Podcasts about bitachon

Every good deed and every effort we make is recognized and cherished by Hashem. Sometimes He even shows us this so clearly that we cannot miss it. A story began over a year ago with two single girls who undertook to learn a sefer on emunah every night together as a zechut to get engaged. They finished the book, but nothing seemed to change. Instead of giving up, they began the next volume. This time, on the fortieth day of their reading, one of the girls started dating the boy who would eventually become her husband. On the very day they became engaged, the title of the lesson they were up to in the emunah book was "Yirmiyahu's Blessing." Amazingly, her c hatan's name was Yirmiyahu. They continued their nightly emunah learning even after the first girl was married. Recently, a year later, the second girl also got engaged. Incredibly, the night before her engagement, the lesson they learned mentioned a shul by name — "Yeshu'at Yaakov." The very next day she got engaged to a boy whose name was Yaakov Yeshu'a. Hashem made it so obvious to them that He valued their nightly learning. The salvation did not come immediately, but they persisted. Of course, the greatest gift they received was not only the engagement itself, but the emunah they gained through their dedication. Another story was told to me by a man named David. Last year, when it appeared that his father, Raymond, had only a few days to live, David wanted to bring him some joy. Since Raymond loved music, David arranged for a friend to bring an instrument to play for him. They could not find a singer, so the friend suggested playing recordings of Chazzan Moshe Dwek, whose voice matched beautifully with his instrument. Raymond enjoyed the music immensely. Sadly, he passed away a few days later. Afterward, someone pointed out an astonishing detail: years earlier, when Moshe Dwek himself was ill in the hospital, Raymond had been at his side, lifting his spirits and giving him c hizuk . Now, even after Moshe Dwek had passed away, Hashem arranged that his recordings would soothe Raymond in his final days — a beautiful circle of kindness repaid. There was also a man, Yehuda, who shared a remarkable story about someone in his community, whom we'll call Reuven. Reuven was in need of a yeshu'ah and was advised by a rabbi to make sure he always invited guests for Shabbat and Yom Tov meals. From that point on, he worked hard to ensure he always had guests. That year, just two days before Pesah, Yehuda received a call asking if he knew of anyone who could host new neighbors for the Seder. These neighbors were not religious and lived close by — if the host lived far, they might end up driving, which would be a tragedy on Yom Tov. Yehuda immediately thought of Reuven and called him. Reuven was thrilled — for the first time since he had started hosting, he had not been able to find guests. This was his chance. Even more remarkable, when Yehuda asked where he lived in relation to the new neighbors, Reuven answered that he was just two houses away. Hashem had arranged the perfect match: Reuven's desire to fulfill the mitzvah of hachnasat orchim was met by the need of the new neighbors. Every act, every mitzvah, every ounce of effort we put forth is treasured by Hashem. Sometimes He shows us directly just how much He values it — reminding us that nothing we do for Him ever goes unnoticed.

Who Do I Rely On?

In this episode of Meaningful People, we sit down with Matty Stein as she shares her remarkable journey of growing up in a non-religious home, moving from place to place, and suddenly facing financial collapse that left her family homeless and living in dangerous neighborhoods. Through pain, confusion, and loss, Maddie discovered Judaism, community, and ultimately herself. Her story is raw, emotional, and deeply inspiring — a powerful reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is a path to strength, faith, and hope. You can follow Matty on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattysteinspeaks/ This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors: ► Meaningful Minute Plus On Meaningful Minute Plus: MM+ is where the full experience happens. Members get:

The King is in the Field

In this powerful interview, New York City Mayor Eric Adams opens up about his personal journey, his deep faith, and his commitment to protecting the Jewish community in New York and beyond. From his struggles growing up with undiagnosed dyslexia to his health transformation, Mayor Adams shares how resilience and spirituality have guided his life and leadership. We also discuss: His personal story of overcoming adversity and faith in God The rise of antisemitism post–October 7 and how NYC is responding His now-legendary speech declaring “We are not all right” The responsibility of young Jews to stand tall and fight hate Why this upcoming election is so critical for New York's future His visits to the Lubavitcher Rebbe's resting place and the spirituality that drives him Mayor Adams delivers a clear message: Jews should not live in fear — no more fleeing, this is the generation that must fight back. Watch until the end for an emotional story about how his words gave strength to Israeli soldiers preparing for battle. This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors: ►Blooms Kosher   Bring you the best Kosher products worldwide.   https://bloomskosher.com   ______________________________________   ► PZ Deals - Download the app and never pay full price again! https://app.pz.deals/install/mpp _______________________________________   ► Colel Chabad Pushka App - The easiest way to give Tzedaka    https://pushka.cc/meaningful  _______________________________________   ► Lalechet     We're a team of kosher travel experts, here to carry you off to your dream destination swiftly, safely, and seamlessly in an experience you will forever cherish.    https://www.lalechet.com ___________________________________________   ►Rothenberg Law Firm   Personal Injury Law Firm For 50+ years!   Reach out Today for Free Case Evaluation   https://shorturl.at/JFKHH   ____________________________________ ► NRS Pay - Honest, clean credit card processing.   https://nrspay.com   _________________________________________ ► Town Appliance - Visit the website or message them on WhatsApp     https://www.townappliance.com     https://bit.ly/Townappliance_whatsapp ______________________________________ ► Meaningful Minute Plus Meaningful Minute is releasing its first-ever feature film: Homeless — a powerful story about exile, identity, and return.   https://plus.meaningfulminute.org/    ______________________________________   ► Faith It Till You Make It Join Rabbi Ari Bensoussan's course on Bitachon sponsored by Censible Marketing! Your guide to keeping your faith in today's complicated world! www.Meaningfulminute.org/censible    ____________________________________________________ ► Subscribe to our Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     https://apple.co/2WALuE2  https://spoti.fi/39bNGnO Or wherever Podcasts are available!  

The Pasuk says in Parashat Re'eh: "וברכך ה' אלוקיך בכל אשר תעשה"-Hashem your G-d will bless you in everything you do. Our Rabbis learn from here our obligation to put in our Hishtadlut, our effort, to accomplish what we want. Along with this obligation comes a very big test that everyone faces on a daily basis- to be able to put in the effort, yet realize the whole time that Hashem is really the One getting everything done. Hashem wants the world to run בדרך הטבע , through nature, so in order to camouflage His presence, He makes it look like we are the ones accomplishing. But in truth, it is all Hashem. The Mesilat Yesharim calls our Hishtadlut a tax to pay. Once we have fulfilled the quota, Hashem sends His blessing down. Shlomo Hamelech summed it up in a Pasuk in Mishle: "סוס מוכן ליום מלחמה" We have to get the horse ready to go out and fight in battle. An army cannot go out to war expecting a miracle. Rabbenu Bachya says that if they do, they will lose. They have to make all of the necessary preparations to fight. But the Pasuk concludes: "לה' התשועה" The victory of the war is entirely in the hands of Hashem. The'בוטח בה- one who trusts in Hashem, knows that once he puts in his effort he can feel comfortable with the knowledge that he did his part. Then, whatever happens is the will of Hashem for his best. A person should never feel that his efforts were wasted , even if he didn't see his desired results. For example, a man worked on a sale for six weeks, and then it all fell through. His time was not wasted, he paid six weeks' worth of tax, and that opened the pipeline for Hashem to send blessing when He sees fit. If a person went to three doctors and didn't yet come up with a solution for his health issue, he didn't waste his time. He did his Hishtadlut, he paid his tax, and now he should feel great knowing that he did his part. If there is ever a situation where a reasonable Hishtadlut is not possible, then the person becomes exempt from Hishtadlut, and he can totally rely on Hashem. For example, if a person had an ailment, and tried one method to cure it, yet it didn't work, and then tried another, and a third, and still no results, and the doctors say that there is nothing else to try. At that moment, the person becomes exempt from Hishtadlut, and he can totally rely on Hashem for a cure. Rabbi Yechezkel Abramsky, זכר צדיק לברכה, used to tell over the following story which happened to him. He was taken to Siberia against his will along with a group of people. They were told to remove their shoes, their jackets and their shirts. They had to walk on snow and ice for miles. The Rabbi had a condition from a very young age that he was very sensitive to the cold, and he would frequently get sick from being exposed to even moderately cold temperatures. His mother, he recalls, used to send him to school in many layers of clothing to protect him. He still had this condition now, and he knew that many people had died in Siberia from being exposed to the frigid temperatures. On his first walk on the ice, he turned to Hashem and said, "The Gemara tells us: '-הכל בידי שמים חוץ מצינים ופחים"Everything is in the hands of Heaven except for cold and hot," which means that if a person goes outside in the winter without a jacket and gets sick, he brought that upon himself. Hashem commanded us to guard our health; we are not allowed to act recklessly. The Rabbi continued. "When I had extra layers and jackets I put them on to protect myself. But now, I don't have that ability, so I am exempt from that obligation. All that is left is the בידי שמים part. Now Hashem, it is only in Your hands. Please, save me from getting cold here." The Rabbi testified, that for over a year and a half in Siberia, he never felt cold even once. It is not the clothing that warms us up, it is Hashem. When we have the ability to help ourselves, we are obligated to. But when there is nothing for us to do, we can totally rely on Hashem. Those who are able to see through nature and recognize that everything is really Hashem, will not only pass this very big test, but they will reap the rewards both in this world and in the next.

Hashem Redeems Israel

In this emotional interview, Perla shares the heartbreaking story of the day her young daughter drowned and how that moment forever changed her life. Speaking with raw honesty, she opens up about the pain, the shock, and the unimaginable grief of losing a child. But her story is not just about tragedy, it is about resilience, healing, and the strength it takes to keep going. Through her journey, Perla offers powerful lessons on coping with loss, navigating life after tragedy, and finding hope in the darkest of times. This candid conversation is more than a personal account, it is a message every parent, guardian, and loved one needs to hear. From water safety awareness to the emotional reality of grief, Perla's words provide comfort, perspective, and a reminder to cherish every moment with those we love. If you or someone you know has experienced loss, this story may offer a sense of connection and understanding. Watch now for a moving, unforgettable reminder about the fragility of life and the strength of the human spirit. Today, Perla honors Moussia's memory through her children's book It's Not Over When We Say Goodbye and her work with Team Protect, raising awareness to help prevent similar tragedies.  

The Torah is the beginning of parashat Ekev promises the most beautiful rewards to those who adhere to the mitzvot . Rashi writes there that the Torah is speaking about the mitzvot that people trample upon and don't give enough respect to. Every mitzvah is such a treasure and, unfortunately, sometimes we take them for granted and don't treat them with the respect that is befitting them. Recently, a student of mine told me that he had allocated money for tzedaka and asked me if I could recommend a few people to give to. I thought of a friend of mine who is a mashgiach in a yeshiva in Israel and has a very large family. I knew he needed the help. I called to tell him of the money he was going to receive and he said, very excitedly, "Baruch Hashem, there's more to this story," which he proceeded to share with me. He said, like many others he is struggling with parnasa and on Shabbat Parashat Ekev , he read a story about a man who was also struggling with parnasa and he took upon himself to say Birkat HaMazon with kavana and very quickly his fortunes changed. My friend said to himself after reading that story, he had not been treating Birkat HaMazon the way it should be treated. He generally looks to avoid eating hamotzi and prefers mezonot instead. He felt like that was an insult to Birkat HaMazon . So from that day forward, he accepted upon himself not only to have more kavana when saying it, but to make sure to eat bread for breakfast every single day and have the zechut to say Birkat HaMazon . His wife is an excellent school teacher, but hasn't been able to find a job for the last three years, partly because schools generally want teachers there by 8:00 am, but because he has to be in yeshiva early, she has to send the little children off to school and can't start work until 9:00. Eight days after his kabbala , his wife received a phone call from a school asking if she would be willing to be their 5 th grade teacher for this year. This was on September 1, just days before school was starting. She told them she would love to but she wouldn't be able to get there until 9:00. Because they needed her so badly, they accepted her anyway. And just like that, after three long years, she had a great job. A few days after that is when I called him and told him out of nowhere he was getting thousands of dollars. That's when he told me about his kabbala to say Birkat HaMazon with kavana and to stop trampling on it and give it the respect it deserves. He added that last week his wife went to a resume specialist to see if she could somehow improve hers. The specialist told her she did it all wrong and would never get a job with that resume. She didn't even get a chance to fix it yet and, with the poor resume, she still got that job. Our mitzvot are wondrous. The more respect we treat them with, the more blessing we get in return.

