Q&A: How Can I Believe In G-d if I Can't See Him?

Q. How can I believe in something I can't see?

Q&A: Do Our Prayers Make a Difference?

Q. We know that the Torah teaches us that there is Reward and Punishment in this world for our deeds. We see this in many places: The stories of the Forefathers, in Genesis and elsewhere; the second paragraph of Kriyat Shema (Deut. 11) which states that if we follow the Torah we will receive rain for our crops, and that if we stray, the land will not give forth crops and we will be exiled; Moshe's speeches to the Nation warning what will happen if we do not keep our covenant with G-d or do not observe the Shemitah year commandments; and more.

We also see the power of our prayer in this framework: Moshe succeeds in having Divine punishments voided; G-d asks Moshe to 'leave Me' and stop praying, so that He can punish Israel; Moshe's prayers for his sister Miriam; the promise that recitation of the 13 Attributes can abolish decrees; etc.

But on the other hand, we certainly cannot force G-d to change His mind, and we must accept what is decreed upon us. Rav Goren [ed. note: 3rd Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel and founder of the IDF military Rabbinate] wrote a number of times in his work on Jewish Philosophy that there is specific Divine providence only for a nation or a public, but not for individuals.

My question therefore is: The prayers that I recite, and blessings that I receive – do they have influence?

Hayei Sarah: Sarah Lives On

by Rabbi Dov Berel Wein, RabbiWein.com

This week’s parsha records for us the passing of our father and mother, of Avraham and Sarah. The Torah notes these sad events without any undue display of emotion or even of great sadness. The Torah’s view of life is that death is inevitable and that death does not end the influence of life – in fact, it does not end life itself. The whole idea of the story of Yitzhak’s miraculous birth and his being saved from the altar of the akeida is to emphasize to us the continuation of life and generations in a family and in the Jewish people generally.

Q&A: Is the Faith of Israel the Absolute True and Correct Faith?

Q. Every person finds himself at junctures in life, facing many possible paths to take, and he must choose one of them. If he is searching only for what is convenient and comfortable, then any of the choices could be appropriate – but if he is a man of truth, then only one road is the right one for him. For me, as someone searching for the truth of life, my question is: Is Judaism 100% correct? I have tested the Jewish faith from many angles – its tradition, its logical proofs, its prophecies – and they all seem to indicate that Judaism is the right approach. But is there even the smallest possible chance that I am mistaken? Could it be that the tradition was corrupted, or that the events in the Torah exaggerated? Could the proofs be incorrect because we have forgotten to include one detail in the equation? Could it be that the fulfillment of the prophecies is simply an amazing coincidence? I would like to know: Is the path of Judaism and its faith absolutely certain?

Vayeira: There's No Such This as "I Used to Be Religious"

by Rav Netanel Yosifun, yeshiva.co, translated by Hillel Fendel

Lekh Lekha: The Nature of the Land of Israel

by Rav Ezra Cohen, yeshiva.co, translated by Hillel Fendel

The first words of this week's Torah portion are replete with important meaning: "Lekh lekha, Go out from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father's house – to the Land that I will show you" (B'reshit 12,1). Many ask why the command is so lengthy and detailed. Rashi explains, based on the Midrash, that this is because the command is not an easy one to fulfill and Avraham is to receive reward for each word of it. Leaving one's country is hard, and leaving one's birthplace is harder still, and leaving one's parents' home – the house in which one played with his siblings and friends and grew up with his loving family – is the hardest of all. 

Q&A: Will Redemption Come With or Without a Mashiah?

Q. Who will ingather our exiles to the Land of Israel – will it be G-d, or the Mashiah? What is the source that a person will ingather us?