I was getting an interesting daily email. It wrote the headlines of news in Israel. I would look for it & peruse through it several minutes a day.
So I cancelled it.
I figured I could be spending my time more productively. minutes become hours – hours become days.
Spend your time wisely – money comes – money goes – time just goes – it doesn’t come back.
The King’s Banquet
Once upon a Time two Jewish tailors were having a hard time making a living in their town. Their solution : to go from town to town searching for tailoring jobs. They were traveling for several years. They arrived at a town and saw the governor of the town was troubled. They asked what is bothering you. He replied – he needed to prepare clothing for royal family for the king’s banquet and he could not find qualified tailors.
Family in Jail
“We could do the job!” they assured him. He tested them – finding that they were qualified. After about a year the king had his banquet and was very satisfied with the clothing. The king thanked the tailors and gave them a large sum of money. The queen whispered to the king – “should we tell them about the Jewish family is in prison because they did not pay their taxes?” The king mentioned it to them. They asked how much money do they owe. He said “300 Gold Rubles.”
Redeeming Captives / Pidyon Shevuim
One tailor said to the other – let’s do the mitzvah / commandment of redeeming captives. The other tailor replied “I have to bring money back to my family.” The tailor who suggested helping the family counted his money he earned and found he had just enough to redeem the family.
The family was so thankful. The praised him and blessed him.
The Rich gets Richer – the Poor Remains Poor
The tailors returned to their town. One with much money – the other poor. The poor person came home and told his wife of the story. The man was forced to go from door to door to ask for money to support his family. The other tailor became wealthy.
Discovering a Concealed Blessing
Once a person wanted to give him a valuable coin. He asked him what will you give me in return? The poor man said I’ll give you a blessing. The man needed a blessing because he had an important meeting with wealthy people that evening for a business deal. That evening he noticed that the deal went unusually smoothly.
He thereafter – searched for this poor man before doing a business deal to receive a blessing.
The Power of Blessing
People found out his power of blessing. They started lining up to receive a blessing. The Baal Shem Tov – a great Rabbi – asked his students to ask the man to come to him to talk. At the meeting – he inquired what special deed he did that gave him this power of blessing. He said I don’t know. Finally the Baal Shem Tov told him – the fact that he redeemed the Jewish family – Hash-m gave him the power to bless others and have the prayers readily answered.
I heard this story from Moshe – with whom I learn Torah. He told me he heard it in French from Rabbi Avi Assouline.
We think that blessings are only those that give us material benefit – really there are many blessings for which we can be thankful – good health, children, healing, wisdom, the ability to give blessings, etc.
At times we receive blessings – but we take them for granted. Or someone does something good for us and thank the other profusely – but do not take into account that it was Hash-m who ordained that we should recieve the blessing. The person who helped us get a job or gave us that business deal – was an agent of Hash-m. So really we should first thank Hash-m then thank the person who was the agent.
Malki Tzedek / Shem made that mistake. We can learn from him to give the thanks in the proper order. First thank G-d – then thank the agent.
I think that thanking G-d is appropriate at a personal event – like a Brit / Bris / Circumcision, a Bar Mitzvah or a Wedding. I thought it might be proper for a person to take upon themselves a new mitzvah – as a thanks for G-d that he allowed us to have a new child, to marry off a child, etc.
Driving ahead to the left of me was a Black Lamborghini Aventador. I was stuck in slow traffic. So was he. He got about 30 yards of space so he sped up and then quickly stopped. The idea of a fast sports car is prestige and speed. Well at least he had one – prestige. Regarding speed – he was going about my speed in my old van.
Superheros in Judaism – Superpowers of the Jewish Righteous
People are the same way. G-d endowed people with tremendous abilities. We can even achieve – Super-Human abilities like we see many true instances in the Torah.
Superpowers mentioned in Torah
Some superhuman acts brought in the Torah include invisibility – like Pinhas, being averse to effects of fire – like Avraham Avinu (in the fiery furnace), transporting from one place to another in an instant (kefitzat haDerech) – like Yaakov Avinu (Jacob), walking through walls, seeing the future – like prophets, seeing what is happening in another place, transforming things from one thing to another (like Yosef HaTzadik), transforming oneself into another being, freezing a person, levitation / flying (like Pinhas), levitating objects. (Perhaps I’ll make a new post on it with further details – further on).
So why don’t we achieve? We’re slowed by traffic.
Thank G-d for Free Choice
G-d made the world for a person to choose between good and evil. We say a blessing in the Daily Morning Blessings for this gift – “Barukh… HaNoten laSechvi Bina leHavchin ben yom uben layla.” / Blessed are You, Hash-m,… Who gives the heart of man the Ability to choose between Day (ie, good) and Night (ie, evil).”
A person can achieve great heights in good or in evil. And with both he or she can achieve the powers above. Witchcraft, sorcery, talking to the dead and black magic are all real according to Torah. But they are all forbidden – because it is using forces for evil.
Whatever can be done through evil can also be done through powers of good. G-d made it that way for a person to be able to have freedom of choice. If a person could only let’s say become rich by doing good – people would only be good – not for good itself – but to become rich.
What’s Stunting Your Growth?
I was at a Bar Mitzvah party last night. I mentioned – that at 13 a boys starts putting on Tefillin / Phylacteries – the black crown on the head and arm sign that a Jewish man wears. At the age of 13 (according to the Hebrew Year) – a Jewish boy becomes responsible to do mitzvot like a man. A girl becomes responsible at 12 for woman’s mitzvot. (Why 12? A girl matures earlier than a boy.)
