Category Archives: Daily Dose Of Emuna

BS’D

Talking positively makes a positive impact in this world as well as in the spiritual realm. Unfortunately negativity is also amplified when someone speaks unfavorably. When it comes to our thoughts, it may appear that they have no effect, after all, who knows what I am thinking about. Yet there is a spiritual effect that occurs as a result of our thoughts as well. When our thoughts and words are optimistic and we envision good in our minds we mobilize positive influence that can actually materialize.

Relating this teaching to emuna, when we display emuna and bitachon in our thoughts, speech and actions it becomes the catalyst for Hashem to shower Divine assistance. Relying on Hashem brings blessing onto our efforts and gives us the strength to face challenges.

In yesterday’s emuna email we learned how everything that happens above is dependent on us. Acting with joy spreads joy up, down, right, left and all around – to ourselves and everyone around us. Joy breaks down barriers in this world since when a person is happy he is able to go beyond his natural tendencies and overcome many of his weaknesses due to his ‘joyful’ mindset which ‘paints’ everything ‘pink and fluffy.’ The same applies to the upper realms.

When we are b’simcha in essence we cause Hashem to be b’simcha. The positive outlook and happy disposition we express here in this lowly world has a remarkable impact on high and generates a shower of great blessings to others.

Let’s take a moment to deeply contemplate the power Hashem has given to each of us. Radiating positivism, simcha and emuna below awakens good fortunate worlds away for others.  We truly are areivim zeh la zeh (responsible for one another).

BS’D

Today’s daily dose of emuna is dedicated to the refuah shleimah of all of the IDF wounded soldiers.  Here is a current list, which is constantly getting updated. May Hashem envelop all of our brave, young men and women in His shadow of protection and fight the war for us.  May we have the merit to experience miracles and wonders from Hashem and feel His loving embrace, Amen.  

גיל בן מיכל (Gil ben michal)
אוהד בן אליס גנון (ohad ben elise genon)
מרדכי חי בן ברכה יהודית (mordachai chai ben bracha yehudis)
ישי דב בן נרי (yishai dov ben niri)
עמוס בן סיגל (amos ben sigal)
אוהד בן רות (ohad ben rus)
בן ציון בן רחל(ben zion ben rochel)
איתי אהרון בן אילנה (etai ahron elana)
משה אלעד בן עיתיאל (moshe elad ben aytel
יונתן שמעון בן גיטל(yonaton shmuel ben gitel)
יוני בן שרה (yoni ben sarah)
אביעד בן סימה (aviod ben sima)
ארז בן שרית (erez ben sarit)
דוד ילחק בן סוזי (dovid yilchak ben suzi)
רמי בן רמונד (rami ben rimoond)
עובדיה בן רויטל(ovadia ben roitl
דניאל מנדס בן מרים (daniel mendis ben miriam)
יונתן שמעון בן מסעוד (yonatan shimon ben misod)
מור מרדכי בן שרית (moor mordechai ben sarit)
נריה בן חוה (niryah ben chavah)
שקד בן אורה (sheked ben orah)
אליאל בן אריאלה (eliel ben ariela)
אליהו בן חוה( eliyahu ben chavah)
ארד ליאורה (ered ben liora)
ליאל בן אילנית (liel ben elanit)
שוהם בן יפה פלורה(shoham ben yafa flora)
יעקב בן לאפו (yaakov ben lafa)
מיכל בן פרידה (Michel ben frida)
יואב בן גילה (yoav ben gila):
There are 55 wounded soldiers and officers in hospitals nationwide at this time.

Our world is a reflection of the world above.  Everything above, all that transpires in the spiritual realm is from us, dependent on our conduct.  It is written Pirkei Avos (2:1), “…. dah mah lima’alah mee’mcha… (Know what is above of you…).”  There are many angles to learn this Mishnah.  We will explore one very relevant to current times.

The Maggid of Mezritch ztk’l, the foremost disciple of the Ba’al Shem Tov HaKadosh teaches: Dah, Know  –  מה, mah, what, can also be read as מ- ‘ה from Hashem – ממך, mee’mcha, is from you.  Our behavior down below is a direct mirror of what goes on in the upper realms.

When we move our bodies we are moving our spiritual counterpart in Shamayim. In Tehillim (121:5) it is written: “Hashem is your shadow,”  meaning our actions mirror, so to speak, the nature of the influence that flows from Hashem to the world.  Our thoughts, speech and actions bring about direct changes and have a profound ripple affect.

