“And he believed in Hashem, and He considered it to him as righteousness”
(Bereishit 15:6)
&“The people feared Hashem, and they had faith in Hashem and in Moshe, His servant”
(Shemot 14:31)
Fear and faith are the foundation of the entire Torah. Rabbeinu Chananel writes that faith is comprised of four parts: Faith in Hashem; faith in the prophets, which means to obey them; faith in the World to Come, i.e., believing there is reward awaiting the righteous; and faith in the Redeemer.
Whoever is a true believer accumulates tremendous merit and earns a portion in Gan Eden and life in the World to Come (Rabbeinu Bachya, Shemot 14).
In the merit of their faith, our nation experienced ruach hakodesh and sang the Song of the Sea, together with Moshe Rabbeinu. Rabbi Nechemiah asks, “Where do we find a source saying that a person deserves ruach hakodesh in the merit of one mitzvah done with faith? We find that the Avot received tremendous blessing as reward for trusting in Hashem. Avraham merited a portion in both this world and the Next due to his profound faith in Hashem, as the pasuk says, ‘And he trusted in Hashem…’ Furthermore, our ancestors were redeemed from Egypt in the merit of their faith, as the pasuk says, ‘The nation trusted.’”
“Open the gates so the righteous nation, keeper of the faith, may enter.” This is the gate which all believers are allowed to enter. They proclaim, “It is good to thank Hashem…” What causes them so much joy? It is the merit of their faith; the same faith which their forefathers embraced in this long, dark exile. Yehoshafat, too, told the nation to believe in Hashem and His prophets and they would see success (Yalkut Shimoni, Beshalach, remez 240).
The Chazon Ish writes (Emunah U’Bitachon 1:1-9): Faith is a very subtle quality. If a person is spiritually-oriented and finds a quiet time when he is not involved in physical pursuits, he can gasp in awe of the sky and be astounded by the vast earth. The world is a place of wonder and mystery. This riddle wraps itself around his mind, until he is left breathless. His sole interest is to unfurl the secrets of Creation. He will do anything necessary to reach his goal, going through fire and water in his quest. What is the point of living, if the purpose of life remains a mystery? His soul yearns to understand its secrets, but all the gates are sealed.
When a person succeeds in seeing the truth of Hashem’s existence, he is immediately filled with boundless bliss. His soul is finally satisfied. His imagination merges with his intellect to recognize Hashem. All physical pleasures dissolve into nothingness. His neshamah is enveloped in sanctity, separated from its body of materialism. It soars to the heights of Heaven. When one reaches this level, new worlds open before him. A person can walk this earth, yet be an angel on High for a few moments, basking in the beauty of the Shechinah. All earthly pleasures dissipate in the face of the joy of cleaving to Hashem.
This is one of the latent forces implanted in man’s soul. This force testifies to the intimate connection between man and his Creator, Whom he was created to serve and emulate.
