The Or Lashamayim of Apta zt'l teaches, "In previous generations, the tikun of people's souls was achieved through afflictions (sigufim). This broke the kelipos and removed the screens (מסכים) that separate the neshamah [from Hashem]. But now, in the generation close to the coming of Moshiach tzidkeinu, the tikun (rectification) is easy, and people don't need sigufim. The tikun is with emunah, to believe in the G-d of the world, and with this emunah, they will live and be rectified."
Reb Yechezkel Levinstein zt'l said, "We are now in the days of Shovavim Ta"t. Chasidim and Anshei Maaseh would engage in spiritual deeds these days. They would fast many days, say selichos, and the like. I cut my nails because the Rema (260:1) writes that one should cut his fingernails according to the siman ה"בדאג. Other than that, I don't know what worry is."
Once there was a fire in Reb Avraham Genichovsky zt'l building, and everyone had to be evacuated. Reb Avraham had thousands of his hand-written chiddushim in his apartment. Someone asked Reb Avraham if he was worried that his chidushei Torah might get ruined by the fire or the water being pumped into the building. He replied, "Worry? I don't have any worries. The only דאגה, worry, that I know of is on Fridays when I cut my nails because the Rema writes..."
(The Rema writes, "When you cut your fingernails, don't cut them in order. Begin with the left hand and start with the fourth finger. For the right hand, begin with the second finger (pointing finger). The siman is א"דבהג for the left hand and ה"בדאג for the right hand.")
Chazal (Hilchos Purim, Yerushalmi, Megillah 1:4) say לו נונתים יד הפושט כל. This can be translated as יד הפושט כל, whoever can remove from his thoughts that it is his arms that achieve things, לו נותנים, he will be rewarded with immense bounty.
Chazal say, "Who is a ben Olam Haba? He who answers amen with all his strength (כחו בכל)." The Ksav Sofer (Shu”t Orach Chaim 29) explains that כחו בכל refers to a person with a lot of strength and energy, and it appears that he succeeds on his own, but he nevertheless attributes his success to Hashem. He says ן"אמ, which is roshei teivos for נאמן מלך ל"א, he believes that everything is from Hashem; he is undoubtedly a Ben Olam HaBa because such a person won't be quick to sin.
The word ה"דאג worry, is made up of the first letters of the alef beis, but the letter 'ב is missing. This is because 'ב represents בטחון, and when there is בטחון, there is no worry.
When there is emunah, there is everything. As it states (Nedarim 41.), ביה כולא ביה דדא, when there is emunah, everything is there. Chazal say בא יחיה באמנותו צדיק אחת על והעמידן חבקוק , Chavakuk HaNavi declared that the primary emphasis should be on emunah. All of the parshiyos of Shovavim discuss the story of yetzias Mitzrayim and then the building of the Mishkan. They are all discussing emunah. When the wise person thinks about these matters, he will receive aid from Above to be able to increase emunah in himself (Or Yechezkel, Emunah p.245).
Rebbe Tzadok HaKohen (Tzidkas HaTzaddik 156) teaches, "Tikun: The rectification is to believe that there is no מקרה, chance, in the world, rather everything is Hashem's hashgachah from above. To believe with a complete belief that nothing in the world happens by accident and everything that occurs was planned by Hashem yisbarach. This is truly the most important matter. The 613 mitzvos are counsels to attain the knowledge that everything is from Hashem. All aveiros are referred to in the tochachah (Vayikra 26:21) ֶרִיק ִּיִמע ֵּ לְ כוּת ִםוְא, 'If you treat Me as happenstance' from the word מקרה, chance... and all the punishments are called (Vayikra 26:28) ֶרִיק ַתֲמבַּח ֶםָּכִמע ִּיַכְתָלוְה, 'I will treat you with a fury of happenstance'. When one believes that there is no happenstance, this sweetens all the dinim and rectifies all aveiros."
It states (Yirmiyahu 5:1) וּרְ אוּ ִַםָלׁיְרוּש בְּחוּצוֹת ְ טוּׁוֹטשָּטְׁפִשמ ֶהׂעֹש ׁיֵש ִםא ִׁישא ְ צְ אוִּּמת ִםא ֶָיהבִרְחוֹבוֹת ׁוְּשַקוּב וּדְ עוּ נָאָּהל ַחְלֶסוְא ֱמוּנָהא ֵּׁשַקְבמ , "Stroll in the streets of Yerushalayim, and see now and know, and seek in its squares, whether you will find a man, whether there is one who performs justice, who seeks emunah, and I will forgive her."
The Yesod HoAvodah zt'l learns from the pasuk, "This means that even if his emunah isn't yet perfect, if he is ֱמוּנָהא ֵּׁשַקְבמ, seeking emunah, I have already forgiven him" (Toras Avos, Emunah u'Bitachon, 53).
Rebbe Moshe of Kobrin zt'l taught, "If one doesn't ever forget Hakadosh Baruch Hu, he won't forget Hakadosh Baruch Hu in Gehinom, either, and automatically, Gehinnom won't harm him. The fire will be extinguished, which is the fire of the yetzer hara."
On the pasuk (Chavakuk 2:4) ְיֶהיִח ֱמוּנָתוֹבֶּא ַדִּיקוְצ, "the righteous shall live by his emunah". Yismach Yisrael (Shemos 6) learns from this pasuk that when a person is always ְיֶהיִח, living with emunah, and he has chiyus from his emunah, he will become a great tzaddik.
