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Showing posts from April, 2008

Temporal and Eternal Light

Do mitzvahs and create sparks or points of of light. Every act makes the universe more whole, and brighter. We edge towards the Ultimate Redemption with each mitzvah performed. Light tiny wicks and you will see they do not provide great illumination, but if we light enough of these candles the world will be ablaze. Where do the mitzvahs come from? Torah. Every mitzvah that we perform can be traced to the primary source of all, Torah. A question can be raised, if mitzvahs create light, what does Torah create? It is also light. Rabbi Menachem the son of Rabbi Yossi taught: “ ‘A mitzvah is a candle. The Torah is light.’ The verse used the analogy of a candle for a mitzvah and that of light for the Torah teaching that just as a candle only offers protection for a brief period, so too, a mitzvah offers protection only temporarily. The Torah, on the other hand, is described as light. Just as the light offers protection forever, so too, the Torah offers protection forever.” ~Talmud S

Looking After People

To be zealous for others is important. Seeing the homeless and feeling disturbed by his plight gives backbone to our humanity. We should be disturbed! Observing an injustice and feeling a sense of outrage is an attribute. When we watch the turn of events in distant lands, learn of human rights violations, and grow angry we are right minded. Insensitivity to the plight of the afflicted is un-Jewish. "People need trouble - a little frustration to sharpen the spirit on, toughen it. Artists do; I don't mean you need to live in a rathole or gutter, but you have to learn fortitude, endurance. Only vegetables are happy." - William Faulkner Our experience with pain should also make us empathic. Each of us has know terrifying and dark nights. That ought to make us sympathetic to the pain of those that suffer. Then God can take joy from His children and say, "Well done."

Needs

There is so much to want and need. We want a nicer car. We need food. We want a cushiony bank account. We need to pay our bills. We want people to like us. We need companionship. There are big differences between wants and needs and yet often they become confused. It seems that the more we have, the more we seem to need. The inverse also seems true: the less we have, the less we need.Still, to be more accurate our wants always outnumber our needs. Thank God for that! Baruch HaShem . In the Talmud a great Sage asks, "Who is rich?" He answers, "The one who is happy with what they have." This rabbi understood the need to make sure we understand the difference between wants and needs. If we are content, the difference becomes much more obvious. When I really think about it we need very little. Needs are pretty elemental and basic; food, water, shelter, companionship, clothes and protection.... Some would say that we need pain. Yes, pain. Pain brings us to an awareness

Levi Yitzchak's Distractions

A story is told of the dames Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev. When it cam time for the soul of Rabbi Levi to enter into this world as a physical being, the Satan came to the Heavenly Court with a complaint. "This Levi Yitzchak will be so holy, so compassionate and so truthful that all my efforts will be in vain. It is not fair that such a man should be born!" The Tribunal consoled him saying, "Do not worry. Levi Yitzchak will be a rabbi. He will have so many demands on him, there will be so much to worry about, that you will have plenty of chances to do your work."

Elijah and the End

Imagine a universe of joy. A world of satisfaction where no one covetously eyes their neighbor’s wife or husband, car or she-ass. Imagine a world where no wars or conflicts tear at the fabric of humanity. For millennium, Jews have harbored a vision of such a time and place. We call it the messianic era. Legends are rife about who will usher in that time, what needs to be done before the arrival of the anointed one, who will welcome him and where the seeds of peace will first be planted. At root with the many beliefs of the messiah is his precursor, Elijah, the prophet. Announcing the arrival of the son of David will be this great prophet who never died. Elijah will trumpet the pivotal moment inaugurating the coronation of the messiah. An underlying question still needs answering, though: What will precipitate Elijah coming? What will be the catalyst that forces Elijah from this heavenly chariot back to earth? Here is the answer: Behold, I will send Elijah the prophet before the

