It is known from the words of Chazal (see Pesachim 117a) that the Shechinah does not rest other than via the simchah of a mitzvah. Accordingly, every single person has the obligation to increase in the service of Hashem with joy, and even more so, to distance himself from depression, Rachamana litzlan, as happens with all illnesses, may H'shem have mercy upon us. Rather, we should fulfill the words of the pasuk (Tehillim 100:2-3), “Ivdu es H'shem b’simchah” (“Serve Hashem with joy”), for then we will merit “De’u ki Hashem Hu Elokim, Hu asanu v’lo anachnu” (“Know that H'shem is G-d; He made us, and to Him we belong”). We will also merit the sweetening of the judgments and be saved from all trouble, distress, affliction and illness, with Hashem’s help. And as is explained at length in the name of the holy Baal Shem Tov , zy”a, as soon as a person who is going through a time of trouble recognizes that “achein Atah Keil mistateir” (“indeed, You are the GD Who conceals Himself”)...

 If these means prove to be of no use to him, he realizes that his livelihood will come to him when GD wills it from whatever source. He wishes   He does not, as a result spurn the means and does not cease to pursue them in the service of the Creator.  

If these means yield him a profit or help him to avoid a loss, he thanks GD alone for this.   He does not on account of this, love these means more, become more attached to them or grow more reliant upon them.  Rather, his trust in GD grows stronger, and he relies upon Him rather than upon the means pg 449

 Even if one who trusts in GD employs the means to a livelihood, he does not in his heart rely on those means, nor does he expect that profit or loss will accrue to him unless that is GD's Will. He employs them rather in order ot serve the Creator Who commanded us to be involved in the world so as to upbuild it and adorn it pg 449

 One who trusts in GD, his soul is at rest and his heart is at ease in the face of decrees because he knows that the Creator will direct them for his good in this world and hereafter  But one who does not trust in GD is in a state of constant distress, protracted anxiety and sorrow, and sadness which never leaves him, whether in good times or bad.  In good times, because of his discontent with his situation and his desire to add to increase and to amass in bad times be because of his disgust with his situation, and because adversity conflicts with his desire naturally and personality 

 As to the difference between one who relies on GD and one who does not with respect to the way they employ the means to livelihood, I say that one who trusts in GD is distinguished from one who does not rely on Him in seven ways. One who trusts in GD accepts His judgment under all conditions and thanks Him for good as well as for bad. But one who does not trust in GD congratulates himself for the good and becomes angry at GD for the bad.      pg447/448

"Because Abraham heeded My voice and kept My charge: My commandments, My decrees, and My teachings." This includes both the Written Torah and the Oral Torah, as explained by Rashi. Our Sages of blessed memory said (Niddah 61b) that mitzvot will be nullified in the future, etc. says the Ba'al Shem Tov a"h in the name of the Ramban a"h, that in the future, people will attain an understanding of the essence of each mitzvah and the root of the mitzvah's life-force... And just as our Avraham Avinu attained the entire Torah on his own - not that he observed the Torah because of H'shem's command or because it was commanded to him, for the Torah had not yet been given - rather, he attained through his intellect the root life-force of each and every mitzvah, understanding how it is the life of his essence and that he must perform it to give life to his soul in order to cleave to the Life of all life. And so in the future it is written (Isaiah 11:9), "And...

 Whoever chooses to die in the service of the Creator rather than rebel against Him (whoever in this cause chooses ), poverty rather than wealth, illness rather than health, tribulation rather than ease, and submission to GD's judgment and acceptance of His decree, such a person is worthy of Divine grace in the bliss of the World to Come pg 447

 One who trusts that H'shem will bestow on His chosen and treasured ones in the World to Come without the medium of good deeds is ignorant and foolish.  What distinguishes people of this high degree is that they guide GD's servant to His service, exhibit patient endurance in time of trial and tribulation, and regard everything else as of slight importance when compared with the fulfillment of the Creator's commandments. pg 447

