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What can someone who has been a practicing, orthodox Jew all his life, with belief in the torah way of life now waning, do to reinvigorate his faith in God and in keeping the torah and mitzvot?

Any answers should be supported by facts, references, or specific expertise, not arguments, opinions, or discussion.

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This looks highly personal and particular and should probably be addressed directly to your spiritual adviser. Hatzlacha rabba, in any case! – Isaac Moses Nov 19 '12 at 14:54
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While this is very personal, I think this is not an uncommon question, and one asked in the context of looking for a place to begin, which I think can be offered here. Personal spiritual advisers are essential in these matters, of course, but sometimes individuals either don't have one or don't have a good relationship with a particularly good one. – Seth J Nov 19 '12 at 15:34
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@CharlesKoppelman, yes: I specified the reason in the edit summary: "'As it currently stands, this question is not a good fit for our Q&A format. We expect answers to be supported by facts, references, or specific expertise, but this question will likely solicit debate, arguments, polling, or extended discussion.' is a closure reason." – msh210♦ Nov 19 '12 at 16:49
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The vote to close was mine. Wouldn't the usefulness of potential tactics be highly dependent on the particular psychological/emotional/intellectual/social state of the person asking, which is essentially unavailable in this question? (What works for one may even be harmful for another.) I'd be more supportive of this question if it was either more particular, e.g. "What should a geologist do to deal with waning faith due to science/Torah conflicts?" or yet more general, e.g. "What resources should someone consult to deal with faith issues if he doesn't have a Rabbi he's comfortable asking?" – Isaac Moses Nov 19 '12 at 17:55
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I completely agree with @IsaacMoses – Double AA♦ Nov 19 '12 at 20:30
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closed as not a real question by Isaac Moses, msh210♦ Nov 20 '12 at 14:32

It's difficult to tell what is being asked here. This question is ambiguous, vague, incomplete, overly broad, or rhetorical and cannot be reasonably answered in its current form. For help clarifying this question so that it can be reopened, see the FAQ.

3 Answers

up vote 5 down vote

The solution is to learn Torah. See here.

Often, people just don't trust the power of Torah to save them from the clutches of the Yetzer Hara. They try everything, the 12 steps, meditations, psychotherapy, etc... but they won't sit down and learn a blat of Gemara. My friends! Gemara is "sechel hayashar" - "straight thinking". When a person thinks straight, all the bilbulim and dimyonos (confusion and imaginary fantasies) of the yetzer hara vanish! The Rebbe of Karlin used to say that the best mussar sefer is a Blat of Gemara. The power that the Torah has to cleanse us out is incredible. Like Chaza"l say;"Hame'or Sheba Machziro Lemutav " - "the light in it will return him to good". So when you feel that darkness creep into your soul, when that insidious void enters your heart and pulls you to gratify yourself with artificial pleasures, take an English Artscroll Gemara instead, go to the nearest Bet Medrash and spend 25 minutes uninterruptedly in a blat Gemara. Sink your mind into the questions and answers of Chaza"l, work out the intricacies of a Sugya, and I promise - you will walk away feeling freer than ever!

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It seems strange, but to get in touch with G-d, I often need a backdoor. Probably because the staleness with G-d is derived from the staleness I feel in other realms.

I personally find that one of the best ways to reconnect with G-d is to renew my relationships with others or to reconnect with myself. I once took up pottery and that actually really helped. Another time, I started investing more time in my community. Another time, I started davening with a different siddur.

Fundamentally, I find that becoming happier with life makes my relationship with G-d stronger and rebuilds my commitment to faith and Torah.

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I would recommend the study of Messilat Yesharim. It wills explain how to improve our service to good. Step by step. Also I would recommend for "emuna" is Cuzari.

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As the question says, "Any answers should be supported by facts, references, or specific expertise, not arguments, opinions, or discussion". Please provide a basis for your recommendation or the answer will be deleted as one "that do[es] not fundamentally answer the question" per the FAQ list. – msh210♦ Nov 19 '12 at 19:02
Ok. So facts. Like Ramchal mention at the introduction of the book, Messilat Yesharim: people use to forget the importance of the study of how connect to G-d. Ramchal also says that connection to G-d is a kind of wisdom and, like other wisdom per example: math or medicine, you just get this wisdom with the study. – juanora Nov 19 '12 at 21:23