In the morning, after Keri’as Shema we recite the blessing of emes v’yatziv. At night, the blessing is emes v’emunah. The reason for this difference comes from the verse “To proclaim Your kindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness in the nights.” In the morning, when there is light, we see the truth. We see Hashem’s kindness and we speak about it. There will come a time when all the people of the world will live with the truth. But at night, when there is darkness, we do not see the truth. Then we live with the truth of emunah, faith. This is emes v’emunah. On its simplest level, emunah refers to something we cannot see clearly with our eyes, but we nevertheless believe it is true.
The Brisker Rov was once asked about the mitzvah of emunah, of believing in Hashem. The question went like this: when Mashiach comes, “The earth will be filled with knowledge of Hashem like water covers the sea.” Everyone will know the truth and recognize Hashem. If so, how will we then fulfill the mitzvah of emunah?
He answered: There will always be room for emunah. This is because Hashem is infinite. As much as we will understand and perceive Him, there will always be higher aspects that we do not understand and perceive. Regarding these aspects we will have the mitzvah of emunah. (This can also explain how Bnei Yisrael were able to fulfill the mitzvah of emunah after the giving of the Torah, regarding which Hashem declared “You saw that I spoke with you from Heaven” (Shemos 20:19). What was left to believe at that point? The answer is as we just stated: there is always a higher, hidden part of Hashem that we believe but don’t perceive.)
It comes out that there are two “truths,” so to speak. There is emes v’yatziv, the truth that stands out (nitzav) in front of us, truth that is capable of being perceived. This represents the world of light in which we see the truth with our own eyes. And there is emes v’emunah. This is the truth of faith. We don’t see the truth but we believe it is there.
“You bring on darkness and it becomes night.” This refers to this world, which resembles night.
Here Chazal tell us that the true nature of this world is darkness. In this world, which is completely dark, we go around with our eyes open and “see” very many things. A person goes through 120 years of life and sees millions upon millions of things. But Chazal inform us: Know that you are living in darkness! Whatever you “see,” that is not the truth. The truth can be attained only by emunah. Whatever we know to be true through emunah, that is the truth about the world. Therefore, a person lacking emunah sees absolutely nothing true.