How Do We Feel?RavAvigdorMiller4Life Is Starting a New Topic! Emunah and Bitachon!Listen Today On The Podcast!

Michael Cohen, who would later go on to found the well-known organization Mitzvah Man , once set a personal goal to do at least one act of chesed every single day. But one day—years before his organization ever existed—he found himself struggling to fulfill that mission. He drove around like a salesman searching for a client, only he was looking for a mitzvah. Maybe someone needed a ride. Maybe a pauper was waiting for tzedakah. Maybe someone just needed a helping hand. But nothing came his way. Still determined, he turned to Hashem and prayed: Please send me a mitzvah. I want to do something for You. Toward the end of the day, he passed a food pantry gemach and decided to walk in. "Is there anything I could do to help?" he asked. The person behind the desk looked relieved. "Actually, yes—perfect timing. We have a huge amount of garbage piled up in the back. Would you mind helping us get rid of it?" At first, Michael was taken aback. Garbage? he thought. After sincerely wanting to do a mitzvah, this was what he got? This was his big mission? But then he caught himself. If I'm a true eved Hashem, I should be happy to do whatever job Hashem gives me. I asked for a mitzvah, and this is what He sent. That means this is exactly what I'm supposed to do. He rolled up his sleeves and did the job with a full heart—because when a person serves Hashem with emunah, no act is beneath him. If Hashem sent it, it's a privilege. שויתי ה' לנגדי תמיד - The pasuk teaches that in every situation in life, even when something doesn't look glamorous or meaningful, we must remember: I'm standing before Hashem. This is the mission He's giving me right now. Real emunah means living with Hashem every moment. When we truly feel that everything in front of us was given to us by Hashem for a reason—whether it's giving a shiur or dragging garbage bags—it all becomes avodat Hashem , if done with the right mindset. Rav Yerucham Levovitz used to speak about the greatness of kavod Shamayim . He told the story of a man who cleaned the area in front of the Aron Kodesh with his own beard—just to give more honor to Hashem. What others might have seen as lowly or extreme, he saw as an exalted expression of love and reverence for the Melech Malchei HaMelachim, HaKadosh Baruch Hu . A Rosh Yeshiva once shared a story about a young boy in yeshivah who was not known for his brilliance, but was consistent, sincere, and always willing to help. One Erev Shabbat, while the rest of the boys were busy preparing for Shabbat, someone accidentally knocked over a large pot of soup in the kitchen. It spilled everywhere—steaming hot liquid all over the floor. Most of the boys quickly moved on, not wanting to get involved. But this one boy quietly got down on his hands and knees and started cleaning, without being asked. That Shabbat, the Rosh Yeshiva commented during his drashah: "Sometimes Hashem looks at how a person reacts in the quiet moments. You're not being tested on a big stage—just with a dirty floor. But your decision in that moment can lift you to greatness." We don't always know which moment or mitzvah will shape our future. Sometimes it's the most unexpected acts—the so-called small ones that we almost turn down—that open doors we never imagined. Maybe it was Michael Cohen's sincere willingness to take out garbage for the sake of kavod Shamayim that earned him the heavenly assistance to later build a world-renowned chesed organization. What matters most is that we're willing—to accept whatever mission Hashem puts in front of us, and to do it with joy. Because whether we're giving someone a ride, giving tzedakah, or just taking out the garbage—if we do it l'shem Shamayim , we become partners in Hashem's plan. May we all merit to embrace every opportunity Hashem gives us with emunah, humility, and joy. Be'ezrat Hashem , we hope to release Living Emunah on the Parashah , Volume Two, sometime next month. There are a few opportunities for dedications If anyone would like the zechut of dedicating part of the book, please email: livingemunah123@gmail.com

Moshiach Comes Like the Sunrise

Moshiach Comes Like the Sunrise

The Midrash Rabbah on Megillat Ruth, quoting Rabbi Yehoshua, teaches: יֹתֵר מִמָּה שֶׁבַּעַל הַבַּיִת עוֹשֶׂה עִם הֶעָנִי, הֶעָנִי עוֹשֶׂה עִם בַּעַל הַבָּיִת — More than the homeowner does for the poor person, the poor person does for the homeowner. One application of this Midrash is in how we view the time we invest in helping others. People often think — especially when life is busy and responsibilities pile up — I'd love to do more chesed… I'd love to learn more Torah… I'd love to do more mitzvot… but I just don't have the time. It sounds logical: every minute we spend doing Hashem's work is a minute we could have spent on ourselves. But Hashem's accounting works very differently. When we give our time for His mitzvot, we don't lose time — we gain it. And it's not simply returned; it comes back with blessing. The more we give, the more we are given. Often, this isn't obvious, but sometimes we see it clearly in our own lives. A man who had recently moved into a new apartment discovered that one of his neighbors was an elderly, broken Jew who lived alone with no family or support. He decided to offer a small kindness: a hot meal. That small act quickly turned into a daily delivery. His family joined in, and it became part of their routine. But over time, the chesed became harder. The neighbor began requesting more specific meals — vegetables chopped finely, fruit salad prepared fresh. At first, the man complied, but eventually, the demands wore on him. He decided to stop chopping and simply sent whole vegetables and fruit, reasoning, He knows how to cut them himself. Around that same time, his healthy baby — who had always eaten well — suddenly refused to drink formula. The baby cried through feedings, turned his head away, spit out whatever he managed to drink, and each feeding became a stressful, time-consuming ordeal. The man didn't connect the two events — until a friend who also knew the elderly neighbor praised him for his kindness. "You have no idea what kind of mitzvah you're doing," the friend said. Then he added, "If you could please send the food nicely, prepared fresh the way he likes it, it's a very big part of the mitzvah." Those words struck a chord. The very next day, the man went back to preparing the food exactly as the neighbor preferred. That same day, his baby ate without crying, spitting, or resisting. The connection was crystal clear. When he tried to save time by doing less chesed, he ended up losing time in another area. We never lose by giving — we only gain. The time we "lose" on a mitzvah is never truly lost; it's invested. Hashem repays us with smoother days, calmer outcomes, and, yes, even babies who cooperate. But when we guard all our time for ourselves, we often find that it slips away anyway — tasks take longer, frustrations mount, and things don't flow. So the next time the yetzer hara whispers, You don't have time for this mitzvah, for Torah learning, or for chesed, whisper back: I don't have time not to.

In this deeply emotional and honest conversation, Rabbi Yoni Fischer opens up about his journey, the vision behind his yeshiva, and the importance of meeting people with compassion, not judgment. From navigating generational pain to cultivating emotional health in the Torah world, Rabbi Fischer shares his thoughts on healing, marriage, parenting, community, and connection—with wisdom, warmth, and humility. ► Meaningful Minute Plus Meaningful Minute released its first-ever feature film: Homeless — a powerful story about exile, identity, and return. https://plus.meaningfulminute.org/   This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors: ►Blooms Kosher   Bring you the best Kosher products worldwide.   https://bloomskosher.com _______________________________________   ► Colel Chabad Pushka App - The easiest way to give Tzedaka   https://pushka.cc/meaningful    _______________________________________   ► Magen Fund Adopt an IDF soldier for $180 and support our chayalim with essential daily and spiritual items.   https://israelmagenfund.org/kits/   _______________________________________   ► Lalechet    We're a team of kosher travel experts, here to carry you off to your dream destination swiftly, safely, and seamlessly in an experience you will forever cherish.   https://www.lalechet.com ___________________________________________   ►Rothenberg Law Firm   Personal Injury Law Firm For 50+ years!   Reach out Today for Free Case Evaluation   https://shorturl.at/JFKHH   ____________________________________ ► NRS Pay - Honest, clean credit card processing.   https://nrspay.com   _________________________________________ ► Town Appliance - Visit the website or message them on WhatsApp     https://www.townappliance.com ______________________________________   ► Faith It Till You Make It Join Rabbi Ari Bensoussan's course on Bitachon sponsored by Censible Marketing! Your guide to keeping your faith in today's complicated world! www.Meaningfulminute.org/censible   ____________________________________________________ ► Subscribe to our Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     https://apple.co/2WALuE2   https://spoti.fi/39bNGnO Or wherever Podcasts are available!   Editor: Sruly Saftlas

In this week's parasha, V'etchanan, we have, arguably, the most well-known pasuk in the entire Torah: "שמע ישראל ה' אלוקינו ה' אחד" This pasuk is the root of all of our emunah that Hashem is our G-d and He is the only One in control. The Gemara says in Masechet Sukkah (p. 42) that when a child is first able to speak, his father should teach him this line Shema Yisrael. With this, we are training our children and imbuing them with emunah from the earliest age. Something of such vital importance can't wait until the child is 5 or 6 years old, it must begin from the moment he/she can speak. We should not underestimate how much emunah our children can absorb. Emunah should be spoken about in the home and children should be trained from very young ages in it. I recently received an email which said, "Ever since I started listening to the Daily Emunah messages, it's as if I entered a whole new world. Growing up I was religious, but I never thought about Hashem too deeply or how He plays a role in our lives, but in the last two years, since I began listening, I became a whole new person. I'm so much happier and calmer and accepting and so grateful for the inspiring emunah lessons. I am a preschool teacher and one day, as my students walked into class, Hashem put a thought into my mind. I decided I was going to repeat a chizuk message in emunah to them in an age appropriate manner. I saw how they drank up every word with so much enthusiasm. I noticed how hungry their souls were for a connection to Hashem, even though they all came from religious backgrounds. From then on, every single day, I started repeating another chizuk lesson to them in a kid friendly way. It didn't take too long and I started noticing changes in my students' behavior. For example, little Esther told little Channah, 'I lost the snack that my mommy gave me this morning, but I am not upset because I know Hashem did it out of love and one day I'll find out why.' Channah replied, 'Did you make sure to thank Hashem for your lost snack?' This kind of talk has become the norm in my classroom, from just a little emunah message every day." I received a different email from a woman who says she speaks about emunah in her house all the time. It has changed the way her entire household thinks, and they are so much happier as a result. A few weeks ago, she was visiting her in-laws with her five year old son on Shabbat and, while he was playing outside, something banged into his eye very hard. There was no ice there so she took her son back to her house which was not too far away. While they were walking, she said out loud, "Baruch Hashem, I just remembered, I bought margarine right before Shabbat. That's the best thing to put on your eye." The little boy said in response, "Mommy, Hashem knew I was going to get a bump, so He told you to buy the margarine. He didn't tell you I was going to get the bump because then you wouldn't let it happen." The proud mother was so grateful for her little boy's response. His immediate thought that Hashem put it in her brain to buy the margarine just for him was so beautiful. He's only five. Emunah is for the very, very young as well. As a note of advice, if a very young child gets a bump and we tell him it was from Hashem for his best, he might not take it the right way, he might even come to resent Hashem because, at that time, the child is in pain. The key is to teach the child the lessons beforehand so that the child, on his own, will say it's from Hashem for his best. And when the child does that, we should make him feel so special and tell him how proud Hashem is of him for having that emunah. Shabbat Shalom.

