Category Archives: Daily Dose Of Emuna

BS’D

Today’s daily dose of emuna is dedicated to the refuah shleimah of Yehuda Yehoshua ben Rivka Ita Brenda who was shot point blank by terrorists yesterday by Arab motorists.  Please Hashem send this man a complete healing among all those who are sick and suffering in Beit Yisrael b’karov, b’rachamim, Amen!

Planning a US Speaking/Book tour in the coming months, B’H.  Please email if you are interested in helping plan a shiur in your community. Thank you.

One day the old water carrier passed by the study hall with his pails. Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov ztk’l (“Master of the Good Name”) often stood outside the front door and talked with his disciples. Whenever he saw the water carrier, he interrupted their conversation and would ask him, “Berel, my good man, how are you doing today?” The water carrier would usually offer a polite response, “Baruch Hashem, thank G‑d!” and continue on his way.

But one day the water carrier had a look of melancholy in his face. “Rebbe, it’s nice of you to ask a poor man, but how should I feel? Not good! No! Day in and day out I carry these heavy pails. My back hurts, I am getting older, you know . . . My boots are in tatters, but I have no money for new ones. My family is large. The burden is too much. My children need food, shoes and clothes, and . . . ach, it’s too much to even begin talking about . . . And those new houses at the end of the town want more and more water, and they are built up on the slope of the hill, and the water is so heavy, and I am so tired, so very tired . . .” And with a sigh he picked up his pails and walked away dragging his feet, with a twisted back and bent shoulders. He did not look back. The Baal Shem Tov said nothing.

A few days later the Baal Shem Tov again stood in front of the synagogue with his students when the water carrier passed by. “Berel, good to see you, how are you today?” The water carrier stood still. He beamed. “Baruch Hashem, Rebbe, I am doing fine. I have work, so I earn money to feed my family. I am blessed, because I have a large family, so many sweet children . . . I am happy that I can buy them food to eat and pay their teachers. And those new houses they recently built at the hill need a lot of water, that’s extra income for me. Baruch Hashem!Thank you for asking a simple man how he is doing. Baruch Hashem, G‑d is good to me!”

The Baal Shem Tov smiled and blessed him with some encouraging words. The water carrier lifted his heavy buckets and went joyfully on his way, and the water in his pails reflected the light of the sun.

The Baal Shem Tov’s disciples were puzzled. Why was the old water carrier so much happier all of a sudden, with his same pair of tattered boots and his same old pails of water?

The Master of the Good Name looked at his disciples and knew what they were thinking. “Did you hear what Berel just said?” he asked them. “He said Baruch Hashem, thank G‑d, because he knows that all blessings and everything else comes from G‑d. A few days ago he did not seem to remember that, he did not thank G‑d for his lot, so he was depressed. Even when things are difficult, there is always so much to be thankful for, so you praise and thank G‑d. You acknowledge that all you receive is from G‑d, and you feel better. Berel’s pails are as heavy today as they were a few days ago, and he is still poor, but his perspective has changed. Now he sees what is important and what is not, and he is very aware of the One who provides him with everything he has. As a result, he is happy and content.”

BS’D

Today’s daily dose is dedicated L’iluy nishmat Chaim ben Esther z’l.  May his neshama bask in the Divine radiance among all of the righteous souls who have departed from this world, Amen.

Rav Avigdor Miller ztk’l was known for his emphasis on appreciating the wonder and beauty of nature and the vast wisdom of the world that Hashem created among a multitude of other qualities from which we can learn so much. This classic story epitomizes his constant focus on appreciation for Hashem.

Once, a grandchild visited Rav Miller at home and was puzzled to see his grandfather with his face in the sink. After a few minutes, Rav Miller stood up, and breathed deeply. “The air is so wonderful,” he said.

His grandchild said, “Why was your face in the water for so long that you couldn’t even breathe properly?” Rav Miller said, “On my way home, someone started talking to me and commented that lately, the air has been polluted. I didn’t want my appreciation of Hashem’s air to lessen, so I decided to deepen my appreciation of air. After depriving myself of air for just a short while, I now am even more thankful to Hashem for providing us with such wonderful air. (Rabbi Shmuel Brog)

BS’D

Today’s daily dose is dedicated L’iluy nishmat my dear Step-Father Shlomo ben Joya and Micha-El z’l.  We miss him so much.  May his neshama bask in the Divine radiance among all of the righteous souls who have departed from this world, Amen.

This week we will tell stories.  Praising tsaddikim with stories is like praising Hashem.  Stories of the tsaddikim are stories describing Hashem’s personal intervention with this world; a meeting between Shamayim v’Aretz (Heaven and Earth). Tales of tsaddikim awaken our soul driving us to seek a closer relationship with Hashem.  After hearing stories of the righteous men and women of Ahm Yisrael, our hearts yearn with a fiery flame to devote ourselves to be a more perfect Eved Hashem (loyal Jew). These stories are likened to a prayer.

The Ba’al Shem Tov HaKadosh himself promised that reading stories about him showers us with yeshuot (spiritual assistance and help) in every area of life.  Each story stirs our hearts with a desire to do teshuva and this alone helps atone for our transgressions.  Here is a simple story to start our week of storytelling:

It happened once that the Ba’al Shem Tov ztk’l became aware of a Heavenly decree that a certain Jewish settlement would be destroyed.  He made a soul-ascent and saw that the decree was final and could not be changed.  On his return descent he was stopped by the brilliant light emanating from one of the different Heavenly palaces.

After investigating the source of this dazzling illumination he learned that it was a reward for a certain Jewish tailor who had memorized the entire sefer Tehillim and recited it five times a day as he worked.  The sparkling came from the letters of his Tehillim.

The Ba’al Shem Tov quickly made his way to the tailor and asked, “If you knew that by using your merit in the World-to Come you could save a Jewish community, would you do so?”  The tailor replied, “If I have a portion in the World-to-Come, I willingly give it as a gift to save that community.” That moment the decree was nullified. The humble goodness of ordinary man is highly valuable in Shamayim.