Emuna Beams

Moshiach won't come until we all learn emuna. The Land of Israel is the Land of Emuna and Hashem wants us all here. That way, He can expedite the process of Redemption. If we don't take the initiative, Hashem prods us. Putin's declaration of war against the Ukraine is Hashem's way of prodding the Ukrainian Jews to come home. Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of NYC for the same reason. Mamdani is an eagle in disguise, to uplift New York's Jews and to bring them home too. 

I was alone in the Negev Desert, a prime place for personal prayer. I was facing a hill. Upon it was a majestic creature, an Israeli desert wolf (Canis Lupus Arabus). The didn't budge; it just gazed at me calmly. Suddenly, it gave a proud howl that echoed across the desert. It seemed to say, "I'm the chief of this region." I tool my Land-of-Israel reed flute out of my backpack and started playing the melody that the wolf seemed to inspire. The melody came out with a native-American flavor. Enjoy it, and may we soon see the days when the wolf dwells with the lamb (Isaiah 11:6), amen!

Modern society is so preoccupied with body that most people don't even know that they have a soul. When people think that life is only body and the physical, they become candidates for depression. Why? For them, each day is a day closer to the cemetery. Is that all one has to look forward to in life? Thank goodness, no! Champion athletes are highly aware of their bodies. A marathon runner feels what's going on in each muscle of his legs and feet. Yet, an overweight person who never engages in physical activity and barely gets out of the sofa is utterly out of touch with his body. By the same token, one who never engages in spiritual activity loses touch with his soul. Spiritual awareness - awareness of the soul and its Creator - is a prerequisite for happiness and inner peace. Here's the good news: the soul is a tiny spark of the Creator. Just as the Creator is eternal, so is the soul. A person who prioritizes soul over body lives forever.

The Storm Wind confused the entire world, turning the sea into dry land and the dry land to sea, wilderness to settled area and settled area to wilderness. But even worse, it kidnapped the Princess's beautiful child. The chaos in the world created such confusion that different sects of people created their own countries with their own skewed ideology, leaders and false gods...

Would you like to be more charismatic and more successful, whether in business or in any other interpersonal endeavor? Learn to trust in Hashem. A person who trusts in Hashem won't resort to high-pressure methods in his or her dealings and therefore will be more affable…

In today's empowering podcast, we learn to love ourselves and to appreciate the special qualities that Hashem gives each of us. No more jealousy and no more being down on yourself...

The Master of Prayer reveals the source of his uncanny powers: he derived them from the King's Hand. All the creases and crevices on the hand formed a detailed map, both geographical and historical. It depicted everything that occurred from the beginning of creation until the end of time…

How much must a person engage in making a living? In light of the principles of emuna, what is considered reasonable hishtadlus, or effort? Let's get some vital answers to questions we all ask...

A bold warrior with an army of the bravest warriors like himself has succeeded in conquering many countries without firing a shot. He is now approaching the Country of Wealth, whose people are terrified. Why? The bold warrior detests money, which is their entire faith and creed.

Our arch-adversary, the evil inclination, does everything in its power to reduce us to sadness, depression and ultimate surrender with all types of pseudo-logical claims that there's no hope and no one to depend on, Heaven forbid. Of course, that's far from the truth...

Here's a poignant parable about relationships, when unthinking husbands starve their wives emotionally and wake up when it's too late...

Imagine a country that glorifies wealth. They worship many different human gods with names like Warren Buffet, Jeff Bezos, Marc Zuckerberg, Bill Gates and Elon Musk. They have other idols too. They even invent their own constellations and stars. They have movie stars, sports stars and all-stars. Rebbe Nachman foresaw all of this over 200 years ago and tells about it in today's lesson.

There are two distinct and seemingly contradictory approaches to what constitutes bitachon, complete trust in G-d. Approach A says that that bitachon is the confidence that Hashem will do for a person whatever he or she needs. Approach B say that bitachon has nothing to do with what an individual needs or desires. Indeed, it is the calm acceptance of whatever Hashem does, no matter how uncomfortable it might be. Which approach is right?

Many consider "The Master of Prayer" Rebbe Nachman's finest tale. Although it is loaded with esoteric and Kabbalistic imagery, it's an uncanny look at our world of today. Rebbe Nachman is describing the events that lead up to the redemption and global rectification.

When a person knows that Hashem is omniscient and all-powerful, he or she readily leans on Hashem. Total reliance on Hashem in leads to true tranquility of the soul. That's happiness and that's bitachon, the power of trusting in Hashem, the subject of our new series.