Amid the growing anxiety caused by Iran’s missile attacks and ongoing conflict, Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto offered a powerful message of spiritual reassurance in his weekly lecture: true protection-even in times of war-depends on one thing only: unwavering, uninterrupted connection to God.
According to Rabbi Pinto, this principle is based on the teachings of the Rambam (Maimonides), who stated that as long as a person is fully connected to God, he is under a special, individual Divine supervision. However, even a brief lapse in faith, or a passing thought of “my own strength and ability,” opens the door to trouble.
“The Rambam teaches that as long as you are deeply connected to God – you are 100% protected,” Rabbi Pinto explained. “But the moment you remove your trust or open even the smallest mental window without God – the problem enters. Like a mosquito through a tiny hole – it’s very hard to remove it afterward.”
Rabbi Pinto stressed that a person may not see the consequences of this lapse immediately. The problem may be created in that moment, but it can grow and only become visible months or even years later.
“A problem may start today and slowly get bigger. A tiny opening can become a large issue that is very hard to remove.”
He further emphasized that it is not enough for a person to be connected to God most of the time.
“Sometimes a person is connected to God, but for a brief moment he thinks, ‘Maybe I can do this myself, maybe there’s another way.’ That moment of doubt is where the problem enters.”
Rabbi Pinto warned that when a person opens even the slightest door to negative thoughts or temptation, he distances himself from Divine supervision.
“God watches over every Jew with great care. But when the evil inclination enters, the supervision departs, and that’s when troubles, problems, and hardships begin.”
During this turbulent period, Rabbi Pinto calls on people not to surrender to fear or uncertainty. Instead, he urges a strengthening of faith:
“God is with us when we are with Him. Don’t allow your thoughts to wander to negativity or temptation. Only a firm, sealed bond with God provides true protection.”
This article was written in cooperation with Shuva Israel