In the teachings of Rebbe Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the Ba'al Hatanya, the concept of emuna—faith—is not just a passive belief, but an active, all-encompassing awareness that shapes a person’s entire outlook on life. In Sha’ar HaYichud V’emuna (the Gate of Unity and Faith), Rebbe Schneur Zalman lays out the foundational idea that HaShem’s Divine Providence is not only all-encompassing, but it is also the very essence of creation itself. Without HaShem’s constant will and sustenance, nothing—absolutely nothing—could exist for even a split second.
Let’s unpack this profound idea and explore how it can transform the way we approach life.
Total Emuna in Divine Providence
The Ba'al Hatanya teaches that HaShem isn’t just a distant creator who set the universe in motion and left it to run on autopilot. Instead, HaShem is deeply involved in every detail of creation, sustaining it at every moment. Everything that exists, from the smallest particle to the largest galaxy, exists only because HaShem is continually willing it to be.
If HaShem were to withdraw His sustenance for even the blink of an eye, the entire universe would cease to exist. We’re not talking about a slow unraveling of reality; we’re talking about instant oblivion. All would return to a state of ayin—nothingness.
This is a heavy thought! But it’s not meant to be overwhelming; it’s meant to be empowering. Because when you internalize that HaShem is not just aware of every detail of your life but actively sustaining your very being, you begin to realize how deeply connected you are to the Divine. And this connection forms the basis of emuna—a trust so strong that you can lean on HaShem completely.
Leaning on HaShem Entirely
Once a person becomes aware of HaShem’s constant involvement in creation, their reliance on anything outside of HaShem becomes secondary. This is what the Ba'al Hatanya refers to as bitachon, or trust, which grows out of total emuna in Divine Providence. You don’t just believe that HaShem is running the world—you know it deeply, in your bones.
This kind of trust allows a person to lean entirely on HaShem, knowing that no matter what happens in life, whether it's joyful or challenging, it is part of a divine plan. It’s the ultimate stress-buster. You start to realize that if HaShem is sustaining every detail of the universe, He’s got you covered too. You don’t need to worry about things beyond your control, because HaShem is literally controlling everything.
This doesn’t mean you stop putting in effort; quite the opposite. It means that you invest your energy knowing that the outcome is in HaShem’s hands. You lean on Him, not out of passivity, but out of deep faith that He is guiding everything according to His wisdom.
Emuna as the Foundation of Inner Peace
When a person has emuna on the level described by the Ba’al Hatanya, they experience a deep sense of inner peace. Why? Because fear, anxiety, and worry all stem from a feeling of lack of control. But if you trust that HaShem is in control of every single detail, what’s there to worry about? Everything is exactly as it’s meant to be, even when we don’t understand it.
This kind of peace doesn’t come from avoiding life’s challenges—it comes from facing them with the awareness that HaShem is sustaining you through them. When you hit a roadblock, you can remind yourself that even this difficulty is being guided by HaShem. You’re never truly alone or abandoned, because HaShem is always with you, sustaining your very existence.
Spiritual Awareness: The Key to Tranquility
The Ba'al Hatanya explains that this level of spiritual awareness is something every person can attain. It’s not reserved for the holiest or most pious individuals—it’s a truth that every Jew has access to. The more a person develops their emuna in HaShem’s active role in the world, the more they will naturally lean on Him and experience tranquility of the soul.
As the Tanya teaches, the degree of peace and trust we feel is directly proportional to the amount of emuna we have in HaShem’s ongoing involvement in our lives. The more we recognize that every aspect of creation is being sustained by HaShem, the more our trust in Him will grow, and the more inner peace we will feel.
The Mathematical-Spiritual Equation: Bitachon vs. Fear
To put it in simple terms: the more your bitachon exceeds your fear, the greater your tranquility of the soul. The more fear exceeds your bitachon, the greater your emotional turmoil.
This is a spiritual equation that applies to everyone. If we let fear take the lead, it disrupts our peace. But when we bolster our bitachon by strengthening our emuna in HaShem’s providence, we experience a calm that comes from knowing that everything is exactly as it should be.
The Ba'al Hatanya’s teachings remind us that our emuna isn’t just about believing in HaShem—it’s about knowing, with absolute certainty, that He is sustaining every moment of our lives. When we live with this awareness, we can lean on HaShem entirely, trusting that He is guiding us through both the ups and downs. This trust doesn’t remove life’s challenges, but it does give us the strength and peace to face them with confidence, knowing that HaShem is by our side, sustaining us every step of the way.
So, as you go through your day, remind yourself of this truth: every breath, every moment, every challenge is sustained by HaShem. And with that awareness, you can face the world with the kind of tranquility that only comes from total trust in the One who sustains all of creation.
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