An Unbeliever asks the Believer a question, a difficulty on his faith. Says the Believer: I don’t know the answer to your difficulty. But this doesn’t worry me in the least. Because I believe, in any case. You think that you defeated me, that you asked a question that I couldn’t answer. But you only defeated yourself. Because to you, who hasn’t faith, only you are thrown when someone asks you a difficulty that you don’t know how to answer; because you are afraid of people, and your whole self-esteem is weak and built upon that you think that people hold by you. But I am not afraid of people, and don’t care what they think of me. Because I believe in Hashem Yisborach. And I only worry about what He thinks of me. But you have only yourself.
Therefore you think that you have to know everything. And if you don’t know a certain matter you think perhaps it is not true. There is no foolishness like this. For it is impossible to know everything. But it is possible to live with awesomely strong faith. To believe in truth. That truth exists. That The Holy One Blessed is He is true and His Torah is true. And that there are truly righteous individuals who teach Torah of truth and G-dliness to the world. And if I don’t know all the truth, in any case, I believe there is truth. And that I don’t know a certain matter, this only demonstrates that this matter is above my understanding. Should I worry because there are matters above my understanding? From where comes the idea that I should worry if I don’t know how settle a certain difficulty? Because there are certain difficulties that are impossible for Flesh and Blood to answer them in this world. Thus I have received from my Holy Teachers, and thus I believe. And even if I am asked a question not of this kind, rather a difficulty that I should be able to answer; in any case I shouldn’t worry or doubt my faith because of this. The understanding will come, G-d willing, all that I’ll need. It will come because of the strength of my Emunah, that I believe in the truth.
But someone who falls because he is bombarded with difficulties—mercy upon him. There is no choice and no other way except to strengthen oneself in Emunah continually. Because Emunah is the life of the soul like blood is the life of the body. It is totally impossible to live without it. But one who is weak in the fundamental principles of Emunah and doesn’t strive with all his power to strengthen himself, there is no fool like this. Because he uproots himself from two worlds. I am unsure, perhaps it is forbidden to have mercy on such an individual. Because there is no barrier and no excuse for not acquiring Emunah. For since it is so necessary to life, therefore The Holy One Blessed is He made it available everywhere. One who desires—acquires it. Only one who desires.
featured image:
תנו רבנן: רבי פנחס בן יאיר אומר: משחרב בהמ”ק
(תלמוד בבלי מסכת סוטה מ”ט.:)
The Sages taught: Rabbi Pinchas Ben Yair said: From when the Holy Temple was destroyed….
(Talmud Bavli, Tractate Sotah 49a,b)
Oil on canvas
ציור שמן על קנבס
תש”ע
120 cm. x 90 cm.