The solutions to our problems usuallycome ‘out of nowhere’; most often without our intervention. It comes to teach that we control very little of life’s outcome. Rebbe Akiva ztk’l was known to say: “Kol de’avid Rachmana l’tav avid (All that Hashem does is for the best). Difficult events work themselves out at their own pace and are in sync with Hashem’s master plan. Our challenge is to take hold of our emuna and trust that it is good and will reveal its good in due time.
We cannot judge a single occurrence and stamp it as being ‘bad’ until the entire picture is clearly laid out before us. An analogy to this – think of a tailor who receives beautiful silk to sew a royal gown. The tailor must first draw the appropriate lines over the material to outline the necessary cuts. From an outsider perspective we might want to scream ‘stop’ and question how he dare ‘ruin’ the expensive material. Yet the wise one understands this is a necessary step in creating a splendid garment that will far outweigh the beauty of a roll of material.
Hashem is ‘sewing’ beautiful garments for each of us – tailor made for our ultimate good.
How many of us are ‘disappointed’ with life’s circumstances? We have so many questions to which many there appear to be no answers. Yet, there is emuna.
Emuna stems from wisdom of the soul not of the bodily mind (seichel). It is a place that is beyond bodily awareness and understanding. For this reason, we live by the motto, ‘When intellect kicks out, emuna kicks in’. Emuna takes us to places far beyond worldly logic.
The neshama is a piece of eternity – Infinite wisdom. Therefore emunas borders are boundless and without restraint. No matter how deep we probe man’s logic cannot feed the ‘emuna mind’. The soul’s essence extends far beyond the power of worldly reason.
In Tehillim (130:7) it is written: “Israel will hope to Hashem for with Hashem’s kindness and with Him is abundant f’dut (redemption)”. We await the time for Hashem’s compassion to be openly revealed. Endless care is raining down on Israel yet our eyes cannot see and our hearts may not comprehend. We turn to emuna and the teachings of the Torah where it states time and again “You are My children”.
As a result we are infused with love, happiness and security that dismiss any thoughts of abandonment, unworthiness or punishment. Emuna is our answer.
Often, those suffering from low self-esteem apply self-pity as a ‘balm’ to their wounds. In truth, statements like, “Nobody cares about me” or “I never have time for myself” are actually a cry for attention. Admittedly, each person must nourish themselves first and not surrender themselves to the point where they feel they are being taken advantage of. However, if we have filled up on enough positive energy and self-attention we should be able to give to others from a position of strength and not from self-pity or negativity.
A question often arises as to how much chesed we should be doing. The key to the answer is self-awareness. Knowing our limitations and capabilities is the best indicator of how much or how little chesed we should be doing, both in and outside of the house. Of course, there will be times we are required to over-extend ourselves and times when we feel we can give less. However, generally we must look within and explore our boundaries and limitation. We should not be driven by impulse. Nor should we undertake a chesed in order to be praised by others. We must delve within and ensure we are not to be doing chesed for the sake of admiration. Investing sufficient thought into the extent of our limits is a great contribution towards, self-respect, self-awareness and ultimately self-esteem.
Some with poor self-worth have a difficult time accepting compliments. Rejecting complements may occur because they do not think of themselves as worthy. Alternatively, it may occur because they wish to hear another compliment after they dismiss the first. Or perhaps they want others to think how humble they are? Regardless of the reason, rejecting a compliment causes us to be unfair to both ourselves and the one handing out the compliment.
Ultimately, low self-worth is tied to a low level of emuna. In failing to accept a compliment or undertake chesed for the wrong reasons, we are failing to recognize Hashem in the picture. With regard to chesed, complaining of being taken advantage of is failing to recognize that it is Hashem sending us the chesed opportunity, thereby enabling us to increase our self-knowledge and awareness. With regard to complements, by rejecting a compliment directing at His creation, we are indirectly rejecting Him. Furthermore, we are failing to recognize that He sends us messages via the events and people in our lives.
He constantly showers us with gifts and ‘kind words’ given to us through His many emissaries. It is a great chesed to allow another to share warm words and acts of kindness. Hashen wants us to feel cherished by Him, experience pleasure and feel His closeness. By accepting these compliments we are acting as a kli to accepting Hashem’s bracha.
