Shlomo is one of the very survivors of the decimates Jewish section of Lublin after a horrific massacre.
In Lublin he came upon refugees from Tulchin, from Bar and from other towns, and he learned from some of the forced converts of the death of his father and mother, who dies for the sanctification of His name together with the other Jews from Tulchin. And he roamed about through the fair of Lublin among the refugees, among the husbands separated from their wives and the wives separated from their husbands, among the widows and the orphans. He heard the sighs and moans of his people which rose up over the fair.
And one day he walked in a narrow street in Lublin where the merchant's stalls were located. And he saw standing before an empty booth an old man who was calling buyers into his booth. And he marveled greatly, for the booth was empty, there was nothing in it to sell. And he walked into the booth and asked the old man: "What do you have to sell here? Your booth is void and empty, and there is no merchandise in it."
And the old man answered: "I sell faith."
And he looked intently at the old man, and the old man appeared to him familiar as though he had seen him before....
Shalom Asch, Kiddush Ha-Shem
Faith buoys and supports. It soulfully nourishes us when we are faced with pain. Yet, faith does not arrive at only these moments.
Faith is like a muscle that needs to be exercised. On the day when we need it most, it will support us. That is why the Talmud insists that we utter one hundred blessings each day. When we bless and thank God with warm familiarity we will know how to best allow Him to give us the courage to continue in days of devastation.
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