Living Torah Archives

David Mintz is the founder and CEO of Tofutti Brands. In the early 1980s he was the proprietor of Mintz’s Buffet, a kosher catering business in New York. With an eye on expanding his catering business, he asked the Rebbe for a blessing. The answer he received was unequivocal: he should not pursue this opportunity. Instead, the Rebbe encouraged him to continue his experimentations with creating frozen tofu desserts. Looking back, it almost seems obvious. But at the time, it took a great level of trust to heed the Rebbe’s advice.

Esther Solomon is a veteran educator living in Israel. In 1969, she was diagnosed with an inability to give birth. Desperate for her own children, she and her husband flew to New York and arranged an audience with the Rebbe. After reprimanding them for not placing more faith in G-d, the Rebbe gave the couple a blessing. But the story only reached its conclusion many years later.

Mr. Yaakov Schiffman joined his family in an audience with the Rebbe when his father was terminally ill. The Rebbe proceeded to teach him a page of Talmud, and a lesson that changed his life. (1975)

When Mr. Bentzion Rader came to the Rebbe seeking advice concerning a serious and complex business problem he was facing, he got down-to-earth counsel as well as spiritual advice.

There are certain principles that are so central to the foundation of the United States that they were engraved on its coins and printed on its currency – two fundamental principles: “In G-d We Trust” and “E Pluribus Unum – Out of many, one.”

All human beings are commanded to believe in G-d. But must they “trust” in Him, as well?

Classic Torah sources teach two conflicting ideas when it comes to “Trust in G-d”: On the one hand, a person is commanded to rest assured that G-d will deliver him from any predicament, in a way that will be openly and clearly good. On the other hand, he must joyfully acknowledge that G-d is the source of all good, and that everything He does is good - so the present state is also “good.”

Increase your trust in G-d and you will receive even more blessings from Him. Study the chapter, The Gate of Trust in G-d from the book, Duties of the Heart.