A Soulful Journey

Rabbi Bill Lebeau tells the following story of his rabbinical school interview. Among the people sitting on his admission committee was Professor Abraham Joshua Heschel. As it happened, Rabbi Lebeau overslept the morning of his interview and woke with a start. He quickly dressed and rushed off to the Seminary for the interview that would determine the rest of his life. Still out of breath as he sat before the committee, Heschel asked the first question: "Mr. Lebeau, have you seen God today?"  Young Bill Lebeau was dumb-founded.  How does one answer such a question? Stuttering and sputtering, he decided honesty was the best policy. "Well, Professor, actually I overslept this morning and barely made it here to my interview. I didn’t see much of anything as I rushed here." After a moment of silence, Heschel said, "Mr. Lebeau…when you walked up Broadway did you notice amid all the asphalt and concrete that there were trees growing right in the middle of Broadw...

The congregants of a Hasidic Rabbi noted that the rabbi was not reciting his prayers one morning at services.   After services, one of the men approached the rabbi and respectfully asked, “Rabbi, why were not praying?” The rabbi answered, “I could utter no more than two words, modeh ani (I am thankful).   The moment I pronounced the word ‘ ani, ’ I asked myself who am I?   All morning I have been trying to answer that question, and I have not yet succeeded.”   -Rabbi Ralph Simon If God were to ask us, “Who is calling?” what would we respond?

Before Yom Kippur, the rabbi brought the two disputants together and explained to them the importance of conciliation at this season. He apparently convinced them for they exchanged words of forgiveness and, of course, pledged friendship and amity and carried on a very intimate, harmonious conversation. As they were about to leave, the rabbi requested that they shake hands and wish each other the customary blessings of the season. So, they did. One turned to the other and said, "May you have all the wishes you wish me for the New Year." Whereupon, the other immediately responded, "See, there you go all over again." When a person seeks conflict they will find it.

Rabbi Eliezer taught: the world was created on the twenty-fifth of Elul... This implies that Adam was created on Rosh Hashanah. In the first hour [of that day] the idea arose [in the Divine mind to create humankind]… in the ninth [hour Adam and Eve were] commanded [not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge], in the tenth [hour they] transgressed the commandment, in the eleventh [hour they were] judged, and in the twelfth pardoned by the blessed Holy One. The blessed Holy One said to Adam: “This will be a sign for your descendants. Just as you stood before me in judgment on this day and were pardoned, so too will they stand before me to be judged on this day and be pardoned."   P esikta de Rav Kahana (23:1)   As we  approach  the sacred hour of Yom KIppur,we pray for this  forgiveness.

I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes.  I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily appraising a basket of freshly picked green peas. I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me. 'Hello Barry, how are you today?' 'H'lo , Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look good.' 'They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?' 'Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time.' 'Good. Anything I can help you with?' 'No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas.' 'Would you like to take some home ?' asked Mr. Miller. 'No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with.' 'Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?' '...

The Holy Rebbe of Tzanz used to tell parables during the third meal of Shabbos during the month of Elul which proceeds Rosh HaShanah*.   One of them was:   'There were two people lost in a forest.   One of them was going alone and he was lost for many days in the forest, and he had no idea of the right way to go to get out of the forest.   Suddenly he saw another person going in the forest towards him. A great joy rose in his heart that now, finally, there would be someone to show him the correct way out of the forest.   When they came to each other, he asked him, "Brother, tell me. What is the best way to go. I have been lost in this forest for many days."   The second one answered him, "I cannot tell you what is the proper way. I have also been lost here for many days. However one thing I can tell you.   The way that I have been going you should not go. It is NOT the correct way. Come let us together chose out a new way." '   When the Rebbe fin...

A very self-important college freshman attending a recent football game, ​  took it upon himself to explain to a senior citizen sitting next to him why ​  it was impossible for the older generation to understand his generation. "You grew up in a different world, actually an almost primitive one," the ​  student said, loud enough for many of those nearby to hear. "The young ​  people of today grew up with television, jet planes, space travel, man ​  walking on the moon, our spaceships have visited Mars. We have nuclear energy, electric and hydrogen cars, computers with light-speed processing, ​  and...." pausing to take another drink of beer. The Senior took advantage of the break in the student's litany and said, ​  "You're right, son. We didn't have those things when we were young... so we ​ ​ invented them. Now, you  @#$%^& , what are you doing for the  next generation? "  - Joe Mendelsohn

In the seventeenth century David Hume asked, "Why can't I commit suicide?" The Jewish response is direct but with wide implications.  The simple response is that you have been given a gift.  Is the gift so readily discarded? And when you accept the idea that you have been granted a gift by God who is to say that your life will not find validation beyond today's limited vision?  Do you know better than the Holy One?

A story is told about the great Hasidic master, Rabbi Levi Yitzhak of Berdichev and an atheist who lived in his town. One day, Rabbi Levi Yitzhak met this man and said to him, “I hear you do not believe in God,” The man replied defensively, “That is true.” “Well,” Rabbi Levi Yitzhak gently continued, “I would like to hear more. Perhaps the God you don’t believe in is the same God I don’t believe in.”  -Rabbi Susan Grossman What kind of God you you believe in?  One who destroys all your enemies?  Or one who encourages the noble?  One who is the cause of all pain?  Or one who causes remission?  Who weeps with the downtrodden?  One who is on the side of the strong?  Or the helpless?  Tell me, which God you you not believe in?

"And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore." -Micah 4:3  Hillel says: “Be among the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace…” -Ethics of the Fathers 1:12. "Great is peace since all other blessings are included in it." Vayikrah Rabbah 9) The only reason that the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world was so that there would be peace among humankind. -Midrash, Bamidbar Rabbah 12A.