Emuna Beams

There are two types of love. One is based bodily-oriented. It's therefore finite like the body and often is as brief as last night's dinner. But the other, which stems from the soul, is a lasting love that also brings a person to inner peace.

Caesar's daughter couldn't understand how the great Rebbe Yehoshua ben Chanania was so scholarly yet so unsightly. He answered with an interesting comparison, as told here (based on the Gemara, Tractate Nedarim 50b)...

The sound of the Shofar invokes unfathomable Divine compassion. As such we blow the shofar and Rosh Hashanah. But that's not all. The shofar heralds the arrival of Moshiach and the reestablishment of David's kingdom, our prayer in Psalm 89.

Shavua Tov! Everyone knows how to breathe, right? Wrong! See this:

With emuna, a person peels away the layers of concealment that block Divine illumination. The more Hashem's presence becomes apparent in the world, the greater the peace in the world. As such, when the whole world learns emuna; even the wolf and the lamb will be able to dwell together in peace.

In our prayer for Redemption, we plead with Hashem to uplift us from the pit of exile. We yearn for our holy homeland. Where the Torah is observed on earth, truth permeates the land. Where there is truth below, justice reflects from above.

A lack of responsibility leads to a breakdown of any relationship or society. The backbone of responsibility is accountability. With that in mind, here are the "10 Commandments of Accountability," all firmly grounded in Torah sources. Fulfilling them is crucial for a healthy relationship. 

Doubters ask how there could possibly be a loving Divine Creator in the world, especially with all the strife and sorrow in the world. Here is our 3-minute answer.

Imagine that every gift in life that we take for granted would disappear. How miserable we'd be! Shouldn't we rejoice when we do enjoy all of life's gifts, especially the spiritual ones? Enjoy these empowering 4 minutes.

Where's the attack from Iran and Hezbolla? Someone, somewhere, did something really special. One good deed of altruism with no fanfare or ulterior motives can potentially save a person, his family, an entire city, or even an entire world. Our acts of compassion invoke measure-for-measure for ourselves, our families and our communities. A shining example from the Talmud is the story of the old brick oven...

Emuna teaches that everything is from Hashem and His glory fills the world. The more a person has emuna, the more he or she knows that Hashem is everywhere. The more a person has emuna, the closer he or she gets to Hashem. The closer a soul is to Hashem, the more it feels at peace, like a baby in its mother's arms. So with emuna, no matter what Hashem does, we're at peace with it.

In our prayer for Redemption, we remind Hashem that a bird will always return to its nest. Despite nearly 2,000 years of exile, we, the indigenous people of the Holy Land, yearn to return to our true nest. May Hashem in His mercy, terminate the exile and return us to our rebuilt Holy Temple in Jerusalem, soon.