A Soulful Journey

Rabbi Tarfon and the Elders were once reclining in the upper story of Nitza's house, in Lod, when this question was raised before them: Is study greater, or is deed? Rabbi Tarfon answered, saying: Deed is greater. Rabbi Akiba replied, saying: Study is greater. Then they all answered and said: Study is greater, for it leads to action. Talmud, Kiddushin 40b Every day learn  something  new.   Learn  Torah.

1. To be is to do. Myriam Mendilow, ז”ל Founder of Yad Lakashish-Life Line for the Old 2. To be is to stand for. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, ז”ל 3. To be Jewish is to be an idealist. Unknown Source

“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. 

 "When I was a kid, thy told me to do what my parents wanted.  When I became a parent, they told me to do what my kids wanted.  When do I get to do what I want?'  - Sam Levinson The real question is, what do you want to do that will make the world a better place?

In the little museum at the Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, the tranquil scenes in the dioramas of ancient American Indian life depict women weaving baskets, cooking, taking care of the children.  In one, the men are standing around staring into the wilderness, often with a dog at their side. I overheard a woman remark how typical it was to see the women doing the work while the men lounged around doing nothing.  The woman was wrong.  Those ancient cliff dwellers weren’t simply doing nothing – they were watching out. Watching out is still a popular pastime in the masculine genes.  What does a small boy do when he climbs a tree?  He watches out!  A grown man leaning against his tractor, seemingly doing nothing, is actually obeying the deep urge to watch out.  Even a boy standing on a street corner or sitting on an apartment stair is doing what nature intended for men to do - watching out.   –Gene H...

Hasidic sage, Mendel of Kotzk, used to say, "Whoever believes in miracles is a fool; whoever does not is an atheist." To avoid being caught in this paradox we are taught to examine the meaning of the word "miracle."  The Hebrew word for miracle is nes which also means "sign."  Sign is the English root word for sign -ificant.  To acknowledge the significance of events is to discover the meaning of godliness in time.  Miracles did not happen and do not happen when people stare at the world with folded arms; miracles happen when people call upon their divine gifts of courage, competence and faith.  - Norman Patz We are the arms of God.

“…someone or something to revolt against and someone to actually show up and do the revolting. Dress is usually casual and both parties may be flexible about time and place but if either faction fails to attend, the whole enterprise is likely to come off badly.”  -Woody Allen Woody Allen, through his dry wit, understands the need for us to put our self where our ideas are. In other words, thoughts are largely meaningless unless they translate into action.

A woman wired her husband; “Can't pay hotel keeper. Send money immediately.” To which the husband replied, “Haven't any at present. Send in a few days. Meanwhile I send you 1,000 kisses.” Several days later another telegram arrived from his wife, “Don’t need money. Gave the hotel keeper a few of your kisses.” Do you mouth words of love or act on them?

"Against your will were you born. Against your will  you will die. " -Avot 4:29 So what choice do we have?  The choices we make every moment between then and now.

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote that an institution is the lengthened shadow of a man. This gives meaning to our lives and leaves a legacy afterward.

A Dutch missionary returned to Holland on the eve of the Second World War.  His congregants asked him what they should do about the Jews.  Should we help them?  Turn them in?  Should we do nothing?” He answered them, I cannot tell you what to do.  I can only tell you who you are.  Once you know who you are, you will know what to do.” Do you know who you are?

Mitchell Wohlberg shared: Once, the plight of the Jewish people in a certain small village in Eastern Europe was so great that they cried to God to send the Messiah.  God heard their prayer.  But when the Messiah arrived, he had a problem.  Where should he announce his arrival?  If he announced his presence in the Chasidic shteibel, the MItnagdim would be offended.  If he announced his presence in the Mitnagdic synagogue, the Chasidim would be offended. What should he do? He thought it over and decided that he wouldn’t come so as not to offend either group.”- Robert Orkand W hen will he arrive?  When we are deserving of him.

Perhaps you have heard about the young man who asked the girl, “How about a kiss?”  The girl was silent.  Them he asked, “May I kiss you?”  There was only silence from the girl.  Then he asked, “May I please kiss you?”  Again, there was silence.  Then he asked, “Are you deaf?” She replied, “No, are you paralyzed?”  – Stan Meade Sometimes, action is called for, not words.

The teakettle puffed its chest and boasted, “All pots have such pungent odors!  They reek of that which they cook.  Only we teakettles have the good fortune to be odorless.” An old pot standing nearby spurt a sizzling drop on the kettle’s head and scornfully retorted, “See how he tilts his crooked nose.  What else can you do, my great hero, but spout with steam? That is indeed funny!  What do you amount to?  Yes, you have no door because your contents are tasteless and odorless; you boil nothing but plain water.” Moral: To be faultless signifies nothing.  Life is about what you accomplish.

Rabbi Hanina and Rabbi Hiyya were arguing about the best mechanism to save the Torah when it seemed on the cusp of being neglected and forgotten by our people.  Rabbi Hanina insisted that he would bring the people back by his reasoning.  Rabbi Hiyya said that he would sow flax, catch a deer, make scrolls from their skins and copy the Torah onto them.  Then he would find five children and teach them the five books of the Torah.  He would then instruct six children on the six orders of the MIshna.  He would then have them teach one another what they had learned.  That is how he would preserve the Torah.  – Baba Metsia 85b It is a powerful and meaningful story.  One personality may be strong and capable to imparting wisdom while others are more adept at teaching by example.

“There are three types of people in this world … those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what happened!”   - Mary Kay Ash Who are you?

"A Jew is asked to take a leap of action rather than a leap of thought.
 He is asked to do more than he understands
 in order to understand more than he does. "  Abraham Joshua Heschel

A Dutch missionary came back to Holland as the Second World War was beginning.  His friends said to him: "Tell us that we should do about Jews.  Should we help and harbor them?  Should new turn them in?  Should we do nothing?"  He said to them:  "I cannot tell you what to do.  I can only tell you who you are.  Once you know who you are, you will know what to do." It is always the same.  We know who we are and therefore know what is expected of us.  The only remaining question is, will we listen?

Visiting Hollywood, French playwright Henri Bernstein said, “Genius, geniuses everywhere I turn!   If only there was some talent!” – Bennett Cerf We all have ideas but turning them into reality is real genius…and makes all the difference.

“Matters of the heart are not matters.” - Talmud, Kiddushin