In today's generation, we've grown used to instant results. We place an order and expect it at our doorstep within hours. We start a job and want to see immediate success. And this mindset has quietly crept into our spiritual lives as well. We invest our time, our energy, and our hearts into our avodat Hashem , but when we don't see immediate results, the yetzer hara whispers in our ears: "Why bother? You've tried and tried—what do you have to show for it?" This struggle applies to so many areas of life: our tefillot , our limud haTorah , our efforts in helping others, or supporting a cause we care about. In the world of Torah and mitzvos, the fruits of our labor are often hidden—sometimes for years, sometimes for decades. But one thing is certain: no effort in avodat Hashem ever goes to waste. There's a powerful mashal that illustrates this: A man plants a seed deep in the soil and faithfully waters it every day. Weeks go by, and not even a sprout breaks through the ground. Discouraged, he stops watering, convinced his efforts were in vain. What he didn't know was that beneath the surface, the seed had already begun to take root. Strong roots were forming deep underground—out of sight, but full of life. Had he waited just a little longer, he would have seen a beautiful tree begin to grow. It's the same with us. The growth is there—we just don't always see it. If it's hard for us to continue, that only makes the reward sweeter. Every moment of hishtadlut —every heartfelt tefillah , every struggle to hold back a sharp word, every time we try to improve—is being collected and counted by Hashem. A person can work on their middot for years and not feel much change. They may still get angry, still feel overwhelmed, still struggle to maintain joy—but then, one day, in a moment they never imagined they could handle, they respond with calm and with strength. And in that moment, they realize: the change was always growing—it just took time to bloom. A woman once said that she had worked on her shalom bayit for years. She gave in. She stayed quiet. She chose peace over winning. But she felt like none of it made a difference. Then, during a difficult moment in their marriage, her husband said to her with tears in his eyes: "You don't know what kind of strength you've been for me all these years." The fruit had been growing all along. It just needed time to ripen. When we keep going—even when we don't see results—that is the ultimate expression of emunah . We believe that Hashem values every step. This world is the world of action. The world of reward is coming. So many of our greatest leaders didn't live to see the full impact of their work. But they kept pushing—and that's what made them great. Rav Aharon Kotler zt"l came to America in the early 1940s, at a time when the country was spiritually barren—especially when it came to yeshiva learning. In 1943, he opened a small yeshiva in Lakewood, New Jersey, with just 14 students. Few believed it would last. But Rav Aharon taught with fire. He poured his soul into building Torah in a land that seemed inhospitable to it. He led the yeshiva for 19 years, 7 months, and 1 day—until his passing. By then, the yeshiva had grown to about 160 talmidim. Modest numbers for nearly two decades of work. But the Rabbanim who remained said: Rav Aharon infused the yeshiva with kedushah . His efforts were l'shem Shamayim , and they would not go to waste. His son, Rav Shneur Kotler zt"l, took over—and remarkably, passed away exactly 19 years, 7 months, and 1 day from when he began. In that time, the yeshiva grew to over 900 boys. Still, the true explosion of growth came afterward. Today, BMG in Lakewood is home to over 10,000 talmidim—arguably the largest yeshiva in the world. Rav Aharon never saw it. But today, in the radiance of the Shechinah , he is surely reaping the reward. He planted the seeds. He watered them with sweat, with mesirut nefesh , and with unwavering bitachon . And Hashem made them grow. So if you're struggling… if you've been trying to grow in your avodat Hashem but don't see the fruits yet—don't stop. Don't listen to that voice that says it's not worth it. Every drop of effort counts. And one day, those seeds will sprout in ways you never imagined. Because the tree always takes time to grow. But the reward… is eternal.

Hashem doesn't just hear every word we say — He knows every thought that passes through our minds. Last Friday, I was shopping for Shabbat and noticed that the prices were unusually high. I picked up an item and began debating whether or not to put it back. Just then, a man came over to me and asked, "Is it true that anything we spend for Shabbat doesn't come out of the yearly income Hashem allots for us?" I replied, "Absolutely. It's an explicit Gemara." As soon as I answered, I realized Hashem had sent this man to remind me of that truth. I smiled, thanked Hashem for the immediate correction, and bought the item I had been second-guessing. Hashem is intimately involved in our lives — not just every day, but every second. Just over a month ago, a mother was looking to take her children on outings to keep them entertained before camp started. She tried two different places, but both were completely booked. The children were disappointed, and the mother, trying to soften the letdown, took them for ice cream instead. It was an extremely hot day. As they left the ice cream shop, the children ran ahead and mistakenly opened the door of a car that looked like their own. To their shock, there was a four-month-old baby alone in the back seat. The baby had been forgotten. They ran into various stores searching for the baby's mother. When she saw them holding her child, she burst into tears. "I always double-check!" she cried. "I just forgot this time…" On a hot summer day, R"l, it only takes 10–15 minutes for a tragedy to occur in a car. At that moment, it became clear to the mother and children why their plans had been canceled earlier. Hashem had rerouted them, put the idea of ice cream in their minds, and guided them to open the wrong car door — just in time to save that baby's life. Another remarkable story was shared by Rabbi David Ozeri. Last Thursday night, he received a call from a panicked father — a Rav in Eretz Yisrael. His 17-year-old daughter had landed in Newark on a stopover from Israel, and her connecting flight had been canceled due to weather. She didn't speak English, she was alone in a foreign airport, and it was already 11:00 p.m. Rabbi Ozeri immediately contacted a baal chessed in his community, who answered the phone right away. "Of course she's welcome to stay with us," the man said. "I'll even send an Uber for her." But the father was too nervous to place his daughter in an Uber alone at night. Rabbi Ozeri then thought of a woman in Brooklyn who drove children to school each morning. She was divorced and may have needed some extra income. He called her and asked if she would be willing to drive from Brooklyn to Newark to pick up the girl, bring her all the way to Deal, New Jersey, and then return home. The woman answered immediately, "It would be my pleasure to do the chessed," and added that she didn't want to be paid. But Rabbi Ozeri went to the host's home and gave him an envelope with $450, asking him to give it to the driver when she dropped off the girl. The next morning, the woman texted Rabbi Ozeri thanking him for the opportunity to do the chessed — and for the money. What she shared afterward was incredible. She said it was her turn to host her children for Shabbat, but when she checked her bank account, she had only ten dollars left. She didn't know how she would buy food for her large family. At that moment, she saw a request for tzedakah for a worthy cause. With great Emunah, she donated her last $10 and prayed that in the zechut of that mitzvah, Hashem would help her provide for Shabbat. The very next night, at 11:00 p.m., she received the call from Rabbi Ozeri — and ended up earning more than enough to buy everything she needed. We don't fully understand the ways of Hashem, but it seems like one of the reasons the girl's flight was canceled was so this woman could have the parnassah she had so desperately prayed for. When people heard her story, they were so moved that they voluntarily donated more — and she ended up receiving a total of $6,000. Hashem is involved in every moment of every person's life. He orchestrates everything with precision and purpose. Our job is to build our connection with Him — through our tefillot , through our mitzvot , and through our emunah.

I Want Hashem in my Life

I Want Hashem in my Life

Chazal tell us, ישראל מפרנסין לאביהם שבשמים —Yisrael "support" their Father in Heaven. This means that the satisfaction Hashem derives from our good deeds is, so to speak, how we "support" Him. In earlier generations, that support came from the deeds of great tzaddikim—people whose entire lives were devoted to serving Hashem with purity and holiness. Their Torah learning was filled with clarity, their prayers pierced the heavens, and their mitzvot were performed with incredible precision and joy. In those times, Hashem, k'viyachol (so to speak), was being "supported" in abundance. But today, we no longer have such towering tzaddikim. We live in a time when it is very difficult to remain spiritual. Confusion and distraction are everywhere. Temptations are stronger than ever, and spiritual clarity is at an all-time low. So how do we compensate for all the support that has been lost? Hashem has darkened the world spiritually so that even the simplest mitzvah today requires mesirut nefesh —self-sacrifice. In this way, our deeds become incredibly valuable, and we are able to give Hashem the same nachat ruach —the same pleasure—as the tzaddikim of past generations. It is so hard today to stay focused during prayer, yet we come back day after day and try our hardest to concentrate, even if we can manage only a bit of kavanah . It's more difficult than ever to stay pure in thought, speech, and action—and yet we keep trying. We guard our eyes, watch our mouths, and avoid negative influences. It's harder than ever to live with emunah , especially when we don't see the results we're hoping for—but we still believe in Hashem's unending mercy and love. A man said that he doesn't understand why he now struggles with tests that were never an issue earlier in his life. Temptations that never appealed to him before suddenly became major challenges. One possible explanation is that he now needs his deeds to carry more weight—and that weight can only come through intense struggle. A teenager today feels pulled in every direction. It is incredibly difficult to maintain his religious standards. Once upon a time, praying, learning, and guarding oneself from sin were considered routine. Today, they are acts of heroism. Simple deeds done with effort in our generation are more beloved to Hashem than hundreds of effortless mitzvot done in generations past. A mother running a busy household barely has a moment to breathe, yet she still manages to pray, say Tehillim , avoid lashon hara in a group conversation, and faithfully care for her children and husband. These small acts are, k'viyachol , supporting Hashem in the world more than we can possibly imagine. And of course, we are the ultimate beneficiaries of this support. We just passed Tishah B'Av. Hashem is still homeless, and He is begging us to bring Him back home. Soon, He will reveal Himself to the world and reward those who remained loyal to Him. For now, He is still asking for our help. Let us take advantage of the opportunity while we still have it. The challenges in serving Hashem are actually for our benefit. We may not be on the level of the tzaddikim of the past, but we can accomplish the same—perhaps even more. Hashem will never abandon us. The difficulties we face today are His way of drawing even closer to us. Let us strengthen ourselves and recognize the immense value of everything we do. It is well worth the fight. Never say, "It's just one mitzvah," or "It's just one aveirah." Every mitzvah we perform is precious. Every aveirah we avoid is beyond measure.

This small and powerful booklet gives step-by-step instructions and perspectives on how to reach tangible levels of Emuna and Bitachon in our lives.This week's class was sponsored by the Weiss family l'ilui nishmas for Nissim ben Nissim Hakohen Cohen, Esther Malka's father.And for brachos and strength for Esther Malka bas Chaya Chana.Help make events like this happen!https://cash.app/$livingchassidushttp://Paypal.me/livingchassidushttps://livingchassidus.org/donate/Zelle: 205-937-9914https://www.venmo.com/u/LivingChassidus

A man told me that his wife had been a little negligent about something he had asked her to do multiple times. Unfortunately, as a result, their children were placed in a potentially dangerous situation. Baruch Hashem, everything worked out in the end, but he was extremely upset. He felt his wife had put their children in danger unnecessarily, and he had every reason to be shaken. Later that same day, while at home, he decided to learn a bit. The only sefer easily available was an ArtScroll volume of Masechet Shabbat. He randomly opened it to daf 32 ( ל״ב ), where the Gemara discusses how serious it is to place oneself in a dangerous situation. Reading it made him feel validated in how upset he was with his wife. But then, just a few lines later, he read something that shook him to the core: the Gemara says that someone who neglects learning Torah causes danger to their children. He read the line again and again. Suddenly, it hit him — he himself had been negligent in learning. He had never truly committed to a regular seder, always coming up with excuses, telling himself it wasn't realistic right now. And then he remembered something else. Just the day before, he had randomly chosen to listen to a shiur from a rabbi he had never heard before — a class recorded over ten years ago, out of thousands he could have selected. It was on the topic of Elul and Teshuvah, even though we're now in the month of Av. And incredibly, that rabbi spoke directly to the exact excuse this man had been telling himself for years. The rabbi explained why that excuse doesn't hold up, and how important it is for every Jew to carve out time to learn — even in a busy life. Now, in the span of 24 hours, Hashem had sent him three clear messages: His wife's mistake led to a danger that got him very worked up. The Gemara he "happened" to open addressed his exact situation showing him he was more guilty than his wife. The shiur he "randomly" chose directly called out his long-held excuse. He said, "I couldn't believe the hashgachah pratit. It was all connected. Hashem was clearly sending me a message, and this time, I didn't want to miss it." He picked up the phone, called his rabbi, and said, "It's time. Please help me start a serious learning schedule." Hashem speaks to us in different ways, at different moments. But it's up to us to open our hearts and pay attention to the message. Another man shared with me that from the time he graduated high school until the age of 35, he didn't put on Tefillin even once. He had drifted far from the path he was capable of being on. He loved his children dearly and would do anything for them. One day, his wife gently said, "Would you mind putting on Tefillin just for a few minutes each day — not for yourself, but so the kids can see their father wearing Tefillin?" That comment hit him like a ton of bricks. He realized how far he had gone — so far that his wife had to ask him to put on Tefillin, not even for Hashem, not even for himself, but just as an example for the kids. The very next day, he put on his Tefillin. He said he felt something special — something he hadn't felt in years. Slowly, one small step at a time, he began to come back. He started attending shul. He began learning Torah. Today, that same man has children learning full time, and he himself is growing stronger and stronger in his Avodat Hashem every single day. He is grateful beyond words for that moment that woke him up — that small comment that sparked something great. Every person is given opportunities for inspiration. Some are subtle, some are loud. Hashem wants all of His children close to Him, and He lovingly sends each one the exact kind of message they need. But it's our decision whether or not we act on it. We are getting closer and closer to the time of Yemei HaMashiach, when Hashem will fully reveal Himself to the world. Then, the tests we face now — the quiet, hidden tests of Emunah and consistency — will no longer exist. There will be no more confusion, no more doubt. But also, no more chance to grow through struggle. Now is the time. Now is the chance to grow in Torah, to grow in mitzvot, to become the people we are meant to become. Let's take the messages from Hashem and let them move us forward. Even one step today can change our entire life. And that one step can affect generations.

