A Soulful Journey

"One good deed induces another."  -Avot 4:2 Make it happen.

Once to every man and nation comes a moment to decide, In the strife of truth and Falsehood, for the good or evil side; Some great cause, God’s new Messiah offering each the bloom or blight,  And the choice goes by forever ‘twixt that darkness and that light.  Though the cause of evil prosper, yet ‘tis truth alone is strong Though her portions be the scaffold, and upon the throne be wrong Yet that scaffold sways the future, and behind the dim unknown  S tandeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above his own.    James Russell Lowell "There is no person who does  not  have their hour and no thing that does not have its place."  - Pirkay Avot 4:2 Could this be your moment?

"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.

There are containers with worthless contents and there are old containers with invaluable wine inside.”  -Avot 4:27 Be careful how you judge people.

“Our God and God of our fathers  God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob …” “Our God” – a personal search. “ God of our fathers” – this is the tradition handed down through the generations. “God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob” – Each did not rely on what was transmitted to them. Instead, they forged their own personal relationship with the Divine. -Geoffrey Hartman

“Who is strong?" "The person who is able to control his passions.” -Avot 4:1

"One mitzvah begets another mitzvah." -Avot 4:2 Isn't the cascade effect of goodness wonderful?  Do something good and more goodness comes more easily!

"Ben Bag Bag said, 'Turn it over and over again (the Torah), for everything is in it.  Contemplate it and wax gray and old over it; do not stir from it for you have no better guide than this'. " -Avot 5:20 The end of the road is truly the end.  So turn back to the beginning and learn what you already know; from the start, from the Beginning.  Behold! You will find truths that were hidden from your eyes before.

"Ben Zoma said: Who is wise? He who learns from all men, as it is written (Psalm 119:99) "I have gained understanding from all my teachers."  –Avot 1:4

“All whose actions exceed his wisdom, his wisdom will endure.   All whose wisdom exceeds his deeds, his wisdom will not last.”   - Pirkay Avot 3:5    What leads to lasting knowledge is when we practice what we learn.

Gloating does not become us.   Craning our necks to witness another’s pain is unworthy.   Watching someone fall only adds to the cruelty. “Do not strive to see what your neighbor looks like in his hour of shame.” - Avot 4:23