Emuna Beams

The closest distance between two points is a straight line. In spirituality, straightness means simplicity and honest innocence. The two traits, which are really one, makes a person beautiful. They also create the closest distance between the person and the Creator.

Confessing one's wrongdoings to the Almighty does more than merely cleansing one's soul. It rejuvenates the spirit. A rejuvenated spirit is a healthy spirit, and a healthy spirit is a happy spirit.

Why all the chaos in the world and in each of our lives? The Gemara teaches us an amazing lesson: before enhanced abundance and joy, there's chaos, both physical and emotional. We are taken out of our comfort zone in order to accustom us to a new and better reality. That's the key to understanding current events. It's also proof that Moshiach is imminent. Here's how:

During the Omer, Rebbe Akiva's 24,000 students died because they didn't properly respect one another. We still mourn them, almost 2,000 later, because we haven't yet corrected their sin. We're all still guilty of intramural hate. Do you know why? Let me explain, with an amazing story from over sixty years ago, about my father, of blessed memory...

The Passover Seder night is not an evening of reminiscing about what happen to our nation 3,336 years ago. Like everything else that's Divinely inspired, it's timeless. The Haggadah is about us - today - and much more relevant than the daily news. Our future is where our past is; without our past, we can't make sense of the present.

Shortly after midnight, Sunday, April 14, 2024, Iran launched an unprecedented 130 ballistic missiles, 30 cruise missiles and over 200 suicide drones against Israel. Is this the beginning of World War III?

Rebbe Nachman teaches that being happy always is a tremendous mitzvah. Therefore, each of us must make every effort to avoid sadness and depression at all costs. What's more, the core cause of all illness is a breakdown of one's joy. Passover is a fantastic opportunity to recover our joy, and therefore our health.

Rebbe Nachman explains that one of two things happens to money: either Hashem takes the money away from the person, or He takes the person away from the money. They don't last together. King David wonders why people invest so much in something that slips through their fingers...

Since the dawn of our history, joy has been our mode of survival. Rebbe Nachman says that the lack of joy in life is the root of all problems, including health. Therefore, to hasten the coming of Moshiach and to be ready for redemption, we must strengthen ourselves in joy. Emuna is the only way to do that...

Don't ever be down on yourself. With emuna and teshuva, there's always hope. Every soul has the potential of being a priceless jewel in the Almighty's crown. This is our concluding lesson on Rebbe Nachman's famous teaching of how to navigate life's ups and downs.

King David is preparing us for the imminent day when all the nations join together against Israel. They'll advance toward Jerusalem, but they're in for a big surprise.

The pig has a complaint. Why does everyone give it a bad rap? Why is it the archtype of crudeness and bad character? There are plenty of unkosher animals in the world. Why is the pig singled out for such discrimination? Here's a message to live by...

Life is like a ferris wheel. Don't boast when you're on top of the world, because you'll soon go down. But, don't be upset when you hit rock bottom, for you'll soon go up. Rebbe Nachman shows us the awesome secrets embedded in the ability to serve Hashem during good times and the opposite.

What do you do when you feel low? If you play a musical instrument, grab it! If not, clap your hands and start humming the tune that comes into your head. Plug into your true source of strength - the Almighty – which is unlimited. You'll soon be singing a melody of trust that your soul composed. It worked for King David and it will work for us.

On Monday, March 25, 2024, the USA enabled the UN Security Council to pass a unilateral condemnation of Israel calling for immediate withdrawal from Gaza. There was no demand of Hamas and no mention of the 134 Israeli captives. The USA could have vetoed this injustice, but merely abstained. Israel asks, "Where are our friends?" Why has the Almighty put us in a position of someone all alone on a narrow bridge on a dark night looking for a friend, but can't find one?

How will the name of Amalek be finally obliterated? Israel has a secret weapon that has unfathomable power. It's the letter Aleph.

The story of Purim begins 523 years before the miracle of Purim, in the Hebrew year of 2882 (878 BCE). Hashem commanded King Saul to wipe out Israel's arch-enemy, the nation of Amalek. King Saul buckled under political pressure and failed to fulfill Hashem's commandment. He had misplaced mercy on Agag, the Amalekite king. King Saul resultingly lost the monarchy and the seed of Amalek again rooted itself. We fast forward to the Hebrew year of 3405 (355 BCE). "Showdown in Shushan," in the Persian Empire, is where the 10th generation great-grandson of Agag - Haman - threatens to annihilate the entire Jewish People. The 10th generation great-grandson of Saul - Mordechai - must now make some painful decisions to thwart Haman's evil scheme. The question is, will he too, like his great-grandfather King Saul, bow to political correctness? Let's see how this is the template for current events...

A thirsty deer has been walking for hours in the forest. With its keen sense of smell, it detects a freshwater stream in the distance. The deer now runs to the stream. Despite its yearning for a drink of water, it first raises its head and emits a call of thanks to the Creator. King David's thirsty soul yearned for Hashem in the same way.

This week, we learn how the true spiritual leaders attain their greatness. Despite their prodigious wisdom, they are extremely humble. How do we know? Ask the geese in the desert…

Maybe you feel alone in the world. Even your relatives and best friends are indifferent to your pain. You feel ill or downtrodden and all the "fair-weather friends" are no longer at your side. Don't lose hope; Psalms 38 and 39 are for you. King David was in the same situation; he can talk to your heart.