Parshat Va’eirah, 5778 Emunah- the challenge Emunah, a natural and deep awareness of Hashem, has not always come easily to me. Yes, I have always believed in Hashem, but Emunah is so much more than a “belief.” I have always known Hashem, but Emunah is more than cognitive, mind-based knowledge. Emunah is even more than the intuitive knowledge that you know in your heart. Emunah as defined by the Chazon Ish[1], is a unique form knowledge that resides at the deepest levels of your soul.  It is this deep soul-level Emunah that I have spent a lifetime building...

G-d doesn't do miracles to impress or convince us, He performs miracles to communicate with us, and through this communication He sparks our emunah and keeps it glowing. The Conversation Emunah (faith), a property embedded deep in every Jewish soul, does not spontaneously ignite; it needs to be triggered. Conversation with G-d is what triggers faith. When we converse with friends we feel connected to them and we do not need proofs that our connection is real. In just the same way when we are in conversation with G-d we do not need proofs either, we are in a trueem..

  Trust and trustworthiness                                                               Trust depends on more than the trustworthiness of the other. Trust also depends on our own openness to trusting. For, although being trustworthy is a virtue; trusting is an art. Benei Ysra..