  When a Jew is walking on the road and he sees his enemy's donkey,  in Hebrew, donkey comes from the word   chomer , " material." The soul sees her enemy, the body, lying under its burden —struggling with the heavy load it is determined to carry through life, all the do's and dont's of Torah and Jewish law, Help the donkey!— commands the Torah. Don't leave him on the road, don't take the load off of him, help him carry it. Don't leave the physical behind! ( Hayom Yom ,   Shevat   28, on   Exodus 23:5) Be spiritual. Listen to Sarah. Listen to your body. Use it. Use your animalistic drives and earthly achievements for G‑dly missions. That’s exactly what   G‑d   wants from you.   Baal Shem Tov                           chabad.org "The world is built on kindness" (Tehillim 89:3). Therefore, the Sages' teaching can be understood as follows: this world, which was created wi...

 The proper way of relying on G-d in regards to Him bestowing grace upon His chosen and treasured ones in the World to Come a great bounty of indescribable good is like this:  One should employ the means that will help him attain a high degree of the pious who are worthy of this Divine grace. Such as acting in accordance with the qualities of the ascetic who shun this world, banishing the love and preference for this world from one's heart and replacing it with love of the Creator, may He be exalted, devotion to Him, delighting in Him, feeling spiritually lonely in this world and among its inhabitants, and adopting the practice of the prophets and pietists. And then one should have trust in G-d that He will bestow grace upon him as He bestowed grace upon them in the World to Come. pg 445

A person should trust in GD after doing his best to repay the debt of gratitude he owes the Creator for His great kindness toward him. One of the pious used to say: "If a strict accounting were made of what one owes G-d for the kindnesses He has bestowed upon him, no man would ever attain the reward of the World to Come for his deeds except by G-d's grace toward him." Therefore, do not rely on your deeds. pg445

Trusting in GD in regard to what He promised the righteous concerning reward in this world and the next for their devotion, that He will grant it to those who deserve it, and also punish those who deserve it, is incumbent upon the believer. Trusting in GD in this matter is essential to perfect faith in GD.  A person should not rely on his good conduct and confidently assure himself that he will be rewarded for it here and hereafter.   Rather, he should be active and vigorous in showing gratitude for the Creator's favor continually bestowed upon him, but not out of hope for future reward that will be due him for his actions. pg 445 

  A person should always search, investigate, and explore the world in order that he will view the greatness of the Almighty in everything he sees.  Then he will merit the intelligence and understanding to understand the upper worlds in his daily life.  Ba'al Shem Tov on the Torah quoted from the Likute Amarim of the Mezritcher Maggid  The Creator has sanctified us through the performance of His commandments.  H'shem has no need for us to fulfill His mitvos, but it is pleasing to hIm that He has spoken and His will is done. H'shem's wish is that man should have a desire to wholeheartedly fulfill His divine will  Mepeninei Noam Elimelech 

 In the reward and punishment mentioned in Scripture, the prophet speaks with the people of this world about reward and punishment in this world. Because Yehoshua ben Yehotzadak was in the world of the angels, GD said to him: "I will let you walk among those who stand here" (Zechariah). This is the way of offering inducement or deterrence; it must suit the time and the place.  Another reason is that the goal of the reward of the World to Come is none other than to cling to GD and to draw near to His supernal light, and this can be attained only by one who finds favor before H'shem. pg 443

 GD promises to His people that for visible service there will be visible immediate reward in this world, as explicitly stated in parshat Im B'chukkosay, and that for visible external transgression there will be visible immediate punishment in this world. This is because the people as a community are responsible only for external acts, not for what is hidden.   In regard to the inner service and transgression of the heart, however, the Creator, may He be exalted, is responsible for requitting them in this world and the next. That is why Scripture doesn't elaborate on reward in the World to Come pg 441

 The practice of goodness is of two kinds. One of these is concealed; none but the Creator observes it, such as duties of the heart and the like. For the fulfillment of inner hidden duties, He gives a hidden reward, such as in the World to Come. The other kind is observable in physical movements and is not concealed from other people. These are the active precepts performed with the limbs. For the fulfillment of these duties, the Creator bestows a visible reward in this world.     pg 441

