Emuna Beams

Despite the cryptic inferences in this story as in all of Rebbe Nachman's tales, we can understand on a personal level. This tale maps our individual journey of searching and finding Hashem.

Only seven short weeks prior, the People of Israel were still slaves in Egypt. But now, they willingly accepted a different type of servitude, accepting the yoke of the Torah and its commandments. They had no idea of what to expect. Three Hebrew words changed the course of history. The greatest sound and light show that the universe ever saw was about to begin…

How can a Jew possibly survive a world full of tyrant kings, inquisitions, pogroms and worse? Rebbe Nachman's tale provides the unexpected answer, which is also a template of world events, past and present…

In our fourth and concluding lesson in the Book of Ruth, we see the roundabout measures that Hashem takes, within the apparent framework of nature, to fool the Evil Inclination and bring Moshiach.

The discovery of vaccines shows that there's no discrepancy between science and Torah. Since the Torah is the Almighty's blueprint for creating the world, all the true scientific knowledge is in the Torah. Many of our sages, such as the Gaon of Vilna, the Shatzer Rov of London and the Chazon Ish were mathematical and scientific geniuses...

Let's see how the Lost Princess describes our own journey in life. If we look carefully, each of us can see ourselves and our particular challenge in life mirrored in this story...

Who would believe that a chance encounter between one of ancient Israel's most esteemed noblemen and an impoverished foreign convert would change the course of history? Welcome to Chapter Two of The Book of Ruth…

Rebbe Nachman of Breslev tells a series of deep, thought-provoking tales, the first of which is the "Lost Princess." This tale unlocks the secret of both the general redemption and of our innermost selves.

Chapter One of The Book of Ruth is a lesson in Hashem's precision Divine Direction of the world, all its creations and each of us in particular. Elimelech, the richest man in ancient Isreal, thought that he could outsmart the Almighty. He learned the hard way that his efforts were in vain. Yet, Hashem uses his free will to bring Moshiach…

In one of his most encouraging teachings, Rebbe Nachman shows how a person can attain eternal life. A person who hears this lesson is no longer afraid of death. Don't let this world confuse you.

We don't need Hollywood or Netflix. If you want to enjoy a poignant love story, open the Book of Ruth. You'll also encounter a deep moral and social message that you'll never find in Hollywood.

We have no idea what we're accomplishing on Seder night. Our sages tell us that it's Hashem's favorite night of the year. The entire Passover Seder is about gratitude. There's an individual message for everyone in the family as well as our guests. No one is left out.

The most important of Rebbe Nachman's teachings is about hitbodedut, personal prayer, one's intimate private conversations with the Creator. Discourse 25 of Part II deals with this vital subject. We learn that each of us has the priceless birthright of our own personal relationship with Him. This is an asset greater than anything, which only a fortunate few take advantage of.

The Pascal sacrifice, the Tenth and final plague and the Exodus of Egypt are the subjects of this lesson, the third of our "Story of Passover" series. The events took place 3,337 years ago in the Hebrew year of 2448 (1312 BCE), and it's a story of emuna that continues on to this very day.

Could you believe that a brilliant investment banker would be gullible enough to sell his twenty million-dollar mansion in Beverly Hills for a mere thousendth of its value? Listen to today's podcast, which exposes the sly methods of the Yetzer Hara, the evil inclination, who is capable of getting any unsuspecting person to sell his or her priceless soul for a pittance...

In our concluding lesson of Torah 55, we learn a beautiful upward spiral. The more we enhance emuna, the better we pray. The better we pray, the closer we get to Hashem. The closer we get to Hashem, the more we become purified. That way, even a person outside the Land of Israel can attain the aspect of the Land of Israel, which is a special holiness.

Welcome to part 2 of our "Story of Passover" series. In this lesson, we learn how the Almighty chose Moses as the leader of Israel. He sends Moses on a fateful mission to Egypt. There, Moses has a series of dramatic confrontations with Pharaoh, which culminate in the Ten Plagues.

