A Soulful Journey

  Mencius once asked his disciple to describe a good man.     “A good man is one who is loved by everybody,” he was told.   “No,” he rejoined.  “A good man is a man who is loved by the good and hated by the bad.” Christians would say, “A good man is one who loves everybody.” Jews would say, “A good man loves the good and hates the bad.”

In Moscow, G.B. Shaw met Lenin's widow, Krupshaysa.  He reported, "She had given the Soviets a piece of her mind so roundly that Stalin had threatened if she did it again he would appoint another widow for Lenin." It is not easy to accept criticism, but it makes us most human.

        In the early 1940's, Ben Hecht (1894-1964) was actively involved in the rescue efforts of the Bergson Group, trying to save as many European Jews as possible.         As part of his volunteer work, Hecht, in 1942, was trying to get several prominent Jewish Hollywood personalities to sign a telegram calling for a mass protest rally.         He approached David O. Selznick (1902-65), the renowned producer, and asked him to sign.         Selznick refused, baldly declaring, "I am not interested in Jewish politics. I'm an American, not a Jew!"         Seizing on that comment, Hecht now challenged Selznick. "If I can prove you are a Jew, will you sign the telegram?"         "How are you going to prove it?"         Hecht suggested calling any three Hollywood friends that Selznick would choose and pose the simple question, "What would you call David...

A neurosis, Larry Kushner defines, are the things we do to overcome neuroses. No one is perfect, not even close.  We strive t do good things, make wise choices and rid ourselves of bad habits.  Sometimes in our effort to overcome negative behaviors we overreach, creating the opposite effect.   Every day try to be yourself, as God intended. If you have nothing positive to say, remain silent. If you are angry, accept your anger but do not hurt another. Pray, like your life depended on it (it does). Look at the yourself the mirror and affirm that you are just right, as you were created to be.  Remember God does not make mistakes.

The story is told of a great flood occurring during the High Holy Day season.   Many homes along the river were flooded and many more were threatened by the rising, rushing, raging waters.   Morris Cohen, whose home was being engulfed by the rising flood waters, took refuge on the roof of his home.   Morris was terribly scared: however, being a religious man, he began to pray: “Please, dear God, save me.”   The water had now reached his feet.   A neighbor in a canoe paddled past and shouted, “Morris, can I give you a life to higher ground?”   “No thanks,” said Morris.   “I have faith in God and He will save me.”   Soon the water rose up to Morris’ waist.   At this point, a motorboat from the police rescue squad came up.   A policeman called out, “Can I give you a life to higher ground?”   “No, thanks,” answered Morris, “I have faith in God and He will save me.”   As the water came up to Morris’ neck, a helicopter flew over. ...

A Dodger pitcher said of Stan Musial, “I’ve had pretty good success with Stan – by throwing him my best pitch and then backing up third.” Knowing how to accept things we cannot change is true wisdom.

A Jew got into a train and when it had started he noticed that a coreligionist was sitting opposite with a large cage at his side containing a queer-looking animal. “What sort of animal have you got there?” he asked. “It’s a a mongoose,” replied the other. “A long goose?” “No, a mongoose!” “Oh! And what’s a mongoose?” “A mongoose is an animal that eats snakes.” “And what do you want with an animal that eats snakes?” “Well, you see, my father-in-law suffers from nightmares.   Every night he goes to sleep, he dreams that he is being followed by snakes.   So I thought if I give him a mongoose, he won’t see any more snakes.” “Oh! I see…But…er…they’re not real snakes.” “Well, it isn’t a real mongoose.” - Friday Night Book We all have bogeymen, things that keep us awake at night, terrors that wait in the dark.   Sometimes the greatest gift we can deliver to someone we care about is to take them seriously and help them work through their fears.   In...

In a village near Koshnitz, a dispute broke out between the Hasidim and the Mitnagdim.   The Hasidim, which was the smaller group, decided to form their own congregation.   This was made known to R. Yisrael, the Maggid of Koshnitz.   He invited the heads of the Hasidim and said,   "There are serious punishments in the Torah for sinners, but we do not find that we are obligated to separate ourselves from them.   Only in one place in the Torah do we find "separate yourselves from this community," and this is in the dispute of Korah.   They wanted to introduce divisions within the camp, as it says in the Targum,   "and Korah divided," and whoever wishes to make divisions between Jews, we are commanded to separate from him.   (Ma'asey Ha-Tzadikim)   Rabbi Carl Astor

“Humility is perpetual quietness of heart. It is to have no trouble. It is never to be fretted or vexed, irritable or sore; to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised, it is to have a blessed home in myself where I can go in and shut the door and kneel to my Father in secret and be at peace, a ship a deep sea of calmness, when all around and about is seeming trouble.”   -  Anonymous words sitting on desk of Dr. Bob