If you believe Hashem will give you something it'll happen?

salt

Thu, Jan 26 2017, 12:56 am

Positive thinking is always a good thing. It can never harm.

As to whether Hashem will always give you what you really believe you will get, well it can never be proven, because if one doesn't get it, firstly you could put it down to not believing hard enough, or not waiting long enough. And then once you start thinking "oh maybe I'm not really believing hard enough" your already adding logic to the formula, which she says weakens emunah.

But it's great to encourage people to think positively and strengthen people's emunah.

Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa really really really believed that the water he put in his Shabbos candles could light the candles, since he had no oil. And it did.

But I'm not sure we're on those levels today. But we can aim high.
It's always inspiring to hear talks like that. I don't think it harms.

life is fun

Thu, Jan 26 2017, 2:21 am

amother wrote:

Rabbanit Sara Yosef, daughter in law of Rav Ovadia Yosef says that if you believe that something will happen and you imagine it happening then it will happen. What do you think about this??

http://www.queensjewishlink.co.....ills/

http://jpthink.com/pdf/positive-thinking.pdf

I would love to be on a level like this.

But at the moment I am on a level where I ask Hashem for things and leave it up to HIM to see whats best for me that should happen to me.
If I want something to happen so badly and it's not the right thing for me.......

amother

Purple

Thu, Jan 26 2017, 7:58 am

PinkFridge wrote:

I haven't checked out the links. I did hear something like that re ruchniyus, that if someone really wants a ruchniyus gain, s/he'll get it.

Haven't clicked the links yet either, but does what you wrote about ruchnius gain apply only to oneself or also to one's loved ones?

imasinger

Thu, Jan 26 2017, 8:25 am

5mom wrote:

Positive thinking is wonderful if it spurs you to act and harmful if it makes you passive.

Or if it makes you actively disheartened, disillusioned, or rebellious, when things don't go your way no matter how hard you try.

ETA:. But that's not what she is saying. She is saying, think positive ahead of time, and say gam zu ltovah afterwards if it doesn't work out.

life is fun

Thu, Jan 26 2017, 8:40 am

amother wrote:

Haven't clicked the links yet either, but does what you wrote about ruchnius gain apply only to oneself or also to one's loved ones?

Have the same question.

So far it hasn't always happend what I davened for for other people's ruchniyus.
However disappointing I just take it that Hashem wants something different for them than I. Not always easy but learning to accept it.

Retzoiny laasois retzoincho......... and move forward

bigsis144

Thu, Jan 26 2017, 8:58 am

My first reaction was "she must have read The Secret and then added Hashem as an intermediary".

Quote:

Simply put, the Law of Attraction is the ability to attract into our lives whatever we are focusing on. It is believed that regardless of age, nationality or religious belief, we are all susceptible to the laws which govern the Universe – one of which being the Law of Attraction. It is the Law of Attraction which uses the power of the mind to translate whatever is in our thoughts and materialize them into reality. In basic terms, all thoughts turn into things eventually.

And from the Queens Jewish Link:

Quote:

She explained with a story how it is difficult to actualize our emunah and bitachon when we are tested. Just as Hashem created the world with physical laws, He also built spiritual laws into the world. If we learn what these laws are, we will be able to use them and to lead happier, more joyful lives.

...

Rebbetzin Yosef taught that Hashem gives this abundance to one who is certain that Hashem will give it to him. She noted that this is a power that many people are not aware of. These gifts are free. When we rely on Hashem, we magnetize this abundance into our lives.

That being said, visualizing positive outcomes and general optimism are a lot healthier than pessimism. As long as it's positive thinking and not magical thinking.

chicco

Thu, Jan 26 2017, 9:20 am

I very much believe that Hashem not only allows us to define our own realities, but we also choose His role within our realities.

Our reality is made up of how we see things, how we respond to them, and very much what we believe is possible within our approach.

This doesn't mean you can try something out for size and see if it works. It is dependent on honesty. It means that if you absolutely see something happening, based on how you understand your reality, it can totally happen. Bderech sheadam ratza laleches, melichin ohso. Our realities are us defining how we personally interact with Hashem. If you are consistent with what you truly believe and interact with Hashem in a way that reflects that, Hashem totally responds. This however does not effect others. It is only within our own realities.

I don't think you can "imagine" someone else a recovery or a shidduch, etc. But I do believe when we accept the power of our own abilities to put Hashem in the lead of our lives, real nissim happen.

