A Soulful Journey

A child being scolded for a poor report card asked, "Dad, what do you think is the trouble with me - heredity or environment?" In our lifetime we want to make other's conform to what we think is correct.  More than likely they will not change because of us.  The only real control we have in our lives is over ourselves.  So blame no one for your shortcomings or the world's problems.  Be the best you can be.

Sanhedrin 37a:13-15 : "Therefore the first human being, Adam, was created alone, to teach us that whoever destroys a single life, the Torah considers it as if he destroyed an entire world. And whoever saves a single life, the Torah considers it as if he saved an entire world.  Furthermore, only one person, Adam, was created for the sake of peace among men, so that no one should say to his fellow, 'My father was greater than yours....  Also, man [was created singly] to show the greatness of the Holy One, Blessed be He, for if a man strikes many coins from one mold, they all resemble one another, but the King of Kings, the Holy One, Blessed be He, made each man in the image of Adam, and yet not one of them resembles his fellow. 

The Mishnah tells us, 'Don’t look at the flask, but at what it contains.' In teaching ourselves to see the inner sparks that light a person’s soul, rather than merely glancing at the casing that holds those precious assets of personality, aspiration and caring, we can act like God in the wilderness, healing when we can, and transcending limits when we cannot." - Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson One who sees…people with disfigured faces or limbs, recites the blessing, 'Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who makes people different.' One who sees a person who is blind or lame, or who is covered with sores and white pustules (or similar ailment), recites the blessing, 'Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who is a righteous judge.' But if they were born that way (with the disability), one says, '…who makes people different.'" - Mishneh Torah, Hilchot B’rachot10:12, based onB’rachot 58b. " Ben Azzai taught

Claudette Colbert was ninety in 1993.  She had starred in 67 films and worked as a actress for 70 years. Colbert throughout this time was happily married to the same man.  No scandals.  There was also no autobiography because no one would buy and ordinary book. We may live to read scandals articles but in the final analysis the best life is the simplest.  Simplify your life, don't amplify it.

Supreme Court Justices are not allowed to perform marriage ceremonies.  Justice Frankfurter said some years ago, ‘I guess marriage is just not considered a federal offense.’   - David McKenchie

"Styles in median change almost as often as women's clothes.  The heath panacea of today becomes the deadly nightshade of tomorrow." - Groucho Marx Although Groucho wrote those words over five decades ago they tell truth that carries through time.  Perhaps the best health advice that can be given and taken is live life in moderation.

“If I am what I have and if what I have is lost, who then am I?” - Erich Fromm, “To Have or to Be”  

A little Jewish grandmother gets on the crowded bus and discovers  that she doesn't  have correct change for the fare.  The driver tries to be firm with her, but she places her hand delicately over her chest and murmurs, "If you knew what I had, you'd be nicer  to me." He caves in and lets her ride for free.  She tries to push her way down the crowded aisle, but people won't move over for her.  She finally places her hand delicately over her chest and murmurs, "If you knew what I had,  you'd be nicer to me."  The crowd parts like the Red Sea and lets her down the aisle.  She gets to the back of the bus where there are no seats and looks significantly at several people,  none of whom take the hint and get up to offer her their seat. Once again she places her hand delicately over her chest and murmurs, "If you knew what I had, you'd be nicer  to me."  Several people jump up and insist that she sit down and ride in comfort.

A  shadchan  was praising to a young man the charms of a young lady he was recommending to his notice.  ‘She is young, beautiful and rich,’ he declared. ‘Only,’ he admitted, ‘she has one blemish.  She is lame in one leg.’ ‘I am sorry, there is nothing…’ ‘But listen! Suppose you marry someone else. One day your wife slips on the stairs and breaks her leg.  You have nothing but expense.  You send for the doctor, there is an X-ray examination, perhaps she has to go to a nursing home, then there are a few weeks of convalescence in an expensive hotel at the seaside, you have to hire a housekeeper to look after you all that time – there is no end to the expense.  Take this girl and look what you save!” – Friday Nite Book Moral.  Be happy and do not look over your shoulder.

"The Jew may love God, or he may fight with God, but he may not ignore God."  - Elie Wiesel

1. Life is short. Learn to recognize and embrace the things that really matter.   Cherish the moment. 2. Share a cup of coffee with God each morning, first thing.  Thank Him for all the blessings He has provided. Don’t overlook anything.  Pray for friends and family. Forget about yourself.  Just listen. 3.Tell your children that you love them, often, and then some more. Create opportunities to spend together. 4. Tell your spouse or people you love that you love them multiple times a day.  Spend more time together.  Gove hugs and kisses when they least expect it.  Whatever you’re doing now is not enough. 5. Go see your mom just to talk.  Listen to her.  Give her a hug and kiss.  ell you that you love her.  Do it again. Then find your dad. 6. Make time for friends.  Get together and laugh.  Tell them that you love them. Bear their burdens.  Shut up and listen.  Be available and make sure they know it. 7. Turn off the news and forget the stock market.  They don’t matter. 8.

My loyal followers, long ago we resolved to serve neither the Romans nor anyone else but only God; now the time is come that bids us prove our determination by our deeds...After all we were born to die....  But outrage, slavery, and the sight of our wives led away to shame with our children - these are not evils  to which man is subject by the laws of nature: men undergo them through their own cowardice if they have a chance to forestall them by death and will not take it... "Pity the young whose bodies are strong enough to survive the prolonged torture; pity the not so young whose old frames would break under such ill usage.  A man will see his wife violently carried off; he will hear the voice of his child crying, 'Daddy!' when his own hands are fettered.  Come! While our hands are free and can hold a sword, let them do a noble service!  Let us die unenslaved by our enemies, and leave this world as free men in company with our wives and children." These were word

"The tyrant dies and his rule ends, the martyr dies and his rule begins."  - Soren Kierkegaard It is better live than die. It is better to work for a cause that is noble that to hide from it for fear of ridicule.

