A Soulful Journey

In The Healer of Shattered Hearts , Rabbi David Wolpe tells: “The renowned physicist I.I. Rabi was once asked to name the most significant intellectual influence in his life.   The interviewer expected to hear ‘Einstein’ or, perhaps, ‘Newton.’   ‘My mother,’ Rabi replied instantly.   For each day, he explained, when he would come home from cheder, the Jewish religious school, his pious mother would say to him, ‘So Isaac, did you ask any good questions today?   From her,’ said Rabi, ‘I learned that the key to wisdom is to ask good questions.’   Like so many of her contemporaries, this woman, growing up in an Eastern European ghetto, had imbibed a great principle of Jewish thought:   All things must be weighed, scrutinized, evaluated.  

Walking into the bathroom one day, having arranged and sprayed her hair into a huge "bubble" - a style of the times - Diane Ackerman was met by her father who asked, "What have you down to your hair?" "I've just teased it," she replied. To which he replied, "Teased?  You've driven it insane!"   -Diane Ackerman, A Natural History of the Senses Be comforted that every generation goes through the same growing pains.

Growing spiritually can be like a roller coaster ride. Take comfort in the knowledge that the way down is only preparation for the way up.   -Rebbe Nachman ,  The Empty Chair

Rav Dimi of Nehardea said: Hachnasat orchim - the welcoming of guests -
takes precedence over the beit midrash - the house of study.  
Rav Judah said in Rav's name: Hachnasat orchim - the welcoming
of guests - takes precedence over welcoming the Shechina , the divine presence
 of God  herself.   -Shabbat 127a,  Quoted by Ron Wolfson

A Jew and a Christian Scientists shared a hospital room and a terrible leg disease.   Both were treated by the same doctor who came in frequently to examine each man’s leg. When the doctor looked at the Christian Scientist’s leg the man would scream in agony.   When the Jew’s leg was touched, he would grit his teeth but utter no sound. After a few days the Christian Scientist turned to the Jew.   “”I’m the Christian Scientist who has been taught since early childhood to ignore pain and suffering.   Yet, I cannot bear to be touched.   How can you make no sound?” “Shmegegee!” replied the Jew. “Do you think I show him the bad leg?”    -Michael Brooks

19th century sociologist Emil Durkheim formulated: “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” Mordecai Kaplan, a great influential Jewish thinker of the 20th century, drawing from Durkheim and Talmud expounded: God is experienced when we see the world as Whole, recognizing marvel and order of universe (word meaning “uni”/one and “versus”/turning = turning as One). We note God when we witness the orderly movement of the universe.  - Rick Sherwin

“Humility is perpetual quietness of heart. It is to have no trouble. It is never to be fretted or vexed, irritable or sore; to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised, it is to have a blessed home in myself where I can go in and shut the door and kneel to my Father in secret and be at peace, a ship a deep sea of calmness, when all around and about is seeming trouble.”   -  Anonymous words sitting on desk of Dr. Bob

One bright summer afternoon an artist was standing atop a rocky mountain cliff, painting the beautiful panorama.   He was deeply absorbed in his work.   With every stroke of the brush, he paused to regard his painting from various angles and smile to himself.   When he placed the last stroke on his masterpiece, the artists began stepping backwards in order to obtain a better view of the completed painting.   Little did he realize that each step was bringing him nearer to the edge of the cliff.   One more move would prove fatal and the artists would crash into the yawning abyss below.   His friend, standing nearby, noticed the danger.   Knowing that a warning would come to o late, he dashed over to the easel, seized a brush, and smeared the face of the painting.   The artists, furious at his friend’s behaviour, rushed toward his work and was thus saved from destruction. When the friend explained the precarious position from which he save him, th...