Emuna Daily

One’s intent in performing all mitzvos should be toward Hashem, to move closer to Him and to bask in the light of His Countenance. 

~ Ramchal (1707-1746)

The greater your riches, the further you are from them.

When you only have a little money, you can keep it on your person.

When you acquire more, you must keep it in a locked box. It is then more distant from you.

When you acquire still more, then you must keep it in the bank. It is yet further from you.

Acquire still more, your wealth and investments are scattered in other cities and faraway places…

This is true of the worldly.

But with Torah and Mitzvos, the more you have, the closer they are to you.

~ R’ Nachman of Breslov zt”l (1772-1810)

When planning anything in life, stipulate, “Im Yirtzeh Hashem“ – provided that Hashem so wishes.

~ The Shelah Hakodesh (1555-1630)

Shabbos is a day of ecstasy that has aspects of the afterlife. Every person who observes Shabbos properly will be able to experience an intense spiritual pleasure. With this we receive a taste of the reward of Olam Habbah, the eternal world, the world that is a complete Shabbos.

~ R’ Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev zt”l (1740-1809)

“Whoever is always afraid that he might become poor, he will become poor.”  ~ Bava Metzia 33.

The Maharal explains, “When one is afraid of poverty, he is giving poverty the ability to affect him and to reach him… When one is afraid of something, he is making himself small before that matter that he is afraid of, which gives the matter strength to affect him. This is especially true regarding poverty. When one is afraid of poverty, the thought causes an effect on the person, and he will receive the poverty.”

If one sees that his bitachon isn’t perfect, he should trust in Hashem that Hashem will help him even if his bitachon isn’t perfect.

~ R’ Rephael of Barshid zt”l

Someone said to the Beis Yisrael zt’l, “I have doubts in emuna, so what value can my tefillos have?”

The Beis Yisrael opened the Gemara where it says that when one says “Amen yehei shemei rabba..” with all his strength, even if he has thoughts of avodah zarah, he is forgiven. 

“Do you see what is written here? The Gemara discusses a person who has thoughts of avodah zarah, yet even he can say “Amen yehei shmei rabba.” 

So, no matter what level we fall to, we can daven and turn to Hashem.”

Know that there are people whose eyes are directed toward Hashem when it comes to major matters…but who do not remember Hashem in the small things. This is because the activity is trivial in their eyes and they are certain that they can succeed in it…Therefore, it says: “Know Him in all your ways” – large or small! 

Since all actions are dependent on Hashem, and all success comes about through His kindness, a person is obligated to remember Him in everything that he does. For if he succeeds in his activity and did not remember Hashem or look to Him for help, he is deficient in his Divine service.

~ Rabbeinu Yonah (1200-1263)

The things we need to survive in this physical world – such as air and water – are supplied in abundance.

So too, in spiritual matters.  

Since Emuna is the most necessary element of spiritual life, wherever you seek it, it is found. 

~ The Alter of Kelm (1824-1898)

Jews survived all the defeats, expulsions, persecutions and pogroms, the centuries in which they were regarded as a pariah people, even the Holocaust itself, because they never gave up the faith that one day they would be free to live as Jews without fear. 

~ R’ Jonathan Sacks (1948-2020)