Fanatical Emuna

I’ve been living in Israel for almost 5 ½ years, and it’s been one growing experience after another. It’s also like moving to another planet in many ways, because people live so differently here. I mean, they still live like humans (most of them) and they still work (most of them,) and do other things that (most) humans do.

So what’s the major difference? It’s the mentality of Israelis. There’s nothing like it. It’s difficult to explain, but in the same minute they can be completely tact-free, bullying themselves into your personal space, yelling without an ounce of self-control, and the next minute be the warmest, most genuine, caring people you can imagine. It’s a little bipolar, if you ask me.

Along with this foreign mixture of love/hate/everything in between comes the tendency for fanaticism. Well that ain’t no surprise for most of you. There are so many extreme views and lifestyles here, particularly within the religious communities. While this isn’t the place to focus on them, I’m mentioning them because while we may think that we’re normal and they’re crazy, we actually behave in very extreme ways without even realizing it.

Are we any less extreme than the fanatical anti-Zionists like the Neturei Karta group? Let’s hope so. So what area of extremism do many of us suffer from? I’ll give you a few examples.

When a person wants to lose weight, but he won’t exercise or change his diet, yet he says that he has emuna that Hashem will help him lose weight, this is fanatical emuna.

When a person wants to get out of debt, but he won’t change his spending habits, look for a job, or live more conservatively, yet he says that he has emuna that Hashem will send him parnassah, this is fanatical emuna.

When a person wants to meet his soulmate but he keeps dating the wrong kind of potential mate, yet he says that he has emuna that Hashem will send him his match, this is fanatical emuna.

When a person asks Hashem for recovery from a serious illness but he won’t stop smoking or eating fatty junk, yet he says that he has emuna that Hashem will heal him, this is fanatical emuna.

Do you see how it works?

So many times, we insist on repeating the same mistakes, or continuing on with our lives in the same reactive pattern, yet we expect that Hashem will come in and compensate for our lack of initiative. It doesn’t work that way.

If you want to have a healthy, strong body, it’s not going to happen if you eat a diet loaded in fat and unhealthy carbs, and you don’t exercise, and you smoke and drink. In this case, it’s crazy to ask Hashem to bless you with long and healthy years. It’s our responsibility to do our maximum to maintain our health. Only then can we ask Hashem for His blessing.

If you want to get out of debt, start being more financially responsible! Only then can you ask Hashem for an improved financial situation.

If you want your soulmate, stop dating the wrong people and figure out what’s attracting you to them. Hashem isn’t going to introduce you to your future spouse until you show Him that you’re ready. Just as important as praying is working on improving your character traits.

So, you see, sometimes fanaticism can be mistaken for emuna. Emuna should be the foundation of our lives, but we need to understand that we’re only allowed to rely on emuna as long as we put forth our maximum effort in every situation. If there is no way that our efforts can possibly change a situation, then in this case we must rely on our emuna alone.

I just thought of an old joke. A guy wants to win the lottery desperately, so every day after morning prayers, he sticks his head in the Aron Kodesh where the Torah scrolls are kept, and he begs God to help him win. He does this repeatedly until one morning, when he hears a booming voice from Above call out: “JUST BUY A TICKET ALREADY!!”

‘Nuff said.