Q&A

Question 1

Is it preferable to limit our exposure to distressing information — such as avoiding frequent news consumption — in order to prevent the natural build-up of fear? Or is it better to fully engage with the realities, allow ourselves to feel the concern, and then work through it by strengthening our bitachon to overcome the fear?

Question 2

How are we meant to understand and relate to statements and accounts in the Gemara and earlier generations that feel so far beyond our own level?

Question 3

Is taking pleasure in Hashem’s world actually a mitzvah?

Question 4

How are we meant to understand the Gemara’s teaching that anxiety can at times be considered a sin? And how does that relate to something like regularly watching the news — does staying informed align with that teaching, or can it contribute to the very concern Chazal caution against?

Question 5

How are we to understand the idea that Hashem created the world in order to fulfill His “desire to give”? How can we speak of Hashem as having desires at all — if He is absolute perfection and complete in every way, what does it mean to attribute any form of want or need to Him?

Question 6

If a person is going through suffering, are they required to assume it is a punishment for something they did? And more generally, do we believe that reward for mitzvos is given in this world as well, or is it reserved entirely for Olam Haba?

Question 7

What is the proper emunah perspective on physical abuse, poverty and other forms of suffering in this world?

Question 8

Why do people experience so much suffering in this world? And is it appropriate — when going through pain — to cry and fully feel it, while still trying to hold on to and draw strength from emunah at the same time?

Question 9

What is my Avodah when I feel completely uninspired and am going through difficult and dark times?

Question 10

How are we meant to come to terms with such overwhelming suffering — events like the The Holocaust or the atrocities of October 7 attacks? If Hashem truly wants good for us, how can such darkness exist?

Question 11

Would it be “better” to go through suffering — with all the spiritual cleansing and growth that yissurim can bring, as many Torah sources describe — or to choose a life without suffering, even if that means forgoing those benefits?

Question 12

If Hashem is completely in control of everything, why am I obligated to make my own efforts at all?

Question 13

Can I have full confidence in my bitachon that Hashem will definitely remove the challenge I’m facing, or should I assume it’s meant to remain and accept it with love?

Question 14

Do we ourselves choose the exact path of our lives before entering this world — and if so, does that mean that any suffering I experience now is something I chose for myself?

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Question 15

Is there ever a point where the pain becomes so overwhelming that harming oneself or taking one’s own life could be acceptable in Hashem’s eyes?

Question 16

What is the proper emunah perspective for someone struggling to find their zivug — their soulmate?

Question 17

Do all opinions hold that there is complete and absolute Hashgacha over every detail of life — even down to the smallest specifics, like the exact place each leaf falls?

Question 18

What is the proper emunah response to facing a serious terminal illness?

Question 19

Am I bound by the laws of nature? What is the proper emunah response when a doctor tells me that, statistically, my situation is not promising?

Question 20

What is a clear breakdown of what I should be speaking to Hashem about during my personal prayer — hisbodedus?

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Question 21

What is a clear breakdown of the three main types of bitachon?

Question 22

Is emunah and bitachon something that is rational and logically understood, or does it go beyond the limits of human reason?

Question 23

What is true humility, and why does Hashem sometimes allow us to stumble or struggle in our avodas Hashem?

Question 24

What are the limitations on what I am permitted to pray for on Shabbos?

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Question 25

What is the bottom line regarding how much effort I should invest in trying to make Aliyah, and how great is the mitzvah of yishuv Eretz Yisrael?

Question 26

How does one build self-belief — especially when genuinely talented — while still staying humble? And secondly, what is the most practical form of hishtadlus in general, and specifically when it comes to finding a zivug?

Question 27

How are we meant to understand extreme suffering and reconcile it with the belief that Hashem loves us unconditionally?

Question 28

Is the suffering of Gehinnom truly worse than even the horrors of the Holocaust?

Question 29

What is Uman Rosh Hashana all about? Years ago, I tried to travel to Uman for Rosh Hashana, but I never made it. Yet, in a surprising way, that period became one of the most spiritually powerful times of my life. I’d like to share that experience with you, along with some powerful thoughts and insights that came from it.

