A Soulful Journey

A rabbi, a cantor and a synagogue president who were kidnapped by terrorists and promised before they were killed that each would be granted a final wish.  The rabbi said, “I want to give one last sermon – the sermon of a lifetime!  The sermon I always dreamt of delivering but never did.”  The cantor of course said, “I want to sing Kol Nidre one last time – with all my heart and soul poured into it the way I always dreamt of singing it.” And the synagogue president said, “Shoot me now.”   - Rabbi Matt Futterman

“It was late in the afternoon, close to the start of Kol Nidre, the evening prayer for Yom Kippur. Congregants in white began to crowd around the entrance to the synagogue.  “Rabbi, why are you standing in front of the doors? We can’t get in.” Everyone was anxious to find a seat and begin the service. “I’m sorry. We’re full,” the rabbi responded.  “There is no room for you in the sanctuary.” There was a murmur in the group until finally one of the oldest synagogue members     spoke up. “Rabbi, that’s not possible. We’re all standing out here. I can see through the glass that not one person is in the building.” “Trust me. It’s full,” the rabbi retorted.  “It’s so full of promises and vows you made and never kept that there is no room for anything else, even for you.”   -Rabbi Toba August

“In my life as a psychologist I rely on words to heal.    In my work as a rabbi I rely on words to inspire When I write, I rely on words to communicate.   As a meditator, I have learned that words mean nothing at all. - Rabbi Ruth Durchslag   The actions behind the words are where our  intent   become  revealed.

Once a very wicked man came to the rebbe seeking atonement. The rebbe consented to help him, but only on the condition first, that the man would liquidate all his assets – jewelry, real estate, everything- and second, that he put in writing every sin he had ever committed. After months, the man returned with a suitcase full of cash and a sheaf of papers filled with sins. As the rebbe read the list he was horrified. The rebbe moaned; the man fainted. The rebbe revived him and went on with the reading. Again, seven times, the rebbe would cry out in sadness and the man would pass out. When Rabbi Elimelech had completed reading the list, the man was white as a sheet. The rebbe sighed: “only death could atone for such a life!” “I will do whatever you say,” said the man. Now the rebbe turned white, for he realized that he had inadvertently pronounced an irrevocable death sentence. “Very well,” said the rebbe. “In such cases, the death sentence is to be carried out by pou...

"We've all passed a lot of water since then."  - Sam Goldwyn Yes, time goes, and flows, like water.

There is a story told of an argument between a philosopher and a theologian.  The theologian says it is like putting a black cat in a dark room and trying to find it.  The philosopher replies, "Yes, but it would find you."   -Louis Jacobs In the final analysis you know the truth.

La theorie, c'est bon, mais ca n'empeche pas exister. Theory is good but it does not mean something does not exist.   -Charcot, often quoted by Freud