Emuna Beams

Today's Psalms are a cure for body and soul and especially cogent for healing the sick. A mere superficial look at the beauty of the Almighty's creations is sufficient to gratify the soul. A closer look makes the soul break out in joyous song. Let's take a moment to contemplate Hashem's glory and pay attention to the remarkable favors He does for each of us, just like King David did all day long.

The body is responsible for natural functions whereas the soul is responsible for spiritual functions. Both fight for control of the emotions as we'll soon see. When the soul prevails, emotions gravitate to the right side of the heart but when the body prevails, the soul gravitates to the left. Wholeheartedness is perfect harmony between body and soul. The special day of Shmini Atzeret is conducive for just that.

Hashem is always with us, wherever we are. But there's a chance - once a year during Succoth - to be with Him. What's the difference? It's tremendously different when Hashem is with us in our domain than when we're with Him in His domain...

Forgiveness brings up some sticky questions: "How can I forgive someone who’s done me wrong when part of me doesn’t want to forgive?" When you don't forgive, the wound of whatever damage someone did to you festers, and turns into negativity that ruins your day, or even your life. Don't go there, for your own benefit...

The thought of Yom Kippur doesn't usually bring joy to people's hearts. Why? They see it as a day of torture, deprived of drinking, eating and fun. They're right. It is a day of torture, for the evil inclination...

The mere idea of Yom Kippur is enough to raise the anxiety level of many people; that's because no one ever explained to them how Yom Kippur is the happiest day in the Jewish calendar. For real? Hear this.

The call of the shofar is the hallmark of the most important events in Jewish history, from our ancient past to the future. Happy is the nation that knows the call of the shofar. Today's lesson explains the significance of blowing the shofar on Rosh Hashana. We also see a dramatic repeat of ancient history unravelling this very day.

Once a person attains more emuna, he or she must be careful. They have succeeded in learning more Torah or purified the way they conduct their business affairs or both. Now, they have more Divine illumination. Just as ants in the kitchen are attracted to sugary substances, the dark-side forces will try to attach themselves to, feed off of and hijack our emuna. We therefore must guard our emuna like the royal guard in Buckingham Palace guards the Hope Diamond.

In my old army days, I was on a lone navigational maneuver at night deep in the Negev Desert. No one was around. I suddenly heart a scream in the night, like a young person in dire distress. It was unnerving, to say the least. Then I saw the rustling in the branches of a lone acacia tree not far away…

Imagine that during Rosh Hashanah of last year, an angel world would suddenly appear and reveal everything that would happen this year. What would you do if you had advanced knowledge of the Hamas onslaught on Simchat Torah, the hostages and the impending war?

It's not enough to guard our brains from so-called intellectual disciplines that are outside the realm of holiness. We must renew our intellect constantly. Rebbe Nachman shows us how.

Imagine the age of Moshiach and the Holy Temple. After He subdues Amalek and triumphs over Gog and Magog, Hashem will no longer hide His countenance. In the presence of His power and majesty, all the earth will be singing a new song.

Rucking is the dream exercise that combines both cardio and resistance training. People of any age can ruck. It even appeals to people who don't like exercising. Just take a walk on your favorite riverside or wooded path with a weighted rucksack on your back. Here's more about this great activity:

We recite the "Etz Chaim" prayer after reading the Torah portion, when we return the Torah scroll to the ark. I love trees and the imagery that our Torah is a tree of life. Before I became a rabbi, I was a tree-fruit farmer. Even the symbol of my old IDF unit is a very famous Israeli oak tree that overlooks the Sea of Galilee. With that in mind, I composed this melody, which I hope you will find soothing and inspiring. In this recording, I am playing the native-Israel flutes. Yosef Karduner and Guy Tzvi Mintz are playing guitars and singing. Enjoy this.

The human brain is quite similar to the hard disc of a computer. Just as your computer has a certain memory capacity, so does your brain. Professionals are careful in protecting their computers from needless files and programs that waste memory space. All the more so, people must protect their computers from worms and viruses. The same goes for the brain.

The forty-foot-high waves crashing down on the Pacific Coast are a tiny testament of Hashem's power and glory. The power and glory of the Creator is His royal garment, which no one possesses but the King Himself.

For busy people, here's an important message in 28 seconds; here's how to stay young until 120.

A lack of motivation leads to laziness. That's only the beginning of the downward spiral because laziness leads to sadness. If a person lacks the power to persevere in any endeavor, he or she can forget about success. Perseverance requires motivation. So where do we acquire motivation, especially in spiritual endeavors? Rebbe Nachman provides the answer.