Question 30

If Hashem is the One orchestrating every detail of reality, why is it appropriate to thank another person at all, instead of directing our gratitude exclusively to Hashem?

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Listen to Part II

Question 31

Is it better to make decisions based on our sechel — clear, rational thinking — or on intuition and gut feeling? And similarly, when it comes to developing emunah, which path is more authentic: intellectual understanding, inner intuition, or something else?

Question 32

To what extent am I obligated to put in hishtadlus for parnassah if my job is causing real emotional strain — should I keep going, or is there a point where it’s right to step back or change? And are there specific areas of spiritual hishtadlus that assure a person will always have sufficient sustenance?

Question 33

Why is it that during times of heightened spiritual energy — such as Purim and Chanukah — when there is a greater sense of joy, light, and opportunity, I sometimes find myself experiencing a deeper sense of inner darkness or disconnection, and what is the proper way to approach serving Hashem during those moments when I feel uninspired or spiritually distant?

Question 34

How far should my trust in Hashem extend — should I rely on Him without considering the specific means through which salvation will come, trusting that it can happen in any way, or should I expect that it will come specifically through the efforts I make?

Question 35

What are the potential pitfalls of fulfilling the mitzvah of hishtadlus — making our own efforts?

Question 36

What is the bottom line for determining how much hishtadlus I am actually meant to do?

Question 37

Is it possible to prove the existence of Hashem, and is it advisable to build or strengthen faith — whether in myself or in others — through rational proofs and intellectual arguments?

Question 38

Is feeling guilt after sinning considered a positive value in Torah, and if so, what is the healthy and constructive way to experience and process it? And how should I relate to feelings of guilt that arise not from my own actions, but from other people’s behavior or from pressures they place on me that are not actually my responsibility?

Question 39

I feel scared when I talk to Hashem that I won’t say the right thing, or that I just don’t know what to say. Should I still speak to Him anyway, and if so, what approach can help me do that in a more natural and comfortable way?

Question 40

If Hashem has already preordained everything, how can that be practically reconciled with the teaching that we have free choice?

Question 41

Is tefillah considered a form of hishtadlus? And if a person reaches a very high level of emunah and bitachon — such that they are “exempt” from regular hishtadlus — would that mean they should no longer daven for their needs and instead simply accept Hashem’s will, given that tefillah itself is also a form of hishtadlus?

Question 42

If Hashem is a loving Father, how can we understand that He created the possibility for intense suffering in this world, and also the concept of the severe suffering described in Gehinnom?

Question 43

Does Hashem have feelings in the way we understand emotions? And how are we meant to understand statements in the Gemara that describe Hashem as becoming angry — does that mean Hashem actually experiences anger, or is it describing something else?

Question 44

Is bitachon so absolute that, if a person truly relies on Hashem, the outcome is guaranteed and cannot change? And if so, how do we reconcile that with the belief that Hashem is all-powerful — that nothing, not even bitachon itself, can limit or override His will?

Question 45

What is a clear, practical guide to what to actually do during Hisbodedus — how to speak to Hashem in a real and meaningful way?

Question 46

If difficult things are happening to me, does that mean Hashem is punishing me for my wrongdoing? Or could it be that these challenges are a sign that I am especially beloved to Him?

Question 47

Are NDEs (near-death experiences) real? What actually happens after a person leaves this world? And how can understanding what comes next influence the way we live our lives now?

Question 48

What exactly are Gehinnom and Chibbut HaKever — what does suffering after death really mean? Is it a good idea to watch “the Gehinnom movie”? And will people who have already passed away experience Moshiach — or is that different from Olam HaNeshamos and Olam Haba?

Question 49

How are we meant to understand the balance between Ahavas Hashem — serving Hashem with love — and Yiras Shamayim — a sense of awe and reverence that can seem almost opposite? And how do we make sense of intense suffering — how can something so painful truly be for our good?

Question 50

Do we truly believe? How sincere is our Emunah that Hashem alone runs every aspect of the world? And what are the potential dangers of Hishtadlus — if approached incorrectly, can it actually cross the line into a form of Avodah Zarah?