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Feeling loved

May 24, 2017
Orit Esther Riter

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BS’D

Emuna, our loyalty, to Hashem is tested when difficulty arises.  When challenges occur we are faced with the questions: ‘Do I believe Hashem loves me now?’ and ‘Can I see the goodness here?’

During a test our power of reasoning decreases and our emotions begin to swell with negativity. Our Chassidic Masters call this katnut d’mochin (a shrinking of our intellect) as our mind takes back seat to the overflow of emotions.  Here we experience tremendous smallness, a loss of control and extremely vulnerable to hurt. The question posted now on a huge banner of lights once again is: “Do you think I (Hashem) love you now?”

The key thing to remember while enduring a test of faithfulness and loyalty (a test of emuna) is that Hashem is lifting us up and empowering our soul to a greater level of G-dliness. Hidden in the word Nisayon is the word Nes which means a flag – an honorary note of distinction which one earns due to facing a nisayon.

An Adam Gadol, a great man (or woman) is in the works while enduring a challenge. Let’s strengthen our emuna by remembering the question and memorizing the answer.

Dig – Plant

May 22, 2017
Orit Esther Riter

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BS’D

Emuna is an inborn inner energy planted in our souls at Har Sinai on Shavuot. An outpouring of certainty and assurance showers all doubts as we hold strong to our emuna.

Life’s challenges weigh hard on us because we do not have a complete understanding of their meaning. If we were to take the time to ‘search for the diamond (meaning) within the mud’ emuna would surface and shine onto the difficulty and reveal its goodness. Emuna needs to be dug up. How? Trust there is more than meets the eyes and peel away at the surface to find what is hiding underneath the illusion.

When we left Mitzrayim we didn’t quite know where we were heading. The 10 plagues were 10 phenomenal opportunities to feel Hashem’s love. We walked through the sea, saw the Egyptians wash away and reached a remarkable level of emuna through the experience – embraced by Hashem’s protection and guidance.

We sensed firsthand there is only one reality; all is from Hashem and all is good. The recognition that Hashem is always taking care of us and nourishing our every move was planted into our consciousness then and continues to guide us until the final redemption.

Boot Camp

May 10, 2017
Orit Esther Riter

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BS’D

The soul goes through many struggles while striving to attach to Hashem. As she ascends from level to level in her attempt to complete her mission, she will experience downfalls.  There is no need to despair; this is part of her refinement process.

Principally speaking, these spiritual falls are intended to drive us to come closer to Hashem.  As part of our effort to regain closeness, we begin doing teshuva and go through a process of self-accounting.  Rebbe Nachman ztk’l therefore teaches that descent is for the purpose of an ascent.

This lowly world provides our soul with the perfect environment it needs to battle, overcome and B’H elevate herself.  This world is like a ‘boot camp’ for the soul where we experience countless ups and downs to increase our ratzon (intense desire) to attach ourselves to higher and higher spiritual levels.

Knowing that life sends us periodical ‘wake-up’ calls enables us to prepare and appreciate these challenges; they are intended to keep us focused on life’s purpose.  We need constant reminders in order that our thoughts stay focused and differentiate what’s important from what’s not.

Emuna Nurturing

May 8, 2017
Orit Esther Riter

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BS’D

At one point in the Torah Moshe Rabbeinu bitterly complains to HaKadosh Baruch Hu and states, “… Did I give birth to them (Ahm Yisrael), that You say to me, ‘Carry them (Ahm Yisrael) in your bosom as the nurse (oman) carries the suckling.  From where have I meat to give to this entire nation?” (Bamidbar 11:12). The root word of oman is the same as for emuna.

Just as the mother’s milk is vital in the growth of her infant, so too does emuna play an exceptionally important role in the life of a Jew. A newborn needs to be nurtured and tended to constantly in order to develop into a healthy individual.  Similarly, the Jewish soul must be supported through thoughts, words and acts of emuna to vitalize the body with strength to live and assist the soul to fulfill its mission.

However in the above described incident Moshe feels he can no longer care for the Jewish people and nurture their emuna.  Why did he meet ‘ends rope’ when he was asked to provide meat for Ahm Yisrael? After all this wasn’t the first time he was pressed with complaints from them.

This instance though was different since it depicted a nation who simply wished for meat to satisfy their physical cravings and not for existential purposes.  Ahm Yisrael pursued their material lusts severed from spiritual intent.  As taught in Kohelet material desires are never fully satiated, “A man does not die having fulfilled half of his lusts.”  One lust leads to another one.

From here we learn that emuna can be cultivated so long as we are not obsessively involved in material pursuits.  The drive for constant material gain is persistently met with dissatisfaction and complaints; a fortress barrier that prevents emuna from growing.

 

 

Time to Get Up

May 2, 2017
Orit Esther Riter

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BS’D

Pain and suffering relate to emuna just as an earthquake shakes the earth; what is revealed as a result?  A valuable treasure or shattered destruction?

Hardships are like ‘wake up’ calls.  Depending on how deep we are in sleep the ‘alarm’ will sound soft or loud.  The Heavenly goal is to grab our attention and get us to shift gear; recognize Hashem’s presence in our lives.

Which state of sleep are we in?

1)      Are we dozing off but can still hear our name being called, yet are unable to reply rationally?

2)     Are we so sleepy that we need to be awakened to notice what is going on around us?

3)     Do we need ‘medical’ intervention (incidents in our lives) to awaken us?

4)     Is the state of sleepiness so deep that we are likened to be in a state of anesthesia, whereby all sense of feeling is removed?

As the urgency to get our attention becomes more pressing, we are summoned from above with stronger signs to respond.  The objective – motivate us to reveal our immeasurable potential and shine our light which was previously hidden from ourselves and others.