Chazal teach us that the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed because of Sinat Chinam—baseless hatred. And our Rabbis have explained that, in truth, almost all hatred is baseless , because we know that whatever another person does to us is ultimately coming directly from Hashem. Even though people have free will, person A cannot use that free will to harm person B unless Hashem allows it—and that only happens if it's meant to be. If someone is able to cause us pain, it's only because Hashem decreed it for our benefit. It may have saved us from something far worse. Instead of resentment, we should feel joy that Hashem is taking care of us in the way He knows is best. When we overcome our natural reactions and respond with emunah, our relationships become more peaceful and loving. That inner peace brings happiness—but more than that, it is Avodat Hashem of the highest level, and it opens the gates of blessing. Chazal say, "The only vessel that can hold blessing is peace." A person can have a spouse, children, multiple homes, cars, and all the wealth in the world—but if there is no peace, none of it can be enjoyed. It's worthless. One of the greatest pieces of advice for someone who wants more happiness and more blessing in life is to make peace with those they are at odds with. A man told me a story that began about ten years ago. His father had a bitter falling-out with a longtime business partner, and the partnership ended with deep resentment. The partner left, and the father continued running the business with his son. But after the split, the company began to struggle. The atmosphere at work became heavy, and nothing was going right. There was tension everywhere. Seven years later, out of nowhere, the former partner walked back in and asked for a job. Surprisingly, they agreed—and gave him a high-level position. From that day on, the business began to grow and flourish. Today, it's more successful than it ever was. The son couldn't understand how this man just showed up again. When he asked his father, the answer became clear: "That machloket was bothering me for years," his father said. "One day I decided to call him, apologize, and make peace. I felt such relief afterward, and I guess he felt comfortable enough to return and ask for a job." There's no doubt: the success came from the act of shalom. When peace is made, everyone feels better—and even more importantly, we bring tremendous nachat ruach to Hashem, who wants nothing more than to see His children getting along. People may hurt us, but it's our job to fulfill Hashem's will and love them anyway. It's not always easy. But with a little chizuk, we can do it. A woman shared with me that she and her husband weren't invited to a certain wedding. They knew the reason and were okay with it. But on the day of the wedding, they kept getting phone calls from others: "What time are you going?" "Want me to save you a seat at the reception?" "Are you bringing the kids?"—all assuming they were invited. Each call felt like another dagger. By the time the wedding started, they were fuming. The woman wanted to forgive, but it felt too painful. The very next morning, she opened a daily email on emunah that she hadn't opened in over a week. The title? "When You Aren't Invited to a Wedding." She couldn't believe it. She read it again and again until the message sank in. It reminded her that everything comes from Hashem—that even this was tailor-made for her benefit. With that perspective, she found the strength to truly forgive. And afterward? She felt so free. Holding on to anger and hurt only poisons us. But when we let go, when we forgive—even when it's hard—and believe that everything is from Hashem, we feel lighter, more joyful, and we open our lives to blessing. If we can do that, B'ezrat Hashem we'll merit the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash. Amen.

Hope to Hashem Again

Hope to Hashem Again

Although we are not permitted to hold weddings during these days, Halacha allows a person to become engaged—even on Tisha B'Av itself. The Gemara explains the reason: שמא יקדיםנו אחר —perhaps someone else will marry her first. But the Gemara then raises a question: If a person's zivug is already determined even before conception, how could anyone else take what was destined for someone? The answer: if the other person prays hard enough, he may merit it. From here we learn the incredible power of tefillah: It can change what has already been decreed. The Gemara in Masechet Berachot states that one can pray for the gender of a fetus only until the 40th day after conception. After that point, it is considered a tefillat shav —a vain prayer. However, the Yerushalmi in Berachot writes that even if a woman is already in labor, tefillah can still change the gender of the child. Even though we follow the Bavli and do not pray for a gender change after 40 days, the Sefer Berumo Shel Olam explains that the disagreement is only about whether one may pray for a miracle—but all agree that prayer itself retains the power to change reality, even up to the moment of birth. We find an extraordinary example in the case of Chizkiyahu HaMelech. The Navi Yeshayahu came to him and told him that Hashem had decreed death upon him—because he did not fulfill the mitzvah of peri'ah v'revia , having children. Chizkiyahu, although righteous, had seen through prophecy that he would father a wicked son and therefore refrained from marrying. Despite his reasoning, he was held accountable. Chizkiyahu then asked Yeshayahu if he could marry the prophet's daughter, in the hope that their combined merits would produce righteous children. But Yeshayahu answered: It's too late—the decree has already been sealed. Chizkiyahu turned his face to the wall and poured out his heart in prayer. And indeed, Yeshayahu was immediately told to return and inform the king that Hashem had added fifteen more years to his life. Many ask: Why didn't Yeshayahu know through prophecy that tefillah would change the decree? The Kad HaKemach answers: Tefillah is higher than prophecy. It stems from a level in Shamayim beyond where nevu'ah can reach. Even a prophet cannot see what changes tefillah might bring. Another powerful example is Leah Imeinu. It was decreed before she was born that she would marry Esav. But through heartfelt tefillah, she changed her destiny—and instead married Yaakov Avinu, the Gadol HaDor . The Gemara in Masechet Niddah asks: What can a person do to become wise? It answers: He should study Torah and pray to the One who possesses all wisdom. The Maharsha explains that the question refers to someone whose natural intellect was limited due to a Heavenly decree. Can such a person become wise? The Gemara answers: Yes—if he learns Torah and prays sincerely, even he can attain wisdom. Through Torah and tefillah, one can rise above natural limitations. There is nothing that tefillah cannot accomplish. Therefore, it is our responsibility to use this powerful gift with all our strength. Even if we feel that we've prayed many times and nothing has changed—we must continue. The Gemara tells us, חזק ויאמץ לבך וקוה אל ה —strengthen yourself, and do it again. There is no limit to what effort in tefillah can achieve. We must keep renewing our strength, returning to prayer again and again, pouring out our hearts with sincerity and Emunah.

This small and powerful booklet gives step-by-step instructions and perspectives on how to reach tangible levels of Emuna and Bitachon in our lives.This class was sponsored by Isabella Shoshana GurevichIn honor of her sister Rachel's engagement! Mazal tov!Thank you Isabella GurevichHelp make events like this happen!https://cash.app/$livingchassidushttp://Paypal.me/livingchassidushttps://livingchassidus.org/donate/Zelle: 205-937-9914https://www.venmo.com/u/LivingChassidus

She Lost Her Son in a Terror Attack on the Brooklyn Bridge – Deborah Halberstam's Story In this deeply emotional and powerful episode, Deborah Halberstam shares the heartbreaking story of her son Ari Halberstam, a 16-year-old yeshiva student who was murdered in a 1994 terror attack on the Brooklyn Bridge. Deborah recounts Ari's unique upbringing, his deep connection to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, and the chilling events leading up to the attack that took his life. She opens up about her personal grief, her years-long battle for justice, and how she transformed tragedy into activism—shaping counterterrorism policies and founding the Jewish Children's Museum in Ari's memory. This is more than a story of loss—it's a story of strength, legacy, and the unwavering spirit of a mother who refused to let her son be forgotten. Meaningful Minute Tisha Baav Documentary  “Homeless” is here. A film that will make you feel. Watch now → www.9av.plus   This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors: ►Blooms Kosher   Bring you the best Kosher products worldwide.   https://bloomskosher.com   ______________________________________ ► PZ Deals - Download the app and never pay full price again!   https://app.pz.deals/install/mpp _______________________________________   Fasting can be tough — headaches, nausea, and fatigue can drain your energy. That's why so many rely on FastAid by Kollel Toronto, a slow-release capsule you take before the fast so it helps when you need it most.   ► FastAid - Feel the difference this Tisha B'Av Created under the guidance of Rav Shlomo Miller and Rav Yaakov Hirschman, FastAid comes in versions with caffeine, Tylenol, Advil, or electrolytes. It's halachically approved, easy to take, and just $12 a pack.   Available at most kosher supermarkets, Judaica stores, pharmacies, mikva geshefts, and online at https://www.Kollel.com.   Support Torah learning and make fasting easier — take FastAid and feel the difference.   _______________________________________ ► Colel Chabad Pushka App - The easiest way to give Tzedaka    https://pushka.cc/meaningful  _______________________________________   ► Toveedo Visit- https://toveedo.com/   Use Promo Code MM10 for 10% off! _______________________________________   ► Magen Fund Adopt an IDF soldier for $180 and support our chayalim with essential daily and spiritual items.   https://israelmagenfund.org/kits/    _______________________________________   ► Lalechet     We're a team of kosher travel experts, here to carry you off to your dream destination swiftly, safely, and seamlessly in an experience you will forever cherish.    https://www.lalechet.com ___________________________________________   ►Rothenberg Law Firm   Personal Injury Law Firm For 50+ years!   Reach out Today for Free Case Evaluation   https://shorturl.at/JFKHH   ____________________________________ ► NRS Pay - Honest, clean credit card processing.   https://nrspay.com   _________________________________________ ► Town Appliance - Visit the website or message them on WhatsApp     https://www.townappliance.com     https://bit.ly/Townappliance_whatsapp ______________________________________ ► Meaningful Minute Plus Meaningful Minute is releasing its first-ever feature film: Homeless — a powerful story about exile, identity, and return.   https://plus.meaningfulminute.org/    ______________________________________   ► Faith It Till You Make It Join Rabbi Ari Bensoussan's course on Bitachon sponsored by Censible Marketing! Your guide to keeping your faith in today's complicated world! www.Meaningfulminute.org/censible    ____________________________________________________ ► Subscribe to our Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     https://apple.co/2WALuE2  https://spoti.fi/39bNGnO Or wherever Podcasts are available! Editor: Sruly Saftlas