Today's podcast shows how to convert one of the most dreaded tasks of the year into something sweet and enjoyable that we can do with a song in our heart. If you guessed that we're talking about cleaning for Passover, you're right…

How do we overcome evil when all the odds are against us? Rebbe Nachman teaches us all about the cogent spiritual weapons at our disposal, especially prayer and the merit of our holy patriarchs.

Welcome to our 4-part series on the story of Passover. This series of lessons aspires to give us a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Passover holiday. The more the story of Passover becomes alive in our hearts, the more meaningful our observance and celebration of the holiday, especially Seder night. Our first lesson presents the series of events that led up to Passover, and specifically, how the Israelites became slaves in Egypt.

Megilat Esther, the Scroll of Esther that tells the Purim story, seems like a rapid series of events that happened within a year. Actually, though, the Purim story transpires the events of 13 years. It begins when Achashverosh ascended to the throne of Persia in 3392 (369 BCE) to the time when the Jews overcame their enemies and celebrated the first Purim in 3405 (356 BCE). So too, the decades of significant events that lead to the full redemption of our people, will also come together to form the Megilla of Geula...

In prayer, we must direct our voices exclusively toward the Almighty. When we do, we correct three different voices that mislead us down errant paths. Such directed prayer has the power of a ritual sacrifice in the Holy Temple... Download the Learning-aid chart for this lesson  

Today's lesson concludes the Book of Psalms. How do we know when body and soul are in healthy synchronization? With every breath a person takes, he or she revitalizes the body. The soul praises Hashem with every breath…

The Miser wanted to rid himself of his wife in the worst way. He couldn't divorce her, because then, he'd have to pay her a large sum of money. He asked the local rabbi what to do...

Abraham compared himself to dust and ashes. This was not mere humility, but advice to his offspring until the end of time.

When a person begins to pay attention to every blessing, his or her entire outlook changes dramatically for the better. By observing and acknowledging each Divine gift, one no longer takes them for granted. Suddenly, he or she discovers a new joy in life.

At times like this, when we are all walking around with hearts that are shattered into smithereens, we face a major challenge to our emuna. The evil inclination yells in our ears, "How can Hashem allow something so cruel, so barbaric and so sadistic as the murder of Shiri Bibas and her two angelic red-headed sons, 4-year-old Ariel and 3-year-old Kfir? Why do such unspeakable atrocities happen to such pure, good and innocent people? Let's get some answers and try to make sense of the insanity that's going on all around us.

Rebbe Nachman explains that once the tzaddik's eyes are strengthened, he is able to perceive Hashem's justice. He becomes aware that whatever seemed unfair and unjust was simply a magnificent expression of Divine love.

The most important thing a person must remember in this turbulent world is that he or she is not alone. That's not all. To avoid disappointment, a person must realize that there is no one on earth to depend on but Hashem. As King David says, Hashem alone is my lot in life and I'm never alone.

Rebbe Nachman explains that our only right to the Land of Israel is when we connect to its holiness. Yet, how can it be holy if the Divine Presence is in exile? By virtue of our holy matriarchs and patriarchs – and in their merit – the Divine Presence is with us. So, without a connection to our forefathers, the land is contested, and the evil gain the upper hand.

King David tells us that without Hashem, he would have been bipolar. When he's high in the sky, Hashem is there. But when he's about to crash land at the bottom of an abyss, Hashem is there too to catch him. We learn that we're never alone and that there's no need to be afraid.

What do we need a Holy Temple for? Here's a 3-minute message from the holiest place on earth.

Everyone yearns to have money. Yet, why is money so difficult to obtain? And, if people care about their money, why do they lose it so easily? Once we learn what we need to do to guard our money, our lives become much more pleasant.

"The Holy One, blessed be He, showed David the destruction both of the first Temple and of the second Temple" (Tractate Gittin 57b). David, in his holy spirit of prophecy, laments the destruction of our Holy Temple even before its time. He implores us not to forget Jerusalem ever, not even for a moment.

