A Soulful Journey

 Rabbi Akiva approached the city of Ginzak, whose residents asked him three questions to which he did not know the answer: First, does one fast for hours, or does one not fast for hours? The answer to the question was not available to Rabbi Akiva. Second, are clay jars that belong to gentiles permanently prohibited, or can they be rendered permitted? The answer was not available to him. Third, in what garments did Moses serve all seven days of the Tabernacle's inauguration, as acting priest when Aaron and his sons were initiated into the priesthood? Moses presumably did not wear the priestly vestments, as he himself was not a priest. Once again, the answer was not available to him.  - Talmud, Avodah Zarah Rabbi Akiva was one of the most influential and greatest minds in Jewish history.  In this passage he admits to being ignorant of the answers to the questions posed to him. Our tradition presents this story as an offering to us: are we humble, honest and wise enough to a...

In a letter to Queen Elizabeth of Belgium in 1932 Albert Einstein wrote: "One has been endowed with just enough intelligence to be able to see clearly how utterly inadequate that intelligence is when confronted with what exists. If such humility could be conveyed to everybody, the world of human activities would be more appealing." Be humble.

A professional orator liked mnemonics.  He began his speech by turning to one-man in the audience and said, "And so sir, where did you go to school?" "Yale." "YALE, Yearning, Aptitude, Learning and Excellence." "And where do you go to school?" he asked the next. Massachusetts Institute of technology." Sometimes it pays to be a little humble.

As a gift, I received a dozen golf balls, each printed with my name-Tony Palmigiano. One day, while playing on the public course in Queens, New York, decided to use one of the balls. One of my drives off the tee sliced into the adjacent freeway. As I approached the spot, I saw a woman pick up my ball, look at it and slip it into her golf bag. When I politely informed her that the ball she had picked up belong to me, she immediately pulled it out and said, “Oh no! You see, I always play a Tony Palmigiano ball!”  Feeling like a pro, I walked away with a big smile on my face. A great person is one who refuses to embarrass another.

We must learn to respect God and stand in awe of Him by knowing Him through prayer and Torah study. This is very hard, and, indeed never in our history have we had such difficulty in approaching Rosh Hashanah. We simply don't have the concept of being judged by a king . –unknown

George Burns once said of Al Jolson: "It was easy enough to make Jolson happy at home.  You just had to cheer him for breakfast, applaud wildly for lunch and give him a standing ovation for dinner." - Freedland, Jolson Humility is a virtue.

"We carry our nemesis within us.  Yesterday's self-admiration is the legitimate father of today's feeling of guilt." -Dag Hammarskjold

"There is no room for God in one who is full of himself."  -Baal Shem Tov

Rebbe Eleimelech of Lizensk was a man whose intense desire to be one with God was palpable.   Wherever he travelled people sensed his proximity to the Holy One that they were drawn to him.   One day as he was travelling in a coach he noticed a trail of people following it.   H e asked the coachman why so many people were walking after the coach. The driver responded, “They want to follow after wisdom and holiness.”   Rebbe Elimelech immediately descended and followed the empty carriage.  – I Berger It is good to be learned.  It is great to be humble.

"I've learned that most problems aren't rocket science, but when they are rocket science, you should ask a rocket scientist. In other words, I don't know everything, so I've learned to seek advice and counsel and listen to experts. I have learned that an achievement that seems to belong to one person probably has hundreds, if not thousands, of people’s work behind it, and it’s been a privilege to be the embodiment of that work. I’ve learned that Russian has a more complex vocabulary for cursing in English, and that it also has a more complex vocabulary for friendship. If you learned that a year in space contains a lot of contradictions. A year away from someone you love both strains the relationship and strengths it in new ways. …. I’ve learned the grass smells great and wind feels amazing and rain is a miracle. I will try to remember how magical these things are for the rest of my life." Scott Kelly, after a 3...

When a rookie pitcher complained to the umpire that Rogers Hornsby was thrown three balls, the umpire replied, “Young man, when you pitch a strike, Mr. Hornsby will let you know.” We may think we are deserving of much.  Humility may make us think twice.

Heedfulness leads to cleanliness.  Cleanliness leads to purity.  Purity leads to abstinence.  Abstinence leads to holiness. Holiness leads to humility.  Humility leads to fear of sin.  Fear of sin leads to piety (hasidic).  Piety leads to the holy spirit,  The holy spirit leads to the resurrection of the day.  And the resurrection of the dead comes through Elijah, of blessed memory.  - Pinchas ben Yair, Tanna of second century

"The greatest act of faith is when you decide you are not God." -Oliver Wendell Holmes

"He who thinks he knows, Doesn't know. He who knows that he doesn't know, knows. For in this context, to know is to not know. And not to know is to know." -Tao-te Ching

A rabbi asked why it is that God was always heard in the olden days and nobody seems to hear or see Him today.   The rabbi replied: “Nowadays there is no   longer anybody who can bow low enough.”

“The preacher said, “Saddle me the ass.”   Complying with the statement they saddled him, the ass."  –Louis Jacobs

"Don't be so humble - you are not that  great."       - 
 Golda  Meir to a visiting diplomat