In Parashat Matot, Moshe Rabbeinu is commanded by Hashem to avenge the Midyanim for causing Bnei Yisrael to stumble in the most severe sins. Moshe responds by selecting one thousand tzaddikim from each shevet, totaling 12,000 men. He sent them off to war along with Pinchas, the Aron HaKodesh, and the special trumpets used in battle to invoke Hashem's favor and bring victory. The Torah then states: " וַיִּצְבְּאוּ עַל־מִדְיָן " – They encamped against Midyan. Ramban explains that this means the Jewish army surrounded Midyan on three sides, leaving one side open. This was a direct command from Hashem, meant to offer the enemy a chance to flee. Even in war, we are commanded to show mercy. And Ramban adds that this wasn't a one-time instruction—this principle of compassion applies to all future optional wars. Later, the Torah testifies that the Jewish army wiped out Midyan without losing even one soldier. It was openly miraculous. To confront such a large enemy with only 12,000 men and suffer no casualties was clearly the hand of Hashem. This pattern has repeated itself throughout Jewish history. We show compassion to our enemies—and we experience miraculous victories. In a recent conflict, the Israeli Air Force flew nearly 400 warplanes over Iran. Not a single jet malfunctioned. There were no mechanical failures, no planes struck by enemy fire, and not one pilot was injured or captured. Before the operation, Israeli defense officials estimated that between 400 and 800 civilians could be killed in Iranian missile assaults. Some projections feared that if Iran fired all of its 2,000+ ballistic missiles, the death toll could rise to 4,000. In the end, only 687 missiles were fired. Of those, 97% were intercepted. Iran also launched 1,200 drones—99% of which were downed by Israeli defensive systems. According to military experts, these numbers are almost statistically impossible. But when Hashem is protecting us, statistics do not apply. Although we did not merit a completely casualty-free outcome like the war against Midyan, we witnessed an unmistakable miracle. And it wasn't only us who saw it. Even non-Jewish journalists around the world began to acknowledge that something beyond nature is protecting the Jewish people. A British journalist by the last name Heath recently wrote an article exploring the world's irrational hatred for the Jews. He asked: Why does a nation this small inspire so much hostility? In his own words: A nation this small should not be this strong. Surrounded by enemies, condemned in the UN, targeted by terror, boycotted, slandered, and attacked—and yet, the Jewish people thrive in every area: military, medicine, technology, agriculture, security, intelligence, morality, and resilience. They turn desert into farmland. They make water from air. They intercept rockets midair. They rescue hostages from the heart of enemy territory. They survive wars they are supposed to lose—and they win. The world watches and can't explain it. So they grasp for explanations: American aid, high-tech trickery, some hidden secret—anything but the truth. Because the truth means admitting it's Hashem. By all logic, the Jewish people should have disappeared long ago. That's how the story of every exiled, enslaved, and persecuted minority ends. But the Jews didn't disappear. We are stronger than ever. There is no cheat code that can explain how a nation returns to its homeland after 2,000 years. There is no rational explanation for how a people go from gas chambers to global influence. There is no historical precedent for surviving the Babylonians, Romans, Crusaders, Inquisitions, Pogroms, and Holocaust—and still standing strong today. Israel doesn't make sense—unless you believe in something higher. And that's what drives the world crazy. Maybe history isn't random. Maybe evil doesn't have the last word. Maybe the Jewish people aren't just a nation—but a living proof that there is a G-d in the world. Once a person admits that Israel's survival is divine, his entire moral compass has to reset. Because then he is not watching the final chapter of a fallen people, but rather the unfolding of something eternal. So the world tries to deny it—but it is becoming more and more obvious. We are incredibly fortunate to be the Am Hashem. We must appreciate that privilege and honor it by living as true representatives of Hashem—through our Torah and our mitzvot.. Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Shais Taub updates students of his popular Shaar Habitachon series, which was recorded five years ago, sharing how the principle of Bitachon has played a crucial role in the continued growth of SoulWords. The video serves as a heartfelt call to everyone who studied Shaar Habitachon with him, inviting them to partner with SoulWords by contributing to https://charidy.com/rst to help spread life-changing wisdom with others.

Today's Dedication: יהונתן אשר יהודה בן מיכל שהמשפט כנגדו יתבטל לגמרי בקרוב מאוד The Atzei Chaim , a peirush on Chumash from the 1600s, writes a powerful explanation on the words "Vaya'amen ha'am" in Parashat Beshalach, which describe how the Jewish people believed that Hashem would take them out of Mitzrayim. He brings the Chazal: " אין ישראל ניזונין אלא בזכות האמונה " — The Jewish people are sustained only in the merit of emunah. He explains: as we know, the full reward for mitzvot is given in the next world. So how are we sustained in this world? It is through the reward we receive for our emunah , which is so powerful and precious that Hashem rewards it even in Olam HaZeh. Emunah gives a person a special zechut that can help them in their time of need. A man recently told the following story. His wife was pregnant, in her ninth month, and the baby was in a breech position. Due to her medical condition, a C-section was not a safe option, so they went to the hospital hoping the doctors could manually turn the baby. But when the doctors examined her, they were alarmed. Not only was the baby completely turned the wrong way, but the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby's neck. Turning the baby now would be extremely risky, perhaps even impossible. The woman calmly asked everyone—including her husband—to leave the room. "I need to speak to Hashem," she said. This woman lived with genuine emunah. Ten minutes later, the doctor returned to try again. Amazingly, the baby had turned entirely on its own, in perfect position. The cord was no longer wrapped, and the doctor didn't have to do anything at all. When labor began, the birth was so easy and smooth that she didn't even have to push. Afterward, people asked her what she did during those ten minutes. All she said was: "I just had emunah in the One who runs everything." She refused to elaborate any further. A young man—we'll call him Reuven—was finishing his year of learning in yeshivah in Eretz Yisrael and preparing to fly back to America. He and four friends arranged for a driver to take them to the airport. But the driver arrived 45 minutes late. Then, as they left the city, they hit heavy traffic due to a major accident. Reuven, who had been learning about emunah for several years, calmly told his friends: "Hashem runs the world. If He wants us to make the flight, we'll make it. And if not, then it wasn't meant to be. Either way, we're in His hands. There's no reason to be upset." But the others didn't pay much attention. They began to argue—blaming the driver, the schedule, and each other. Every few minutes, more "what ifs" and frustrated comments filled the car. Reuven, though he appeared calm, admitted that he was also anxious inside. To strengthen himself, he called a Hashgachah Pratit hotline for chizuk. He invited his friends to listen, but they were too stressed. Eventually, the traffic cleared. They arrived at the airport exactly one hour and five minutes before their flight—the very last possible moment. Then came the security questions. For some reason, the officials delayed the others but let Reuven through quickly. He ran to the check-in counter. The clerk was visibly upset. "If you're not at the gate in 20 minutes," she said sharply, "you're staying in Israel." Reuven ran toward the gate, but when he reached the final security checkpoint, he was met with an enormous line. There was absolutely no way to get through in time. Reuven took a breath and reminded himself: Hashem is running everything. As he calmed himself, a member of the airport ground crew happened to notice him looking overwhelmed. He looked at Reuven's boarding pass and, without being asked, escorted him to the front of the entire line. Within two minutes, Reuven was through. But the challenge wasn't over yet. At passport control, Reuven scanned his passport at the automatic gate—but the doors didn't open. He tried again. And again. Seven times in total—but nothing. There was a manual line, but it was long. If he had to wait there, he would definitely miss the flight. Reuven turned to Hashem and whispered, "Please help me. Let the gate open." He scanned it one more time. The gate opened. By the time he reached the boarding gate, he was the only one from his group who made it. None of his friends made the flight. Despite every delay and every obstacle, Hashem carried him through. The zechut of his emunah had paved the way. Emunah is so powerful that it brings blessing not only in the next world, but in this one as well. It strengthens us when we're weak, carries us when we're stuck, and opens doors that simply shouldn't open. As the Atzei Chaim wrote, אין ישראל ניזונין אלא בזכות האמונה — the Jewish people are sustained in the merit of their Emunah..

A person struggling with parnasah wakes up each morning hoping that today will be different—that this will be the day when everything turns around. He puts in a full day's work, makes phone calls, attends meetings, and develops new strategies. He pushes himself to his limits—but the income still doesn't come. The bills pile up, each one adding more weight to his already heavy heart. And in quiet moments, he wonders: Is Hashem seeing how much I'm struggling? He opens his siddur and begins to pray, like a child pleading with his father: "I'm doing everything I can. Please help me. Please give me parnasah ." One thing is certain: Hashem—and only Hashem—determines how much parnasah a person will receive. If someone has prayed with all his heart and has not yet seen the results, this does not mean he should give up on his spiritual efforts. On the contrary— if anything will help, it is his tefillah and good deeds. Hashem has countless reasons why a person may need to experience a period of financial challenge. But the moment Hashem decides that it should come to an end, it will end— and not because of any extra physical hishtadlut . A person must learn to both accept and hope. Accept that everything that has happened until this moment was for his absolute best, and hope that going forward, Hashem will provide more. When Hashem wants someone to receive parnasah , He knows exactly how to find him, and He knows exactly how to give it to him. A man told me that when he first came to America, he didn't even speak English. He struggled terribly for three years trying to earn a living, and was having a very hard time. Eventually, he decided to enter the diamond and jewelry trade. He began traveling abroad—one week away, one week at home. That was the nature of the business at the time. He always made sure to return by Friday so he could be home for Shabbat. But once, while abroad, he got sick. A local doctor told him he was too sick to fly, and he was forced to remain there for Shabbat. On Friday morning, he went down to the hotel lobby, hoping to find some fruit—perhaps apples or bananas—for Shabbat. While he was there, another Jew recognized him and asked, "Would you like to come up to my room to see some merchandise? Maybe there's something you'd like to sell." The man was weak and just wanted to return to bed. But the other fellow insisted. "It'll only take a few minutes," he said. So he went upstairs. The man showed him a new style of diamond and said, "Take it. If you sell it, you'll pay me. If not, just give it back." That Sunday, he felt completely better and flew home. On Monday, he showed the diamond to one of his regular customers. The customer was so impressed with the stone that he immediately placed an order for forty of them. This led to a partnership between the two men in the design and production of that diamond—and from that one meeting, he eventually became a multi-millionaire. "Hashem wanted to make me wealthy," he told me. "I barely spoke English, and there weren't many trades I could have gone into. Hashem made me sick just so I would be stuck in that hotel on that Friday and meet the person who was literally holding my future in his room." I read a story about a man who owned a small grocery store. He worked long hours and barely made enough to get by. After years of trying, the business failed and he lost nearly everything. But instead of falling into despair, he accepted Hashem's will with love. He decided to spend more time learning Torah and took a job working in a local yeshivah kitchen, earning just enough to cover his basic expenses. One day, someone approached him. "I always admired your honesty when you ran the grocery store," he said. "I'm looking for someone I can trust to handle the logistics of my real estate operations." That simple conversation turned into a partnership—and within a few years, the man who had once been struggling to make ends meet became a millionaire. When the time came for his financial hardship to end, Hashem knew exactly where to find him and what opportunity to send his way. All success in parnasah comes only from Hashem. He is the only address to turn to for help. And our greatest tools to draw parnasah down from Heaven are tefillah and mitzvos . The person who continues to serve Hashem faithfully, even during times of struggle, will one day see how every step was part of Hashem's perfect plan.

