TRANSFORM YOUR EMUNAH!

We've been discussing the tremendous opportunity that every single one of us has available to us at every single moment - to talk to Hashem in our own words. If I believe that Hashem exists and is able to hear any word that I utter, then certainly the more I believe, the more I will reach out. Both when it comes to times of struggle in my life, the true address I will reach out to more than any ot...

We've learned countless Torah sources, emphasizing the tremendous focus the Torah places in directing us to make our maximum effort to excel in our emunah and bitachon. And as we've discussed previously, one of the greatest efforts that we can make is to talk to Hashem Himself and ask Him for help, because again if we believe that Hashem exists and listens to every single word that we are saying,...

We've been discussing how although many Torah commentaries point out to us that our sole mission and purpose in our life is to make our maximum effort to grow and excel in our emunah and bitachon, but seeing as emunah means to believe, and what we see in front of us on a day-to-day basis, much of the time presents values exactly the opposite to what the Torah teaches about emunah and bitachon, the...

Once we have internalized that our sole mission and purpose in life is to make maximum efforts to strive to excel in emunah, how are we to practically go about daily living with simple and sincere emunah? Of course, there are many different forms of serving Hashem, such as the performance of mitzvos, Torah study, making effort to improve one's character traits, and the like. All forms of service t...

We mentioned the Gemara in Sota, which states that a person who has sufficient provisions just for today, yet feels anxious about tomorrow's supplies, is considered a person of little faith. We also mentioned the Chofetz Chaim in Machanei Yisrael, Chapter 3, who writes that the foremost consideration of how much reward we will receive in the time of redemption is based on how much emunah we lived...

As we've discussed many times, our ultimate purpose and focus in this world is to make our maximum effort to grow in our emunah and bitachon. We mentioned the Gemara in Sota 48b, which states that a person who only has sufficient provisions for just today is called on to not feel anxious about what's going to happen because just like Hashem has come through for me so many times in the past, so too...

We've been discussing the Gemara in Sota 48b, which states that a person who is so short on their sustenance, that they only have sufficient provisions for today, with no idea of how they're going to obtain basic supplies for even tomorrow, one is called on to trust in Hashem, that just like He came through for us so many times before, He will once again come through and provide us with what we ne...

We mentioned the Gemara in Sota 48b, which states that a person who is going through a severe financial struggle, to the point that although they do have food for today, they literally do not know how they are going to manage for tomorrow, and nevertheless the Gemara had stated that if one feels anxious in such a situation, they are considered a person of little emunah. As we've discussed many tim...

The Gemara in Sota 48b states that a person who has sufficient provisions for today, yet feels anxious about tomorrow's supplies, is considered a person of little faith. This passage in the Talmud is teaching us that if someone is so impoverished that he only has money for a meal tonight, with no resources to provide for tomorrow, he should nevertheless not worry nor feel anxious. Rather, he shoul...

We've discussed some of the details and the different approaches that the Torah commentaries take when it comes to bitachon. The bottom line is that Hashem has given us the most incredible, tremendous opportunity to rely on Hashem for all of our needs. We ought to constantly remind ourselves that Hashem is continuously orchestrating every single detail to every single one of our lives, and it is a...

We have been discussing the approach in bitachon that many Torah commentaries outline, where one can be so confident in relying on Hashem about something, to the point that according to this approach, one who is sick can have bitachon that they will get better; one who is short of money can have bitachon that they will find the sustenance they need; one who is searching for a marriage partner woul...

As mentioned many times, Torah sources teach, "HaShem Tzilcha" - HaShem is your shadow. Just like if one puts out one finger into the sun, the shadow that you'll see is that of one finger, whereas if you put five fingers out, then you'll see a shadow of five fingers, in the same way, when it comes to reliance on HaShem, the more one relies on HaShem, the more one will see HaShem come through for t...

