BS’D
Today, 11th of Adar is the yahrtzeit of Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Azulai (1724-1807), a great Sephardic sage known by the acronym “Chida.” He was born in Jerusalem, and for many years served as a roving emissary for Jews in Israel, traveling to hundreds of Jewish communities throughout Europe and North Africa to raise money. Chida studied under the Ohr HaChaim, and wrote some 70 works of Jewish commentary and law, including the famous Birkei Yosef. He also served for a time as chief rabbi of Egypt. He died in Italy, and was later re-interred to his beloved Jerusalem (Aish.com). May his zechut protect us and all of Klal Yisrael, amen!
Practice seeing Hashem everywhere. It takes a keen vision and a great amount of strength to resist the environment and look beyond the external world the world present to us. Emuna means precisely that – seeing the inner, the soul, even as we are in the body.
We learn a remarkable lesson from the passuk in tehillim (121:1), ” I shall raise my eyes to the mountains, from where (me’ayin – from nothing) will my help come?” From where? me’ayin, from nowhere. I can’t see hope from where I stand, there is no chance of me getting out of this tight corner in my life. Yet, if I lift my eyes and seek only Hashem He will send the salvation from no where, Yesh m’ayin, something from nothing.
That is the difference between living our lives with the constricted vision of the outer realm as opposed to emuna vision; seeing the entire picture and our connection to the infinite. One of the vital methods to elevate our vision from the physical to the spiritual is through tefillah. By engaging in tefillah and asking that Hashem help us in our endeavors we gain awareness of His control over everything. This is strengthened even more so if we also remember to thank Him afterwards as this instills within us the recognition that Hashem is the only one who carves our destiny.
Don’t settle for externals. Delve inside and seek the truth. You will find Hashem everywhere.
Today’s daily dose of emuna is dedicated to my Mother Morati Daniella bat Nelly and my Father Mori Raphael ben Esther for their complete health, happiness and nachat. May HaKadosh Baruch Hu bless all of our parents with all revealed good for all of the goodness they provide us, Amen.
