28.12.06

emunah is anything but blind

אמונה - this is the basic superlogical belief in God. That HaShem exists and that He is intimately related in your every experience. That He has limitless control over your immediate circumstances. That He cares what you think and feel and want. That He hears your cries. That He hears your prayers. That, if you have no conscious relationship with Him, it's not for lack of His desire for you to have one with Him.

In judaism there are basic tenets of emunah. (loosely translated as faith) The Rambam numbered them thirteen. Another perspective, Habakuk, had only one: צדיק באמונתו יחיה - a tzaddik will live through his emunah. (the Baal HaTanya mentions this amongst others)

The basic Chassidic understanding of this passuk is this: People's lives are perpetually growing through periods of growth preceded by periods of challenge. When HaShem challenges you, you suffer a spiritual fall, associated with death. (moving to a lower spiritual state is akin to dying) If you hold onto your emunah in HaShem, you overcome the challenge and are not only restored to your previous state, (you are brought back to life) but to an even higher state than before.

Thus, literally, a tzaddik, who is challenged by falling into a state of 'death', by clinging to his emunah will return to a state of 'life'.

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