A Soulful Journey

 "The key point about a demonstration is that it must be seen.  Hence the term, "demonstration."  If a person demonstrates privately in his own home, this is not technically a demonstration but merely "acting silly" or "behaving like an ass."  --Woody Allen Stand up for what you believe.  Make it know, but with kindness.

“The most important quality in life is sincerity. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.”  -George Burns ....and no-one can effectively fake it as we all sense the truth......   

Ben Zoma used to say, “What does a good guest say? ‘How much trouble my host goes through for me. How much meat he has offered. How much wine he has set before me. How many cakes he has brought before me. And all of this trouble he went through for me.’ But an inconsiderate guest, what does he say? ‘What trouble has my host gone through? I have eaten one piece of bread and a single piece of meat. I have had but one cup of wine. All the trouble the host has gone to has been only for his family.’ ” –  Berachot 58a

Blessed is the hour when I reenter your sanctuary, Where I may again open my heart To my God and deliverer Within a community of worshipers. Almighty God—here, where so many hearts Open in unison to adore and glorify your name, Also accept my thanks and praise.    From  Hours of Devotion: Fanny Neuda’s Book of Prayers for Jewish Women  by Dina Berland

 "A dentist is a person who puts two instruments in your mouth and then asks you a question." It is humorous but it is important to understand they want to put you at ease. We should all give that gift of making people feel better about who they  are and where they are.

Decimate: "...from the Latin, decimate, "to take one in ten."  In Roman times,  standard punishment meted out to groups of soldiers guilty of cowardice or mutiny one out of every ten was selected by lots and put to death."  - Stephen J. Gould Imagine what the world would look like if we took one out of every ten people when someone did a mitzvah or act or righteousness....people would practically stampede to be recognized for goodness. Just imagine.

The Sadiguerer Rebbe, Reb Abraham Jacob, married off a daughter.  On the way to the wedding his hat, which had cost him three hundred rubles, was stolen.  The rabbi sent for the King of the Thieves, and asked him to guess where his hat could be. “Find my hat for me,” the rabbi pleaded, “and I will give you whatever you ask for.  I am ashamed for my in-laws to find out.” “Rabbi,” the King of the Thieves, replied, “If one of my Hasidim stole your hat, I still have hopes of finding it.  But if one of your Hasidim stole it, then the hat is lost forever.”   Honor, honesty and dignity are the hallmarks of a good person….even if their vocation is not one we would choose.   Even  religiosity does  not necessary mean integrity.  

 "Life itself punishes those who delay." - Mikhail Gorbachev Rabbi Tarfon taught: The day is short, the task is great, the workers are sluggish, the reward is bountiful, and the Master awaits." Do not wait to do a mitzvah for it may be be available to you later.

 "Success has a hundred fathers while defeat is an orphan."  - John F. Kennedy Honesty dictates that we accept our failures and grow from them.

“Gold was a moderate in just about everything, advocating…fiery caution and crusading inertia.”  - Joseph Heller   God needs us to be His hands in our world.  He has provided the directions.  All we need do is follow them, not remain uninvolved. 

T he shofar’s call is telling us, “ Awaken from your slumber!  Examine your actions, return to your true selves, and remember your Creator. Those who forget the truth in the vanities of time… Look inside yourselves. Improve your ways and your actions and abandon the negativity in your life…” – Rambam, Laws of Teshuva 3:4 When the Buddha started to wander around India shortly after his enlightenment, he encountered several men who recognized him to be a very extraordinary being. They asked him: "Are you a god?" "No," he replied. "Are you a reincarnation of god?"  " No," he replied."Are you a wizard, then?" "No."  " Well, are you a man?" "No." "So what are you?" They asked, being very perplexed.  Buddha simply replied: "I am awake." Buddha means “the awakened one.” How to awaken is all he taught. To be awake is to be aware.  Now, in our times, more than ever before, we need to be aware of ...

Motto of the French Foreign Legion: If I falter, push me on. If I stumble, pick me up. If I retreat, shoot me. My wish: Every solider would retreat, no more guns would be made, and no more instruments of death will be manufactured.