This is a vital insight into our times.  Many women ask I don’t know what I am supposed to ‘work on’ and improve to increase the merits for Klal Yisrael… for myself and my family.  Hashem responds to us as a shadow; measure for measure. I must assume responsibility whether I live in Israel or not for what is happening in the Jewish land.  Whether we live in S’derot or Tel-Aviv Hashem is making sure that we are all affected by the fear of rocket missiles.  The welfare of every Jew is and has always been dependent on ‘me’.

There is strife and war with Arabs residing on our own soil; within the borders of Eretz Yisrael.  A possible remedy: work on harmony within ‘your land’; within the four walls of your home.  We are alarmed upon hearing a ‘red alert’ siren of incoming rockets, c’v.   Maybe we’ve been sleeping, not paying attention to the purpose of life.  Maybe we weren’t and still aren’t aware that the geula is just about ready to ‘rock’ and ‘hit’ our world and B’H lift us to another place in history…

BS’D

How do we increase the potency of the blessings we give to others? It is more than muttering words, it is about reaching deep within and mustering up all the care and compassion that dwells inside and sharing it with another. It is a prayer.  We pray that the other sees and experiences only good.

Blessing someone is an act of genuine chesed since we are ‘sharing’ our kindness with another.  In addition, we heighten our level of sensitivity to them and thus are able to practice the mitzvah of ‘ve’ahavta l’rei’acha kamocha (loving thy neighbor as we love ourselves)’ in a more heartfelt way.

In order to uplift the blessings that we give let us take a closer look into the Hebrew word for blessing, bracha. Bracha shares the same letters as the word for pool, breicha.  This implies that when we give a blessing we essentially are drawing from this reservoir of Divine abundance and acting as a channel from which it is poured onto another. Essentially we become the pipeline through which Hashem showers His goodness onto others in this world.

Next time you want to shower someone else with Hashem’s love and light, remember that you serve as a ray of G-dliness onto others. You and I carry a spark of holiness that is so powerful that we can change another person’s life by digging deep and accessing that light.

Keep that in mind. Bring down the blessings for others.  We all need them!

Sent by one of our DD readers: 

BS’D

Today, 12 of Tammuz, is the yahrtzeit of Rabbi Yaakov Ben Asher author of the seminal book of Jewish law, The Tur. This was a groundbreaking contribution to Jewish scholarship in that it organized all practical Jewish law into four major sections, subdivided into hundreds of chapter headings. This system served as the foundation for all later rabbinic works, including Rabbi Yosef Karo’s Shulchan Aruch, the standard Code of Jewish Law.  He lived in abject poverty most of his life. Rabbi Yaakov also wrote a commentary on the Five Books of Moses, entitled Ba’al HaTurim, which focuses on hidden messages in the Torah — gematria (numerology), acrostics and word patterns (Aish.com). May the zechut of the tzaddik serve as an advocate above for Klal Yisrael, Amen.

In his work Mesillat Yesharim, the Ramchal ztk’l writes that “Man is created to delight in Hashem and enjoy the radiance of His Shechinah.” This is our primary purpose. The radiance represents the joy of Gan Eden. “Gan Eden” is not a physical place rather a state of deveikut (bonding) to Hashem. In other words, the entire purpose of creation and everything in it is to enable us to attach ourselves to Him. That is the whole point of our lives.

The Sefarim Hakedoshim teach us that the way a person thinks and feels in this world indicates how he will think and feel in the World to Come. This world is ‘boot camp’ to train us how it will be in ‘real eternal life’ the World to Come.  Therefore we ought to constantly strive to bask in the Divine radiance in this world so that we will be able to appreciate it in World to Come after 120, B’H.

The World to Come is referred to as “completely good.” What does this label mean? Dovid HaMelech zt’l teaches us in Tehillim (63:28) that, “…closeness to Hashem is my good”. Therefore, to merit this “goodness” in Gan Eden, we should live with the recognition that cleaving to Hashem in this world is the main source of good. All good flowing into this world is a result of attaching it to Hashem’s will. Once we have internalized this notion, we can understand the futility of ignoring Hashem in this world and delaying our bond with Him until the World to Come.

Let’s take stock of our spiritual position in life. Are our lives (including our learning, prayer and mitzvot) deepening our bond to Hashem? Are we getting distracted by trivialities? What is one thing we can do to feel – and be – closer to Borei Olam?