A Soulful Journey

A Jewish family moved into a mixed neighborhood.  Their Irish neighbors saw the new family and their beautiful little boy. The daughter cooed and fawned over the boy and asked, "What is he?" The mother answered that he is an American. The young girl was not satisfied.  "What else is he?" The mother understood.  "He is Jewish." "Oh," said the child.  "So young and already he's a Jew."  - Rabbi Ralph Simon

There was this girl in high school I really liked and finally got the nerve to ask out. So we went to the movies, and then I took her home. I thought we'd had a really good time but she jumped out of the car and ran into her house. I didn't understand it until I got home and looked in the mirror. I then realized I had gotten the broccoli from dinner stuck on my teeth. To this day I can’t stand broccoli.   - Kareem Abdul Jabbar Moral: Check yourself before going out.

According to Chabad the story is related of a man who sees a building for the first time and marvels at its beauty.  But he does not readily perceive or take into account what is truly beautiful about it.  This is only done after more than a momentary reflection when he regards it having a certain structure, height, and breadth.  So too, we must look beyond a momentary glimpse to tell us what lies behind the first impression.  –Rabbi Louis Jacobs