Emuna

Hashem grants mankind the free will to do good or evil, for there can be no concept of reward and punishment outside the context of free choice. Therefore, there cannot be the slightest coercion in either direction. Simply speaking, it's your choice.

The Torah tells us that Sarah lived to the age of 127 (Genesis 23:1). Rashi, our foremost biblical commentator explains that they were all equally good years. How could that be true? Few women in history had a more difficult and apparently miserable life that our Matriarch Sarah. Her life was a never-ending saga of trials and tribulations...

Today's podcast is not only inspiring, but it gets quite a bit done in 6 minutes, as follows:
1. Takes the confusion out of our task in Elul;
2. Provides simple but effective preparation for Rosh Hashanah;
3. Guarantees good health and adequate income.
Who can refuse such a deal? Not only does it not cost you a cent, but you may download this mp3 and share it with as many people as you like, courtesy of Emuna Beams and our wonderful supporters who, with Hashem's loving help, make this happen.

This is the belief in Hashem's omniscience. Since His Divine Direction determines everything, no thought, utterance or occurrence in the universe is unknown to Him. Learn all about the Divine GPS...

"If we knew that a rare gift was concealed within our difficulties, we could laugh; but with emuna, we start laughing even before we discover the gift." 
An old parable about a donkey in trouble gives us a different perspective on life's difficulties. Here's two-and-a-half minutes of encouragement:

Strong comebacks lead to great achievements and much better second efforts, so don't ever despair when you have a setback. In the next 5 minutes, we learn how to mobilize the strength within us to make a great comeback. It's the real deal. Rejected? Don't be dejected, just listen to this:

What would you think a man or woman's worst evil inclination is? You'll be surprised, just like the women of the "Nishmas" group I spoke to last week were...

The Creator defies any description, nor can a mortal understand Him or His workings in any way. Kabbalistic terminology refers to Hashem as Ein Sof, "The Infinite," for there is nothing tangible or finite about Hashem. Since the human intellect is both tangible and finite, it can neither grasp Hashem nor comprehend His incorporeality. Why is this concept so difficult for people to accept?

Today's podcast is an emotional first-aid treatment. People have a terrible tendency people to blame themselves for things that go wrong in life. Taking responsibility for our actions is productive. Self-blame is not. Here's how to avoid it.

Here's how to save lives (including your own) in 90 seconds:

Ein Od Milvado - there is no one but Him. Hashem is everything. We need not look anywhere else for anything we need in material or spiritual abundance and salvation. For anyone who yearns for inner peace, Hashem is your one-stop shopping address. Today's lesson teaches us the first of the 13 Principles of Emuna.

Why bother learning emuna? Why bother searching for truth at all? What difference does either make? Modern society says, "Let me enjoy my life and don't bother me with the details." The problem with that type of attitude is that a life oriented toward appetite – fulfillment and material enjoyment - never attains what it seeks, let alone lasting happiness and fulfillment.