A Soulful Journey

Letty Cottin Pogrebin told the story of going to Israel its her Marxist-rasied Jewish husband,  when they stood at the kotel Pogrebin went to the women's side while her husband went to the more spacious men side.  Engulfed by Lubavitch they expected him to pray in Hebrew,  He said the only thing that he knew, the blessing for wine.  They all laughed. Go, learn.

A computer translates English into Chinese.   A visitor suggested, “out of sight, out of mind." Inserting it into the computer, it came out in Chinese letters.   Not knowing Chinese he ran it through- from Chinese to English.   This is what came out, “invisible idiot.” – Carl Sagan Needless to say, sometimes translations do not work.  That may be the best reason yet for delving into the sciences in the pursuit of truth.  In this way you will rely on no one or no thing, as your knowledge will direct you. And this is why we are still faithful to Hebrew after all these millennia.

"Having invoked the ancient names daily, it is no longer in our power to distance their potency...the names have their own life." In other words, when there are religiously charged words they are sacred and cannot be transferred to consumer language. Watch your words when speaking of kodesh.

We "ivrim," Hebrews, are t ranscenders because our job is to build bridges over great chasms. The world Hebrew actually means to cross over, but this is not an historic crossing; it is an action and response to the world where we are always be prepared to challenge barriers.

When asked which language he preferred for Palestine -  Hebrew or Yiddish - Baron Edmond de Rothschild voiced his preference for Hebrew with a qualification, "I shall use French, the best is good enough for me." There is a reason why the language one is raised with is called the "mother tongue."  That is which is most familiar give the greatest comfort.

Soon after Henry Kissinger was appointed Secretary of State he wrote to Golda Meir, Prime Minister of Israel: “As you know, I have been appointed Secretary of State.   I hope very much that we shall be able to work well together for the benefit of both our countries.   In order that there may be a complete understanding between us, I trust you will always be aware of my priorities, which are in this order: I am an American citizen, Secretary of State, and a Jew.” To which Golda replied: “Your letter makes me very happy.   Now I am sure that we shall at all times be in complete accord." PS I am sure that you are aware that in Israel we read from right to left.

“When an infant begins speaking, his father should converse with him in the holy tongue.”  -Talmud What better way and time to expose a child to God?

To Henry Kissinger, US Secretary of State, who had written her that he considers himself 'an American first, Secretary of State second, and a Jew third,' Golda Meir responded that in Israel, “We read from right to left.”

Not so long ago and old man in Russia started learning Hebrew. That was illegal. A man from the KGB approached the old man and asked, "Tell me, what do you think you are doing?" The old man replied, "I am old. I could die any time. I want to learn Hebrew so I will understand what they are saying in heaven." "And what makes you think you are going to heaven, old man? Perhaps you are going to hell." The old man gazed at the KGB and said, "In that case, I already know Russian." ~ Rabbi Jacob Radinsky We work for heaven today. What we do impacts our present and informs our future. For this reason, nothing is meaningless. Nothing.