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The following is a selection from RSRH's commentary on Bereishis
15<br><br>
<font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=4><b>6
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><i>He had put all his trust
in
</i></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>God</font>
<font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><i>, and He counted this to him as
an act of righteousness.<br><br>
</b></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>Emunah </i>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>is the essence of Judaism;
but to define </font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><i>Emunah</i>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>as “belief ” is to<br>
empty the term of its true content. Belief is an act of the mind,
sometimes<br>
only an opinion. Every believer thinks his beliefs are true, based<br>
on the reasoning and assurances of someone else. Nowadays, religion<br>
is identified with belief, and belief is thought to be the essence of
religion.<br>
A religious person
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><i>believes
</i></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>in principles that cannot
be grasped<br>
by the intellect. Thus, religion has been divorced from life and
converted<br>
into a catechism of doctrines, a system of faith-slogans, required
for<br>
admission to the hereafter.<br><br>
Rather, <i>V'he'ehmin ba Hashem </i>means: to rely upon God,<br>
in theory and in practice; to take strength in Him and to follow
Him.<br><br>
Thus, <i>V'he'ehmin ba
Hashem</i></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>means to put one’s trust in
God; to be in God’s hand<br>
like clay in the potter’s hand. A
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><i>mymin </i>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>casts his burden on God; God
is<br>
his Fashioner and Educator, Supporter and Guide. In short, a
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><i>mymin<br>
</i></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>entrusts himself entirely
to God.<br><br>
Now here it says of Avraham: <i>V'he'ehmin b'a Hashem</i>. He had
entrusted himself<br>
completely and unconditionally to God’s direct guidance. God “led
him<br>
outside”; He raised him above the earthly reality of a natural world<br>
bound by causality, and showed him a concrete reality that emerged<br>
directly from the Will of God. And God said to him: “So shall your<br>
seed be.” Israel’s creation and existence will depend directly on God
—<br>
without any premises and even against all natural calculations.
<i>V'he'ehmin ba Hashem</i>: <br>
Just as his descendants will depend on God alone, so did Avraham<br>
precede them with this
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><i>Emunah</i>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>and illuminate the way for
them.<br>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
Yitzchok Levine</font></body>
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