15 Feb Ki Tisa

Emunah

This week’s parashah discusses the aveirah of the egel, which was avodah zarah. Baruch Hashem, we are not tempted to worship avodah zarah anymore. Chazal (Yoma 69:) tell us that the Chachamim abolished that yetzer hara. Yet, although we do not worship avodah zarah, there are aveiros comparable to avodah zarah, and we must be wary of them. We began with the most obvious: a lack in Emunah. This is like avodah zarah, because avodah zarah means that one doesn’t fully believe in Hashem.

There was a couple who was childless for twenty years. After much deliberation, they opted to adopt. The first step of the lengthy adoption process is to fill out forms at the agency, and the agency attempts to determine whether the couple can raise a child. The first question on one of the forms was, “State, in order of preference, the five things you love the most.” Reb Eliyahu Shamni, the husband, who was filling out the form, wrote at the top of the list “Hakadosh Baruch Hu” and then wrote the next four.

The agency asked Rabbi Shamni, “If you have an adopted child, will you love your child more than the five items you listed here?” This is one of the agency’s methods to determine whether the couple will love the adopted child. Reb Eliyahu Shamni answered, “I will never love anyone or anything more than HaKadosh Baruch Hu!”

There was another religious couple in the agency at that time, also applying for adoption. They said to Reb Eliyahu Shamni, “It’s just protocol. Tell them what they want to hear. You don’t have to tell them the truth.” Reb Eliyahu Shamni replied emphatically, “I love Hashem more thaz everything in the world, and I refuse to say differently.” The Shamni’s were disqualified. Nine months later, the Shamnis had twins. The other couple who was with them in the agency were eligible to adopt, but after nine months, they were still waiting for their opportunity to adopt. By this time, Reb Eliyahu and his wife were blessed with their own set of children. Reb Eliyahu told me, “When one doesn’t give up on the One, he ends up with two.”

Emunah is mesugal for children. The gematriya of הנומא†is םינב. Actually, emunah is mesugal for everything. As it states (Shemos 17:12), יהיו†His, “אב†דע†הנומא†וידי†שמשה†hands were with emunah until sunset,” and the Divrei Shmuel zt’l (Slonim) explains, just as one does things with his hands, one can do things with his emunah. With emunah, miracles take place. A Yid with a broken foot was brought to Rebbe Mordechai of Lechovitz zt’l. He was in terrible pain. The Lechovitzer Rav said, “Repeat after me the second brachah of Shemonah Esrei:

בר†התא†םיתמ†היחמ†’ה†םלועל†רובג†התא

man The. םילוח†אפורו†ÆÆÆעישוהל†repeated after the Lechovitzer Rav, phrase after phrase. The Lechovitzer Rav asked him, “Do you believe in everything we just said?” The ill person said he believes. The Lechovitzer Rav rebuked him, “Don’t Once, at shalosh seudos, Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk zt’l expounded on three concepts of emunah.

1) Before Moshiach comes, the yirei Hashem will be disrespected and on a low social standing, and the sinners will be in power and successful. This situation will be so distressful that even the holy Baal Shem Tov students wouldn’t have been able to tolerate it.

2) Rebbe Elimelech compared it to a pot cooking on the fire. The unwanted flour rises to the top and is removed, and the good food remains in the pot. This is what will occur at the end of days. The resha’im will jump to the top and take power and control, while those who fear Hashem are trampled at the bottom. But those sinners will all be removed, and only the righteous people will remain in the end.

(3) In the final generation before Moshiach comes, it will be like Hakadosh Baruch Hu spreads out a long rope, from one side of the world to the other, and all Yidden will grasp hold on to the rope. Hakadosh Baruch Hu will shake the rope forcefully, and the fools will take that to mean that Hashem wants them to leave Him. But the wise will say, “This is a test. We must hold on to the rope with all our strength. And whoever holds on tightly will be saved. This is ילבח,the ropes of Moshiach חישמ. Rebbe Elimelech of Lizensk zy”a once spoke with his students about how everything is destined from Hashem, and nothing happens by chance. He told his students that even where an animal drops its waste is also planned from Heaven. One of his students couldn’t believe that. “Why would it make a difference to Hashem where the animal drops its waste?” he thought. The following day, the student slipped on the ice near a cliff. Suddenly, something stopped him from skidding off the cliff. He looked to see what saved his life. It was frozen manure. He returned to Rebbe Elimelech, who said to his student, “Nu? Now, do you believe that even the place where animals drop their waste is also planned from Heaven?” Once, two Yidden came to Rebbe Uri of Strelisk zy”a, and they told him candidly that they are looking for a Rebbe and are considering joining his chassidus. Reb Uri told them that he only accepts chassidim who believe in hashgachah pratis. The chassidim affirmed that they believe in hashgachah pratis. The Rebbe tested them:

“When a piece of straw falls off a wagon, do you believe that this was destined from Heaven?” The chassidim admitted that they don’t have that level of emunah. “Why would Hashem care about such trivial matters?” And they left. A few days later, they returned and said that they believe in hashgachah pratis, and they also believe that even if a straw falls off a wagon, it is also planned by Hashem.

“Why did you change your minds?”

The chassidim replied, “We used to think that Hashem only cares about and arranges the major episodes of our life. Like, if a lion would enter a city The Husiatiner Rebbe replied, “When you will want yiras Shamayim as much as your friend wants wealth, your brachah will be answered, too.”

Similarly, we add that if you really want emunah, you will be able to lead your life with the fundamentals of emunah. There are endless levels of emunah, and you can always rise to the next level of emunah pshutah, belief in Hashem.

And just as we must believe in Hashem, we must believe in ourselves, as well.