Every human being is due honor and respect just by virtue of being human, which means embodying a divine soul, made in the image and likeness of God. Because we are only human, we are scarred and marred, but those are superficial blemishes. Look deeper, and you will perceive the glowing radiance of a holy soul. Develop eyes to see the soul, and bow down in honor.
So great is the honor of created beings that concern for honor overrides even a negative prohibition promulgated by the rabbis. ~ Talmud, Berachos 19B
HaShem expresses His love for an individual Jew not by material gain, for there exists the concept of “rasha vetov lo’ – an evildoer who enjoys a good life. But rather by presenting to a person the opportunity to perform infrequent and unconventional mitzvot. ~ R’ Nachman Kahana
I haven’t posted a song in a while and want to start the week on a high. I can’t think of anything greater than watching our holy soldiers in Israel sing and dance like they did before entering battle in Gaza this past summer in this inspiring video.
If someone tells you private information about his business or any personal matter, you are forbidden to disclose it to others. Your doing so could cause the person who confided in you financial loss, embarrassment, or other damage. Even if the speaker did not request that the matter remain secret, you are not allowed to repeat it. It is self-evident that the speaker does not want such information to be divulged.
However, if that person related information concerning himself in the presence of three or more people and did not request secrecy, they are permitted to relate it to others. Since the speaker related it to a group of three or more people, we can assume that he does not mind if the information will be known. ~ Guard Your Tongue
The mother of Rabbi Simcha Zissel Ziv had a custom to collect money for the poor at funerals. At the funeral of her only daughter, she also collected charity. When asked how she was able to compose herself in the summit of her grief, she replied, “Just because I am suffering does not mean that the poor have to suffer also.” ~ R’ Zelig Pliskin
The more you want to serve G-d, the more the Evil One (yeitzer hara) strives against you. If you realize this, you can fight him with strategy and continually defeat him. With G-d’s help, you will be worthy of emerging victorious. ~ R’ Nachman of Breslov zt”l
Emuna Daily 