Cultivating Faith
According to The Wall Street Journal, recent polling data reveals a "surprising surge of faith among young people." Research consistently shows that individuals of faith report feeling healthier and more fulfilled.
Data illustrate the public-health benefits of faith. Women who attend religious services at least once a week are 68% less likely to die from “deaths of despair,” including suicide, drug overdose and alcohol poisoning. Men are 33% less likely, according to 2020 research led by Harvard University's School of Public Health.
It's no surprise that the 12-step program, one of the most effective strategies for overcoming addiction, is centered on belief in a higher power.
Faith is not only a powerful tool for overcoming life’s challenges—it also connects us to our essence, purpose, and identity.
The Talmud teaches that “all Jews are believers, the children of believers.” While this is true at all times, cultivating and benefiting from this belief requires consistent effort.
Especially since October 7, the Jewish people have experienced a profound resurgence of faith and a renewed desire to connect with our heritage in ways not seen in recent history. While inspiration is an essential first step, it is equally important to internalize this faith and make it a part of our daily lives. By taking small, consistent steps and performing daily mitzvot, we can nurture and sustain our inner flame of faith.
One of the most effective ways to strengthen faith is through prayer and expressing gratitude. Gratitude is a cornerstone of meaningful relationships and fosters a sense of connection, community, and validation.
President George Washington proclaimed the first nationwide Thanksgiving Day on November 26, 1789, "a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty G-d”.
Our nation has kept this cherished tradition alive by reaffirming our gratitude to G-d and making faith a cornerstone of our lives.
We are fortunate to live in a country founded on the belief in G-d and the value of religious liberty. The Founding Fathers understood that true happiness comes from gratitude to G-d and staying connected to our roots.
In Judaism, gratitude goes beyond social niceties; it is an acknowledgment of the divine source of all blessings. Hakarat Hatov—showing appreciation—is fundamental in our relationships with G-d, family, friends, and colleagues.
The word "Jew" (Yehudi) is derived from hodaah, meaning thanks or acknowledgment of G-d. The original name Yehuda was given to Jacob & Leah's fourth son mentioned in this week's Torah portion Vayeitzei. As the verse states, “She conceived again and bore a son, and declared, 'This time I will praise the LORD.' Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.” (Genesis, 29:35)
In the very beginning of this week's Torah portion we learn about the journey of our forefather Jacob when he was forced to flee his hometown in Israel and travel to Charan to escape his brother Esau's wrath.
His first act upon leaving home was to stop and pray at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Prayer fortified him for the challenges ahead, enabling him to prosper materially and spiritually while raising an exemplary Jewish family in a foreign environment.
Like Jacob, we should start each day with prayer and Torah study, reconnecting to G-d and grounding ourselves before navigating the material world. Prayer allows us to reflect, express gratitude, and approach G-d as a child does a loving parent.
On a very basic level, prayer expresses our belief in G‑d. Our recognition that we are dependent on His beneficence, and that, as the one who controls all, it is within His ability to extricate us from our hardship. And as such, in a time of need—no matter how trivial the need may seem—we turn to the one whom we know can help.
It's a way we attend to our own inner experience, let go of distracting thoughts and focus on more positive thoughts. By expressing gratitude, we shift attention from the way that things are going wrong to the ways they are going right.
The Hebrew word for prayer, tefilah (תְּפִלָּה), means “connection.” Beyond requests, prayer connects us to the divine, leaving a lasting impact on our day.
Ideally, it is preferable to pray in Hebrew because of the sanctity of the language and the nuanced meanings that can be more accurately conveyed through its holy words. However, G-d understands all languages and accepts our prayers in whatever form we feel most comfortable expressing them.
The Talmud teaches that "the gates of tears are never closed." Prayers offered with sincerity and emotion always reach the heavens.
Along with our prayers for all our personal and communal needs, we pray for the return of our hostages, for peace in Israel and around the world, and the ultimate universal request for the coming of Moshiach (Redemption). The era of Redemption will bring peace, prosperity, and the fulfillment of our divine purpose.