We've been discussing the two approaches the commentaries outline with regards to bitachon. Although the conventional understanding is to rely on Hashem that He will always take care of us and do what is best for us, the other approach to bitachon that many Torah authorities outline is to rely on Hashem so heavily and confidently that He will give me exactly what I have asked for.  As we mentioned...

We mentioned that the Torah commentaries cite two different approaches to bitachon. The first, more well-known and conventional approach to bitachon is that we are all called on to rely on Hashem exclusively, expressing to Hashem that we know that He is the exclusive orchestrator to every happening in our lives, and we are called on to hope and pray that Hashem will provide us with the things that...

Rav Dessler, in his Michtav Me'eliyahu, part 5, page 74, writes that there are two approaches to bitachon. Approach number one is where I realize that there is absolutely no other power in the world and Hashem is exclusively the only one orchestrating every minute detail in the world, the only one that can help me and the only one that I should turn to. But at the same time, although I might be ho...

In an ideal world where one is able to reap all the benefits of a life of true bitachon, true reliance on Hashem, we would not be required to make Hishtadlus - to make our own efforts. And as the Torah commentaries teach, the only reason that we are required to fulfill our mitzvah of Hishtadlus is because it is a curse that was placed on us when the initial man, Adam, ate from the tree.  However,...

It's important to emphasize that no one can truly tell another individual's level of emunah and bitachon. One might see another individual who appears to be quite fearful and anxious, and one might therefore conclude that individual is not excelling in their emunah and bitachon, because again, as we've learned many times, when one lives a life of bitachon, one relies on Hashem and doesn't feel fea...

We've been learning about the tremendous importance of the mitzvah to rely on Hashem - to practice our bitachon. As we've learned, the Torah commentaries write that it is a great sin to not live a life of bitachon. And when one chooses not to rely on Hashem, but rather fear other individuals and circumstances, not only does one now not have the special protection that bitachon provides, but one ac...

We've been discussing the potency of bitachon and the tremendous emphasis that the Torah commentaries place on making our maximum effort to excel in bitachon. Let us not forget the words of the Vilna Gaon, who says that a life free of sin but devoid of bitachon, although it might be an achievement that one has not performed sin, but nevertheless, because they are not living a life of bitachon, tha...

We've been talking about the paramount importance that the Torah places on the Mitzvah of bitachon. Remember, the Vilna Gaon says that it's better to live a life with severe transgressions, if that means a life of Bittachin, rather than a life free of transgression but devoid of Bittachin.  We are of course given no license to perform transgressions by any Torah authorities and have to make our ma...

We've been discussing how when it comes to Emunah and Bitachon, we want to try, understand what Hashem's perspective is, which is ultimately the only truth that we can rely on. Hashem teaches us His perspective via the many Torah sources that we have available to us.  We discussed the frighteningly powerful words of the Vilna Gaon, who teaches us that although there are countless Torah sources hig...

As we continue to dive deeper into the most important and vital topic of bitachon, let's remind ourselves that when it comes to any topic, many of us might have many opinions, but as we've discussed many times, everything depends on which perspective one is looking from. And just like many people decided to side with the outrageous values of Hitler, Yemach Shema, as well as currently we can see wi...

Our ultimate purpose in this world is to focus on building our emunah. And as we've been discussing, although emunah is the first level that we are required to dive into, we then take the principles of emunah and apply them in a practical way, moving towards bitachon. What exactly does it mean to have bitachon, trust or reliance on Hashem?  Emunah teaches us that there is nothing else in the world...

We've discussed many times the important question of why Hashem decided to create the world. And as the Torah commentaries teach, step number one, the only reason Hashem decided to create the world in the first place was just because of His desire to give to all of us. And of course, if there's no recipient, there is nobody to give to. And therefore, He created us.  And step number two, as the Tor...

Let us remind ourselves, the only reason Hashem created the world was in order to share His goodness with every single one of us, and therefore anything that ever transpires throughout our lives can only be for our ultimate benefit. And at the same time, let us remind ourselves that we are taught that our main focus in this world, ultimately the foundation of the whole Torah and all the mitzvos, i...