Emuna Daily

Someone told the Tchebiner Rav zt’l that he was very worried about his children who were getting older and have not found shidduchim. The Tchebiner Rav told him the following story:

“Early in the morning on erev Yom Kippur, someone was going to the shochet to shecht his kaparos. He held the chicken in one hand, a machzor in the other, and then his eyeglasses fell to the ground. He stood there, wondering what to do. If he puts down the chicken, it will run away. He certainly can’t put the machzor on the ground. So how could he pick up his eyeglasses?”

“What did he do?” the man asked.

The Tchebiner Rav replied, “I don’t know, but one thing I am certain of; he’s not standing there anymore.”

In other words, life goes on. There are hurdles and challenges, but the difficulties aren’t forever.

~ R’ Elimelech Biderman 

A face is like a mirror. 

If you smile at others, they will smile back.

If you frown, they will do the same.

Kindness inspires kindness.

It doesn’t make a difference what’s in your heart, if there’s worry or fear: when you walk around in public, your face can make a difference.

Try it.

Keep a smile on your face and you will get smiles in return.

That in itself can create such happiness all around you.

~ R’ Eliezer Zeytouneh

A person’s task in life is to be grateful for the past, active in the present, and hopeful for the future.  

~ R’ Shlomo Wolbe zt”l 

The Rebbe of Ruzhin zt”l once heard his daughter complaining about something and said to her, “One groan brings on more tzaros, whereas one praise brings on more goodness.” 

The gemara (Sotah 48b) tells us that if a person has enough bread to eat today, he is lacking emuna if he worries about what he will eat tomorrow. 

But this only applies to one’s self. 

When it comes to other people, be concerned about what they will eat tomorrow and for many days to come.  

~ R’ Yechezkal Levenstein zt”l  

If I could do what you can do, and you could do what I can do, then the Ribbono shel Olam would not have created us both.  We each have our own talents and skills and mission.

You look around, and you see people torn by indecision and insecurity: “That one’s stronger, that one’s richer, that one’s smarter, that one’s more attractive.”

People are too busy looking.

Forget it.  Ignore it. 

Be yourself, because everyone else is already taken. 

~ R’ Avraham Willig

A bride and groom’s parents each came to the Chazon Ish zt”l arguing that the other one should pay for the lion’s share of the wedding.  

When they left, the Chazon Ish said, “Do you know what they were arguing about? They were debating who should get Hashem’s brachos.  Each one said the other one should receive Hashem’s brachos,” because Hashem helps those obligated to pay.  

The gemara (Taanis 29a) states that upon hearing the report of the spies concerning Eretz Yisroel, the Jewish people cried.  That night was Tisha B’av.  Hakadosh Baruch Hu said, “You cried for no reason, I will give you a reason to cry for all generations.”  Every year, we cry on Tisha b’Av for the two Batei Mikdash that were destroyed on this day.  

If the Churban came about because we cried for no reason, we could derive from this that the Beis HaMikdash will be rebuilt when we recognize that there is no reason to cry.  When something disappointing happens, yet we believe that it is from Hashem, for the good, this awareness will rebuild the Beis HaMikdash. 

~ R’ Elimelech Biderman

If our only sin was that we aren’t mourning sufficiently for Yerushalayim, that would be reason enough to cause the galus to continue. 

~ The Yaavatz zt”l

HaKadosh Baruch Hu tells Bnei Yisrael, “My beloved children…what do I ask from you?  Only that you should love one another and honor one another.

 ~ Tana d’Bei Eliyahu (Rabba 28)