A person struggling with parnasah wakes up each morning hoping that today will be different—that this will be the day when everything turns around. He puts in a full day's work, makes phone calls, attends meetings, and develops new strategies. He pushes himself to his limits—but the income still doesn't come. The bills pile up, each one adding more weight to his already heavy heart. And in quiet moments, he wonders: Is Hashem seeing how much I'm struggling? He opens his siddur and begins to pray, like a child pleading with his father: "I'm doing everything I can. Please help me. Please give me parnasah ." One thing is certain: Hashem—and only Hashem—determines how much parnasah a person will receive. If someone has prayed with all his heart and has not yet seen the results, this does not mean he should give up on his spiritual efforts. On the contrary— if anything will help, it is his tefillah and good deeds. Hashem has countless reasons why a person may need to experience a period of financial challenge. But the moment Hashem decides that it should come to an end, it will end— and not because of any extra physical hishtadlut . A person must learn to both accept and hope. Accept that everything that has happened until this moment was for his absolute best, and hope that going forward, Hashem will provide more. When Hashem wants someone to receive parnasah , He knows exactly how to find him, and He knows exactly how to give it to him. A man told me that when he first came to America, he didn't even speak English. He struggled terribly for three years trying to earn a living, and was having a very hard time. Eventually, he decided to enter the diamond and jewelry trade. He began traveling abroad—one week away, one week at home. That was the nature of the business at the time. He always made sure to return by Friday so he could be home for Shabbat. But once, while abroad, he got sick. A local doctor told him he was too sick to fly, and he was forced to remain there for Shabbat. On Friday morning, he went down to the hotel lobby, hoping to find some fruit—perhaps apples or bananas—for Shabbat. While he was there, another Jew recognized him and asked, "Would you like to come up to my room to see some merchandise? Maybe there's something you'd like to sell." The man was weak and just wanted to return to bed. But the other fellow insisted. "It'll only take a few minutes," he said. So he went upstairs. The man showed him a new style of diamond and said, "Take it. If you sell it, you'll pay me. If not, just give it back." That Sunday, he felt completely better and flew home. On Monday, he showed the diamond to one of his regular customers. The customer was so impressed with the stone that he immediately placed an order for forty of them. This led to a partnership between the two men in the design and production of that diamond—and from that one meeting, he eventually became a multi-millionaire. "Hashem wanted to make me wealthy," he told me. "I barely spoke English, and there weren't many trades I could have gone into. Hashem made me sick just so I would be stuck in that hotel on that Friday and meet the person who was literally holding my future in his room." I read a story about a man who owned a small grocery store. He worked long hours and barely made enough to get by. After years of trying, the business failed and he lost nearly everything. But instead of falling into despair, he accepted Hashem's will with love. He decided to spend more time learning Torah and took a job working in a local yeshivah kitchen, earning just enough to cover his basic expenses. One day, someone approached him. "I always admired your honesty when you ran the grocery store," he said. "I'm looking for someone I can trust to handle the logistics of my real estate operations." That simple conversation turned into a partnership—and within a few years, the man who had once been struggling to make ends meet became a millionaire. When the time came for his financial hardship to end, Hashem knew exactly where to find him and what opportunity to send his way. All success in parnasah comes only from Hashem. He is the only address to turn to for help. And our greatest tools to draw parnasah down from Heaven are tefillah and mitzvos . The person who continues to serve Hashem faithfully, even during times of struggle, will one day see how every step was part of Hashem's perfect plan.

A rabbi from Israel, who describes himself as someone with deep emunah, shared a powerful personal experience in which that very emunah was severely tested. Part of this rabbi's life's work involves printing rare and precious Torah manuscripts authored by great rabbis of previous generations. Years ago, he was working on a manuscript by a certain Rabbi Laniado, who had an exceptionally accurate version of Rashi's commentary. During his research, the rabbi discovered that a location in Italy claimed to possess the most accurate text of Rashi in the world—a manuscript dated just eighteen years after Rashi's passing. Determined to see it, he arranged a trip to Italy, though he didn't know anyone there and assumed access to the manuscript would be difficult. After making a few calls, he managed to get in touch with someone involved with the collection, who said he would do his best to help. He also found a local contact willing to pick him up from the central bus station and drive him to the various sites. With these arrangements in place, the rabbi booked a flight and packed his attaché case with fifteen years' worth of research, along with his laptop computer. Upon arriving, he called the man who was supposed to meet him—only to be told that the man had completely forgotten and was currently three hours away. The man gave him directions to his house and said he would meet him there later. He warned the rabbi to be extremely careful in the train station, as there were professional thieves in the area who could easily steal his belongings if he wasn't vigilant. The rabbi cautiously proceeded down the steps toward the train. But moments later, he realized his attaché case was gone. He panicked. He began running through the station, frantically searching. He had been so careful, yet his most precious items—his research, documents, and computer—had somehow been stolen. After searching in vain, he sat down and broke into tears. That case held over fifteen years of Torah work, valued at well over a quarter of a million dollars. And just like that, it was gone. Even in the pain, he accepted that this too must be from Hashem. But he turned to Hashem and pleaded, "I accept this wholeheartedly—just please, let me see the good in it." He continued on to the man's house, though he felt there wasn't much point anymore. Still, he decided to make the most of it and try to explore whatever manuscripts he could. Word quickly spread about the theft of the rabbi's manuscripts. The very next day, the man hosting him received a phone call from someone urgently requesting a meeting. They went to meet him—and to their astonishment, he was holding what appeared to be all the stolen manuscripts. The man explained that he had been browsing in a pawn shop when he saw a collection of manuscripts being sold at a suspiciously low price. He guessed that these must have been stolen and bought them all on the spot. The rabbi looked through the documents. Everything was there, completely intact—except for his laptop computer. This was an unbelievable Yeshua. Locals said that in the past thirty years, they had never heard of anyone recovering their stolen belongings after a robbery in that area. The rabbi's story quickly became well-known. Suddenly, doors began opening for him. He was granted full access to any manuscript he wished to see. Wealthy Italian philanthropists, inspired by his story, began donating generously to his work. In fact, the rabbi told me that a large portion of his support until today still comes from those very individuals in Italy. What he had originally seen as a disaster—losing his most valuable Torah manuscripts—turned out to be the greatest blessing. It connected him with the very people and resources he needed most, in a way he never could have arranged on his own. He had thought that losing those manuscripts could not possibly be good. But Hashem showed him otherwise. With a full heart, he thanked Hashem for the heavenly help and for orchestrating such a miraculous turn of events. Everything that happens is always for the best—even when we cannot begin to imagine how. We must be patient and trust in Hashem.

We Are the Miracle

There's a well-known statement from Rav Nachman Mibreslev: Ein ye'ush ba'olam kelal — that a person is never allowed to give up hope on anything. This statement is often used to give c hizuk to people who have been trying for years to achieve a certain goal, but haven't achieved it yet. They are told never to give up, because Hashem can always bring the salvation in the blink of an eye. To Him, it does not matter that years have passed without success. When the time is right, He will bring the salvation. This gives c hizuk to people to continue trying to find their zivug . Shidduchim can be one of the most emotionally draining areas in a person's life. The waiting, the disappointment, the confusion, the pressure — it can feel endless. A person may say, I've been trying for so many years and nothing is working. Maybe it's just not meant for me. Maybe I should just stop trying. Or a person may be trying to raise a family of good children who will be yirei Hashem , but it seems like he's failing. The children are disrespectful. They don't want to do anything their parents tell them to do. They aren't interested in growing spiritually. The parents have done everything they could, but they are getting absolutely nowhere. It's very normal to feel, what's the point? Why should I bother continuing to try if I'm not getting anywhere anyway? This applies in so many other areas of life as well. And usually, the c hizuk given is: things can always change in an instant. And therefore, we should never give up trying. However, there is a deeper understanding of these words, which was brought out by Rabbi Menashe Reizman. We do not continue trying just because we can be saved at any moment. We continue trying because that is the job that Hashem requires us to do . We are all workers in Hashem's world. Giving up is a decision that is made by a boss, not a worker. Hashem gave every person the exact life that he needs to fulfill his mission here. That mission entails doing what is right in Hashem's eyes — regardless of whether it is successful or not. How the final product looks is also the boss's department, not the worker's. Imagine there's a large factory with hundreds of thousands of products being produced daily. And there are tens of thousands of workers, each having a small part in the creation of the product. One person bangs in a nail. Another adds a screw. One puts on the plastic wrapping. Another puts the price sticker. It should not matter at all to any of those workers what the final product looks like. That has nothing to do with their job. As long as they are doing what they are supposed to do, they are successful in their mission. We must internalize that we are all workers in Hashem's world, and we will be considered successful as long as we continue working. The final product is Hashem's business. If a shidduch happens — that is up to Hashem. But as far as we are concerned, we are supposed to continue trying and trying and trying again. Whether or not children will listen to their parents or be religious is Hashem's business. But as far as we are concerned, our job is to always be the parent that Hashem wants us to be. Hashem put each child exactly with the parent that He wants to raise that child. He chose the parent — with his personality, with his strengths and weaknesses — because that is the parent that the child needs in order to do his job. And the parents get the exact children that they need to do their job. It is very gratifying when we end up getting what we want or when we see the fruits of our labor. But that is just an added bonus. It is not the reason we continue trying. We do everything in this world for the Boss — and the Boss wants us to work, and never give up. Ein ye'ush ba'olam kelal.

This small and powerful booklet gives step-by-step instructions and perspectives on how to reach tangible levels of Emuna and Bitachon in our lives.Help make events like this happen!https://cash.app/$livingchassidushttp://Paypal.me/livingchassidushttps://livingchassidus.org/donate/Zelle: 205-937-9914https://www.venmo.com/u/LivingChassidus

In this emotional and eye-opening interview, we sit down with Shmuie Hartstein, the founder of B'Sefer Chaim, an urgent initiative born out of heartbreak and driven by love. After witnessing the repeated devastation of families who lost a parent without life insurance, Shmuel decided enough was enough. With raw honesty, he shares the story that led him to launch B'Sefer Chaim—an awareness campaign dedicated to ensuring that no Jewish family ever faces financial ruin in the wake of personal loss. This isn't about business. It's about responsibility. About protecting those we love. About building a future where dignity, security, and foresight replace panic, shame, and last-minute fundraisers.

In the beginning of this week's parasha , Pinchas, we read about the great rewards Pinchas received for doing the will of Hashem under very difficult circumstances. The Midrash at the end of parashat Balak asks how could it be that Moshe Rabbenu forgot the halacha of what was supposed to be done with Zimri and Kozbi? Thr Midrash answered, it was מן השמים, in order to give Pinchas the ability to get what Hashem wanted to give him. Although when we read the pesukim it seems like everything happened in the natural course of events, in actuality, it was Hashem pulling the strings. Now was Pinchas's time and if, in order for that to happen, the greatest Rabbi in history needed to forget a halacha , then that's what was going to happen. But it goes even further. Every person's tests and opportunities for growth have already been mapped out for them way before they were even born. Hashem knows what each person needs to fulfill his mission and He sets each person up with the tests that they need to accomplish that mission. The Vilna Gaon writes, Bilaam was being tested by Hashem to see if he would go to curse the Jews against His will. Hashem sent him many obstacles to give him help with that test and he failed each time. That story, as well, seemed very natural. The nation of Moav became afraid of the Jews after they conquered Sichon and Og, and so they hired someone who seemed capable of cursing them to remove the threat. Chazal tell us, one of the things Hashem created on the sixth day of Creation during bein hashemashot was the פי האתון – the mouth of the donkey who tried to dissuade Bilaam from continuing on. This means, already from the beginning of time, Hashem was preparing the tests that Bilaam needed to go through. Korach was tested when he didn't receive the position he wanted. His job was to say, "It's מן השמים ," and accept it. But instead, he made a revolt against Moshe and Aharon. There as well, everything seemed very natural, but Chazal tell us, the spot of the earth which swallowed up the eida of Korach was created already on bein hashemashot during the six days of Creation. At that time, when Hashem was creating the world, He was already preparing the necessary components for the test he was going to give Korach thousands of years later. Avraham Avinu's tenth test of Akedat Yitzchak , which we are still benefiting from today, did not just happen at that time. That ram that he slaughtered instead of Yitzchak was created during the six days of Creation. Already from then, Hashem was planning out every single nisayon that Avraham would need to go through. And the same is true of every single individual. Sometimes we find ourselves in situations we don't want to be in and we start trying to figure out how we got there. Our job is not to backtrack and see how we could have avoided it. Our job is to do what Hashem wants us to do in that very situation. Every circumstance we find ourselves in had been carefully planned out for us to achieve our purpose here. What may seem to be a bunch of natural happenings is nothing other than the yad Hashem. In life, we need to pass each test as it comes. We don't know how much is riding on each one of them. The next test could be what we need that will make us zocheh to the beracha that we have been seeking. Every one is necessary for us to pass and b'ezrat Hashem, if we do, then we will be fulfilling the purpose of our creation. Shabbat Shalom.

