Teshuva

A person must learn to function in two types of situations. Most everyone can function in favorable times, when life is looking up. Happy are the spiritually courageous who can function in trying times, when things are looking down.

One cannot possibly attain Divine honor if he or she has a contaminated soul. The cure for a contaminated soul is penitence, or teshuva. The evil inclination gets its vitality from the spiritually-contaminated blood in the left side of the heart. A special type of teshuva, which we learn in today's lesson, can rid the heart of such blood and starve the evil inclination. This is a key to attaining humility, spiritual health and Divine honor.

A soul feels parched and stifled when it lacks Divine light. It also feels dull and unexpressive. King David provides a triple-strength remedy to rejuvenate the soul. You'll feel so good that you'll soon be singing your own new song.

There are two types of honor: man-granted honor and Divine granted honor. Everyone questions whether a person is worthy of the honor he or she receives from other people, but no one questions Divine granted honor. Rebbe Nachman teaches that the only way to attain Divine honor is through teshuva, or penitence. Not only that – a person is not yet a person until he repents. The key to repentence is silence, worth its weight in gold...

Today's Emuna News broadcast includes a strategic analysis of the current Gaza war, a spiritual analysis and a forecast of what's to be expected in the coming month.

This Emuna News analysis provides an insight into the structure and danger of Hamas. It also examines the aftermath of the Biden visit and its effect on Israel's military strategy. Let's see what the future holds in store and how we can effectively overcome Hamas.

A flat tire is definitely not the end of the race. You can change it! Rebbe Nachman of Breslev says that if you believe you can ruin something, then believe that you can rectify it. This is not just a pleasant expression, but a signed promise in the Torah and a fact of life. The second chance we all get is a much more effective way to beautify and overhaul ourselves than plastic surgery, and a whole lot cheaper...

Suffering severe abdominal pain, Rabbi Shalom of Shatz made a rare visit to a physician. Before the examination, the Rabbi asked the doctor to diagnose the source of the pain. "Doctor, I simply need you to tell me which internal organ is not functioning properly. I don't need any treatments or medication." Today, we learn his age-old secret to self-healing.

There's nothing healthier for body and soul than a new beginning, making a fresh start. The spirit influences the body. So, when the spirit declares a fresh start, the body becomes rejuvenated! By removing the focus from our setbacks and disappointments, we avoid sadness and depression. And if we messed up by committing some transgression, we simply ask forgiveness from Hashem and promise to do our best to improve. Once we've made teshuva, the past is wiped away – the transgression no longer exists! Therefore, by declaring a new start, we destroy sadness and depression, especially the depression that follows a transgression.

Just as cholesterol clogs the arteries, transgressions clog the pathways to the heart and the heart itself. A clogged and hardened heart has no desire to pray, for it cannot feel the Divine presence. Today, we learn how to perform a spiritual stent. Powerful prayer - a silent scream - penetrates the depths of the heart and renews its spiritual health.

In this special preparatory lesson for Rosh Hashanah, we learn that one should avoid judging others altogether, especially during the month of Elul. What's more, when we forgive those who harmed us, we invoke Divine forgiveness for our own wrongdoings.

Avraham Bell didn't let his second-class status in the segregated U.S. South of the sixties to extinguish his dreams. He grew up with a spiritual hunger. He excelled as an athlete and as a musician. He was an honor student in microbiology at Ohio State and went on to do an MBA at Arizona. Avraham is also an exquisite artist. He now pours his power and passion into Torah scholarship and Divine service. Having moved to Israel with his remarkable wife Yehudit, he now raises children and grandchildren in the way of emuna. As phenomenal a human being he is, that's how humble he is. Meet Avraham - you'll love him as much as we do.