Star Wars is nothing compared to the battles that a soul must endure. If people had completely spiritual eyes, they couldn't live long. They'd faint in fright. The atmosphere is full of toxic enemy and lethal forces, both physical and spiritual. The "Protective Force" is our only safeguard.

The Maglan* commandos of the IDF are one of Israel's most elite units. They're far from the limelight and few people know what these quiet yet powerful heroes do. Rabbi Lazer Brody was their guest yesterday; here is a 6-minute segment of the inspirational talk he delivered there. It's especially timely for the month of Elul. The talk is in Hebrew, with English subtitles. *Hebrew for "Ibis", a quietly determined bird

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.

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.

A Ukrainian villager had a pain in his hand. Three visits to the country doctor didn't help at all. He finally traveled to the big city and scheduled an appointment with the big professor... This is an old Chassidic parable that explains Tisha B'av and exile.

Until people discover how to find peace within themselves, all the amenities in the world won't make them happy. Rabbi Nachman teaches us how to find the inner tranquility that we all dream of.

In every generation, marauders – like a pack of hungry wolves - attempt to devour us alive. Only Hashem can redeem us. In His mercy, He will, soon.

Today's Emuna News analysis shows where the current conflict is rooted in history and how it repeats itself today. Strategy and military defense are only a small determining factor in the outcome of the war. The political and military leadership of Israel are so far clueless to the spiritual efforts the country should be making, especially in light of the Nine Days that lead up to Tisha B'Av. Here's what we must do.

During these 9 days, Hashem's Holy Temple was destroyed. Let's invoke Divine compassion and build a sanctuary for Hashem in Kibbutz Be'eri, which was also destroyed. The synagogue is a stone's throw from the Gaza border, meant to serve the kibbutz, neighboring villages and the IDF in Gaza. We want to turn the the temporary prefab cabin-like structure into a permanent building that can meet the growing needs. With our help, both will be rebuilt soon, G-d willing. Donate here: https://my.israelgives.org/en/members/23853

When a soul prays properly, it strolls through a supernal garden of wildflowers. Every word of prayer is itself a rare wildflower. The entire prayer is a most exquisite and aromatic bouquet, the soul's gift to its Creator. Today's lesson concludes and summarizes Torah 65.

Despite the repeated times when the nation strayed from faith and became entangled in worldly lust, the Almighty shows endless mercy and compassion. All we have to do is to remember His wondrous acts.

When your throat is parched, you drink. Negative emotions are a sign that the soul is parched. It feels weak. Here's how to quench its thirst.

From the holy gravesite of Rebbe Eliezer ben Yaacov in a cave near Meron, here is a timely message about our enemies and how to defeat them.

Rebbe Nachman teaches us how to train our minds to remain positive in any circumstance. A suffering soul is a thirsty soul. Focusing on the physical world heightens tribulations and suffering. On the other hand, a person who focuses on life's ultimate purpose experiences much less pain, if none at all.

King David foresees the seemingly endless exile, where it appears as though there is no longer Divine mercy. Then he remembers the melodies that he would always play at midnight and his soul finds meaning.

Fleeing from the horrific Hamas Nukba-force assault on the Nova festival in Re'im forest, 16 young people took refuge in the "Migunit" at the adjacent bus station. A "migunit" is a small above-ground concrete shelter that shields people from missile attacks. 16 young people crowded into this small space. Hamas terrorists logged grenades inside, but a young hero - Aner Shapira - picked them up and threw them back. He succeeded 7 times, but the 8th grenade killed him. You can see the concrete migunit full of shrapnel holes. The inside walls are covered with graffiti, messages loved ones to their holy martyrs.

The holy Idra is the semicircular cave where Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai would teach the secrets of the esoteric Torah to his disciples. In the northern Galilee not far from the Lebanese border, its surroundings bear witness to the current conflict with Hezbolla.

In one of Rebbe Nachman most uplifting teachings, he explains that suffering comes from Hashem, like everything else in life. Therefore, when a person experiences difficulties in life, he or she should focus on the ultimate purpose. Since the ultimate purpose is Hashem's will and intention, it's all good. So, by focusing on Hashem, one's suffering becomes much lighter. Indeed, he or she will feel joy as a result of the abundant good that comes from connecting with Hashem. That's the ultimate good.

Since the dawn of history, even the great tzaddikim had near breakdowns of emuna. Moses couldn't understand why the evil had great lives while the righteous were suffering. King David had difficulty in grasping why the wicked succeed when the upright have so many setbacks. So many good people limp along while the crooks ride in Cadillacs…

Instead of all the news that brings you down, listen to this 84-second message that will lift you up. In short, don't look at anyone else and concentrate on performing your own special mission in life.

Seeing the grassroots spiritual arousal of our soldiers on the Gaza border is heartwarming. Their morale is phenomenally high. What's more, there's unity down here, and emuna too. They are my people and my country. I bless them all day long. Regards from the Gaza border.