Parnassah is from Shamayim. The pasuk says, Birkat Hashem hee ta'ashir — it is the blessing of Hashem that gives a person his wealth. We are taught by the society around us that the more hours we work, the more money we'll make. But it's not true. Rather, the more blessing we have from Hashem, the more money we'll make. Yes, we have to make a reasonable hishtadlut, but we must never forget that our main purpose in this world is avodat Hashem , which includes learning Torah, praying with a minyan , doing mitzvot, doing chesed for others, and having enough time for our families. A person who knows his purpose will wake up early, go to shul to learn and pray, make an honest hishtadlut to earn parnassah, and then come home with joy, show his wife a happy face, sit with his children, and then go back out to learn more at night. The greatest way to get blessing from Hashem is to follow His will. A person can do a minimal hishtadlut and earn a lot, and another can do a lot of hishtadlut and earn a little. The parnassah does not depend on the hishtadlut. It depends only on Hashem. A man from Israel said he learns the entire morning in a kollel , and runs a small grocery store in the afternoon. With a lot of heavenly help, this is enough to support his family. During a nationwide shortage of milk, his store was suffering. People would ask if he had milk, worried about their own supply, but he never had enough. Another store owner told him that every morning he travels to a big supermarket in another neighborhood, buys a bunch of milk bags, and sells them at no profit in his store, just so that he has milk for his customers. Several other grocery store owners gave him the same advice. They said, if you want to keep your customers, you must have enough milk for them. He was thinking about following their advice, but that would mean he would miss most of his morning kollel . So he decided he didn't want to miss, but he would still make a hishtadlut. He called the dairy company to make an order. They didn't answer. But a few hours later, after their office was already closed, they called him back, saying they just got in a shipment of 50 bags of milk, and saw his number on the screen, and decided to give it to him. The next day, an even greater surprise occurred — the supplier, on his own initiative, delivered 150 more bags of milk to his store. His customers were extremely happy, and he didn't even have to miss one minute of learning. This is a blessing from Hashem. Another man told me he received a completely unexpected phone call recently on a Sunday, from a supplier in Brazil. They said his order was ready early, and if he wanted to pay for half of it up front, they would ship the goods the very next day. Although he didn't need the merchandise so early, for some reason, he decided to say yes. Three days later, there was an announcement that Brazil was going to be hit with a 50% tariff. This order was this man's biggest order he ever had. Now it is going to arrive before the tariff goes into effect. If it would have shipped at the time it was supposed to, it would have come after the tariff would start. Instead of making the most profit he ever made, he would have been stuck with merchandise that his customer would no longer want. In all of his years in business, his goods were never ready early, and he never got a phone call from a supplier on a Sunday. Hashem, who is in charge of his parnassah, said he would make money, and He pulled the strings to make this happen. The man also told me that a friend of his sells cheap sweatshirts with hoods — no different than the millions of others that are already out there in the market. But for some inexplicable reason, someone put his sweatshirt on a very popular platform, and all of a sudden, everyone wants his. There is no rhyme or reason. It is because Hashem decided to bless him, and that is how He did it. Our main job is avodat Hashem , and let us leave Hashem in charge of parnassah.

The pasuk in Kohelet says: " עֵת לָלֶדֶת וְעֵת לָמוּת " — "A time to be born, and a time to die." (Kohelet 3:2). The Midrash in Kohelet Rabbah teaches that from the moment a person is born, Hashem determines exactly how long that person will live. Every breath, every second, is measured. And it is considered a great merit for someone to live out every single moment of their allotted time in this world. We cannot begin to grasp the infinite value of just one second of life. Sometimes, patients who are suffering deeply may wish to pass on rather than continue living in pain, connected to machines. Their families, too, may struggle watching them suffer. These situations are deeply painful and emotionally charged—but they are also halachically complex, and a competent Rav must always be consulted. These are not decisions anyone should take into their own hands. Halachah teaches us that we desecrate Shabbat to extend the life of a patient even in a vegetable state, even if it's just for one more second. That is how precious life is in Hashem's eyes. Rabbi Aryeh Levin once visited a man who was suffering terribly in the hospital. The man asked the rabbi, "Why should I continue living like this? I can't pray, I can't learn. I'm just in pain." Rabbi Levin gently took his hand and answered, "Who knows? Perhaps one word of Shema said in pain is worth more than a lifetime of mitzvot done in comfort. Every breath you take now—with emunah—brings Hashem so much nachat." The man began to cry. From that moment on, he accepted each breath with emunah and gratitude. He passed away just a few days later—peaceful, uplifted, and surrounded by meaning. Chazal say: "Sha'ah achat shel teshuvah u'maasim tovim ba'olam hazeh yafeh mikol chayei ha'olam haba"—one hour of repentance and good deeds in this world is greater than all of the World to Come. In just one moment, a person can elevate himself spiritually forever. The Gemara in Avodah Zarah shares three separate stories of individuals who earned their entire portion in the World to Come in one moment of their life. When Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi heard them, he wept, recognizing the unimaginable power of even a single second. The Sifrei Kodesh teach that even one thought of teshuvah can have massive spiritual effects. Even a person on his deathbed, who cannot speak or move, can—through one pure thought, one yearning for Hashem—accomplish more than all the angels in Heaven combined. If all a person can do is breathe, that breath is a treasure beyond comprehension. As long as someone is breathing, Hashem wants him alive. His mission in this world is not yet complete. A man shared with me that his father, Eddie, recently passed away. He had told his children that if he reached the end of life, he didn't want to be kept alive artificially and in pain. But when the time came, his children called Chayim Aruchim, an organization that helps families navigate end-of-life issues according to halachah. They were given a personal Rav who was an expert in this field. He came down to the hospital and explained the halachic importance—and the spiritual benefit to Eddie and his family—of staying connected to the machine, even for a short time. The Rav monitored his condition every day for ten days, ensuring halachah was followed precisely. Eventually, the doctors said Eddie's final moments had come. His children gathered around his bed and watched their father take his last breaths. They were so grateful they had consulted daat Torah and allowed their father to live every moment Hashem had intended for him. And then, just as they left the hospital, a truck drove by with the word "Eddie's" written in big letters—something they had never seen before. To them, it felt like a wink from Hashem, a small smile from Above, affirming that they had done the right thing. Every second of life is a priceless gift. In one moment, a person can earn eternity. And sometimes, the last breath we breathe with emunah is something that brings the greatest glory to Hashem.

Where Does Tefila Fit In?

The chiddushim of Rav Aaron Leib Steinman on the topic of Shidduchim were recorded in the sefer Ke'ayal Ta'arog , compiled by his students. There, Rav Steinman is quoted as saying that in our times, when we are faced with decisions about Shidduchim, we often forget the most basic principle: Shiviti Hashem l'negdi tamid —I place Hashem before me always. The question should be, "What does Hashem want me to do in this situation?" Too often, a person focuses on what they will gain from a match, rather than what Hashem's will might be for them. And this, Rav Steinman said, is one of the central challenges people face today in Shidduchim. When people hear about a potential match, do they ask themselves, "What would Hashem want me to say?" Or do they worry, "What will others think?" Concerns arise: "Is the family on the same status level as mine?" "Do they have as much money?" "Have their other children married important people?" Rav Steinman explained that when someone thinks, "How can I say yes—what will others think if they see us together?" That is a sign of too much ga'ava —pride. And that, he taught, is part of what it means when Chazal say that Shidduchim are as difficult as Kriyat Yam Suf , the splitting of the sea. A person's middot can block them from finding their intended match. Rav Chaim Volozhiner also emphasized this point. He said that it is forbidden to have ga'ava when it comes to Shidduchim. The only question one should ask is whether the other person will be good for them based on their middot and their yirat Shamayim . There is nothing wrong with a boy marrying a girl older than him. There is nothing wrong with a wealthy family marrying into a family of lesser means. And there is certainly nothing wrong with a Jew from one background marrying a Jew from another background. A woman recently told me a story that illustrates this point. Her daughter became a kallah at the age of 29. For years, her family prayed, tried all sorts of kabbalot , and did everything they could to find her match. But year after year passed, and the process only became more difficult. One day, her mother had to deliver something to a home in another neighborhood. When she knocked on the door, a young man—around 30 years old—answered. He was kind, soft-spoken, and showed beautiful middot. The mother took note and, upon returning home, called a shadchan to inquire about him for her daughter. Everything sounded wonderful—except for one detail: he was Chassidish , while their family was Litvish . The cultural differences felt too wide, and so she declined the match. But word got back to the boy's family that someone had inquired about him. Curious, they looked into the girl and were very impressed. They asked their own shadchan to follow up and try to arrange a meeting. But again, the girl's mother declined. Later that year, the name came up once more. This time, the daughter said she was open to trying. They went out—and found that they were extremely compatible. Baruch Hashem , they got engaged. Yes, there will be differences. Where she comes from, men wear black hats. Her chatan is going to wear a shtreimel . Her community dresses in short jackets; he is going to wear a long bekeshe . There will be differences in dress, possibly in language, and even in food. But they share the same values and the same dedication to Torah and middot. Together, B'ezrat Hashem they will build a beautiful Jewish home. What other people say does not matter. Last names do not matter. The only thing that truly matters is: What does Hashem want us to do!

For a 10% discount on Rabbi David Ashear's new book LIVING EMUNAH VOL 8 click the link below https://www.artscroll.com/Books/9781422644645.html The Chafetz Chaim writes that in the entire narrative of Bilam attempting to curse the Jewish people, there are no paragraph breaks—no פ or ס —in the Torah. This is because the danger was so severe, the Torah did not want to pause until the threat had passed. Balak and Bilam stood on a mountaintop with the potential to cause immense destruction, and meanwhile, the Jewish people were completely unaware of the danger surrounding them. But Hashem, as always, the שומר ישראל , was watching over His nation. He did not allow any harm to come to us. From the words Hashem placed in the donkey's mouth, and later in Bilam's own mouth, we see what Hashem found so impressive about Am Yisrael. The donkey referred to the שלש רגלים , and Rashi explains that Hashem was saying to Bilam: this is a nation that travels three times a year to Yerushalayim for the שלש רגלים —you will not be able to harm them. The Jewish people would leave their homes and land open and vulnerable, trusting completely in Hashem's promise that no one would invade while they were away celebrating at the Beit HaMikdash. That kind of אמונה is a shield no curse can penetrate. Bilam then says: מי מנה עפר יעקב How many mitzvot do the Jewish people perform even with the simple dust of the earth? מה טובו אהליך יעקב משכנותיך ישראל How beautiful are our shuls and batei midrash, filled with Jews praying and learning. עם כלביא יקום We are a nation that rises like a lion in the morning to grab mitzvot(Tzitzit, Tefillin, and Shema) with passion and strength. We didn't even know the danger we were in, and therefore we couldn't pray to Hashem to save us. But Hashem, who loves us infinitely, provides us with constant opportunities to earn זכויות , which He uses to protect us exactly when we need them most. As Rabbi Chananya ben Akashya teaches: רצה הקדוש ברוך הוא לזכות את ישראל, לפיכך הרבה להם תורה ומצוות Hashem wanted to give us many merits, so He gave us many mitzvot. The pasuk says: לב מלך ביד ה׳ It is no coincidence that the recent war was named " עם כלביא יקום ." Those very words came from Hashem's mouth through Bilam and now once again through the Prime Minister. They describe a nation full of spiritual power, rising early to do mitzvot—and that is our true strength. Despite the immense danger we faced—those missiles had the potential to kill thousands—Hashem once again, the שומר ישראל , stood guard over His people. Since the horrors of October 7th, we have witnessed an awakening across Am Yisrael. So many people who didn't even know the words " שמע ישראל " are now full ba'alei emunah , looking to grow in Torah and mitzvot. This renewed devotion gives us tremendous זכות , and it makes Hashem so proud of His people. We've seen the downfall of our enemies this year. We know that we are in the end of days and we await the גאולה שלמה . But we are not there yet. We are still in galut, and we are still without the Beit HaMikdash. Now begins the period of בין המצרים , the three weeks between שבעה עשר בתמוז and תשעה באב . We pray that this year תשעה באב will be a day of joy and celebration, but there is still work to be done. The pasuk says: וישא בלעם את עיניו וירא את ישראל שוכן לשבטיו ותהי עליו רוח אלוקים Bilam wanted to recall the sins of the Jewish people, such as the חטא העגל , to bring about their destruction. But what he saw instead was unity—Israel dwelling peacefully, each tribe in its proper place—and that unity brought down the שכינה , causing Hashem to transform his curses into blessings. The Midrash teaches that even if we, Heaven forbid, engage in עבודה זרה , as long as there is peace among us, no harm will befall us. That is the power of unity. Now more than ever, it is incumbent upon us to repair divisions. This is the time of year to go above and beyond to make peace, to apologize, to be more tolerant, and to bring love and unity to Am Yisrael. May these days of mourning soon be transformed into days of rejoicing. אמן .

