A Soulful Journey

In Moses' farewell speech, he stated, "Remember the days of old, consider the years of past generations. Ask your father and he will tell you, Your elders and they will tell you." "A person who has amnesia, who his lost his memory, is literally a non-entity."  -Rabbi Ralph Simon. Work for and pray that you always remember who you are, where you came from and you will know where you are going.

Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba and his associates, and some say it was Rabbi Yose ben Halafta and his associates, and some say it was Rabbi Akiba and his associates, were sitting and discussing Torah under a certain fig tree.  Each day the owner of the fig tree would awaken early and gather [the ripe figs].  Let us change our place [the scholars agreed].  The next day the owner of the fig tree came and said to them: “My masters, you have deprived me of the one commandment you were accustomed to fulfill with me [under my tree].”  They said to him: “We feared perhaps you suspected us of [taking your figs].”  The next morning he let them see [why he picked the figs early].  He waited until the sun shone upon them and his figs became worm-eaten.   At that time they said: “The owner of the fig tree knows when it is the right time to pick a fig and he picks it.  So too, God knows when it is the right time to take the righteous from the world and he takes them.”   -Yerushalmi, berachot 2:7

"Becoming a public figure was not what Meryl Streep bargained for when she started performing in her high school's musicals in Bernardsville, NJ.  Even back then, it was always the quiet life that agreed with her best. "When I was in high school and riding in a car with a a boy who was driving real fast, there was never an ounce of enjoyment of the thrill," she says, shaking her hard.  "Part of it is that I've always felt older about 40. And I did have this moment when I turned 40 that felt like my clothes finally fit.  I didn't have to be anything other than myself."  - Entertainment Weekly All our lives we have one sacred task, to be ome what God knows we must become.

The pious New England wife never misses Sunday at church, but one Sunday she’s laid up with a cold, so she imposes on her freethinker husband to attend so that he can bring back the pastor’s words, always inspiring to her. He goes off, reluctantly, and when he returns, she asks,  “So what did Pastor Brown speak about?” “Sin.” “What did he have to say about it?” “He was against it.” - Rabbi Danny Pressman When all is said and the exhortations have ended, life is simple: Be good.

“The secret of the care of the patient is in caring for the patient.” - Francis Peabody 1925 Don't patronize.  Don't try to  summon up trite words.  Just listen and love.

A seventeenth century physician commented, “The arrival of a good clown exercises more beneficial influence upon the health of a town than twenty asses laden with drugs.”  Nothing had changed in four hundred years.  - Thomas Sydenham

Hasidic master, Israel of Kozhenitz, prayed, “Master of the Universe I know that the Children of Israel are suffering too much; They deserve redemption, they need it. But if, for reasons unknown to me, You are not willing, no yet, then redeem the other nations, but do it soon!” Open your heart to the world.

The Christian St. Philip was known for his temper.  Philip often found himself getting angry at people when he should not have.  In desperation, he turned to God one day while he was in church and prayed, “God, please give me the strength to stop my uncontrollable anger.”  Feeling better, Philip set out to see if his prayer was answered.  As he went along he asked a friend to have a word with him.  Philip was surprised when his friend brusquely excised himself saying he had no time.  Soon afterward he met a close buddy of his who as known for his cool, consistent temperament.  Again, Philip was surprised by his rudeness.  Finally, Philip turned to God and asked, “I requested that you help me overcome my anger not get worse?!”   To this God responded, “And that is why I am helping you to cope.”  - Rabbi Lionel Blue  Every moment becomes a test of character.  Can we master ourselves this time?

A nice lady sat next to P.G. Wodehouse at dinner one night.  She raved about his works.  She claimed that "her sons had great masses of his books piled on their tables and never missed reading each new one as it came out. 'And when I tell them,' she concluded,' that I have actually been sitting next dinner with Edgar Wallace, I don't know what they will say'."  - Oxford Book of Anecdotes As we draw close to the end of year ti is good to remember that we all make mistakes....and forgive others for theirs.

A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument and one friend slapped the other one in the face.  The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand… “TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE."  They kept on walking until they found an oasis where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in die mire and started drowning.  But the friend saved him. After the friend recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone…. “TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE."  The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, “After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?"  The other friend replied… “When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it."  Learn t

"Do not follow the crowds, the majority," (ketubot 15a) is a Talmudic dictum that we should think for ourselves and follow our conscience, not the majority.

A chicken and a pig are strolling along the street. They see a deli with a sign - "Scrambled Eggs and Ham." The cow says to the pig: "Let's go in and have a bite." Pig replies:  "No, no.  From you they just require a contribution, from me they require a total commitment." ...and sometimes that is precisely what is required.  Half measures do not always work.

When he was Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger remarked that he had turned down a tryout offer from the NY Jets to be the successor to quarterback, Joe Namath.  "I didn't think New York could handle two sex symbols in a row." It is good to have positive self image.  Without it how can we succeed?

A schadchen was trying to persuade a young man that it was time he entered the bonds of matrimony. 'I've got just he girl for you.' 'Who is it?' 'Sarah Geldbeutel.' 'The bankers daughter?' 'Yes.' 'But she limps.' 'You will be able to afford a carriage.' 'And she has only one eye.' 'She will see only half your faults.' 'And she's a hunchback.' 'Well, what do you want - a Venus?' - Friday Nite Book A cute old story but one which reveals a great human truth: we look for perfection in others while overlooking our own shortcomings.

"If you do not take an interest in the affairs of your government, then you are doomed to live under the rule of fools." – Plato Make you voice heard.

"Joining a couple in marriage is as difficult as parting the Red Sea."  - Sotah  2a Love is work.  People in love make it look easy but it is always work.  When both partners are committed to do that work the marriage is great.