My father once heard R' Chaim Shmulevitz zt"l ask how it's possible that (a specific chassidish rabba, or rebbas at large, I don't remember) can preform open miracles, and yet he can't. His answer was simple, they believe it will work.

Obviously I think we all need to keep the mitzvahs, and while that's a priority, I think the world was set up that of course you're supposed to keep them, not a specific focus. I think the individual jobs of all of us is to define our realities and make Hashem as forefront as possible. Make our interactions with Him and a relationship that is personal.

When this is true, you see magic.

smile12345

Thu, Jan 26 2017, 10:35 am

I didn't read the links though the way I understand it is: Having emunah that Hashem can do anything does definitely bring zechusim that can help turn the tide of fortune and make the unthinkable happen. Saying that however, I don't think emunah means ignoring reality.

I remember hearing a story that when one of the gedolim was a teenager (sorry don't remember who they were) one of his parents was seriously ill with a life threatening disease. A different (older) gadol was speaking to him and the boy told him that he has emunah that Hashem will make his parent better to which he replied that emunah is believing that whatever the outcome is (even if the parent doesn't live) is for the best even if we don't understand it.

PinkFridge

Thu, Jan 26 2017, 12:25 pm

amother wrote:

Haven't clicked the links yet either, but does what you wrote about ruchnius gain apply only to oneself or also to one's loved ones?

I think so. Just think about when you've davened for your kids. I'm nervous about sharing this but I think it can be helpful if not transformative for other people. An unobservant but curious person I know was not comfortable with the best kiruv rabbi and rebbetzin for her in her town. Great people, there were a number of reasons why and I felt really bad because it would have been so great for her to connect with them. So whenever I said or heard "vichuneka" in birchas Kohanim, I had in mind that this couple should find chen in her eyes and b"H, there was a situation where they were there for her spectacularly and there was a turn around.

PinkFridge

Thu, Jan 26 2017, 12:27 pm

life is fun wrote:

Dov Dov and the Bicycle Race: Music

It means so much/to me you see/Hashem please help me win/If it's good for me.

PinkFridge

Thu, Jan 26 2017, 12:28 pm

imasinger wrote:

If what your edit says is what she meant, great. If not, and it's along the lines of some sort of New Age, tap into the universe's energy (which I've heard from frum people) not my cuppa but I won't dis the messenger.

imasinger

Thu, Jan 26 2017, 1:40 pm

PF, I think the links are worth a click.

My takeaway is this:

Too often, we ask for things more than halfway convinced that there's no way they could happen.

I read these talks as pointing out that it behooves us to remember that Hashem is infinite, and by thinking about the infinite positive possibilities, with a real attitude that Hashem could make them happen, we build our emuna.

Which brings us closer to Hashem, which is the point of davening for such things in the first place.

In this sense, we have a lot to gain by opening our minds further to think on Hashem's infinite power, and infinite goodness.

And it may make us more appreciative of our Creator when we are blessed with what we asked for.

amother

Taupe

Thu, Jan 26 2017, 2:56 pm

There are many, many sources, from Tanach (all over Tehillim), from the gemarah, from Rishonim (like Rashi) and early achronim (like the Nefesh Hachaim), and infinite kabbalistic sources, that point to the power of our thoughts to create malachim/spiritual forces that lead us on the path to our desire. This is Hashem's will, that our emunah and bitachon, faith and belief, in His infinite power will bring about spiritual forces that race to produce outcomes we desire. That suppressing logic and just believing in "Ain Od Milvado" will create "magic" in our lives. That is the koach hatefillah, the koach hamachshava, the koach hadimyon, and the koach hadibur. To deny this, to call it "Disney World thinking", is cutting oneself off from the power and spiritual Source of all goodness. If anyone would like direct quotes and pesukim to prove these points, I will try to find time to post.

Remember, " The Secret" is simply our own kabbalah mass produced for secular ideals. So are many of the eastern spiritual ideas, like karma and reincarnation. These are our Torah, our kabbalah, borrowed and somewhat twisted by the non jews. But the concepts are essentially ours.

There are many "laws" that govern hashgacha protis...sometimes gezairos are too difficult to overcome, even for the most skilled kabbalist with the most incredible meditative powers (as we're told by many gedolim about the Holocaust, which was a gezairas rabbim), but in general, Hashem created a world in which man has infinite possibilities and potential, if he only believes.

Often I read posts about problems on imamother, in which many women offer terrific advice, but the foundation of all advice is missing: Tefillah. It's truly the answer to everything.