Faith & Experience

Faith is not the result of experience.

On the contrary, faith creates experience.

G‑d helps out because you trust He will.

From the wisdom of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory; words and condensation by Rabbi Tzvi Freeman. Subscribe and get your dose daily. To order Rabbi Freeman’s latest book, Wisdom to Heal the Earth, click here.

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Rebbe means teacher. Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson is seventh in a prestigious line of chassidic rebbes. Even after his passing, he is known worldwide as simply "The Rebbe"- a Rebbe for any person in the world. This book offers every person a taste of the Rebbe's wisdom, condensed from over 50 years of letters, public talks, private conversations, and written works. Presented in an accessible format.

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Doris Snipp The Woodlands October 29, 2023

God is always there. One only has to talk with him to know. He is there because I am a child of God. He may not however always give me what I ask. I do know he is always there because I feel him deep down inside and if I ever feel he is not I just whisper to him and he answers. If that is called faith I have it. Reply

Ann Houston August 4, 2020

I can only say that prayer works. That is my experience.

But yes, of course, I do expect it to make a difference.

Yes, it's true that we're talking to ourselves, at least that's what the reflexive verb means.

But real prayer--what I call real prayer, prayer whose energy I can feel--goes out there and does something. Finds lost objects like my stolen car a couple of years ago. Or heals sickness. Not all sickness. Just my 2nd degree burn. Just the cancer of my cousin's son-in-law when she asked me to pray for him. Little things like that. Not always. But more than some folks might expect. Reply

Eugina Giovanna Herrera New York City, New York January 14, 2014

Heart Anything that comes from within is, and within that comes from your heart is within our knowledge and our wisdom of one G-d.

Thank you for sharing that. Reply

Yosef January 13, 2014

Faith I like this short explanation. Everything we do is based upon faith. The only caveat for me is when the concept of faith is used to coerce or manipulate people into specific beliefs, which are a very different thing. Faith transcends death, for how else could I imbue my life, which will end, with meaning, And perhaps faith works on the deepest levels, which I know when I'm nearly floored by the awesomeness and beauty of this world. Reply

Craig Hamilton Sandwich, MA January 13, 2014

Rabbi, not in my case In my case, faith was a result of experience. Faith for me came instantaneously after an auditory hallucination. Reply

Howard Houston August 4, 2020

in response to Craig Hamilton:

I too had a "hallucination"--it was visual--but it did not produce faith, since I already had faith.

It was awesome, though. And it may have increased my faith.

It was something I didn't know could happen, and certainly I am not worthy of it.

Not that long ago, either. About the beginning of March. Reply

Anonymous January 13, 2014

Excellent! This is excellent, thanks for posting! Reply

Ms. Gigi Garroutte ama, tx March 16, 2011

faith Faith comes from your belief in G-d....experience is the result of that Faith in G-d. Reply

mark alcock Dbn, ZA March 16, 2011

Faith Faith is the tool ,the key,and the only way to be with our Father, G-d. Reply

Freddie Epstein May 8, 2008

We don't have to take faith "on faith" Rather than theorize I shall insert a bit of scientific research.

Theoretically, the pessimist is right. Just by the odds, things are apt to turn out badly. Sure enough, they do turn out badly for the pessimist, and he feels validated in his pessimism.
BUT
a scientific survey was done over fifteen years ago to test this. It was found that, although logically the pessimist was right, reality actuality defied logic.

The optimist went ahead as if things would turn out well--and in a significant number of cases, they did well AGAINST the odds. The researchers concluded that the very attitude of expecting the better outcome was a significant factor affecting the outcome for the better. Pessimists in the very same situation had worse outcomes.

In other words, faith works to produce a better outcome.

Ain't that amazing? You don't have to take faith "on faith".

Faith has been scientifically demonstrated to WORK.

So now we have scientific backup for faith!

Wow. Reply

Anonyme May 8, 2008

Faith & Experience ...also,
Faith came from God.
Experience came from wisdom.
Wisdom came from God.

Things happen because God exist. He decide what he will do. Reply

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