Blind Faith

From time to time, people are always asking questions about life, what we call in Hebrew kushiot, or in Yiddish kashas, questions about things they don’t understand.

 

“Why don’t I succeed?” “Why doesn’t anything go my way?” “Why do I have this problematic spouse/child/boss (fill in the blank)?” “Why the delay in finding my soulmate?” “Why are things so hard?”

 

You get the picture – questions; a life full of questions.

 

What do we do when we have questions like that? Rebbe Nachman says that we must strengthen our emuna. That’s why emuna is called “blind faith”; that’s not a derogatory phrase of non-believers – it’s from the Zohar, as we’ll soon see.

 

Why blind faith?

 

Emuna has no logic. Emuna must precede intellect. Emuna overrides both intellect and logic. First of all, believe. That’s what Hashem wants and it’s all for the good.

 

First believe. Without understanding a single thing. What mortal is so presumptuous or arrogant to think that he can understand the Almighty? If you want to understand, you can’t – as a human with a limited human intellect, you’re simply incapable of understanding Hashem.

 

In each human’s personal life, there are times when things suddenly go askew. Today, everything is smooth and in order, yet tomorrow, things turn upside down. Tranquility becomes chaos all of a sudden, and…

 

As long as a person has questions such as, “Why is this happening to me?” he’s not yet plugged into the emuna mode.

 

Do you have questions? Then you should know, says Rebbe Nachman, that you must strengthen your emuna. You can’t understand on an intellectual level. Therefore, you must believe that this is what Hashem wants and it’s all good.

 

The Zohar calls emuna, “A beautiful young girl who is blind.” She has no eyes. “Blind faith” is therefore how the Zohar describes emuna, not intellect. If you want to believe, then go ahead and believe. If you want to understand, then you can’t believe. Why?

 

He who wants to understand, wants the eyes to see. The phrase, “I see” also means, “I understand”. If you want to see, you won’t be able to believe. Why? You can’t see emuna. You can’t see, but you sure can believe.

 

Let’s go a step further. Because you believe that the Creator is totally good and everything the Creator does is totally good, you are now in the emuna mode. Logic, intellect and nature are no longer obstacles in your way because you have risen above them by connecting to Hashem through emuna.

 

You don’t understand what the Creator is doing? That is not a problem. No one can.

 

The Creator isn’t angry that you don’t understand Him. But if you don’t believe in Him, that’s a problem. We must all internalize this point: know that in life, one cannot understand what’s happening to him, even when times are good.

 

And then there are times when all of a sudden, a person gets hit with a test and has to suffer. Now he has questions about why this happened. “Maybe I messed up, maybe I sinned, maybe…”

 

It doesn’t matter what kind of questions he has; they’re all confusions. Throw them aside and hold on to emuna! Hold on to emuna!

 

Everyone who comes to me and tells me their troubles seem to be justifying the fact that they have troubles. It’s as if they’re asking me for a certificate. How should we call it? A diploma that they are indeed right…

 

You want to be right?

 

No problem – you’re right! I’ll give you your diploma – your justification for depression, misery, and continued whining. But your troubles won’t end. They’ll only continue to grow bigger and bigger and bigger.

 

Would you prefer that Hashem is right instead of you being right? Then start saying thank You to Him. Rebbe Natan says that gratitude nullifies all troubles, for sure.

 

So really, it’s easy to understand why the whole matter of gratitude and praise to Hashem is so effective in evoking salvations.

 

No gate can be locked. Why? No angel nor anyone else is allowed to close, obstruct or interfere when a person praises Hashem, for this would be preventing gratification from Hashem.

 

If you ask for things, fine. But, if you don’t deserve what you request, chances are that your request won’t be heard. If the accusing angels – the mekatregim – find that you’re not worthy, they can obstruct your request.

 

However, if you come to express gratitude? You’ve come to praise Hashem? No angel who can obstruct your expressions of gratitude and praise. None! That’s the power of emuna, the beautiful blind young maiden.