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Duties of the Heart
Biblical Faith – with Shmuel “Sam” Peak
Emunah channel is here. For Info www.torahfaith.org
One way of refuting someone with an attitude of doubting his Creator is by saying to them: “You, who doubt the Creator’s power to determine, and do not believe in His great might, [you] whose light of intellect has been dimmed, whose lamp of understanding has been put out, overcome by the darkness of your desire of your distress: it would be correct on your part to demand and take a pledge from your friend and equal, who has no authority over you and whose command does not obligate you. It would not, however, be correct for a hired worker to insist on receiving from its employer a security for his salary, before he has even started working for him. Certainly a servant should not insist on receiving from his master a security for his maintenance before beginning to serve him; still less should a creature demand a pledge from his Creator, before beginning to serve Him.”
In memory of John Culver
Program Link – Read the Torah w/Shmuel – Contact – Emunah Channel
Biblical Faith – with Shmuel “Sam” Peak
Emunah channel is here. For Info www.torahfaith.org
1) One who trusts in G-d accepts His judgment under all conditions, and thanks Him for good as well as for bad, as Iyov (Job) said: “G-d has given and G-d has taken; blessed be the Name of G-d (Iyov 1:21), and it is written: Of grace and judgment I will sing” (Tehillim 101:1).
2) One who trust in G-d — his soul is at rest and his heart is at ease in the face of decrees, because he knows that the Creator will direct them for his good in the world and hereafter, as David, peace be upon him, said: “My soul, wait quietly for G-d, for my hope comes from Him” (Tehillim 62:6).
3) Even if one who trusts in G-d employs the means to a livelihood, he does not, in his heart, rely on those means, nor does he expect that profit or loss will accure to him unless that is G-d’s Will.
4) One who trust in G-d, if he has anything beyond what he needs for his maintenance, spends it on what please the Creator, with a generous soul and a cheerful heart, as it is written: “For all is from You, and from Your hand have we given to You” (Devarim Ha-Yamim 1, 29:14).
5) One who trusts in G-d occupies himself with worldly means in order to provide for his latter end, his final destination. Only when he is sure that a certain occupation is safe for all his religious and secular interests will he engage in it.
6) One who trusts in G-d is beloved to all classes of people. They feel favorably toward him, because they are sure that he will not do them harm. They are confident that he will not angry with them, and they harbor no fear of him in respect to their wives, or their money.
Dedicated to John Culver and Audrey Heard
Program Link – Read the Torah w/Shmuel – Contact – Emunah Channel
Biblical Faith – with Shmuel “Sam” Peak
Emunah channel is here. For Info www.torahfaith.org
Trusting in HaShem — in regard to what he promised the righteous concerning reward in this world and the next for their devotion, that he will grant it to those who deserve it, and also punish those who deserve it — is incumbent upon the believer. Trusting in HaShem in this matter is essential to perfect faith in HaShem, as it is written: “He believed in HaShem, and He counted it to him as righteousness” (Bereishit 15:6); “Had I not trusted that I would behold the goodness of HaShem in the land of life…” (Tehillim 27:13).
A person should not rely on his good conduct and confidently assure himself that he will be rewarded for it, here and hereafter. Rather, he should be active and vigorous in showing gratitude for the Creator’s favors continually bestowed upon him, but not out of hope for future reward that will be due him for his actions. In this regard he should trust in HaShem, after doing his best to repay the debt of gratitude he owes Creator for His great kindness toward him. As our Masters, of blessed memory, said: “Be not like servants who serve the master on condition of receiving a reward, but be like servants who serve the master not on condition of receiving a reward; and let the fear of Heaven be upon you” (Avot 1:3).
Dedicated to Kevin W Bruce
Program Link – Read the Torah w/Shmuel – Contact – Emunah Channel
Biblical Faith – with Shmuel “Sam” Peak
Emunah channel is here. For Info www.torahfaith.org
When a father wants to teach his young son wisdom, which [ultimately] will enable him to ascend to the higher levels but which he cannot presently understand, if he tries induce the child to learn by saying to him, “Endure the strain of discipline and instruction, so that through them you may ascend esteemed levels,” the child will be unable to bear it and will not listen to him, because he does not understand it.
But if the father promises him things that bring him immediate pleasure — such as food and drink, attractive clothing, a nice wagon, and the like — and threatens him with immediate discomfort — such as hunger, nakedness, spankings, tangible arguments, and clear and truthful evidence, it will be easier for him to endure the strain of discipline and bear with its difficulty. When he reaches adolescence and his mind has matured, he will understand the intended goal of his training and direct himself toward it, while the pleasures for which he had been so eager at the beginning of his way will appear unimportant to him. Such an upbringing proves to be a great kindness toward him.
Dedicated to Kevin W Bruce
Program Link – Read the Torah w/Shmuel – Contact – Emunah Channel
Biblical Faith – with Shmuel “Sam” Peak
Emunah channel is here. For Info www.torahfaith.org
Human actions that constitute either service of HaShem or transgression can take place only if three factors are present: 1) choice by the heart and mind; 2) intent and resolve to do what one has chosen; 3) the effort to complete the intended act with one’s limbs and bring it into actuality.
In regard to what is not hidden [or removed] from us, such as the choice of service or transgression, and what one has chosen, relying on HaShem in these would be erroneous and foolish; for the Creator, may He be exalted, has left to us the choice of serving Him of rebellion against Him, as it is written: “Choose life” (Devarim 30:19). But the carrying out of the intended act of service or transgression He did not leave to us, but made it dependent on external means that are sometimes present and at other times unavailable.
Dedicated to Forrest Walker
Program Link – Read the Torah w/Shmuel – Contact – Emunah Channel
Biblical Faith – with Shmuel “Sam” Peak
Emunah channel is here. For Info www.torahfaith.org
When one is a stranger, they should, whenever they feel lonely, find companionship is HaShem and, in their condition as a stranger, place their trust in Him. They should bear in mind that the soul is also a stranger in this world, and the inhabitants of the earth are like strangers on it, as it says in Scriptures: “For to Me you are strangers and temporary residents” (VaYikra 25:23). They should think of how anyone who has relatives will, in a short while, be left a solitary stranger; neither relative nor child will help them, not one of them will accompany them.
They should also consider that they are freed from the heavy burden of supporting relatives and fulfilling obligations toward them, and regard this as one of the blessings the Creator has bestowed upon them. For if they are busy with secular interests and providing for their own material needs, their labors are lighter without wife or child, and their absence means rest for one self and beneficial to them. And if one is concerned about their latter end, their mind is undoubtedly clearer and freer when one is in a state of solitude.
Dedicated to Forrest Walker
Program Link – Read the Torah w/Shmuel – Contact – Emunah Channel
Biblical Faith – with Shmuel “Sam” Peak
Emunah channel is here. For Info www.torahfaith.org
There are types of people who make the effort of acquiring wealth only for the love of honor and to make a name for themselves, so that no matter how much they have, it is not enough for them. This is due to their ignorance of what will bring [real] honor in this world and the next. It is occasioned by their observing the deference paid to the wealthy by the common people, who honor them only because they crave what they have and desire to attain what is in their possession.
One finds, among those who seek wealth, that one person attains all that he desires o it through the means we have mentioned and another attains it through inheritance and the like, and each thinks that it is the means that made him acquire it, that without the means he would not have attained it. [Hence] he exalts the means, and not the Cause.
Dedicated to the Kiddushin (Betrothal) Wade and Whitney Green
Program Link – Read the Torah w/Shmuel – Contact – Emunah Channel