Question of the Week:
I envy you. You have faith. I can see how people with faith have clarity and strength that others don't, especially in hard times. I don't have that strength and I want some of it. Is there a quick fix for faith?
Answer:
There is a quick fix for faith. You don't need any proofs or arguments. You just need to eat a piece of chocolate every day. Seriously.
This is an ancient Jewish remedy for strengthening faith. It is a pity so few people know about it, because if they did, their lives would be so much better. And it really isn't so hard. It's as easy as eating chocolate.
But before you eat the chocolate, you have to recite the blessing on chocolate. It goes like this:
"Blessed are you Lord our G-d, King of the Universe, for everything exists by Your word."
If you say these words and actually think about them for a few seconds, you will shift your entire perspective on life. It's not just a piece of chocolate in your hand, it's a piece of G-d's creation. Everything is a piece of G-d's creation. All exists by His word. What G-d says goes. Nothing happens by accident. Nothing exists without a reason. We didn't create ourselves. We are not alone. We are in good hands. Just like the chocolate.
Contemplate that for a minute a day, and you will have the strength to face whatever life throws at you. Because it's not life throwing it at you, it's G-d. Thinking about this on a daily basis will open up the recesses of faith within you. So go eat some chocolate.
Well to be honest, you don't need to eat chocolate. The same blessing is said on a glass of water, a mushroom, a piece of herring and many other foods. Any of them will do. The point is, you have to consume something after saying the blessing. If you want to internalize faith, don't just declare it, digest it.
Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Moss
Sources:
See Nesivos Sholom Yesod Hatorah Maamar 2:3: The Saba Kadisha of Lechovitch would say, "When things are tough, make a brocha Shehakol, and trust that everything happens by His word. This sweetens all harshness and miracles will happen!"
See Shevet HaLevi 7:27 why we say Shehakol on chocolate when it should be Haetz.
ב"ה