwelling on the past, but fulfilling a positive commandment in the present.  Even more remarkable is the fact that teshuvah actually repairs the past. ~ R’ Yaakov Meir Shechter

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Really Let This Sink In

Posted on March 6, 2016 by Emuna Daily

Speaking loshon hora causes the speaker’s merits to be transferred to the Heavenly account of the person against whom he spoke.  ~ The Chofetz Chaim

Imagine, God forbid, all of your Torah and mitzvos that you have accumulated over the years, could be transferred away in an instant to the person you are speaking negatively about.  Think about this!  Hold back!  It is never ever worth it!

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Criticism

Posted on March 5, 2016 by Emuna Daily

A respectable and distinguished woman was horrified by her next-door neighbor’s lifestyle. The neighbor seemed to be a horrendously poor housekeeper; she lived in a filthy house and raised messy, dirty children. The situation was disgraceful.

The woman decided to share her feelings of frustration with a visiting friend. “Just look at those clothes she has out on the line,” she began, pointing to her neighbor’s backyard. “See the black streaks spattered up and down those sheets and pillowcases?”

“It appears to be, my dear,” answered the visitor, “that the clothes are perfectly clean. The streaks that you see are on your own window.” ~ Chicken Soup to Warm the Neshama

 

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