A Soulful Journey

“He spends much of his time before a mirror, admiring himself and carefully arranging his hair.   He is more with his barber than he is with his teachers.   Were he bald, he would be better educated.” This lament is from a Roman father of the first century, writing to a friend about his teen-age son .   -- James Dent Excavators at the ancient city of Aphrodisias in Turkey, discovered the following inscription at the entrance of a public bath: “The customer is held responsible for the loss of any money from purse or belt not previously checked with the attendant.”   -Martin Buxbaum Who says we are more advanced than in past years?   What was, is and will   be.

Once Rabbi Akiva was sent to Rome with a delegation of five rabbis.   At the high of its power Rome was impressive.   They saw baths, artwork, circuses, museums, statues, palaces and military outposts.   The Roman hosts asked, “Akiva are you impressed?” “No.” They were shocked. Akiva then explained: “When we were walking in the square there was a statue of the emperor.   Then it began to rain.   The slaves on duty guarding the statue took velvet robes and covered the statue so that it would not get wet.   I am not impressed with a city where statues wear robes and human beings wear rags." Such is our mandate, to "Feed the poor and clothe the naked." - Micah