The Power of Faith

From the Preface

Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. (Tehillim 81:11)

In this verse, Hashem promises every Jew that He will completely fulfill every request he makes of Him.

But how should we ask? Why aren't all requests fulfilled? Can it really be that all appeals to Hashem will be realized?

In His infinite kindness, Hashem actually does fulfill every supplication made to Him by every Jew. The possibility of asking is granted not only to the elite or to hidden tzaddikim, but to everyone.

Since there is a danger of misusing this limitless power, however, Hashem established certain principles that need to be followed when making requests; only then can they be fulfilled. These principles aren't secrets taken from some hidden volume; they are open and revealed to all.

With Hashem's help, I have attempted to concentrate in this work the open secrets that will help us realize our desires, large and small, by means of some simple, easy-to-understand principles.

The power of emunah (faith) is great, amazing. We can acquire the ability to make use of this wondrous power. If we live a life of pure emunah and if we try to understand and internalize the basic principles by which the world is run (as will be explained further), we will suddenly see that everything we experience has deep significance and is taking place under Hashem's guiding Hand. Then the formula will be revealed to us for realizing our dreams in actuality.

The concentration of these fundamental tenets and principles, along with the true stories cited, will enable us to see more clearly things that we have long known. With Hashem's help, if we apply the concepts presented here, we will surely be helped to realize our heart's desires for the best.

The opening of the book

A Personal Example from our Break-In

Tammuz 5, 5768. 3 a.m. A burglar alarm went off in our home. I shot out of bed and raced to the living room, but the burglars were already gone. They had managed to steal several things, among them my wife's purse with the keys to our house and car.

The next day, I immediately began changing the locks. The car's locks were not a simple matter; besides the ignition key, the locks to the car's doors and the baggage compartment had to be changed. "It will take a few hours," I was told. I decided to wait.

As always, I turned to Hashem and said, "Ribbono shel Olam, You know that I have many more important things to do than changing the car's locks. Please show me why You sent me here."

It was almost noon. I entered a nearby restaurant and ordered a schnitzel. The owner said it would take a half hour before she finished straightening up and could start preparing it. "I have time," I said, and took out a Noam Elimelech to study while I waited.

Moments later, a man in his early thirties walked in, looking very depressed. He began unburdening his troubles to the owner, whom he apparently knew, and she tried to encourage him. I couldn't help overhearing. Suddenly, the young man turned to me and asked, "And what's your opinion?"

We launched into a long discussion about his situation, and our discussion continued as we ate. Together, we analyzed his situation, and examined each complex aspect about which he was in conflict. I didn't feel I was saying anything particularly original, but when I got up to pay, he said, "Thank you very, very much. When I came here, I felt absolutely hopeless. But after talking to you, everything looks much simpler and not so complicated. You really saved my life."

To help this Jewish man in despair, I would have invited those burglars to break into our house again! It's amazing how Hashem brings together the right people at the right time and place, giving each the chance to play his role in the scheme of life.

From the chapter on accepting suffering with love