 Any reward bestowed upon him by the Creator is not deserved on account of his deeds but is the result of GD's grace toward him. Punishment, however, in this world and the next, is justly deserved, a debt that man must pay; only that GD's grace overcomes it in both worlds. pg 441

A person does not become worthy of reward in the World To Come on the strength of his good deeds alone, yet it is GD's grace, generosity, and goodness. The reason for this is that even if a human being's good deeds were as numerous as the sands of the sea, they still would not be equal to even one of the favors bestowed upon him by the Creator in this world, all the more so if he committed a sin. If the Creator were to hold a man strictly to account in demanding gratitude for these favors, all his good deeds would be neutralized and erased by the smallest of the Creator's favors toward him. pg 439/441

There is a well-known segulah from the Kaf HaChaim citing HaRav Refael Abuchatzera that one who says Avraham Avinu's mother's name אמתלאי בת כרנבו (Amtlai bat Karnevo) 17 times before Oseh Shalom in Shmoneh Esrei is promised they will have chen and will be protected. When Amtlai found out she was pregnant, Nimrod had made a gezeirah that all baby boys were to be killed right after birth, since his advisors had told him a boy would be born who would show the world who the real GD is. Not knowing what to do, she called out: "Whoever the GD of the world is, if this is a boy, save him!" H'shem helped her hide her pregnancy from everyone, including Terach, her husband. When it was time to deliver, she went into a cave and gave birth. It was a boy. She called him Avram. She knew if he was discovered, he would be killed. So again she called out to the wind, "Whoever is in control of the world, please save this child!" and left him in the cave. H'shem again...

 The Baal Shem Tov teaches   that everything which a person sees or hears serves as a lesson for him in his relationship with GD. Since everything that happens in this world is controlled by Divine providence, and man was “created solely to serve his Creator,” it follows that any and every event or entity that a person encounters is intended to help him advance his relationship with GD. chabad.org Gol al Hashem darkecha - Commit your way to Hashem (Tehillim 37:5) The word "gol" has the same root as the word "hitgalut" (revelation), indicating that you should reveal your ways and character, examine them, and see that they are utilized for serving H'shem. U'vetach alav - And trust in Him, the exaltedness and greatness of GD that you are looking to see in the world. That is what is called "trust". You will see H'shem's hand in the world, and thus trust in Him that everything happens for the best. V'hu ya'aseh - And He shall do for y...

This is a special tefillah to arouse her zechus, so no matter where you are in the world, you can connect to her by lighting a candle, giving a bit of tzedakah, and saying the following tefillah. May we all see the personal and collective yeshuah b'karov mamash! יהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ אָבִי אָב הָרַחֲמָן, שֶׁתָּחוּס וְתַחְמֹל עַל עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל אֲמָתְךָ (שם פרטי ושם האם)  בִּזְכוּתָהּ שֶׁל רָחֵל אִמֵּנוּ. אָנָּא מִמְּךָ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, רְאֵה נָא בְעָנְיֵנוּ וְתִגְאָלֵנוּ. וּרְאֵה כָּל אֲשֶׁר עוֹבֵר עָלַי וַאֲנִי מָרַת נָפֶשׁ וְעוֹבֵר עָלַי צַעַר. אָנָּא, הַעֲבֵר כָּל צַעַר וְצָרָה מִמֶּנִּי, וּתְזַכֵּנִי לְקָּרְבָה אֵלֶיךָ יִתְבָּרַךְ כְּרָחֵל אִמֵּנוּ, וּזְכֹר אֶת גֹּדֶל צִדְקוּתָהּ וְכֹחַ קְדֻשַּׁת צְנִיעוּתָהּ וּמַעֲשֶׂיהָ הַטּוֹבִים אֲשֶׁר הֵם תָּמִיד לְפָנֶיךָ, וְאֶת גֹּדֶל בְּכִיּוֹתֶיהָ, כִּי רָחֵל מְבַכָּה עַל בָּנֶיהָ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהִתְפַּלְּלָה לְפָנֶיךָ וְאָמְרָה: "רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָמַד אָבִי לְהַכְנִיס אֶת אֲחוֹתִי בִּמְקוֹמִי לַחֻפ...