A Soulful Journey

 "It's for you." The voice not he other end was Sergeant Reed of Homicide. "You still looking for God?" "Yeah." "An all-powerful being?  Great ones, Creator of the Universe?  First Cause of All Things?" "That's right." "Somebody with the description just showed up at the morgue.  You better get down there right away." It was Him all right, and from the looks of Him it was a professional job. "He was dead when they brought Him in." "Where'd you find Him?" "At the warehouse on Delancey Street." "Any clues?" "It's the work of an existentialist.  We're sure of that." "How can you tell?" "Haphazard way it was done.  Doesn't seem to be any system followed.  Impulse." - Woody Allen Our connection with God is where we breathe life into it.  It is our choice.

  Ben Zoma was once in a vast crowd on the steps of the Temple Mount. He said: "Blessed is the One who discerns secrets, and blessed is the Holy One who has created all these people to serve me." For, he also used to say, "What labors did Adam have to carry out before he obtained bread to eat? He ploughed. He sowed. He reaped. He tied the sheaves. He threshed the grain and winnowed the chaff. He selected the ears, then ground them, sifted the flour, kneaded the dough, and baked it. Finally, was he able to eat. I, on the other hand, get up and find that all these things have been done for me. And, how much effort did Adam have to carry out before he obtained a garment to wear?! He had to shear the sheep, wash the shearing, comb, spin, and weave it. Only then did he have a piece of cloth ready to wear. I get up and find these things done for me. Many craftsmen come early to the door of my house. I rise in the morning and find all these before me." – Talmud Berachot 5

Strength comes only from your faith.  - Rebbe Nachman  "The Lord is with me. I will have no fear."    - Psalms 118

"Blessings from Above only come down to earth when there is some ready vessel to capture it, not just emptiness below."  - Zohar Gen 88a Remember the joke of the man who incesantly complains that he needs to win the lottery?  Day after day he brings his complaint to the Lord until finally exasperated, Heaven opens up and demands," Give Me a break!  At least buy a ticket!" The same is true for buisness, love, and even a prayerful relationship to the Almighty.  Before results come we must first invest energy into our goal. God seeks humanity.  He looks for a willing partner.  He looks for us. Empty me of vain gestures and meaningless pursuits.  Let me be still before the open Heavens.  In humility and awe I seek You.  Bless me, Avinu.   

  Rebbe Yisrael of Vishnitz used to say: "When I feel that someone doesn't love me,   I love them so much that they have to love me." The Rebbe offered this as advice even for someone who hates you.

 "Do I exist as a human being?  My answer is: I am commanded; therefore I am." "Meaning is found in responding to the demand; meaning is found in sensing the demand." -Abraham Joshua Heschel Open your heart today and feel the Presence.  Then do.

  Who is a violator of  rekhilut ? One who makes claims, and goes from this person to that person, saying, “So-and-  s o said this, and I heard that from so- and-so.” Even though it is true, this is destructive for the world.  There is an even worse transgression which is included in this prohibition, and that is  lashon hara , one who spreads disgrace about someone else, even by telling the truth. If they are lying, that is called  motzi shem ra . One who speaks  lashon hara  is one who sits and says, “So-and-so did this, and his parents were such-and-such and I heard this about them,” and says words of disgrace.  There are certain matters which are considered “the dust of gossip.” How? If one says... “Do not talk about so and so; I do not want to say what happened”... Similarly, one who relates gossip in frivolity and jest, as if he were not speaking with hatred... Similarly, one who speaks gossip about a colleague slyly, pretending to be innocently telling a story without knowing th

  One who shares gossip against their fellow violates a negative commandment, as it is written: “Do not gossip among your people.” Although the punishment of lashes is not inflicted for violating this prohibition, it is a grave sin, and is the cause of many deaths from Israel. For this reason it is written adjacent to: “Do not stand by the blood of your fellow.” Furthermore, the sages said: “[Gossip] kills three people: the one who speaks it,  he one who accepts it, and the one about whom it is spoken. The one who accepts it more than the one who speaks it.”   Mishna Torah, Hilchot De'ah 7

 "What if everything is an illusion and nothing exists?  In that case, I definitely overpaid for my carpet."  - Woody Allen Everyone is given to wondering about life's meaning.  When we ponder such thoughts which may lead nowhere it is vital that we remember to laugh, at ourselves.

 The Gerer Rebbe said: "Exile contains redemption within itself as seed contains the fruit." Never give up.