Category Archives: Daily Dose Of Emuna

BS’D

Ah… the joy of Shabbat.  Joy bestows upon us the gift of momentarily forgetting what is troubling us.  Joy depicts a state whereby we are happy in our minds and we do not ‘remember’ any of our sorrows.

Delight (oneg), which is the term used to describe a level of happiness on Shabbat, makes every part of our body resonate, not just our minds; an immense overflow of joy. In the merit (zechut) of reaching this lofty level of inner joy, our thirst for closeness and ability to grasp Torah knowledge is more easily attained.  As a result of drenching the additional soul with a level of joy, our entire being can now devote its strength to serving Hashem.

In order that we not get ‘caught up’ in the physical delight of the table delicacies, it is important that we stop at regular intervals and ‘feed our soul’ with Torah learning (divrei Torah).  In this way, the food serves as a pipeline to feed our passionate craving to bond with Borei Olam.

Singing enhances oneg Shabbat as it is one of the ways that Hashem gifted us to ‘reach’ Him in spite of His concealment (hester panim).  Music is the channel by which we expand our consciousness and begin to connect to our inner higher self, namely our neshama. For any of us who passionately wishes to remove the veil of concealment and connect to Borei Olam, the fountain of bracha is showered upon him when he sings from his inner core.  This is a true ‘high’.

Posting on behalf of member of the list:

As you and I know, there is a desperate situation of unmarried singles seemingly not being able to meet their match. A friend of mine and I would like to start an initiative doing something small for 10 singles from Rosh Chodesh Adar (which passed, but we can still join) until Purim.
This is what we’re proposing: Take on something small (see suggestions on the list below) with a bli neder that you will do during the next 6 weeks in the hope that 10 singles will find their match. If you don’t know 10 singles, then please e-mail to amyisrael3@gmail.com and we will send you some names that you can do it for. You can also send us any Hebrew names of any singles so that we can send out your friend’s names too, but please keep us posted if they do find their match.
Please forward this e-mail to whoever you feel would like to participate in this.
Tizku l’mitzvos

The suggestions (from R’ Kelati):

Say your benching from a Siddur

Picking one bracha from the amida for special concentration

say at least one kapital (chapter) tehillim daily with special concentration

give a set (small) amount to Tzedaka every day

Be careful not to say Loshon Hora for one hour per day

Take a toddler/baby for a walk or help play with the sibling while mummy is busy with the baby or other child(ren)

Do some shopping for the elderly in an old-age home or at their own home.

Visit the elderly or people in hospital to see if they need extra or special food

Making a loud bracha before and after eating/drinking for amen to be answered

Staying behind after minyan for 2 halachot from Mishna Berura

Setting aside 10 minutes a day to learn

Not talking during davening/kaddish – and if you have mastered this, don’t talk in shul at all

During Ashrei, concentrate on the verse “poteach et yadecha”

Spend 20-30 minutes less on the internet daily

Get off Facebook completely or at least partially

Go to a shiur or listen to an mp3 shiur at least once a week

Spend a set amount of extra (quality) time with your children

Make a Shabbat meal for a needy family

Help a friend or neighbor with their children

Get to shul five minutes early

Don’t leave davening at shul before Aleinu

Say “Asher yatzar” and “shema” at night from a Siddur

Learning 1 Shabbos halacha daily

Daven every day, “Please Ha-Shem, look after all your beloved children”

Give a pleasant (smiling) greeting to every person you meet in the day.

Offer to walk with an older person with mobility difficulties

Find time to learn with people who have learning difficulties

Start a chesed organization, or project, to help the community

Volunteer for Hatzola

Volunteer to help your local shul with security

Daven for someone who needs help during your amida

Don’t use your phone for 10 minutes after greeting your children from school

BS’D

Emuna originates from the heavenly sphere where the upper lights and creative forces originate.  Our soul stems from this lofty place and once experienced this immense G-dly light directly.  The desire to connect back to this light is the soul’s only desire and mission; the purpose of her existence.

The neshama ‘remembers’ the delight she once experienced.  It is deeply engraved in her.  Unconsciously, we (our bodies) seek pleasure yet we do not understand that this sensation comes from the soul’s desire to bond with that place where all goodness derives from Hashem Yitborach.

