"EIN OD MILVADO"-KEEP SAYING THIS OVER AND OVER

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HaGaon Rav Chayim Volozhin (Nefesh HaChayim III:12-13) cites the Gemara in Chullin Daf 7b which teaches that if a person internalizes the Pasuk: "Hashem, He is G-d, there is nothing else beside Him(Devarim 4:35) he will be protected from harmful forces. When one accepts Hashem's absolute sovereignty he places himself fully under His protective wing. Although nature contains many destructive elements, the man of faith understands that they are but marionettes in the hands of the Creator.

The Brisker Rav, Rav Yitzchak Zev Soloveitchik was a descendant of Rav Chayim of Volozhin -- the author of the Nefesh HaChayim. He testified how the statement of faith recorded in the Nefesh HaChayim literally served as a guide through his life. When he was a young man, "Reb Velvel" - as the Brisker Rav was fondly known -- was commanded to appear before the Russian draft board to be inducted in the Czar's army. This fate was tantamount to both a spiritual and physical death sentence. As the date of his appearance neared, his father, Rav Chayim Brisker, instructed him to concentrate on the above passage from the Nefesh HaChayim. To Reb Velvel's great relief, his meeting with the draft board came, and he was exempted from the draft.

Later, when the Germans occupied Poland at the begining of World War Two, Rev Velvel fled from Warsaw to Vilna. The roads were filled with German troops, and Nazis were everywhere. The danger was awesome. Yet, Reb Velvel traveled along undaunted, for he never stopped reviewing the pledge of the Nefesh HaChayim. "If you always think of Hashem. He will always think of you and protect you from all harm."

Just once, Reb Velvel was distracted and his mind wondered onto another thought. Immediately, as if from nowhere an armed Nazi approached him threateningly. In a flash, Reb Velvel collected his thoughts and focused on the Nefesh HaChayim and the Nazi moved on.(Rabbotainu p 170)

Rabbi Yosef Leib Bloch of Telshe (Shiurei Daat II:44) explains that natural forces which threaten mankind can be compared to a vicious dog with a long leash tied to its neck. When the animal pounces, the only way an intended victim can save himself is by calling to the dog's master, to restraint the beast. If the victim fails to recognize the presence of the master then he is truly in grave danger. Similarly when man fails to perceive the "leash" upon the forces of nature, he indeed places himself at their mercy.(Ingeret HaRamban, R' Feuer, Chaf Tet, Artscroll)

What you are about to read should be worked on each and every day while we are in this world. I thank the person who shared this with me. We should keep saying ''Ein Od Milvado'' all day. May Hashem lead us and guide us getting close to Him while we say and focus on these words. AMEN

This is from;

Harav Avigdor Nebenzahl Shlita,

Senior Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh

The Rav of the Old City, world-renowned author and posek

"EIN OD MILVADO"-- "There is none beside Him"

Following the German occupation at the outset of WWII, when HaRav Yitzchak Zev Soloveitchik, the Brisker Rav, was forced to flee from Warsaw, he found the roads filled with German murderers. He spent the entire time of his flight concentrating on the thought "Ein Od Milvado" "there is none beside Him" and due to this, he was able to miraculously escape to Vilna which at the time was outside their jurisdiction (see Yalkut Lekach Tov on the Torah volume 5, page 62). Strengthening the recognition that save for the A-lmighty, there is no other force in the world is a tremendous "segulah" for removing from one's self and negating all the decrees and wills of others totally preventing them from working against them (see Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 3, Chapter 12). Even though the Germans had bombs, machine guns, and other weapons of destruction, when one understands that they are all nothing whatsoever, they can have no control over us and we can be saved from them.

It is not sufficient to mouth the words "ein od milvado" but we must actually feel it. All the forces in the world only exist because we deem them significant, when we feel in our heart that there is no power save that of Hashem then nothing in the world has the inherent ability to inflict any harm upon us. The Torah relates "Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, put them into the camel's pack-saddle and sat on them" (Bereishit 31:34). Why did she place them specifically in the packsaddle? Perhaps it was the ideal hiding place? Chazal offer an additional reason. These idols had a certain ability to reveal their precise location to Lavan. When did they possess such power? Only when they were treated with honor! If, on the other hand, they were degraded and treated as if they are worthless, their power would cease to function. By sitting on them, Rachel was not only hiding them but also degrading them in an effort to dispossess them of their powers. They would now be unable to inform Lavan of their whereabouts. This is how Avoda Zara operates, its power (assuming it has any) stems only from people attaching importance to it. When, however, no significance whatsoever is accorded it, when it is treated as being worthless, then it can exert no control (see Zohar volume I 164:2). It is not only Avoda Zara, but any force in the world only exists because we endow it with significance. When we truly realize and understand that Hashem is the only force in the world then the other forces will lose their significance and we will realize that nothing in the world can have any effect on us.