Rav Hisda praised Rav Hamnuna before Rav Huna as a great man.  Huna said to him, "When Hamnuna visits you, bring him to me." When Rav Hamnuna arrived, Huna saw he had no head covering.  "Why have you no head covering?" he asked "Because I am not married," he replied. "See to it that you do not return until you are married." Rav Huna was following his position as a teacher: "He who is twenty and has not yet married, all his days are in sin." In sin? Can you really think that?  Instead say, "All his days are spent in sinful thoughts."  - Kiddushin 29 b An interesting viewpoint about youth.  The talmudic view is to make young people responsible when they are young so they do not turn their attention to things that may bring them, or others, harm

The story goes in the Jerusalem Post Office that a letter comes in addressed to “God”.   The curious postal worker opens the letter and reads the sad story of a fellow in Tel Aviv, broke and unemployed, whose daughter is getting married, could God please send him 5000 Shekels to help have a wedding.   The postal worker, touched, raises 4500 shekels from his colleagues in the branch, and sends the money, anonymously, of course, to the poor father in Tel Aviv. Several weeks later, another letter to “God” arrives, with the same handwriting.  The postal worker opens it. Dear God: Thank you for the money you sent for my daughter’s wedding. Next time, please do not send it by mail.  Those no-good postal workers stole 500 shekels in transit. -Rabbi Daniel Goldfarb

Here is a story about a rich couple who had just left the homes of their poor friends in the new Mercedes Benz: Looking after them wistfully as they departed, “The poor husband remark to his wife, darling, someday we are also going to be rich.” Reaching out, the wife took her husband’s hand and consoled him by saying, “Dear we are rich! Someday we will also have money.” – Rabbi Jacob S. Friedman

Melvin Berkovitz appeared before Heavenly Court at the pearly gates. "What have you done to merit entering heaven? We do not see in our books anything special" they asked. Well, I can think of one thing," the man offered. "On a trip to the Black Hills out in South Dakota, I came upon a gang of high-testosterone bikers, who were threatening a young woman. I directed them to leave her alone, but they wouldn't listen. So, I approached the largest and most heavily tattooed biker and smacked him on the head, kicked his bike over, ripped out his nose ring, and threw it on the ground." I yelled, "Now, back off!! Or you'll answer to me!" The heavenly angels were impressed: "When did this happen?" "Just a couple of minutes ago." First laugh but always d o  the right  thing.

Consider: The age of rocks vs. the rock of ages. Which holds more meaning to your life?  And how does the way you live your life demonstrate that?

"One may not turn a field into a yard, nor a yard into a field, nor a yard into a city, nor a city into a yard." -Talmud Arachin 33b As long ago as 2,000 years the rabbis were concerned that able land needed to be protected.  What does this say about our time and our responsibility to protect our  environment?

"Marriage is a great institution but I'm not ready for an institution yet." -Mae West We all need to love - to give and receive it makes life meaningful.  But love cannot be forced or made to fit.

Once there was a theater manager who was interviewing a teenager for an ushering job. "What would you do if a fire broke out in the theater?" he asked. "Don't worry about me," the young man replied.  "I'd get out alright."  - Rabbi Neil Scheindlen It is about the community, not you.  Remember God told us to take care of one another.

"I've always wanted to be somebody, but I see now I should have been more specific."  -Lily Tomlin Who is the best person to be? The one God intended, you.

Jerry Lewis, the great comedian, once remarked that the best wedding gift he ever received was a film of the entire wedding ceremony.  He said when things got really bad in his marriage, he would go into a room, close the door and walk out a free man. Remember the best. Forget the worst. It is always your choice what you remember.

"The stories we tell is the culture we create." What stories do you tell?  Do you talk about others?  What kind of jokes do you share?  Is there Torah in your everyday speech?

“I like the colonel who said his unit in Vietnam was so tough that Rambo had been in it, he would have been the cook! Marriage is not only a gift of God, it is flat tough. Marriage is always a mix of toughness and tenderness. The toughness in marriage relates to making a commitment and seeing you through to completion.  It is one of life’s demanding relationships. Like that college class with the professor stood up, talking about sociology, and asked, “What do you think is the chief cause of divorce?” And one wag volunteered, ‘Marriage’!”  - David McKechnie

“Do not show favor to the poor or show deference to the rich; treat your kinsmen with justice.” Lev. 19:15 It is all about fairness and balance.  This only accomplished when there is a level playing field, all are treated the same.

In the coldest February, as in every other month in every other year, the best thing to hold on to in this world is each other. - Linda Ellerbee

Foundation within Might ...there was too much of Lvov, and now/ there isn't any, it grew relentlessly/ and the scissors cut it...along the line and through the fiber...and trees/ fell soundlessly, as in a jungle/ and the cathedral trembled, people bade    goodbye/ without handkerchiefs, no tears, such a dry/ mouth, I won't see you anymore, so much death/ awaits you, why must every city/ become Jerusalem and every man a Jew,/ and now in a hurry just/ pack, always, each day,/ and go breathless, go to Lvov, after all it exists, quiet and pure as/ a peach. It is everywhere. ~ from "To Go to Lvov" by Adam Zagajewski

A rabbinic story tells about a group of people traveling in a boat. One passenger takes out a drill and begins drilling a hole under his seat. The other passengers, quite understandably, complain that this action may cause the boat to sink. “Why should this bother you?” this man responds, I am only drilling under my own seat.” The others retort, “But the water will rise up and flood the ship for all of us!” - Vayikra Rabbah 4:6