The Ladder

Posted on July 4, 2012 by Emuna Daily

“It doesn’t matter where you are on the ladder.  It matters if you’re on the way up or on the way down.” ~ R’ Edward Davis

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Observant

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Emuna Daily

“An observant Jew is an observed Jew.” ~ Rabbi Allen Schwartz

Something to consider in situations such as when you are wearing a yarmulka on the subway and there aren’t enough seats for everyone.

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Not Death, Only a Passing

Posted on July 2, 2012 by Emuna Daily

“To one whose self is his body, death of the body is death of the self.  But for one whose self is his love, awe and faith, there is no death, only a passing.  From a state of confinement in the body, he makes the passage to liberation.  He continues to work within this world, and even more so than before. The Talmud says that Jacob, our father, never died.  Moses, also, never died.  Neither did Rabbi Judah the Prince. They were very high souls who were one with Truth in an ultimate bond—and since Truth can never die, neither could they.  Yes, in our eyes we see death.  A body is buried in the ground, and we must mourn the loss.  But this is only part of the falseness of our world.  In the World of Truth, they are still here as before. And the proof: We are still here. For if these high souls would not be with us in our world, all that we know would cease to exist.” ~ The Lubavitcher Rebbe condensed by R’ Tzvi Freeman

In memory of my grandmother, Rochel Bas Aharon.  May her neshama have an aliyah.

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Yarmulke

Posted on June 29, 2012 by Emuna Daily

“The pasuk states: ‘Any open vessel with no cover fastened to it is impure.’  Every human being is a vessel in the service of Hashem.  Thus, he requires a head-covering in order to control the level of outside influence that he allows inside.  The first thing a wayward Jew does r”l is take off his yarmulke to signify that he is ‘free’ of conforming to the will of Hashem.  A Jew must always control his negative impulses and appreciate the boundaries that our forbears have provided for us.” ~ Michtav Sofer (Torah Tavlin)

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Speak Gently

Posted on June 28, 2012 by Emuna Daily

“Accustom yourself to speak gently to all people at all times.  This will protect you from anger – a most serious character flaw which causes one to sin.  Our Rabbis taught ‘Whoever flares up in anger is subject to the discipline of Gehinnom, as it is written: ‘Banish anger from your heart and remove evil from your flesh.’” ~ The Ramban’s Letter

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Strike Back

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Emuna Daily

“Hashem is with us in all of our downfalls and He supports us in rising again.  Hashem is with us even in the worst moments, even if we are very distant, He is perpetually ready to receive us. A person stands in the midst of davening and daydreams and suddenly catches himself.  How do his tefillos appear?  Is there any purpose in invigorating the last brachos when the entire tefilla was a summer daydream, filled with foreign thoughts?  But, Hashem does not consider things this way.  Even with the final word, He waits for us to revive ourselves, to return to Him.

The Chofetz Chaim said, If he [the yetzer hora] snatched the bracha of Atah Chonein from you, seize back the bracha of Hashiveinu, and if he snags the bracha of S’lach Lanu from you, once again take back the bracha of Re’ei Na Vianiainu and so on.  Of primary importance is to never give up and just accept our situation, rather we must continue to strike back and grab another proper intention, another good thought, until the last word.” ~ Rav Menachem Azolai as translated by Dov Elias

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Making a Living

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Emuna Daily

“Working for a living is good. G-d wants us to be involved in the material world in order to make it spiritual. What’s not good are the anxieties over making a living.  Don’t let your inner self get involved in your business. That inner self must be preserved for fulfilling your purpose in life.  Making lots of money is not your purpose in life.” ~ Bringing Heaven Down to Earth by Tzvi Freeman

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Who Are You Fooling?

Posted on June 25, 2012 by Emuna Daily

“You cannot fool God; ultimately, you cannot fool others either. The only one you can fool is yourself. And to fool a fool is no great achievement.”~ The Rebbe Maharash, Rabbi Shmuel Schneersohn of Lubavitch

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Baruch Hu U’varuch Shemo

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Emuna Daily

Rabbi Elya Lopian once repeated something he had heard from the Alter of Kelm.  He said “It was worthwhile for Hashem to create the world, and to keep it existing for six thousand years, just for one person to recite ‘Baruch hu u’varuch shemo‘ just one time.  However, saying ‘Baruch hu u’varuch shemo’ even a thousand times is less important than responding ‘Amen‘ once, and responding ‘Amen‘ a thousand times is less important than answering ‘Amen, Yehei Shmei Rabba…’ once.” ~ Serenade the King

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Far, Yet Near

Posted on June 21, 2012 by Emuna Daily

“God is both far and near.  How is this?  Rabbi Yehudah bar Shimon said:  From here to the heavens is a journey of 500 years.  We thus see that God is far.

How do we know that He is close?  A person can stand in prayer, meditating in his heart, and God is close enough to hear his prayer.  It is thus written, ‘You hear prayer, all flesh comes to You.’ (Psalms 65:3)” ~ Midrash, Devarim Rabbah 2:6

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