2 February 2018
Question
I envy you. You have faith. I can see how people with faith have clarity and strength that others don't, especially in hard times. I don't have that strength and I want some of it. Is there a quick fix for faith?
Answer
There is a quick fix for faith. You should eat a piece of chocolate every day. Seriously. This is an ancient Jewish remedy for strengthening faith. It is a pity so few people know about it, because if they did, their lives would be so much better. And it really isn't so hard. Just eat a piece of chocolate. But before you eat the chocolate, you should say the blessing on chocolate. It goes like this: "Blessed are you Lord our G-d, King of the Universe, for everything exists by Your word." If you say these words and actually think about them for a few seconds, you will shift your entire perspective on life. Everything exists by His word. What G-d says goes. Nothing happens by accident. We didn't make ourselves. We are not alone. We are in good hands. Contemplate those words for a minute a day, and you will have the strength to face whatever life throws at you. Because it's not life throwing it at you, it's G-d. So go eat some chocolate. Note: Technically, you don't need to eat chocolate. The same blessing is said on a glass of water, a mushroom, a piece of herring and many other foods. But you have to consume something after saying the blessing. Faith needs to be ingested.
Sources
See Nesivos Sholom Yesod Hatorah Maamar 2:3 "The Saba Kadisha of Lechovitch would say, "When things are tough, make a brocha Shehakol, and trust that everything happens by His word. This sweetens all harshness and miracles will happen!" See Shevet HaLevi 7:27 why we say Shehakol on chocolate when it should be Haetz.