When I see a pile of grapes on the table, I don’t just see grapes on the table. I see dark and light, shadows andI tend to notice all the details automatically highlights, colors and reflections. As an artist, I tend to notice all the details automatically, even if I’m not in the midst of a painting. My eye is trained.

The Hebrew word for “faith” or “belief” is emunah. However, emunah is not just about believing, but about practicing to feel the belief. The word shares a root with the word uman, or “artisan”—a worker in a skilled trade. Just as a skilled worker trains for many years in order to excel at his craft, we need to train our minds to think and meditate on topics that will help us feel a palpable awe of G‑d.

The main thing is to do so consistently. When we spend time daily contemplating the greatness of G‑d, then we’ll look around at His world and not just see a world.

We will see His awesomeness, His Power and the fact that He gives life to all of creation. We will see that “the skies, the earth and all their numerous components” are energized by G‑d Himself. We will remember that He wants to have a relationship with us, and cares that we do as He asks in the Torah. And we will constantly be aware of His presence1.

After all, our minds will be trained.

Tanya Bit: I can train myself to feel awe of G‑d by observing the world around me.

(Inspired from Chapter 42 of Tanya)