Faith ia All that Remains

Shlomo is one of the very survivors of the decimates Jewish section of Lublin after a horrific massacre. In Lublin he came upon refugees from Tulchin , from Bar and from other towns, and he learned from some of the forced converts of the death of his father and mother, who dies for the sanctification of His name together with the other Jews from Tulchin . And he roamed about through the fair of Lublin among the refugees, among the husbands separated from their wives and the wives separated from their husbands, among the widows and the orphans. He heard the sighs and moans of his people which rose up over the fair. And one day he walked in a narrow street in Lublin where the merchant's stalls were located. And he saw standing before an empty booth an old man who was calling buyers into his booth. And he marveled greatly, for the booth was empty, there was nothing in it to sell. And he walked into the booth and asked the old man: "What do you have to sell here? Your b

The Future

Toward the end of the celebration of Passover celebration we open the door for Elijah, the prophet. It has been asked, "Why do we open the door for Elijah? Why not Moses? After all, the great lawgiver was the pivotal figure in the Liberation from slavery. Elijah was not even born then! Why not open the door for Moses?" We open the door for Elijah because the prophet represents the future. Moses represents the past. While we study the past to gain insight about human behavior and God's role in the universe, we do not live in history. That is gone. Instead, our eyes should be fixed on the future. Our minds must be preoccupied with how to make a better world, a better life. That is Elijah's message. He is our future. Elijah represents what we can be. He is hope.

Faith

If you do not have faith, you will not endure. ~Isaiah 7:9 Trust in God. Have faith. Not for His sake but yours. God is still God. Always was. Always will be. He does not go on holidays or have vacation times when the lights go out. Knowing that the Holy One is always there gives comfort when the pain of life becomes unbearable. It provides a reason to function in a world that often appears random and meaningless. Faith means that everything we do, say and even think has import. Faith that God is Eternal and cares intently about us provides a rootedness to life that comes from no other place. Faith in these things is the well of life. Without it we are not.

A New Moment

"The future ain't what it used to be." ~ Yogi Berra In fact, the future is never what we thought it would be. Nothing is as it was. Everything in life is new. Every moment, in effect, is a new creation. This moment has never existed before and will not come again. That is why we must strive to be open and aware of each meeting. If we can rid ourselves of past ways of thinking (read: prejudices) we will be ready to greet each new moment as new .

Look Up

"Never look down to test the ground before taking your next step: only he who keeps his eye fixed on the far horizon will find his right road." ~ Dag Hammarskjold What lies behind you are lessons for living. No more, no less. The demons of the past once they have given over their lessons to us need to be buried and eulogized. Even the present is fleeting. See? It is already gone. So look up and out. Find your gaze settling on the future and begin to walk towards it.

Go Ahead, Ask

Fun a kashe starbt men nit "One does not die from a question." ~ Yiddish saying It is important to remember and know. That is why asking questions is so important. Ask again until you understand. Knowledge gives us strength. Even more, knowledge provides us with light. That is why we call someone smart, 'bright.' It is why we call the learned, 'enlightened.' When someone has a novel idea we say, "That was brilliant." In a religious vein it is no different. We are asked to ask. On one of our holiest holidays there are four questions actually laid out for us, just in case we have forgotten the art of asking. Questions that go unverbalized are not questions at all. They are like passing random thoughts that seem to come from a black hole and disappear down another one soon afterward. That is why it is so important to get the questions out, and put them into words so that we can seek and find our answer. Spiritually, we are

Growth from Wounds

"There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its hands. You seek problems because you need their gifts." Richard Bach , Illusions . That is the same message we learn from the pearl. A pearl is only formed in a oyster when an irritant enters into the shell. The pearl then forms around that irritant to protect the oyster from its contamination. Isn't that life? Isn't suffering the greatest teacher? Doesn't it offer great lessons that change the course of our life? Not that we would ever chose the path of pain but when we are confronted with it, remember that pain has the potential to open new doors that would otherwise remain shut to us.