Rebbe Nachman describes an exquisite field full of exotic and indescribably beautiful plants and trees. There is a Master Gardener who tends to this field, giving each plant and tree what it needs. When they bear fruit, his eyesight is far-reaching. But, if they don't bear fruit, his eyes become dim. The secrets of prayer...

Sometimes, a person looks around and simply cannot find a single friend, ally or anyone else to depend on. Yet, that's really a blessing in disguise. Alone, with no friend or allie and on the verge of certain death, King David had no one to turn to but the Almighty, his Rock and Redeemer.

Imagine that a stranger knocks on your front door. You look through the peephole to see who it is, and before you know – without your permission – he walks right through the door as if it were thin air. Right away you understand that this is no human. It's an angel. He identifies himself: the head debt-collection angel from the Heavenly bank and he looks serious. Here's how to avoid situations like this...

Imagine that a stranger knocks on your front door. You look through the peephole to see who it is, and before you know – without your permission – he walks right through the door as if it were thin air. Right away you understand that this is no human. It's an angel. He identifies himself: the head debt-collection angel from the Heavenly bank and he looks serious. Here's how to avoid situations like this...

Imagine that 40 Nakba special-ops Hamas terrorists are occupying your home. You are locked in the house bomb-shelter and they know it. Explosions, screaming, shouting in Arabic, a raging battle outside - and you are living this nightmare. Hear the first-hand story of Racheli Fricker, who miraculously survived the Be'eri massacre of Simchat Torah, October 7, 2023. See how the merit of charity, Sabbath observance and building the synagogue at Be'eri all stood as a protective force for Racheli and her family.

We visit a grueling reminder of the atrocities from October 7, 2023 Hamas attack against the south of Israel. Outside of Tekuma, near the Gaza border, is a car graveyard. Yet it's different from any other car graveyard. Here, all the cars are covered with bullet holes, broken glass and ripped metal. People tragically went to their deaths in these cars. This is a painful reminder why we are at war. It's an existential war, fighting for our lives and our homeland.

Rebbe Nachman tells of a field where exquisitely beautiful trees and plants grow. The splendor of this field is indescribable. Where is it?

With the sounds of war in the background, Rabbi Lazer interviews Racheli Fricker, who built and founded the synagogue at Be'eri. A totally secular kibbutz right on the Gaza border, Be'eri lost 101 of its residents on October 7, 2023, victims of the Hamas onslaught and atrocities. The terrorist abducted another 30 residents and took them to Gaza as hostages. 150 homes were burned and destroyed. In the middle of this devastation, the synagogue remained unscathed. Here is the amazing story.

When we feel that the floodwaters of tribulations are about to drown us, we turn to Psalm 69. And when we can no longer withstand the fierce currents of life's raging rivers, we call for immediate help in Psalm 70.

Rebbe Nachman teaches that the melody of an upright singer or musician inspires people to better their service of Hashem. Yet, there are few kosher musicians around. So, how does one correct the detrimental effects of hearing music from a less than upright source?

Psalm 68 describes Hashem's magnificent reign over creation. King David prophetically describes how in the end of days, Hashem will bring Moshiach, subdue His enemies and establish His holy Sanctuary in Jerusalem.

This is the amazing story of how a newly observant IDF war veteran - Lazer Brody - spent four days with the Lubavitcher Rebbe of saintly and blessed memory. The story begins with the First Lebanon War of 1982 and then moves to 770 in Crown Heights, Parshat Korach, 5747/ June 25-28, 1987. The Rebbe's unforgettable eyes...

Emuna is not at all blind faith. It's about actively choosing to trust in God and rely on Him, even when things don't make sense. It's like having a friend who always has your back, no matter what. So, next time you're feeling lost or overwhelmed, let emuna be your guide. It's your GPS...

Everything our soul ingests affects our spirituality. We pay much attention to the kashruth of food because of its effect on the soul. Music penetrates our souls much faster than food does. For that reason, Rebbe Nachman stresses that a person must listen to music of upright musicians.

Psalm 67 resembles the 7-branched menorah of the Holy Temple. When we recite it, we kindle our souls. King Solomon said, "Hashem's candle is the human soul" (Proverbs 20:27). Therefore, kindling our souls is tantamount to lighting the actual menorah of the Holy Temple. This is only one of the many spiritual powers of these two psalms, which King David wrote for all of mankind.

Don't let society tell you that the important things in life are the curves in your figure or your six-pack abs. Health is important, but a healthy body is not everything. Most horses are much healthier than we are and stronger too. So what makes us any better than a horse?

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.