Many of us misunderstand the reason we do mitzvot; for certain it is not because they ‘make sense’ or we feel how valuable they are to life. The true basis for keeping mitzvot is because Hashem wills us to do so, no further explanation.
The RamBam ztk’l writes the ultimate knowledge is to recognize we have little or no knowledge; the greater the Torah scholar the more unanswered questions he has rather than thinking he knows and understands it all.
For certain we want to connect through our logical minds yet a mitzvah in and of itself is a connector – mitzvah from the word tzavta, team ship. The yetzer hara works hard at robbing us of joy while doing mitzvot if we cannot connect to them rationally. However joy should stem from knowing we are one with Hashem while doing any mitzvah, whether we grasp it’s inner depth or not.
This may be unattractive to the modern thinking person. Yet it should be seen as admirable since it is only the humble who can do mitzvot and recognize the boundaries of human mind. Ahava and Yirah are two components of serving Hashem. Ahava is a result of immediate closeness to Hashem. However yirah is formed through a sense of distance – you cannot see anything clearly when put directly in front of the eyes.
Emuna is a certain inner knowing, the ability to see Hashem in everything; which is beyond the human mind. Joy is a result of doing mitzvot injected with emuna!
Today’s daily dose of emuna is dedicated l’iluy nishmat Ariella Rivka bat Avraham z’l. May her neshama bask in the Divine light of the Shechinah HaKedosha among all the tzaddikim who have departed from this world, Amen.
The world contradicts emuna thinking and living. We are instructed to work and do hishtadlut and get personally involved in our daily routine. It is a challenge not to worship our efforts.
Hashem is the only true reality. The RamBam ztk’l teaches, “Hu Levado emet: Hashem is the only truthful reality”, everything else is an allusion and a phantom of the yetzer hara. Hashem’s eyes are always looking at us. It takes tremendous strength to resist the world’s call to “kochi v’otzem yadi”. It is natural for us to ignore and forget that we are limited. From here we learn that one of the greatest barriers to emuna living is arrogance and one of the most beloved and important virtues is humility.
Submission to Hashem and appreciation of His ongoing goodness is the key to strengthening our emuna and cleaving to Hashem. Were it not for Hashem who gives us life, koach, wisdom and everything else we have… we would not have anything. The strength to do and not to do, the strength to learn and not to learn, the strength to succeed or not is rooted in Hashem’s giving. When we don’t succeed materially or spiritually that too is Hashem’s way of telling us, “You see, you can’t do anything without me!”
We should awaken ourselves from the deep slumber of self-worship and recognize our total dependence of Hashem. How different life would be if we absorbed this truth in our hearts; our emuna would climb to the greatest heights.
Making the transition to emuna living entails three essential steps:
Awareness: Hashem is all powerful, all knowing and in absolute control
Appreciation: Hashem desires our welfare and directs everything from a point of endless compassion for us
Acceptance: We are limited and cannot grasp Divine understanding
Anxiety levels are greatly reduced when we live with the keen awareness that we are in Hashem’s hands and no one else. His infinite love outlines His sovereignty. How can we possibly fathom such selfless love showered to us constantly without condition?
When these three points are deeply internalized fear withdraws, our heart gladdens, we feel secure and Tefillah flows freely. Talking to Hashem comes naturally when we don’t resent the circumstances of our lives and ‘judge Hashem in favor.’
Emuna requires constant practice and internalizing; it’s reward absolute clarity. To the measure that we strive to overcome our ‘natural way of thinking’ and logical interpretations of life’s circumstances, so too will Hashem shower yeshuot in the most ‘unnatural’ and marvelous way.
The body is made of mud so to speak; the soul is the breath of G-d within. Our soul is a life force passed over to us; a perfect spark of G-dliness implanted in an imperfect me.
Divine reality doesn’t fit into our logic. Hashem is beyond the ‘either’ and ‘or’ – what we think we understand will completely be turned around after ‘120’. Since we cannot see both realities at the same time this world becomes a journey to grow, develop and attach ourselves to the Divine. Our task is to ‘let Hashem’ in the process. Hashem ‘invested’ Himself in this world for us to participate in a process of becoming One with Him.
