"Sure," we say to ourselves, "I believe in G-d, and I even realize that I can't do anything without His help." But do we make Hashem a real entity in our lives? Is He an active part of our existence? Do we truly feel obligated and responsible to Hashem for our every success in life? How often, when we successfully accomplish a goal or assignment, do we mumble an empty mechanical "Thank G-d", but deep inside feel haughtily that "it is my strength and my power that accomplished this."

The question remains, is G-d a real entity in our lives? Do we truly realize deep inside of us that it is He and only He that grants success, that it is He who gives us the ideas, the talent, and the energy to survive and succeed from day to day? Or do we remain chained and enslaved to our ego in a cloak of self-admiration, wanting to take credit for every success of our own (and sometimes even other's)?

How many times has the following occurred: We are feeling pretty good about ourselves - we feel the company, or the community, or the society at large just couldn't survive without us - and then, G-d forbid, a little finger from heaven strikes a dear one, or an illness overcomes us, and only then do we realize how truly fragile and mortal we are. Only then, in retrospect, do we realize how it is Hashem who blesses us with all those things that we take for granted each and every day. It is only then that we realize the fact that we live by the grace of G-d and that from Him comes everything.

However, it doesn't have to be that way. We can come to this realization without disaster striking us. All it takes is it stop every now and then, and think - reflect on our lives. Maybe before going to work each morning, stop, take five minutes and talk to Hashem from your heart. Ask Him for His guidance. And then maybe before going to sleep at night take five minutes to thank Hashem for getting you through the day's events and activities. We should make Hashem a real entity in our lives. Where does Hashem dwell? Answers the Kotzker Rebbe, the great 19th century Chassidic master, "Wherever Man permits Him to enter".

We are on the road to accepting Hashem's Torah on the upcoming festival of Shavuos, which symbolizes the reestablishment of our connection and relationship with our Creator. The word "Torah" comes from the root word "horah" meaning "instruction". The Torah is the instruction book on how to serve Hashem to our utmost ability, the guide on how to make Hashem a real entity in our lives.

"Blessed is the one who trusts in Hashem, and Hashem is his trust" (Jeremiah 17:7). To the same degree that we trust and believe in Hashem, will Hashem be a fortress of faith and trust that we can rely on - measure for measure. We need to give Hashem a chance to be a real part of our life. See His hand in our life, the messages He relates to us every day. We might just find a tremendous tranquillity of soul, a peace of mind, and the realization that our Father in heaven loves us, cares about us, and is continually watching over us.

Chag Sameach and Good Yomtov