A Soulful Journey

On the tomb of sir Christopher Wren, the architect of Saint Paul’s Cathedral, it reads, “If a monument is required then look around you.” He built the edifice. And we all do the same in our lifetimes.  We build edifices of integrity or dishonesty, love or distrust.  We build and rebuild every day.  Make tomorrow and the next day better and more beautiful.

The Talmud tells of the son of sage who deeply mourned his father's untimely death. Each day he would go to the cemetery and prostrate himself on the grave weeping uncontrollably. One day his fathers spirit spoke to him, "Do you think you honor my memory in this way? Do not weep for me. Show your love by obeying God's teachings, by devotion to our faith and serving others. That is the memorial I deserve."  - Rabbi Jacob S. Friedman This is how we honor those who have come before us, by preserving the heritage they bequeathed to us.

"Great tzaddikim become even greater in the aftermath of their lives."  - Talmud, Hullin 7b It is good to have a selective memory.  Imagine how much greater if we could make this a reality during life.......

Four entered the Garden, Ben Azzai, Ben Zoma, Acher and Rabbi Akiva.  Rabbi Akiva said to them, “When you arrive at the place of stones of pure marble do not say “Water, water!” Because it is said, he who speaks falsehood will not stand before My eyes (Psalms 101:7).  Ben Azzai looked upon the sixth Palace and saw the ethereal splendor of the marble plates with which the Palace was tessellated and his body could not bear it.  Whereupon he died. Scripture says about him, “Blessed in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his righteous" (Psalms 116:15).  Ben Zoma beheld the splendor and was afflicted. Scripture says about him, "If you have found honey, all your fill because if you become surfeited you will vomit" (Proverbs 25:16).  Acher cut his shoots. Rabbi Akiva departed in peace  - Hagiga 14b and Lesser Hehlaot Mysticism has always had a very narrow and defined place in Judaism. It is meant for the devout, t...

1. Capitalism is based on the assumption that you can win. 2. Socialism is based on the assumption that you can break even. 3. Mysticism is based on the assumption that you can quit the game.  -- Arthur Bloch Where do you fit in?

         P eople are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.   Forgive them anyway.              I f you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.                I f you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.    Succeed anyway.              I f you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.  Be honest and sincere anyway.              W hat you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.  Create anyway.                I f you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.     ...

Talmud states that  dreams  are one-sixtieth of prophecy (Brachot 57b) but know this: the interpretation of a dream depends on the explanation given by the interpreter (55b).

The word for mystic in Hebrew is st'm, which is related to the Greek.  It means that which is closed- you can't see or hear it. - Rabbi Louis Jacobs

When Pablo Casals was quite aged, feeble and frail, he arose every morning barely able to take single halting steps.  His young wife had to assist him as an aide.  After his morning ritual of paying Bach, he was like a new man, rejuvenated and like a man having shed twenty years from his life.  - told by Norman Cousins Follow your dreams and loves.  Practice the gifts with which God has endowed you.  Use them often and well and joy will be yours.

"From the day when the temple was destroyed, we should be right to make a decree binding upon ourselves not to eat meat nor drink wine but it is a principal not to impose on the community a degree to which the majority of the community cannot adhere." - Talmud Life can be vexing and arduous yet we must not make it worse for others because we are suffering.  Consider others before pronouncing or acting.

"Two men were mugging an elderly lady.  My God, thought Weinstein, time was when one person could handle that job." -Woody Allen I n dark days do not forget to laugh.  

"A good script cannot be made into a bad film. A bad script cannot be made into a good film...no matter who the director." -Arthur Cohn What does this teach us about life?  Give it your best.

“The  middah  [aspect of truth] warns against self-righteousness and holding ourselves and our holy curriculum as morally superior to Others.  Rather we are to be guided by the qualities of truth and compassion, and to always remember that while differences exist, it is not for us to judge.” - Rabbi Moshe Cordevero Can we do this?  Be open and compassionate to those with whom we disagree?

Murphy’s Law:  Nothing is as easy as it looks.  Everything takes longer than it should.  And if anything can go wrong it will.  At the worst possible moment. You are probably familiar with this law. You have lived it. Knowing how badly things can turn out is not necessarily such a awful thing.  In fact, the opposite.  Understanding how badly event can go makes us more malleable, more understanding and patient.  If it does the opposite we are not learning what we are supposed to be learning.

"As one’s fortunes are reduced, one’s spirit must expand to fill the void." - Winston Churchill

Rabbi Eliezer was asked: How far does one have to respect parents? He said: Go and see what Dama Ben Nitina, a non-Jew in Ashkelon, did for his father. The rabbis wanted to buy from Dama a jewel of extraordinary worth and beauty to replace missing stones on the High Priest's breast plate. The price was 600,000 gold coins. Dama's jewels were kept in a locked chest. The key to the chest was resting under the head of Dama's father, who was fast asleep. Dama would not disturb his sleeping father, and so he lost the sale. A year later, God rewarded him. A red cow was born in Dama's herd. (This type of totally red-heifer was extremely rare. The Jewish people in the time of the Holy Temple used a red cow for spiritual purification rites and would pay a princely sum to acquire it.) The rabbis came to Dama to buy it from him. He told them: "I know you would pay me whatever amount I ask. But I will only ask you for the amount I lost (on the jewelry deal) because I respe...

Mishaneh makom meshaneh mazel "When you move, you change your fortune."  -Talmud Be unafraid of change.  It offers unimagined opportunities.

The aim of film: "To create something out of nowhere." - Arthur Cohn The aim of life: To create goodness where there is none.

Weep for the mourners Not for those departed. They have rest. While we are in a sea of grief. -Talmud, Mo'ed Katan 25b

“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”  - Mark  Twain

“ Be humble with your creativity & gracious with your success.” -Quincy Jones