5786/2026
Emunah is challenging, yet it is fundamental to Judaism. Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik said that “being people of faith in our contemporary world is a lonely experience”. The Rambam famously has 13 principles of faith. Faith is what defines the Jewish people. The 12th principle of faith is to believe that Mashiach will come. The Rama (Shulchan Aruch Orech Chayim 480:1) writes that when we say Shefoch Chamatcha and open the door (for Eliyahu), it is to recognize that Leil HaSeder is a Leil HaShimurim, a night of protection. Rama says that in the merit of our Emunah, by opening the door and believing in our divine protection, Mashiach will come. It is said that more than the Jews have kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept the Jews. This is similar to Emunah; we can see this in the following example (adapted from a letter by Rav Dr. Abraham J. Twerski). There was a man who was a very ‘religious’ sports fan, and he never missed his team’s games. One day he had a wedding to attend, so he asked his friend to record the game. When he got back, his friend informed him that his team won. The man sat down to watch the game, and the entire first half his team was getting destroyed. He would usually have been a nervous wreck, but since he knew that they would persevere, he was calm. This is how we should live our lives, with a calmness knowing that Hashem runs the world.
As Orthodox Jews, we axiomatically subscribe to the idea of Theism, the belief that G-d runs the world and there is divine intervention. Although we believe that Hashem runs the world, we don’t see actions and events as they are viewed from heaven. Down here, a decree that we view as tragic might be seen as a positive action from heaven. We don’t try to make our own Cheshbonot. Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky (Reb Yaakov-The Life and Times of HaGaon Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky) says on the Pasuk, “ וְאַתֶּ֗ם לֹ֥א תֵצְא֛וּ אִ֥ישׁ מִפֶּֽתַח־בֵּית֖וֹ עַד־בֹּֽקֶר”, “none of you shall go outside the door of your house until morning” (Shemot 12:22), that it is very profound that this is the first prohibition to the Jewish People. Naturally, Bnei Yisrael would want to flee, to get as far away as possible from Paroh in case he were to change his mind again. Rather, Hashem said to stay put, so we stayed put. We do not make our own Cheshbonot that run counter to the Torah. We must have Emunah that everything that Hashem does is for the best. The following is a story adapted from a lecture by Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski, “There was a great tzaddik Rav Shimon of Yaruslov, who lived to a ripe old age into his 90's. And he told his disciples, "You know why I have lived so long? There are people that when bad things happen they ask Hashem, 'Why did You allow this to happen?' Hashem answers them, 'You want to know the answer why? Come up here and I'll tell you.'' Reb Shimon said, "I've never asked why, so they don't call me up there to tell me." This is very profound; it is so important that we don’t question Hashem’s plan. How can someone possibly question something they don’t understand?! One of the most vexing questions in Judaism is why Tzaddikim are punished, and Resha’im get rewarded. The Dubno Maggid offers a Mashal (In Jewish Parables, a Mashal for Every Occasion by Rav Yisroel Bronstein) of a man who sees a Tzaddik being punished, and the man is confused. This is similar to a simple villager who walks past a tailor. The simpleton sees the tailor cutting beautiful, expensive silk. The simpleton is aghast; how could the tailor do this?! The man approaches the tailor and inquires why he is cutting this silk. The tailor’s response is pure gold: he responds that this silk is not being destroyed, rather it is being used to create a new suit for the King.
How many times do we go through our day questioning, and ultimately being stressed out by what we perceive to be the bad that occurs to us? My friend recently told me the following quote, “You relax in a bus if you don’t know the driver; You relax in a plane when you don’t know the pilot; You relax in a boat when you don’t know the captain, so why don’t you relax in life when you know that God is in control”? We need to take time this Chag to examine our life, and see how we can strengthen our Emunah, and live a life of calmness with Emunah in HaKadosh Baruch Hu!
Chag Kasher VeSameach!