Moshe Rabbeinu comes to the enslaved Jews and tells them "Ladies and Gentlemen, we are leaving Mitzrayim." Awesome!! And the Jews believed: "Vaya'amain ha'am". The Jews believe in G-d and Moshe His faithful servant!! Later in Parshas Beshalach after the Jews witness the splitting of the sea it says "Vayaaminu BaHashem uvMoshe avdo' - They believed in Hashem and Moshe. Wait? They already believed prior to this. What changed?

Then at Mattan Torah it says "Baavoor yishma haom bedabri imach vegam becha yaaminu leolam" The Jews had to hear Hashem speaking to Moshe so that they believe in both of them. Hey! They already believed?

Answer: Faith is not like pregnancy. A woman is either expecting or not. Faith in Hashem has infinite levels and is NOT a yes or no proposition. It must constantly grow! That is why the Torah described the various growing levels of faith of the Jews. It is not enough to say "I believe". The question is: Do you believe more today than you did yesterday? Do you learn sefarim that help increase faith? Do you daven to Hashem that he should open your eyes and help you see His light? Or do you engage in acts or have friends that DECREASE faith. Take sin for example. Sin distances one from the Divine light. The more one sins the more he is CONVINCED that Hashem isn't watching. Friends: Are your friends, people who live their lives making constant assessments of their spiritual growth or people who live life as if there is no death and no reward and punishment?

Faith in Hashem is HARD work and a lifetime task. One NEVER arrives. There is always more to know, more to believe, more to experience. Indeed the pillar upon which the entire Torah stands is EMUNAH. The Rambam lists it as the first of the 613 mitzvos. "Kol mitzvosecha Emunah" - All of your mitzvos are an expression of faith. "Tzaddik," said the Navi Chavakuk, "beemunaso yichye." The chiyus, the vitality, of a tzaddik is his faith.

So practically, where do we begin? Sweetest friends - I am glad you asked!! Michtav Meliyahu, Alei Shor, Ohr Yechezkal, Chovos Halevavos, Moreh Nevuchim, Sfas Emes, Likkuttei Torah etc. etc. Then go spend a Shabbos in the presence of a tzaddik. Fast one day to beseech Hashem for Emunah [take it upon yourself the previous day]. Get close to a person who REALLY believes. And don't just have faith! Also, be faithful to the relationship. Your wife [present or future] doesn't want you to have any other romantic interests, so too Hashem doesn't want us to have any other interests in this world besides Him. 'Bechol derachecha daehu" . Everything we do is for Hashem.

This will CLEARLY lead us to a life filled with meaning and therefore SIMCHA!!!