Emuna Judaism: Walking on the Derekh!

Emuna Judaism: Walking on the Derekh!

By Esther Mandella

Emuna Judaism: Walking on the Derekh!

By Esther Mandella

Have you ever seen a flower begin to blossom? It starts out like a little bud, and stretches its back towards the sun, taking in all the healthy rays, and opens up in all its grace.  That is the picture to have in mind when you think “Emuna Judaism.” 

All Judaism is centered on faith, emuna.  However, there are times in my life, that I have put the cart before the horse, so to speak.  We all have the human tendency to focus upon the “how-to” so much, we completely forget the “why-to”! 

Have you ever fought with your family on the way to your shul or congregation? “We have to get there on time,” perhaps you lashed out with more than a growl than a sentence. Grumpy and unhappy you slink into shul, bringing inside a dark cloud upon your head so large, the weatherman would be predicting a hurricane to arrive anytime now!  

This is an example of how easy it is to put the seeming practice of mitzvot, before the why of mitzvot. The word derekh means path or way.  We have placed the word Emuna before Judaism, to help transform the way we think!  Mitzvot is our path of connection to Hashem.  I want to help you walk on that derekh eith a beautiful, honest, service of Hashem in your daily life!

So, why do we do mitzvot anyway?  It all goes back to a special day at Sinai that you attended.  Hashem, G-d, asked us if we wanted to be His special people, to sign His marriage contract, so to speak.  To agree to follow His ways forever. It is a question for the ages!  The story of the centuries!

Perhaps we blushed with the magnitude of the question before us?  With emuna building in our hearts, we said yes, yes, and yes! We would figure out all the details later!  We just knew we loved Hashem, He had saved us from the Land of Egypt, proven Himself to us in too many ways to count. Now, it was our turn!

There were many people and peoples before that mountain so long ago! People of Hebrew heritage, and groups of people who simply wanted to serve Hashem alone.  They each in their own way felt the call to come out into the desert, to this mountain, to meet this appointment! Together they said yes to G-d, were placed into a unique relationship with the G-d of the universe!

Emuna Judaism is for EVERYONE who wants to practice the Jewish faith!  With faith first, we begin in the right relationship, with a beautiful crystal clear, foundation on which to stand!  Once, we stand, we can walk on His Derekh!  We walk in Judaism, letting emuna be our guide!