A Life's Purpose

"What is to give light must endure burning." ~ Viktor Frankl May it be Your Will Heavenly Father that I shine. May my pain be converted to new strength that grows stronger and ever more radiant. Do not just heal these wounds but let me learn great lessons from them. I do not want my suffering to be without reason. I want my life to be aflame with direction and purpose. Let this be my prayer.

Find Your Place

Our Sages taught, “When a righteous person [a tzaddik] resides in a certain place he is its glory, splendor and beauty. When he [the tzaddik] leaves that place the glory, splendor and beauty also depart.” -Rashi on Gen 28:10 It is important to live in a lustrous environment. Many people choose homes in the country, others have penthouses, some prefer to overlook the shore. There is no shortage of beautiful options. Perhaps the most often overlooked commodity is the composition of that community. Before choosing where to live consider the following: - Is there a beit knesset, a shul, nearby? - Are there programs of outreach offered by the community? (This is a good indicator of a right-minded, kind flock). - Can you find a rav , a respected teacher, who enlightens the place? Humans sanctify. We make places and things holy. Place yourself in an environment which allows you to grow. It ought to challenge you with new opportunities. How will you find such a place? Look for the lustrous mar

Tolerance and Understanding

An African tale tells the story of a man walking down the lane. The man is wearing a hat that is colored red on one side and blue on the other. As he walks people observe him as they work in the fields. As the man passes from view the people in the village gather in the in the town to talk about the events of the day. The workers tell that they saw a traveler pass down the road wearing a red hat. “No, you are mistaken,” say others. “He was wearing a blue hat.” The way we experience life is always subjective. Our experience is reflective of who we are. That is why it is so important to respect viewpoints that differ from ours. Even if they are very different from our understanding they may not be wrong. They may have just seen the other side of the man’s hat. For them it was indeed blue. Knowing how differently life can be seen by others is a critical value in being a whole person.

Another Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments of Human Relationships I. Talk to people. There is nothing quite as nice as being greeting with a friendly, “hello.” II. Smile. Because it is so much easier. Did you know it takes seventy-two muscles to frown and only fourteen to smile? Go the easy route. Smile. III. Call people by their name. Everyone wants to be remembered. Don’t you? IV. Be nice. Pretend you are having a good time when all else fails. V. Take an interest in others. People want to feel valued and appreciated. VI. Heap on the praise. We lose nothing by thanking people and telling them how good they are. VII. Be stingy with criticism. VIII. Try empathy. If you were in their “shoes” what would you do? IX. Think before speaking. A single moment of thought can save a relationship. X. Help. If someone needs something run to assist them.

Freedom to Choose

There is a beautiful Midrashic tale of a leaf. Attached to its tree the leaf resented its mooring. It did not wish to be a continual slave to the tree. Fervently the leaf wished to be a maple, a stately oak or even a smaller tree, just not a measly weak leaf clinging, no stuck, to the tree. The leaf wanted desperately to fly and soar in the wind like the birds who were carried on the invisible air currents. It dreamed and prayed of such freedom. Suddenly a wind came and snatched the leaf from its perch on the tree. It fluttered and turned over in the wind. Turning like a ballerina in midair the leaf gradually fell to the ground. There it lay. After a while the leaf began to curl and shrivel and shrink. Then came fall. The leaf was soaked, crushed and trammeled. He said, "I thought I would be free, but I was wrong." -tanhuma ki tisa Freedom is larger and far greater than independence. Freedom is knowing where our roots lie and choosing to remain anchored to them.

