Book recommendation on why to believe

amother

OP ↓

Mon, Oct 07 2024, 3:22 pm

I currently don’t feel any need to connect to or believe in G-d. I feel like my life is very full and busy and generally happy and I don’t see how believing in G-d will help it be better. I keep the basics and I’m fine with keeping those basics because I enjoy them and think they are good for me as a person. I don’t have a problem being “frum” but not believing. It feels fine to me. The only reason I see to believe and connect to G-d is if something bad happens, but I absolutely do not want to do it for that reason because that sounds like anxious thinking to me and I don’t want to connect to G-d just because I want something from him.
Anyways, I decided that I should really see if there are any very convincing arguments before I totally give up. Anyone have any really good books that explain why my life would be better if I believed in G-d?

amother

Aquamarine

Mon, Oct 07 2024, 3:35 pm

Girl same, but it doesn’t bother me. I’m just out here vibing, going along with it for convenience. No book recommendations, but just letting you know you’re not alone! Good luck!! ❤️

amother

Watermelon

Mon, Oct 07 2024, 3:49 pm

Soul powered prayer by Rabbi David Aaron
Rabbi Miller on emunah and Bitichon
In forest fields by Rabbi Shalom Arush
Anything on aish
Rebetzin Heller Gotlieb
Rabbi YY Jacobson online on bitochin
Hatzlocha

amother

↑ OP ↓

Mon, Oct 07 2024, 4:11 pm

amother Midnight wrote:

Don't talk like that. All the good you have is from hashem. Thank him!
The best book I recommend is say ani maamin every day with kavana!

But I don’t believe. Saying it is not going to make it true.

amother

Jade ↓

Mon, Oct 07 2024, 4:17 pm

Oy

Not sure what to say just it must feel empty and meaningless if you’re just going through the motions orthoprax they call it there are articles about it … I don’t mean to be blunt or anything.

Books about Chassidus, Rabbi Arush,

A shiur with a rebbetzin you connect with who can guide you.

Relearning the foundations /basics of Yiddishkeit can help

Did you always feel this way or anything that triggered you?

How was your hashkafa growing up?

Are you married and does your Dh know how you feel?

amother

Amber

Mon, Oct 07 2024, 4:22 pm

I don’t feel like a book will make you believe. There are no proofs. It’s just a belief.
But it’s impressive you are trying.

There are two old good books by leib kelerman

Permission To Believe: Four Rational Approaches to God's Existence

Permission To receive: Four Rational Approaches to the Torah’s divine origin

I have a friend who eats by us often who is researched agnostic leaning atheist. But I notice that when times get tough he still believes. It’s much harder not to.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Mon, Oct 07 2024, 4:38 pm

Peersupport wrote:

What don't you believe?

That a being exists who monitors and cares about our day to day existence and the minutiae of our lives. That Torah is a divine book and not just the rules of an ancient people some of which are beneficial and some of which aren’t.
That I need to have a connection to this being in order to have meaning in my life.

Among other things. But those are a few.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Mon, Oct 07 2024, 4:43 pm

amother Jade wrote:

No I don’t feel empty at all. As I said my life is very full and I also have many other things I’m interested and passionate about. I’m very intellectual and read a ton of literature. I love travel and learning about different kinds of people. I’m super interested in history and philosophy. I love nature.
I just don’t really connect those things to God.

I think I always felt this way but would kind of delude myself when I was younger.

My parents are Chabad baal teshuvas who are very into connection with god and are mystified as to why I am not.
My husband knows and isn’t bothered by it. He feels somewhat similarly.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Mon, Oct 07 2024, 4:44 pm

amother Amber wrote:

Thank you.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Mon, Oct 07 2024, 4:55 pm

To clarify: I don’t need books to convince me of God’s existence. Nothing will convince me of that and I understand that ultimately it is about belief. I need books to convince me that it’s important and worth it for me to even try to believe and connect to God.

amother

Garnet

Mon, Oct 07 2024, 4:56 pm

the book "sing you righteous" by Rabbi Avigdor Miller. His writing is a very high level english so you have to be able to enjoy that kind of writing but the concepts and ideas written inside are amazing

flowerpower ↓

Mon, Oct 07 2024, 5:02 pm

Just so you know that your life is full (and youre comfortable) because of gd! Find three things to be thankful for every day( even small small ones) and thank hashem for it before you go to bed. When you wake up in the morning and you open your 2 eyes- those are daily gifts that comes from hashen. Hence the reason we say modei ani. If you would cv have a troublesome life suddenly youd find gd very fast already. Don’t wait until that happens to connect to hashem. Connect to him now. Read books on emunah and hashgacha pratis. A great easy read is “Living Emunah” series. Finding moments throughout the day that show that hashem is your father and things happen because of him would be helpful to strengthen your connection to him

amother

Ballota

Mon, Oct 07 2024, 5:13 pm

The book 'Now I Know' By Rabbi Avrohom Katz.
Its a great read. He is the head of Beis Chaye Rochel sem in Gateshead and the book is a summary of his lessons he gives.
This is the link for lehmanns UK. You can get it in USA and Israel also.
https://www.lehmanns.co.uk/pro.....YwbMU

amother

↑ OP ↓

Mon, Oct 07 2024, 5:19 pm

flowerpower wrote:

But why? What does it do for me? And the answer that I would find God if life got hard is not satisfying for me. I don’t want to find God out of desperation. That doesn’t feel real to me.