Prerequisite for Torah

Emuna is the prerequisite to receiving the Torah as the Midrash states: “The Torah could be given only to eaters of manna.”

Do not supervise Hashem

Emuna teaches us Hashem provides all our material needs and our responsibility is only to serve Hashem. As we go about our lives many times we turn around to check how Hashem is providing us. It is not befitting for us to review the King and Master of the World. We should concentrate on our task which is to serve Hashem.

New headquarters

Due to Hashem’s great compassion, Emuna Tidbits headquarters has been relocated much closer to home. In fact, if you watch the Garden State Parkway you’ll not find Natan tracking north early in the morning anymore. Instead you can find him leaving shull in Lakewood leisurely at 8 and taking a 15 minutes ride to work. Thank you Hashem for always answering our prayers and taking care of all our needs.

Each to his own

אלה ברכב ואלה בסוסים ואנחנו בשם ה’ נזכיר

As I encounter various IT people I noticed that each person has his own way of doing things. A DB engineer will always use SQL, a Scripting type will write a script and a software developer would develop a program. For myself, any issue I encounter I always turn to Hashem.

It was totally Impossible

I davened to Hashem for something that was totally impossible… On the other hand, nothing is impossible for Hashem.
My daughter was coming back from Eretz Yisroel and had to catch a connecting flight. The ticket for the connecting flight was purchased with a great deal of optimism, but realistically there was not enough time. In less than an hour from landing to takeoff they had to get off the first plane, collect their luggage, go through customs, check in their luggage for the second flight and board the plane. The airline website states “Check bags at least 30 minutes prior to scheduled departure”.
However, Hashem made other arrangement; shortly before landing the group of girls was notified that their luggage was misplaced and did not make it on the plane. So rushing luggage free to the other flight they made it on the last boarding call. Eventually the luggage was found and it will be delivered shortly. Thank You Hashem for always taking care of us and answering our prayers.

It’s within our ability

וזה עדות ובירור שלעולם נמצא רצון בישראל שיש
בו די להמשכות הקדושה והשראת השכינה
שפת אמת – פקודי

The Merit of Happiness

ועיקר הכל ע”י השמחה שבעל תשובה שמח
בהתקרבותו אליו ית׳ זוכה להשראת השכינה
שפת אמת – ויקהל

True Wisdom

וישכיל קטנות ערך נפשו וזעירותו וזלותו
ח ו ב ו ת ה ל ב ב ו ת

It takes a lot of wisdom for a person to know his real status.

Blaming yourself

R’ Chatzkel writes that just like if a person attributes his success to natural causes Hashem puts him in the control of those natural causes; so too, when a person attributes his failures to natural causes Hashem lets those natural causes rule over him. On the other hand, if a person puts his trust in Hashem and knows that the good and the seemingly bad all come from Hashem. Hashem will allow him to easily overcome his problems.

The only Address

Last Sunday we had on our hands three issues to deal with regarding our three daughters. Our oldest girl was stuck in O’Hare Airport in Chicago; her flight to Eretz Yisroel was cancelled and Delta was not coming up with alternatives. Our Second daughter, who is about to graduate elementary school, was dreading the two scheduled high school interviews. Our third daughter a 6 month old baby was to be checked on the morrow by a Dr. to determine whether she is suffering from a serious condition.

As usual we turned to Hashem; the whole family davened for the welfare of our girls and everything turned for the best. The oldest girl was placed on a flight to London and from there to Eretz Yisroel. The second daughter breezed through her interviews and the baby turned out to be perfectly healthy. Thank You Hashem for always taking care of us.