We have so much to do during our limited time here in this world.  If we are ‘asleep’ we won’t realize how much we could have done.  Therefore next time a challenge ‘caresses’ your life, don’t hit the sleep button. Rise and shine to a better you and light up your world!

Emuna is the Bridge

May 1, 2017
Orit Esther Riter

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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.

Today’s daily dose of emuna is dedicated to the fallen man and women who lost their lives while in service in the Israeli army. May their neshamot bask in the Shechinah HaKedosha, Amen.

Trust

March 15, 2017
Orit Esther Riter
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BS’D

Bitachon (trust) is born out of emuna; an inner sense of knowledge and security that nothing is by chance.  No other real assurance exists other than knowing that Hashem’s compassion is available to us 24/7. The Chazon Ish ztk’l teaches that trust does not mean that everything will be as we wish. It is our firm belief that nothing is happenstance and everything is directly supervised by Hashem, a loving Fatherly authority; all is for our ultimate good.

Emuna is a mindset, an intellectual belief that Hashem interacts with every aspect of life. Bitachon on the other hand is the practical attitude and application of this viewpoint (emuna). Bitachon affects our decisions and emotions. With bitachon we live life feeling secure and assured that we are not alone.

That is our task in life- to constantly fortify our emuna and bitachon no matter how difficult the experience we face. Measure for measure as we work to increase our emuna Hashem’s boundless compassion becomes more revealed. The Chazon Ish writes in ‘Emunah and Bitachon’ that a person who works on uplifting her emuna will clearly be shown Hashem’s ‘personal involvement’ in her life.  Bitachon which leads to inner serenity will surely follow.

Today’s daily dose of emuna is dedicated and sponsored to the refuah shleimah of Tsipora Sara bas Basya Meira. May Hashem send her a complete healing b’ruit hanefesh v’briut haguf among all of Klal Yisrael who are sick and suffering b’karov, b’rachamaim, Amen.

Behind the Scenes

March 14, 2017
Orit Esther Riter

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Every incident is personally ‘supervised and guided’ by Hashem Yitborach in the most meticulous manner. Hashem turns events around according to our soul’s needs in order for us to achieve complete soul repair. We can live our entire lives without even noticing that Hashem is guiding every step of our life ‘behind the scenes’.  A person can see his life as a chain of happenstance and ‘natural’ outcomes not associating Hashem with any occurrence.

Emuna teaches us to live life awake and be aware of Hashem’s intimate presence; never forget for a moment Who created and continues to create our existence. Emuna teaches us to live mindful and understand that Hashem speaks to us through the circumstances of our lives.  Our challenges bring forth into actuality that which is hidden in potential.  Just as a coach strengthens the one he trains by ‘raising the bar’, so too just Borei Olam ‘up the intensity’ in spiritual development.

We experience various situations in life – some geared toward emuna, others to develop our middot and some are wake up calls’;  but each is custom-designed for our growth.  Every ounce of discomfort & annoyance, even a mosquito bite, each time we must wait in line or forget our keys remember it’s all from Hashem.

Frozen

March 8, 2017
Orit Esther Riter

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BS’D

The Chofetz Chaim ztk’l teaches a parable that clarifies the understanding of the importance of constant review and repetition of emuna learning.

It is likened to a man who draws water from a well on a freezing 20 degrees below zero winter day. He stores the bucket of water outside until he wishes to use it. However to his amazement after a few hours he finds the water frozen solid.  The amount of work now required by him to enjoy some of the water is tremendous; he will have to chisel his way to enjoy but a few drops.

However if he was wise he would have made sure to check on the water every so often.  As a thin layer of ice would begin to form on top he would have simply had to give it a quick stir in order for it to break apart and prevent the formation of a solid block of ice.

We take an insightful teaching from this analogy as this resembles our avodah when it comes to learning emuna.  Emuna requires constant review, evaluation and integration in our lives or else it will freeze and become difficult to access.  The world outside is cold and numbs our emuna senses.

Therefore we must constant dip ourselves into the warm and loving study of emuna to keep our souls well-nourished with the ‘water’ it so desperately needs to drink!

Living Emuna

March 7, 2017
Orit Esther Riter

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BS’D

Our entire purpose in life is to arrive to the One and Only truth- Ein Od Milvado the absolute knowledge of Hashem.  There is no other power that brings about events without the ratzon of Hashem; ‘His will’ comes through His emissaries – a.k.a. ‘natural means’.

The Ramban ztk’l teaches in his commentary at the end of Parshat Bo- the intention of all the mitzvot is for us to live with emuna in Hashem and recognize His constant presence and intervention in our lives.  The result of which is a profound sense of appreciation for Him having created us and giving us the opportunity to live.  This is our sole purpose in life.

To bring this one step further our task is to differentiate between event and it’s seemingly ‘natural cause’ and link it directly to its true source – ratzon Hashem.  There is no other cause but His will; Hashem is the Seebat HaSeebot (Reason of Reasons).

The Gra’, the Vilna Gaon ztk’l, further elucidates on this teaching in his Mishlei commentary (22:39)- the founding principle behind the giving of the Torah to B’nai Yisrael is that they should place their complete trust in HaKadosh Baruch Hu; that is the entire purpose behind keeping mitzvot.

There is one and only one way to implant this recognition firmly and deeply within us; repetition and review.  Reminding oneself of this fundamental message evening, morning and afternoon is the only way to keep it viable in every step we take.  The world presents us with ‘nature’, coincidence and logical reason.  Learning emuna equips us with the necessary armor to pierce these outer shells and see Hashem in it all.

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