Should Haredim serve in the IDF? Israeli media personality and spokesman of Hevron Rabbi Yishai Fleisher interviews Rabbi Lazer Brody. This interview is not at all politically correct, but truth has nothing to do with political correctness. Here's what we need to know to make an equitable draft law.

Ultimately, all war will be futile. The holiness that accompanies joy will nullify the evil in the world. The nations will bring every exile back to rebuilt Jerusalem, arm in arm.

All of heaven, earth and the world beyond cannot contain Hashem's glory. Yet, in His love for Zion, Hashem chose to make it the eternal dwelling for His Divine Presence. As such, all blessings flow forth from Zion, the place of His Holy Temple.

The soul in the brain yearns to connect with its source, the Ein Sof, or Divine Light of the Infinite One. Yet if it succeeded, it would be instantly rendered into nothingness. When "Chaba'd" races toward the Ein Sof, the "Keter" stands in the way. A tremendous collision occurs, but something wonderful happens…

King David describes the future redemption, which we all yearn for. We shall witness the ingathering of the exiles and our joyous return to rebuilt Jerusalem, Then, the centuries of tribulations will fade like a passing dream…

Nur was a naive young Israeli girl who married a handsome young man who treated her like a queen, until it was too late. Her husband, a Bedouin, turned her into an abused slave, forced to milk the goats the day after she gave birth. Every year, Yad Achim rescues dozens of young women like Nur. Now, Emuna Beams has joined forces wih Yad L'Achim...

After our review of the first four parts of Torah 24, we learn that "Keter" is the crown of the ten spheres. It not only illuminates the intellect, but it serves as the regulator, or spiritual limiter, of the Divine light that reaches the brain.

King David repeatedly tells us that the Almighty is our Guardian. But is He close by? Just as your shadow never leaves you, Hashem is right there with you, as close as your shadow…

Every person has a basic human intellect. Yet, when he or she performs the Torah's commandments with a high level of joy, they merit a higher brain. This stems from the Divine intellect that a person attains by way of emuna.

King David describes the times in life when a person must leave the comfort zone. Emergencies are times for action. Determination means paying whatever price the action requires.

A steady flow of IDF soldiers stationed in the area of Gaza use Kibbutz Be'eri's synagogue as their shtiebel. This is a center for prayer gatherings around the clock. On the way to the combat zone, or on the way back, many of the soldiers are inspired to put on tefillin. Yet, for a variety of reasons, their tefillin are not with them or they lack tefillin altogether. Seeing the need for tefillin in the Kibbutz Be'eri synagogue, Emuna Beams financed, prepared and donated two exquisite brand new pairs of tefillin for anyone's use.

Blessings flow from the hands. One of the most important blessings that the hands bestow is intellect. Yet, the blessing of intellect can never be effective unless it comes with emuna.

Traversing life on this earth is like walking on a treacherous mountain path at night. Every single step is prone to injury or even worse. King David describes the only proven way to illuminate one's path.

Chanukah is a time of gratitude. It's also one of the best opportunities for soul-searching and self-assessment. Sitting by the flickering candles of holiness, we open a window to our souls. Let's look inside and ask ourselves why we're not happy...

Events in Israel today are the continuation of a perpetual war that began 22 centuries ago with the war between the Greeks and the Maccabees. Intrinsically, this is the war between human intellect and emuna, between assimilation and loyalty to Torah.

Political correctness and social convention can only prevail when people act like sheep and cast aside truth and morality for the sake of convenience. This is how entire societies succumb to evil. Only the courageous - like the Maccabees - are willing to stand up for what's right, with no fear.

In the academic world, ancient Greek philosophy is society's archetype of intellectual prowess. Spiritually, though, it leads to darkness and confusion. In stark contrast, the light of Torah and its commandments illuminate the soul and bring happiness to the heart. This is the Chanukah juxtaposition of Greek and Maccabee, light and darkness...