Each good point within you, every mitzva and good deed you do is like a musical note. These notes come together to created exquisite niggunim, your own beautiful melodies. Today's lesson is a time-tested lifesaver from sadness and depression. In positive terms, it's Rebbe Nachman's master key to happiness.

In the face of peril, King David yearns to be constantly closer to Hashem. He delights in the thought of the Holy Temple and foresees the future of his offspring. He sees that his descendent, the Prophet Daniel, will be facing identical dangers that he faced. King David not only prays for Daniel, but for each of us as well.

The Torah commands us to judge everyone fairly. Even if a person is seemingly evil, we can always find some good quality if we look hard enough. Likewise, we must search for the good points within ourselves. Our good points are like musical notes. When they come together, they create beautiful melodies.

Despite no respite from both internal and external enemies, King David succeeds in maintaining a tranquil soul. What is his secret?

Did you ever stop and ponder Hashem's magnificent creation of Planet Earth, with all its wonders like the Northern Lights, the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls and much more? That vast Planet Earth of ours is only a miniscule part of the solar system, and only one-millionth the size of the sun. Yet, our entire solar system is like a grain of sand within the Milky Way Galaxy, which in turn is like a fleck of dust within the vast super-galaxies that extend beyond our imagination. Now stop and think: Hashem momentarily turns aside from His entire vast universe to create a rain drop, make a flower blossom and help a newborn chick hatch out of the egg. Imagine what He does to perfectly direct every tiny facet of our lives in mind-boggling Divine Providence. Why? Because He loves you so very much, more than you can ever imagine.

The first 32 days of the Omer obligate us to curtail joy and joyous occasions. Then comes the 33rd day, 18 Iyar, the anniversary (yahrtzeit) of Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai's departure from the physical world. Everything turns completely around with singing, dancing, rejoicing and festive meals. What's behind all this?

An adequate income doesn't depend on how much money you make; it depends on the quality of the money you make. Today's podcast is the key to all the money you need.

When newcomers enter in to the service of Hashem, it looks like Hashem is pushing them away. They're hit with all kinds of problems that they never had before? Why?

King David suffered unspeakable emotional and physical hardships. These included imminent death in captivity on more occasions than one. Prophetically, he felt our pain and wrote these Psalms for us too.

The heart has a spiritual self-cleaning mechanism that is capable of cleansing it from all forms of impurity. Rebbe Nachman teaches us how to activate it.

Sometimes our troubles are so tormenting that we'd be happy to sprout wings like a dove and just fly away to a place of peace. King David felt exactly like that when he had no rest from enemies, both foreign and domestic. Prophetically, he felt our pain and wrote these Psalms for us too.

There are those who claim, and seemingly rightfully so, that the Gaza War would have been over in 8 weeks, were it not for the interference of the Biden administration. Biden and Blinken forced Israel to enable the so-called "humanitarian aid" that enabled Hamas to recover from a near knockout. That may sound logical, but it contradicts the truth of emuna. Emuna tells us that everything is from Hashem, and that includes the Biden administration and Hamas. As such, today's broadcast helps us understand the emuna message of current events.

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 210 years of exile and 116 years of slavery in Egypt ended with on the eve of the 15th of Nissan, 2448 in the Hebrew calendar. This was the year 1312 BCE. Hashem gave a most difficult command to the Israelites. Each family had to slaughter a lamb, which the Egyptians held sacred as their prime deity. This was an act of total dedication to the Almighty, where emuna had to prevail over logic and fear. Such dedication triggered the final exodus from Egypt, in a remarkable chain of events that we learn in todays lesson.

When Moses relayed Hashem's message of "Let My people go" to Pharaoh, the Egyptian monarch snarled back, "Who is Hashem that I should listen to Him? Besides, I've never heard of Hashem before" (Exodus 5:2). With such unprecedented insolence, Pharaoh was begging for punishment. The punishment came quickly. There were ten different plagues. Each one was a precise measure-for-measure response to the suffering that Pharaoh and the Egyptians meted out to the Israelites, as we see in today's lesson.

How did a fierce, proud and independent people like the Israelites fall into slavery in Egypt? Why did they have to suffer unspeakable atrocities? Here, in first of our 3-Part "Story of Passover," we gain a deeper appreciation of the Passover holiday and of true freedom.

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...

Is your money kosher for Passover? Is it kosher at all? Kosher money carries a big blessing and goes a long way...

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.

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...

Boris lost his leg in a fierce battle in Gaza City ten weeks ago, but he came out alive. His other crew members lost their lives. Yesterday, while visiting the Rehabilitaion Center of the Tel Hashomer Hospital outside of Tel Aviv, Boris shared his miraculous story with me. Is there really intervention from the upper worlds?