We become restless when we want something outside the Divine master plan. Yet we must be happy within the journey of self-discovery, including the struggles since they develop strength and character.
The greatest perfection about this world – is that it is perfect for growth, to develop and build, learn and do. The soul comes to this world to climb to perfection. As we accept this we will learn to be happy in our unhappiness and learn to be at peace in our restlessness.
The RamBam ztk’l writes in the beginning of his Mishneh Torah that one begins to feel true love of Hashem by looking at His wondrous creation. Through the ‘simple’ act of studying the design of man’s nervous system and how the nerves flawlessly communicate with one another in perfection leads one to undoubtedly recognize the Creator. Rabbi Wasserman ztk’l teaches it is obvious there is a G-d when we see the world and its perfect order. We must strengthen our emuna in Hashem and loyalty to keeping His beautiful Torah.
The Rav of Novardok ztk’l, Rav Epstein author of Aruch HaShulachan wrote in 1903, “There is no greater sign and proof of G-d’s existence and connection with the nation of Israel than our survival of nearly 2,000 years of exile – It is only due to Hashem’s hashgacha.” Logically, the Jewish people should not be here.
Rav Solovetchik ztk’l known as Ish Ha’Halacha writes that the most compelling proof for Hashem is the truth of the Torah. The beauty and majesty of the halachic system testifies to the finest prescription for leading a fulfilling and content life.
Atheism could be caused by a grudge onto G-d due to disappointments and one’s inability to grasp His infinite ways. Our beliefs are bound to our limited minds. Proving G-d’s existence is not the point; it is the deep need to believe that G-d is loving and caring in spite of the difficulties. Dislodging the belief that G-d is ‘out to get me’ is a struggle for many disbelievers. Learning Torah and getting a glimpse of G-d’s wisdom is the perfect way to begin.
Life is intriguing and Hashem’s magnificent presence can be felt on every level; from the bird flying to the sun rising. Those who deny Hashem’s existence can use their free will to live without feeling His presence; however those who seek truth and use their intellectual honesty will undoubtedly find Him.
When the Russians sent man to space he professed that he did not ‘find’ G-d; confirming the belief there is no creator. When the Americans sent Apollo 8 the astronauts were in awe over what they saw and quote what they said, “In the beginning G-d created…” The stark difference in their observation was due to one awaiting the chance to confirm their suspicion of there being no G-d and the other seeing an opportunity to recognize the hand of G-d. It all depends on one’s agenda from the get-go; wanting to see or deny.
Our soul knows what the body cannot sense – all of creation is from Hashem and designed to the ‘T’. “Ma Rabu Ma’asecha Hashem kulam b’Chochmah Asita: How abundant are Your works Hashem with wisdom You made them all” writes Dovid HaMelech in Tehillim (104:24). Dovid HaMelech reflected on life on earth and acknowledged the awesome vastness of the sea, the remarkable wisdom of the human body and the grandeur of planet earth.
Difficulties can best be dealt with through self-restraint. When we internalize the idea that it isn’t a stroke of bad luck we will have the courage to believe and face the challenge with success.
Coincidence is a concept that frightens us; weakening our ability to make it through the dilemma.
In spite of the fact that we can’t always figure out the purpose behind certain events, it does not mean there isn’t a Divine logical reason and purpose. My famous saying, “G-d has a plan, I just don’t know what it is!” Emuna is remaining loyal to the teaching that Hashem has a fantastic reason why He planned our life just so. Hashem’s way is the best way.
Indeed we do not have the spiritual eyes through which clarity is absorbed. Yet holding onto Hashem through difficult times means we don’t interpret difficulties as a ‘stroke of bad luck’; but as a growing tool that serves our ultimate benefit eternally. After 120 the ‘big picture’ will be clearly displayed before us because our limited corporal vision will be a thing of the past.
Finite existence is one of the main obstacles of emuna living. We are self-contained, living in a bubble of time and space and only see within the context of our finite and relative bubble. Therefore the greatest impression we need to sear into our minds and hearts is that there is a greater reality. Eventually when our bubbles burst we will see what was outside of us all along.