People or Books

"...I have come to learn what Buber concluded when he grew older. When in his youth he was asked which he preferred, Buber thought he preferred books to people. Books are easy to handle, easy to open and to close, to remove or place back on the shelves. Books are manna from heaven, while humans are like hard, brown bread on whose crust he breaks his teeth. but as he grew older, Buber changed his mind. "I knew nothing of books when I came forth from the womb of my mother, and I shall die without books; I shall die with another human hand in my own. " " -Rabbi Harold Shulweis

The Expanded Mind

Two great spiritual giants met: The Vilna Gaon and the Dubner Maggid. The former was an unsurpassed Talmudic scholar. It is said that the Gaon studied the holy texts for twenty hours each day. He committed to memory every nuance of Torah and halakha, Jewish law. That is why people would come to the Vilna Gaon to seek his advice on any matter. The Dubner Maggid, on the other hand, was a master of devekute , connecting with God. The Vilna Gaon went to the Maggid and opened his heart to his colleague. "I need your insight and help," the erudite scholar exclaimed. "I have scoured the holy books for years. I have given myself to learning and I still have difficulty in learning how to repent." The Dubner Maggid replied, "I am not impressed with your learning. That you sit and study all day long surrounded by Torah means nothing. Go out into the street. Walk in the marketplace. Meet your fellow Jews. Learn their pain. Understand their fears. Then we will see what kin

Be You

Be what you is Not what you ain't. For if you is what you ain't You ain't what you is. - Dr. Bernie Siegel We were born to be us. Not them. Not the figures of the tabloids. Not our brother or sister. Not our parents or famous uncle. There are people whom we venerate, idolize and adore. They are not us, though. Each person must follow their own path. We only have to be true to us. That is our life's task. God created us uniquely. There is only one "me" in this vast universe. We were made in God's image but unique so that our contributions to the world could come only from us.

Miracles

"Never rely on miracles. Read Psalms." -Rabbi Hugo Gryn Inspiration comes from beauty. It is what we see. It is also how we see. To look at a magnificent rose may be meaningless unless we gaze at it with an open heart. The way we look at the world greatly impacts what we take from it. One of the mainstays of religious philosophy is to take nothing for granted. Everything has its place and purpose in this universe. Remember the old conundrum, "If a tree falls in the forest and no one sees it...did it really fall?" Well, the same principle applies to life. If a smile is tendered and you do not bother to look, did it really happen? If a child draws a picture of love and the one who should take note of it does not see it.... If a tulip emerges from the soil and no appreciates it, is its value diminished or non- existent ? That is what "never rely on miracles. Read Psalms," means. When our level of appreciation of the world goes down pick up

The Meaning of Speech

"...the right answer is usually more important that the right answer to the wrong question." -Alvin Toffler Words are not just sound waves passing through the air. They are creative powers. Words contain seeds of generation or destruction. They build or they tear down. With a well-chosen word we have the ability to nourish a needy soul. They can become motivated to achieve a noble goal. Think of the kind words people have said to you. Each one was a diamond. It lead to increased inner strength and resiliency. Without their help we would not have been enabled to become what we are today. With a barb aimed at hurting us people have eked away at our potential. Feeling excoriated by their comment we retreated into a protective shell. Perhaps their hurtful words deprived us of a moment of growth which affected our life. Forever. Imagine such power. Every utterance can give birth to great possibilities or can implant a life- long toxicity. It is a human imperative to

Real or Illusion?

"Even if pain is an illusion, the pain is also part of the illusion." -Rabbi Louis Jacobs There is no sense to denying what "is". Life is often frustrating and painful. That is reality. Cancer is real. Suffering is real. A toothache hurts. Rejection is painful. Accept the pain willingly. Life is most often playful and wondrous. Plants send out their tendrils seeking light. Flowers come to bud and then blossom sending sprays of color and smells to delight our senses. Food aplenty is in the refrigerator. Our car starts. Traffic that flows and accidents that do not happen are all part of the great and glowing canvass of life. Accept the joy. At the very least, give an opportunity for the joy to be felt as seriously as the pain. At least as real. Whether life is an illusion or not, take it as genuine. A life of roaring laughter until the stomache hurts, tears that cover the face when there is a loss, inhaling the sweet fragrances of nature and so much more bring to o