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Balak 5747Volume 13 · Issue 36
Cultivating the Negative
This indeed is the plain meaning of Eternal Life, of our faith that we ourselves will live forever. From where do we obtain the power to live forever? What does living forever even mean? It is erroneous to think that it means that we will always be given more and more moments
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Vayigash 5750Volume 14 · Issue 14
Confined Space
But essentially, it is the sound of some sort of religion, some sort of faith, some sort of connection on high. Let the Merciful One save us. They carry the banner of religion. In essence, this is what it says (Tehillim 149:6), “The praises of the Lord are in their throats—and a double-edge
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Bo 5750Volume 14 · Issue 18
Cry of the Heart
Lord created,” we would certainly cry. In the words of the sages: “If you are children of the Torah—give your souls for it” (Bereshis Rabbah 82:8). We are indeed the Acceptors of the Torah. We certainly have faith in God and in His Torah. If the beginning point, the primary intent of creation, is being dissolved before our very eyes, is there none even to cry over it?
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Mishpatim-Shekalim 5750Volume 14 · Issue 21
Spark of Triumph
Certainly, we have absolute faith that the Creator of the World revealed Himself and gave the Torah to His nation Israel. It is the quintessential core, and it will ultimately turn the entire world on its head. But where is the insightful man who will
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Ki Sisa-Parah 5750Volume 14 · Issue 23
Words of Purity
We know unequivocally and we have absolute faith that the Creator looked into the Torah and created the world—and it was created with the utterances of the Torah (Zohar 161b; Bereshis Rabbah 1:1; Avos 5:1). In other words, the world in its entirety is the actualized aspect
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Nitzavim-Vayelech 5749Volume 14 · Issue 3
Monumental Occasion
How can we be commanded to have absolute faith in all the words of the Torah and concurrently to rejoice on this day? When the books of life and death are opened before the Creator, it is not a time of joy (cf. Rambam Hilchos Chanukah 3:6). It certainly
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Naso 5750Volume 14 · Issue 30
Sheath of Light
Underlying Faith
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Pinchas 5750Volume 14 · Issue 35
Firm Roots
But we have no other concept of thought except for importance, as in (Bereshis 15:6), “And he had faith in God Who thought it charitable of him,” vayachsheveha from chashuv, or as in (ibid. 50:20), “And you thought evil against me but the Lord thought it for goodness,” chashavtem, chashavah.
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Noach 5750Volume 14 · Issue 6
Existential Necessity
In one single realm within the natural world, the connection of the upper and lower realms can be perceived; it is considered the connection of heaven and earth. Certainly, we know and we have absolute faith that everything is connected on high. “Man does not bang his finger below unless it was declared above” (Chullin 7b). “You have no blade of grass without an angel in the sky striking it and telling it, “Grow!”” (Bereshis Rabbah
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Lech Lecha 5750Volume 14 · Issue 7
At the Heights of the Universe
receive what he requests in prayer only if he deserves it. If he were undeserving, he would be better off not receiving it. But the gentile receives either way because otherwise he would have grievances—he would surrender his faith, he would even be insulted. To ensure the sanctification of God’s Name, it is necessary to grant him all that he requests even if he does not deserve it.
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Bo 5752Volume 15 · Issue 17
Freedom of Speech
Anyone whose heart is touched by God, anyone who cares about anything, anyone who truly has faith, anyone whose feet stood at Mount Sinai, anyone who despite everything remains faithful to God and His Torah to the point of self-sacrifice, must truly shake himself free of the prevalent realm of speech. He must rid himself of it once
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Ki Seitzei 5751Volume 15 · Issue 2
End of Time
This is where we learned the perception of the essence. The Ramban thus teaches us (ibid. 13:16) that our departure from Egypt taught us every matter of essence—all the principles of faith were revealed then. Indeed, the Exodus was given to us as the essence (cf. Shemos 20:2) from where everything else emanates like the branches of a tree. The wicked son of the Passover Haggadah asks, “What is this Divine Service
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Tetzaveh 5752Volume 15 · Issue 22
Holy Persistence
When his plea of mercy proved ineffective, he proceeded to debate. Like all his words throughout the Talmud, this too is Oral Torah. His claim was, although we heard all Your wonders and we accept them and our faith is absolute, their feasibility must be shown in actuality. They are part of the Torah and God gives Torah to His nation Israel.
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Behar 5752Volume 15 · Issue 29
Price of Transcendence
Absolute Faith
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Balak 5752Volume 15 · Issue 36
Language of Clarity
derives from it that it had to be revealed openly in the Written Torah? The Torah does not engage in revelations of truth that do not relate to the practical—either in action or in thought, in matters of faith. The order of creation, the transformation of existential energy into substance, the shaping of unformed matter into form, must somehow relate to matters of essence.
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Masei 5752Volume 15 · Issue 39
Occasion of Weeping
other difficulties, why was he fearful that the prophecy would go unfulfilled? It is obviously unthinkable that there was any doubt regarding a verse in the Torah, a prophecy that was written for generations. It is obligatory to have faith in this prophecy just as in all words of the Torah. The Torah that we have is entirely from Sinai.
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Chayei Sarah 5752Volume 15 · Issue 9
Revelation Perception Connection
The only one who did not participate was Avraham Avinu. The sages tell us the he had already begun to circulate throughout the world and publicize faith. But they were unconcerned. “This mule is barren” (Bereshis Rabbah 38:6). He cannot have children and nothing will remain of him. They proceeded to unite and left him on the outside.
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Vayechi 5754Volume 16 · Issue 14
Tenth of the Tenth
“God had warned Israel and Judah through all prophets of every vision, saying, “Repent of your evil ways…” But they did not listen, and they hardened their nape like the nape of their ancestors who did not have faith in God their Lord. They despised His laws… and abandoned all the commandments of God their Lord…. God therefore became very incensed with Israel and removed them from His Presence. None was left but the Tribe of Judah alone
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Beshalach 5754Volume 16 · Issue 18
The Redemption Imperative
…itting of the Sea due to the merit of their Fathers, theirs, and their faith when they departed Egypt.” All this combined makes them worthy. Of this, it says (Yirmiyahu 2:2), “I remember the kindness of your youth,…
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Tazri'a Metzora 5754Volume 16 · Issue 24
Nothing Else
been the writing of a stargazer, who conveyed the end from the beginning, it would be proper to trust it, since all its words have been fulfilled until now, not one word has gone unfulfilled. Certainly, then, we have faith in, and we yearn wholeheartedly for, the words of the Lord from the mouth of the servant He trusted in His entire home, who is unequaled in the past or future, peace upon him.”
