Strengthening Emuna Every Day
In Parshas Shemos, the enslavement of the Jewish People begins, and for 210 years they suffer horrific cruelty at the hands of the Egyptians.
The Sages ask (Nedarim 32a): What caused Klal Yisrael to suffer such terrifying punishments, over so many years? Among the answers is that of the Amora, Shmuel, who explains: This was because when Hashem promised Avraham Avinu Eretz Yisrael, he asked: “How will I know [that I will receive this land]?” (Bereishis 15:8)
This is very hard to understand. Why would Hashem bring such suffering upon an entire nation for over 200 years because of a few words their forefather said?
Rav Aharon Kotler answers that when Avraham asked “how will I know,” this revealed a slight lack of emuna that Hashem would fulfill His promise, and when a forefather has even the slightest lack of emuna, that lack becomes greater and greater among his descendants. Therefore, Hashem brought such an enslavement upon Klal Yisrael, as a way to correct the lack of emuna that began with Avraham’s Avinu’s question.
How did the Egyptian enslavement correct this lack of emuna?
Rav Kotler explains: The Jews knew that in human terms, they had no way out. No slave had ever escaped from Egypt (Yalkut Shimoni Shemos 18). They were utterly dependent on Hashem and they felt it, and this inspired them to turn to Him in intense prayer. Each prayer built up the nation’s emuna, and when they saw that He saved them, their emuna was complete.
If Hashem would have let the Bnei Yisrael dwell in Egypt without the enslavement, even if He would later have brought the Ten Plagues upon the Egyptians, simply witnessing the plagues would not have brought the Jews to a high level of emuna. Just like the gentile nations “saw [Hashem’s great power] and were confounded…and trembled” (Shemos 15:15), but did not develop emuna in any lasting way, the same could have happened to the Jews. Only, over the past two centuries of enslavement, the Jews had been learning that they were entirely dependent on Hashem and had been crying out to him. When they witnessed the Ten Plagues, they knew and felt intensely that Hashem was with them.
With Rav Kotler’s explanation of Shmuel’s answer, we can address yet another question:
If someone takes hold of a man and puts him into jail, and then some time later takes him out of jail, is the victim expected to praise him for setting him free? Of course not! If so, why do we praise Hashem for redeeming us from slavery? He was the One who made us slaves in the first place?
Rav Kotler’s explanation enables us to understand: We needed both the enslavement and the redemption. Only the combination of these two brought us to emuna. Therefore, we thank Hashem for having redeemed us from slavery in a way that we could recognize that He was our redeemer, and that we were His people! And once we praise Him for the redemption, we can even begin praising Him for the actual enslavement, as only through that slow and terribly painful process were we able to develop our emuna.
Hashem Himself testifies at the Burning Bush that emuna which is built through undergoing hardships and praying to Him has tremendous power. There, Moshe asked Hashem: “When I come to Klal Yisrael and say that Hashem sent me to redeem you, they will ask: ‘What is His Name?’ What will I answer them?”
Hashem’s response was: “I will be what I will be” (Shemos 3:13-14).
The Ramban explains that Moshe Rabbeinu asked: The Jews will ask me for a clear proof that Hashem truly oversees all the goings-on of the world. How will I prove this to them?
Hashem’s answer was: “Just as right now, the Jews are suffering and crying out to Me and I will answer them; so too, in the future, when Klal Yisrael will have troubles and cry out to Me, I will answer them. From now on and for all generations, this will be the greatest proof that I am with My people and overseeing all that transpires in the world.”
Each Jew on his own can also strengthen his emuna by turning to Hashem in times of trouble and feeling his utter dependence on Him. The Kusari states that just as a person eats three meals a day so his body can function properly, so too a Jew needs three tefillos every day so that his emuna can function properly. Rav Yechezkel Levinstein would explain the Kusari as saying that each tefilla is an opportunity to strengthen our emuna. Whatever it is we are praying about, Hashem knows already. He doesn’t need us to inform him of our problems. Rather, tefilla is our opportunity to recognize that we are dependent on Hashem entirely in dealing with our problems. As we pray, we should try to develop a palpable feeling that Hashem is with us.
The Chazon Ish would note that even though we daven three tefillos every day, little things come up in between these tefillos that need our attention. For each and every need that comes up, we should add a brief tefilla in our own words. Learning to turn to Hashem for every need will help strengthen our emuna. For example, if you need to take the bus home and are afraid you will not get to the bus stop on time, pray to Hashem that you reach the bus stop on time ” (see Igros 3:23).
The Chazon Ish once told his talmid, Rav Elazar Turchin: “When we see, tragically, that a frum Jew abandons Torah and mitzvos, this is not something that occurred overnight. Much earlier, this person really had emuna, only he did not take steps to strengthen it. His emuna therefore became weaker and weaker, until he met up with a nisayon that he was not strong enough to pass. In order that this shouldn’t happen, a person has to strengthen his emuna every day.”
Rav Turchin asked how one could strengthen his emuna.
“How? Let’s say a person needs new shoes. He should turn to Hashem and pray: ‘Hashem, I need new shoes. Please help me find shoes that will fit me properly and that I will be able to use to serve You better. Any time you need something, turn to Hashem. This will strengthen your emuna.”
May we cry out to Hashem and feel that He is with us!