The Serene Soul

Although the world is rife with suffering and tribulations, few are the fortunate individuals who know how to cope with indignity. They are able to weather insult without losing their composure. This is not a matter of superficial self-control. It's apparent that their soul remains calm. Let's learn their secret...

Mitzvoth of the Mouth: Spiritual Oral Hygiene

Since Coronavirus has such a predilection for the mouth and throat, oral hygiene is a determining factor in controlling its spread. Health authorities urge us to protect ourselves and those around us by keeping our mouth cleaner and free of harmful microorganisms. They're correct, but only partially. Everything in the physical world has a root in the spiritual world. Let's rephrase the Health authorities' idea from an emuna standpoint: we can protect ourselves and those around us by keeping our mouth cleaner and free of spiritual microorganisms, the viruses of transgressions.

Friends and Enemies

Every word of sincere personal prayer is far more valuable than the Hope Diamond, which weighs 45 carats and is worth some $250-300 million. There will be many robbers and hijackers lying in the lurk to prevent those words of prayer from reaching the Heavenly throne. These evil forces do everything in their power to prevent a person from building an intimate relationship with God. For practical purposes, we refer to them as the enemies of personal prayer, the antagonists whose purpose is to obstruct our efforts to get close to the Almighty. Since these antagonists are so powerful, the rewards for overcoming them are unfathomable.

Private Speaking 101

The more we maintain an even emotional keel, the more we become immune to stress and anxiety. The more we live a stress-and-anxiety free life, the more mental and physical energy we have. That leaves us more resources to devote to productive endeavors. In that respect, there's no stress-buster like daily personal prayer. Today, we learn the art of private speaking. This is our own intimate conversation with our loving Creator.

Yes, We Can!

Anyone who learns how to fill their prayers with emuna can work miracles and virtually dictate reality. Let's see how...

Outstretched Arms

Can emuna penetrate to every organ and limb of the body? Today's lesson shows how it can. A body full of emuna is a master key to emotional, spiritual and even physical health. You can easily test it on yourself as well.

Why Prayer?

A person might ask that if the Creator alone did, does and will do everything, then why pray? What do we need prayer for? Isn't everything predetermined? So what difference do my prayers make? These are the questions that today's Emuna Hour answers...

Ruth and the Secret of Moshiach

The "Dark Side" does everything in its power to prevent the coming of Moshiach. The Book of Ruth shows the extent that Hashem outmanuevers the forces of evil. Moshiach will come suddenly, in the most surprising of circumstances.

Finding the Good

We dedicate this lesson in memory of Rabbi Zecharia HaCohen Wallerstein, osb"m. In his famous discourse "Azamra," Rebbe Nachman of Breslev teaches the importance of finding the good within ourselves. That's the only way we'll be able to find the good in others.

Windows in the Sky

The letters of the Hebrew alphabet have a very deep significance. They correspond to 600,000 windows in the sky that reflect 600,000 Divine illuminations. There are 600,000 letters in the Torah, each of which reflects a unique ray of Divine light. Likewise, there are 600,000 roots of souls, each which corresponds to a letter of Torah. These are all indications of how a person's name is so significant. Many secrets of the person's life mission and personality are hidden within one's name, as we learn in today's lesson.

Emuna and the Four Sons

The account of the four sons in the Passover Haggadah is like a kaleidoscope where we see many different images. We see how four general types of people relate to emuna. What's more, we learn about four facets that are in each of us. As such, the Passover Seder and the story of the Exodus are as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago.

We Were There

The Seder night is when we tell the story of our Exodus from Egypt. This is one of the Torah's 613 commandments that one can fulfill only once a year on the first night of Passover. The Zohar and the Gemara laud the amazing attributes of this mitzvah. It strengthens emuna and solidifies the family. In addition, it enhances one's inner joy, especially when we tell of the Exodus as if we were there...