You ever feel under-dressed?

Posted on November 6, 2015 by Emuna Daily

The Midrash says that in the World to Come, a person will be clothed according to the way he dressed in this world in honor of Shabbos. ~ Yalkut Reuveni, Bereishis

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Forget the Past

Posted on November 5, 2015 by Emuna Daily

We must not listen to our evil inclination, which tries to make us obsessed with the past, and throw us into bitterness, depression, and despair.  For it seeks to rob us of our present and future as well. ~ R’ Yaakov Meir Schechter

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The Gates of Tears

Posted on November 4, 2015 by Emuna Daily

“The gates of tears are never closed” (Talmud Berachos 32b).  If the gates are never closed, why were they established?  What purpose to they serve?

The gates are closed to the tears of fools, who weep over things that are not worth being cried over. ~ The Kotzker Rebbe zt”l

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Teshuva

Posted on November 3, 2015 by Emuna Daily

When we do teshuva, the evil we did entirely ceases to exist in creation, for by uprooting our desire for sin, it is as though we have uprooted the very act itself. ~ R’ Yaakov Meir Schechter

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One Day at a Time

Posted on November 2, 2015 by Emuna Daily

“Today, if you listen to His voice” (Psalms 95:7).  The main thing in avodas Hashem is not to be concerned with more than one day at a time.  For in this life, a person has only the very day and the very hour he finds himself in.  Tomorrow is another day altogether. ~ R’ Nachman of Breslov

Posted in Mussar | 2 Comments

A Curse

Posted on November 1, 2015 by Emuna Daily

If you maliciously speak loshon hora about someone behind his back and do not want him to find out that you maligned him, in addition to violating the prohibition against speaking loshon hora, you also incur upon yourself a curse: “Cursed be the one who secretly smites his friend.” (Dvorim 27:24) ~ Guard Your Tongue

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How to Wake up on Time for Davening

Posted on October 31, 2015 by Emuna Daily

A mashgiach of a certain yeshivah once came to Rav Elyashiv and told him that the students in his yeshivah had a difficult time waking up in the morning to get to davening on time.  The mashgiach asked how to deal with this.

“There is no trick to it,” said Rav Elyashiv.  “A person needs to engrave upon himself the importance of davening, and only then will he not arrive even one minute late!  A shopkeeper or grocer doesn’t have to look for suggestions on how to wake up in the morning, because he knows that if he comes late he will lose out financially.  Similarly, if a person were to recognize the importance of davening, he wouldn’t have to seek advice on how to wake up on time.” ~ The Gadol Hador

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Quick Story and Lesson Regarding Kiddush Friday Night

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Emuna Daily

During World War II, the Nazis were fast approaching Eretz Yisrael, and the Jews there were gripped with fear. Special prayer gatherings were held, and people pleaded to Hashem for protection. There was one Rabbi, Rav Shlomo Zviel, who was unaware of the situation. On Friday night, after he recited kiddush, somebody informed him of the imminent threat. He was very upset.

“Why are you telling me this only now?” he asked. “You should have told me this before I recited kiddush!” He explained that when we recite ויכולו Friday night, we become Hashem’s partner in creation, and partners can influence one another. When we declare at kiddush that Hashem created and governs the world, we become His partners, and He then takes our requests more seriously. This, then, is the most opportune time to ask for His help. The Rabbi thus regretted not having known about the crisis before kiddush, at the moment he forged his “partnership” with the Almighty.

Shabbat is far more than enduring the inconvenience of all the restrictions. It is about becoming Hashem’s partner, and accessing the endless benefits that this partnership yields.

Posted in Prayer, Shabbos | 9 Comments

1/60th

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Emuna Daily

Fire is one sixtieth of purgatory, honey is one sixtieth of manna, Shabbat is one sixtieth of the World to Come, sleep is one sixtieth of death, a dream is one sixtieth of prophesy. ~ Talmud, Berachot 57b

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Shlepper

Posted on October 28, 2015 by Emuna Daily

Someone who brings just one chair for himself is merely a shlepper.  But one who brings two, one for himself and one for a friend, is a ba’al chesed. ~ R’ Shraga Feivel Mendelowitz zt”l

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