Emuna is the bridge that connects the upper and lower worlds.  To have emuna means to connect our worldly experiences and define their relevance according to Heavenly terms.  Seeing worldly happenings through the eyes of the soul, through emuna eyes, creates an entirely new reality, a new pair of lenses.

Let’s look at the purity of a child – their simplicity and wholeheartedness.  Adults feel as though they are speaking to a soul and not the body of a little person.  They are real and not blocked by impurities – until they get older and the outer world has impacted their way of thinking.   A child is simple and sincere.  They know how to say “I don’t know” when they don’t.  Children aren’t intimidated by society and the opinion of others.  They are guided by their internal compass called the soul.

We should learn from the ways of children.  Their sincerity and care when you talk to them, their ability to be in touch with their feelings and their innocent non-judgmental outlook can serve as emuna 101 classes for every one of us.

Today’s daily dose is dedicated to the refuah shleimah of  Shepsel Chana bas Braindel who was recently diagnosed with advanced stage breast cancer.  Please may Hashem shower her with a complete healing amongst all of those sick and suffering in Klal Yisrael b’karov, b’rachamim, Amen.

BS’D

Living life mindfully (aware of what is happening around and within us) is certainly of important value to increasing our emuna. Yet, this is a stepping stone. The next level we strive to reach and which occurs quite naturally as a result of our new-founded expanded awareness, is that our minds become attuned to a new way of thinking that never was before. We begin seeing Hashem in places, people, objects and events – a new vision of life begins to emerge ‘seemingly’ out of nowhere.  In spite of the fact that emotional work may require strength and effort, be assured that the outcome is irreplaceable; a polished point of view on life.

The goal in learning the significant value of living life ‘awake’ and in tune with the world within and without, is intended to transform our way of thinking on a deep, pure level.  This delightful way of living brings with it a new experience when reciting the bracha, ‘Baruch Atah Hashem…” “Blessed are You Hashem”:  we sense Hashem even more closely Whose honor fills the world

Yes, this sounds like an unattainable level, but with ratzon (will) and practice this ‘naturally’ occurs.  Through the daily exercise of becoming cognizant of the messages in life, our physical eyes begin to see as our soul does.  The soul indeed sees Hashem in everything but our bodies impede us from tapping into this lofty vision.

Being aware of Hashem’s presence in our lives exchanges our confused reality to a clearly painted truthful reality.  How can it not when the soul is at the forefront?

Today’s Daily Dose of Emuna is dedicated to my dear friend Shoshana Shulamit bat Sara Liba.  May HaKadosh Baruch Hu gift her with a complete healing amongst all of Klal Yisrael who are sick and suffering b’karov, b’rachamim, Amen.

BS’D

Today’s Daily Dose of Emuna is sponsored and dedicated with such beauty by one of our readers to the refuah shleimah of all the sick in Klal Yisrael.  May Hashem with His kind heart and His good will bless all of the women who are trying to get pregnant but having trouble merit having a healthy baby B’H this year!  And may the women who are pregnant have an easy pregnancy and a healthy quick labor and be gifted with healthy righteous beautiful babies, Amen!

To sponsor and dedicate a Daily Dose of Emuna lesson for a minimum contribution of $18.00 (can be used as ma’aser money) please contact oritriter@gmail.com.

As we learned last week every emotion (even if born out of mundane occurrences) and every spout of inspiration contains within it a message from our soul.  Whatever the cause may be that is upsetting and causing us frustration we must turn to Hashem since this is the way that He speaks to us, through our feelings.  There is no one and no where else to turn but to ask Hashem for help. What kind of help?  We ask for clarity of mind and understanding and for the ability to accept and internalize that everything is for the best.

One of the most difficult tasks in this world is to live life mindfully; to be aware of what is happening inside and outside of ourselves.  Acknowledging and accepting our feelings while letting go of those that harm us carves the path for healthier relationships with ourselves, those around us and of course Hashem. If we are boggled down with emotional turmoil and dismiss our feelings, we miss out on the prime opportunity to understand our soul’s needs and complete her rectification.

Our soul is hiding under layers of ‘covers’ and is a spring that waits to burst forth.  However we must dig and search for cracks in our soul and always strive to expose her light.  With each time that we tend to our various emotions, we expose our soul more and more thus making it easier for her to wake up with passion and inspiration more easily.  We can sensitize our mind to the point where we will see Hashem in everything…. just listen to your heart!