Author Archives: Orit Esther Riter

BS’D

‘Ein k’Ahmcha Yisrael’ – Ahm Yisrael is kadosh. On the tip of most Jewish tongues, regardless of their Torah observance, or how difficult one’s situation is, the words ‘Baruch Hashem’ is found, words that profess gratitude and emuna. In this zechut, Ahm Yisrael experiences bitachon and happiness and are able to cope with life’s challenges.

Emuna refers to trusting in Hashem’s ability to help and guide us through every circumstance; it does not mean that Hashem will deliver what we desire. It is important to understand this well; emuna is belief in Hashem’s intimate interaction in our lives however not that Hashem will fulfill our wants.

Based on the above understanding we can deduce that life’s disappointments and a weakness in one’s emuna are related what we perceive is lacking in our lives and requests gone unanswered. When a person is left with an unsatisfied desire they naturally fall into a state of worry, frustration and protest. But what is really causing this negativity to creep into one’s life? A sense of lacking; ‘There’s something missing.’ The outcome of experiencing a void is the erroneous belief that things are not going as they should.

An important thing to remember is that Hashem fulfills all of our desires, all of our true desires, to the degree that is perfectly fit for us. Hashem knows our size and our fit and gives us what we need according to the ‘size’ of our neshama. A person’s real ratzon is directly linked to that which he really needs; what his neshama needs. Everything else is not a genuine need but only an invention handed to us by our yetzer hara.

Today’s daily dose of emuna is dedicated to the refuah shleimah of Gila bat Sara Amalia. May Hashem grant her a complete healing from postpartum psychosis and grant her husband Chaim Leib ben Masha Sara koach to cope with this difficulty. May no one from Klal Yisrael know of any sorrow and be showered with yeshuot and nechamot, b’karov, b’rachamim, Amen.

BS’D

Often, life does not go according to plan A. Hashem appeared to have had an original plan A – that is, for Adam HaRishon to live in Gan Eden and Hashem’s name being known to all. Yet because of Adam’s sin, the world is now living according to plan B (as it appears to us). Yet, this world of Plan B is still called ‘tov me’od (very good)’ as written in Sefer Bereishis (1:31).

Chag Shavuot is a clear demonstration of Plan B in action. The first luchot were shattered. Instead the Jewish people now live by the Divine light radiating from the second pair of luchot.

When plan A fails we may feel a loss, sadness or frustration, yearning for the illusive plan A. However, instead we can transform our yearning and excitement for plan A and apply it to plan B. We can strive to accept plan B and view it as tov me’od, just as Hashem wants.

Accepting and celebrating Plan B teaches us a great emuna lesson. It also helps us work on our middah of hod, submission which is one of the sefirot we count during the Omer. Adjusting our expectations and plans takes flexibility, the ability to ‘go with the flow’ of Hashem’s will in spite of it being different from our own intentions.

We can still choose to sing along to the new tune, no matter how different from our old one. And then to use an ayin tov to see our new tune as perfectly suited to us! Whether it appears to us that life is following plan A, B or Z, ultimately all is ratzon Hashem and all follows His master plan.

BS’D

We are all on a lifelong quest for satisfaction. Yet, what are we trying to satisfy? Though the root of all our cravings is spiritual, we often erroneously seek to gratify them through physical means. However, the soul is not gratified when fed material pleasure because it requires spiritual sustenance.

The Jewish soul seeks to connect with its original, G-dly source in the higher realms. Our souls plead to be attached to G-dly light. It feels nourished each time we engage in Torah study and mitzvot, whereas it feels distant and is traumatized by this material world of falsehood.

Hester panim describes a state in which Hashem disguises the patterns of history as though they are random. Even though He is controlling everything and organizing every minute detail, we are often unable to see the bigger picture, remaining convinced that all is random. The word yetzer is rooted in the word tzar, narrow, highlighting the yetzer harah’s tendency to inhibit our vision, restricting us to viewing only the ‘here and now.’

The solution to this limited vision is Torah, as it is written in Masechet Kiddushim (30b): “Barati Yetzer Hara Barati Torah tavleen (I created the evil inclination, but I created Torah as a neutralizing spice)”. As much as the yetzer hara confines, Torah broadens. Torah gives us “emuna vision”, the ability to see the bigger and brighter long-term picture, with Hashem’s hand guiding it all.

Today’s daily dose of emuna is dedicated to the refuah shleimah of Amichai Meir ben Rotam, an infant who is need of tefillot. May Hashem shower his with a complete healing among all of Klal Yisrael who are sick and in need of yeshuot v’nechamot b’karov, b’rachamim, Amen.