A Soulful Journey

Here may the most empowering statement ever made by a man: “Every human being has the freedom to change at any instant.    Human being is a self-transcending being.   –Viktor Frankl

Once Nahum of Gamzu was traveling to his father-in-law’s home, and he had with him three donkeys – one laden with food, one with drink, and one with all kinds of sweets.   A poor man stopped him o the road and said to him: “Master, give me something to eat.”   Nahum replied, “Wait until I have unloaded something from my donkey.”   He had hardly managed to unload anything then the man died from hunger.” -Taanit 21a Wait for nothing when someone needs you.   Now only happens once.

“Israel is like the heart of the nations.   It is the sickest of the; it is the healthiest of them” –Yehudah HaLevi, Kuzari When all is well with the Jewish nation all is well with the world. When all is not well with the Jews….

“ One who performs the mitzvot from fear and love of God and because one is submissive to the mitzvot as described by the rabbis as one who occupies oneself with the Torah for its own sake and consequently is ashamed to do any unbecoming thing in the presence of God.   In other words, fear of God instills I humans a sense of bushah , shame, and this prevents sinning.” –Joseph Albo Just the knowledge of God alone is enough to make us become better human beings .

What's the difference between Pesah, Sukkot and Shavuot? On Pesah you can eat as much as you want and wherever you want but not WHATEVER you want…  On Sukkot you can eat whatever you want and as much as you want but not WHEREVER you want… But on Shavuot you can eat whatever you want and wherever you want but can't eat AS MUCH as you want…   Why, you ask? How much can you eat in just two days?   -Rabbi Jack Reimer

Rabbi Menahem Mendel of Kotzk taught, "What was given at Sinai was the same for everyone but what was received varies according to each person's capacity." Each person is unique.  We have our own path, our personal memories, and a task affirmed by heaven.  We hear God in a way meant for only us.