In this wide-ranging and deeply honest episode, Dovid Bashevkin unpacks one of the most pressing and overlooked issues in the Jewish world today: the fragmentation of the Orthodox community and the illusion of unity we like to project. With humor, vulnerability, and rare clarity, he explores why we're lonelier than ever despite packed shuls and buzzing WhatsApp groups, how labels like “Modern Orthodox” and “Yeshivish” have shifted from ideological statements to institutional shorthand, and what it would actually take to foster real achdus, not just feel-good unity, but the kind that demands humility, discomfort, and real work.   Dovid doesn't just point to problems; he calls for a fundamental shift in how we build community, raise children, and see ourselves in relation to other Jews. He challenges the frum world to stop outsourcing spiritual leadership to secular institutions and to reclaim the responsibility of engaging with the entire Jewish people, across lines of observance, geography, and history. This conversation dives deep into questions of identity, leadership, and personal responsibility, offering a sobering yet hopeful vision for what Jewish life could look like if we stopped waiting for the shofar and started living like redemption is already possible.   This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors: ►Blooms Kosher   Bring you the best Kosher products worldwide.   https://bloomskosher.com   ______________________________________   ► PZ Deals - Download the app and never pay full price again!     https://app.pz.deals/install/mpp _______________________________________   ► Colel Chabad Pushka App - The easiest way to give Tzedaka    https://pushka.cc/meaningful      _______________________________________   ► Toveedo     Visit- https://toveedo.com/   Use Promo Code MM10 for 10% off! _______________________________________   ► Lalechet     We're a team of kosher travel experts, here to carry you off to your dream destination swiftly, safely, and seamlessly in an experience you will forever cherish.    https://www.lalechet.com ___________________________________________   ►Rothenberg Law Firm   Personal Injury Law Firm For 50+ years!   Reach out Today for Free Case Evaluation   https://shorturl.at/JFKHH   ____________________________________ ► NRS Pay - Honest, clean credit card processing.   https://nrspay.com   _________________________________________ ► Town Appliance - Visit the website or message them on WhatsApp     https://www.townappliance.com     https://bit.ly/Townappliance_whatsapp ______________________________________   ► Faith It Till You Make It Join Rabbi Ari Bensoussan's course on Bitachon sponsored by Censible Marketing! Your guide to keeping your faith in today's complicated world! www.Meaningfulminute.org/censible    ____________________________________________________ ► Subscribe to our Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     https://apple.co/2WALuE2    https://spoti.fi/39bNGnO Or wherever Podcasts are available!     Editor: Sruly Saftlas

For a 10% discount on Rabbi David Ashear's new book LIVING EMUNAH VOL 8 click the link below https://www.artscroll.com/Books/9781422644645.html The pasuk says at the beginning of this week's parasha that Balak saw all that Yisrael did to the Emorim and he became afraid. Rav Moshe Sternbuch asked, why did Balak become afraid specifically from the Jew beating the Emorim ? They had done much greater things before this which should have caused Balak to become afraid of them, like obliterating the Mitzrim or Kriyat Yam Suf . The Rabbi quoted from the Kli Yakar who answered, what Yirsrael did to the Emorim is referring to a different episode, namely when Yaakov Avinu, whose name is also Yisrael, defeated the Emorim with his tefilot back in parashat Vayechi , before Yetziat Mitzrayim . Balak said to himself, if the Jews can take down an entire nation using their prayers, how are we going to stand up to them? This is why he hired Bilaam, who also had powers with his mouth. Later on in the parasha , when Bilaam blessed the Jewish People, he was in awe of how they wake up every morning like lions to grab mitzvot , putting on tallit and tefillin and reciting keriyat shema . These are our greatest treasures. The more we use the power of our mouths for good, the more blessing will come down from Hashem. Rabbi Elimelech Biderman related a story that a rabbi from New York told him. The rabbi said this past year around Hanukah time, he read an amazing story about an older boy who was having a lot of difficulty finding his zivug. Baruch Hashem, this year, that boy got engaged on Thursday night, the 11 th of Kislev. At his engagement, his younger ten year old brother showed him a piece of paper which had written on it, Today the 21 st of Cheshvan, year 5781, Saturday night, I, so and so, accept upon myself to say kriyat shema looking inside the siddur and having kavana in each word in the merit that my brother gets engaged by the 11 th of Kislev . And that's exactly what happened. He said shema every night the way he's supposed to and his brother got engaged on the 11 th of Kislev. The rabbi in New York got so excited after reading this story, he related it to his own family at the Shabbat table that week. He also had an older son not married and he also has a ten year old son. When his ten year old heard that story, he accepted upon himself on Rosh Chodesh Shevat the same kabbala . He wrote on a piece of paper, For 30 days, I will say kriyat shema al hamita from a siddur the right way in the zechut that my brother gets engaged. On the 30 th night, that young boy fell asleep without saying shema . The next morning, when he realized what happened, he started to cry. He told his father that he took on this kabbala and did it for 29 days in a row but then missed it last night. His father told him not to worry, it didn't hurt his kabbala . He said, "You accepted 30 days and you did 29 of them." The father then told his son to do the last day that night and it will still count. Amazingly, the very next day, on the 2 nd of Adar, 31 days from the time this boy made his kabbala , which was also the day he finished his 30 days, his brother got engaged. We have tremendous powers with our mouths. We can say kind words to others, we can read Tehillim , we can learn Torah, we can pray to Hashem. These are our strengths. This is what Balak feared, and this is what Bilaam knew was our secret. Let us utilize these precious gifts that Hashem gave us and do them all the right way.

Chanie Werzberger's life reads like a dramatic novel, but every moment is real. In this emotional and powerful interview, Chanie shares her incredible journey: from a childhood in Argentina torn apart by her parents' separation, to a secret escape with her father to America, her entrance into the Satmar Hasidic world, and the many painful transitions she endured as a young girl without her mother. We explore her resilience through being moved from home to home, her complicated but deep love for her father, her eventual reconnection with her estranged mother after 21 years, and the health battles she fought for her daughter, Simmy. From a child longing for love to a mother fighting for her child's life, Chanie's story is one of strength, transformation, and unshakable faith. This interview is a testament to the human spirit, the power of choice, and the miracles that can arise even in the darkest moments. You can purchase Chanie's book here: https://www.artscroll.com/Books/9781422644539.html?srsltid=AfmBOoqXqdSJfA1WItrXf2PlkJzo2qePOPGggv-SJQKX8Fc6GKd5UryP   This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors: ►Blooms Kosher Bring you the best Kosher products worldwide. https://bloomskosher.com ______________________________________ ► PZ Deals - Download the app and never pay full price again! https://app.pz.deals/install/mpp  _______________________________________ ► Colel Chabad Pushka App - The easiest way to give Tzedaka  https://pushka.cc/meaningful  _______________________________________ ► Say Kaddish -  the Ultimate Sign of Love and Respect For centuries, we have honored our parents and loved ones who have passed on by reciting Kaddish in their merit. Saying Kaddish serves as a great virtue and does wonders for the soul of the deceased. https://saykaddish.com/ _______________________________________ ►YIEP Now enrolling: The YIEP online Counseling Master's program is fully CACREP-accredited and designed for frum adults seeking a meaningful and flexible career in mental health.  Enrollment is now open for our Clinical Mental Health Counseling Master's cohort, beginning this August. The program is fully online, follows the Jewish calendar, has competitive pricing, and is designed to support working adults and busy families — so you can advance your career while balancing life. Learn more and apply now at https://theyiep.com/new/ — or call or WhatsApp me at 917-861-6707 with any questions. _______________________________________ ► Toveedo Visit- https://toveedo.com/ Use Promo Code MM10 for 10% off! _______________________________________ ► Lalechet     We're a team of kosher travel experts, here to carry you off to your dream destination swiftly, safely, and seamlessly in an experience you will forever cherish.  https://www.lalechet.com ___________________________________________ ►Rothenberg Law Firm Personal Injury Law Firm For 50+ years! Reach out Today for Free Case Evaluation https://shorturl.at/JFKHH ____________________________________ ► NRS Pay - Honest, clean credit card processing. https://nrspay.com __________________________________________________ ► Town Appliance - Visit the website or message them on WhatsApp   https://www.townappliance.com https://bit.ly/Townappliance_whatsapp  ______________________________________ ► Faith It Till You Make It Join Rabbi Ari Bensoussan's course on Bitachon sponsored by Censible Marketing! Your guide to keeping your faith in today's complicated world! www.Meaningfulminute.org/censible  ____________________________________________________ ► Subscribe to our Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.   https://apple.co/2WALuE2  https://spoti.fi/39bNGnO Or wherever Podcasts are available! Editor: Sruly Saftlas

Danielle Renov—best known as the creative force behind “Peas, Love & Carrots”—joins the Meaningful People Podcast not to share recipes, but to open up about something far more raw and real: living through war in Israel as a mother. In this emotionally charged episode, Danielle shares what life is like in Yerushalayim under missile fire, separated from her husband and holding down the home with extraordinary resilience. She opens up about fear, faith, and motherhood in a war zone—describing what it means to remain strong for her children while the world around her is shaking, quite literally. From her roots in the Five Towns to raising a family in Israel, Danielle speaks about the deeper spiritual mission of living in Eretz Yisrael, the complicated emotions surrounding Aliyah, and why she refuses to leave even in the most dangerous moments. This conversation is not just about war—it's about the strength of Jewish mothers, the reality of daily life in Israel, and the unshakable emunah that guides Danielle through it all. Hear how one of the Jewish world's most beloved influencers was navigating some of the most difficult days of her life—with raw honesty, deep faith, and surprising humor.   This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors: ►Blooms Kosher   Bring you the best Kosher products worldwide.   https://bloomskosher.com   ______________________________________ ► PZ Deals - Download the app and never pay full price again! https://app.pz.deals/install/mpp _______________________________________   ► Colel Chabad Pushka App - The easiest way to give Tzedaka    https://pushka.cc/meaningful    _______________________________________   ► Say Kaddish - the Ultimate Sign of Love and Respect   For centuries, we have honored our parents and loved ones who have passed on by reciting Kaddish in their merit. Saying Kaddish serves as a great virtue and does wonders for the soul of the deceased.   https://saykaddish.com/  _______________________________________   ► Toveedo Visit- https://toveedo.com/   Use Promo Code MM10 for 10% off! _______________________________________   ► Lalechet     We're a team of kosher travel experts, here to carry you off to your dream destination swiftly, safely, and seamlessly in an experience you will forever cherish.    https://www.lalechet.com ___________________________________________ ►Rothenberg Law Firm   Personal Injury Law Firm For 50+ years!   Reach out Today for Free Case Evaluation   https://shorturl.at/JFKHH   ____________________________________ ► Growtha - We get you more leads.   https://growtha.com __________________________________________________ ► NRS Pay - Honest, clean credit card processing.   https://nrspay.com   __________________________________________________ ► Town Appliance - Visit the website or message them on WhatsApp     https://www.townappliance.com     https://bit.ly/Townappliance_whatsapp ______________________________________   ► Faith It Till You Make It Join Rabbi Ari Bensoussan's course on Bitachon sponsored by Censible Marketing! Your guide to keeping your faith in today's complicated world! www.Meaningfulminute.org/censible    ____________________________________________________ ► Subscribe to our Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.     https://apple.co/2WALuE2    https://spoti.fi/39bNGnO Or wherever Podcasts are available! Editor: Sruly Saftlas