Knowing our Goal in Life – Self-Improvement through Torah
After a Jewish boy is born he is circumcised. One message of Bris Milah is that a person is not born perfect – it is our job in life to perfect ourselves. Another message is that a person should direct their passions towards those permitted by Torah.
Attaching Ourselves to the One Who said “Let There Be Light”
Tephillin – allude to a crown and attachment to Hash-m. A crown to remind the wearer that he is nobility – that he is a child of the King / Hash-m – making him a prince. Recognizing his high stature and responsibility teaches the Bar Mitzvah – that he has importance in this world to make it better. This gives him self-esteem & confidence to face, overcome challenges and build the world. Attachment to Hash-m is one of the ways we establish a connection to Him and emulate Him.
So – anything that creates a detour to our relationship with G-d will stunt our growth – excessive involvement in – politics, gossip, watching videos, TV, sports, etc.
The Difference between Permitted & Forbidden pleasures in Judaism
Exercise is good – overdoing it is not. Eating is good – overdoing it is not. Judaism – is not averse to pleasure. In fact it encourages permitted pleasure. Usually – the pleasures of Judaism – are pleasures that build a society, build a family, build an individual – spiritually, physically & materially. If you look at many of the pleasures forbidden by Torah they are pleasures that do not have purpose. They are pleasure without purpose or Pleasure for only for the sake of pleasure.
Change Yourself – to Change the World
Once a rabbi wanted to change the world. He saw he could not. He said he will change his country. He was not successful. He said perhaps his province. No luck. His city. Nope. His family – no success. He finally decided to change himself. Eventually – he changes the whole world.
A good place to start to better oneself – for Gentiles is to learn about the 7 Noahide laws from Torah. For Jews – it is to learn the Shulchan Aruch & Pirkei Avot.
I was walking down the street looking for a man to complete the minyan (quorum of 10 Jewish men) needed to recite certain parts of prayer – like Kaddish / the Mourners prayer for the elevation of a soul that departed. I see a man – he’s Jewish. I ask him reluctantly – “Hi sir – can you help us to complete a minyan? Our synagogue is just down the street.” I might have added – someone needs to say Kaddish.
Gathering a Minyan
The woman next to him – apparently his wife – gives an upset look. She says something “You Orthodox Jews differentiate between men and woman!” She was right – but I didn’t have a chance to explain why the Torah differentiates between men and woman – they both walked away with some kind of righteous indignation.
Learning Judaism
I encounter many people like that. They have righteous indignation that I try to offer them a card to help them find meaning & spirituality – by making a connection with Hash-m. Or they outright reject it – apparently they have a fear of becoming closer to G-d. Perhaps I should give them a copy of “The Bible for the Clueless but Curious – Finally, A Guide to Jewish Wisdom for Real People Nachum Braverman. I was perusing it just today. He’s also a co-author of The Death of Cupid. The author has an informal but eloquent – and meaningful righting I mean writing. Wow I think – it’s the first time I used this strikeout function. OK.
Why People are Reluctant to Follow Judaism
So I understand people – they are reluctant to believe or have a close connection with G-d. Why? Some because they feel it will cramp their lifestyle if they believe. If they believe in G-d – Jews will no longer be able to get a Big Mac. (Hamburger & Cheese is a No no.) Gentiles will no longer be able to eat live animals. (Sorry to mention repugnant things – but some people still do this.) Big loss? I don’t know. I did it. I gave up the peperoni pizza. Nowadays – you have a kosher alternative to almost anything. The Rambam / Maimonides brings 24 reasons – which cause people to avoid Teshuva – Repentance.
The Difference Between Judaism & Other Religions
Some don’t want to believe because they are turned off by religions – that killed millions and keep killing in the name of their religions – and they stereotype from other religions to Judaism. I hear that – so investigate the difference. The Bible for the Clueless is a good starting point.
Weighing the Losses & the Gains of Judaism.
I was in both worlds – the secular & the observant world – and I find that the benefits greatly out weigh the sacrifices. No more shopping on Shabbat – but a much better relationship with the family. No more eating Big Macs – but a much more spiritually satisfying diet – a Kosher one. They say that non-Kosher food clouds the heart of a Jew. Thus a Jew who eats non-Kosher has a harder time understanding mitzvot than a Kosher eater.
Did I get off tangent? Sorry.
Thanks for Not Making me a Woman
All Jews – men & women – say Morning Blessings daily to thank G-d / Hash-m for all the Good He supplies daily. Like the ability to see, the ability to walk, the gift of clothing, etc. The man’s blessings of the Daily Morning blessings are slightly different than a woman’s. A Woman says “Blessed are You Hash-m … that You made me according to Your Will.” Men say “Blessed are You Hash-m … that You did not make me a Woman.”
Q & A on Woman’s Blessing
You should have 2 questions – one on the woman’s blessing and one on the man’s. The one on the woman’s blessing – “Does that mean that G-d didn’t make the man according to His Will?” One Answer: G-d made a woman more complete than a man – a man has to strive to perfect himself – a woman is closer to where G-d want’s a person to be initially. Apparently, she can grow and she can fall. We all have freedom of choice.
Q & A on Man’s Blessing
The question on the man’s blessing: “Why term it that I am thankful to not be a woman? Since a woman – is closer to the connection with G-d – she has less mitzvot. Mitzvot are to help a person reach spirituality, spiritual perfection and a closeness to G-d. A man needs a Talit, Tephillin, Lulav, and other external items to become closer to Hash-m. Thus a man has more Mitzvot to become closer to G-d. Thus the man thanks G-d that he did not make him have less Mitzvot – like a woman.
G-d didn’t first create man & woman and say – this would be an appropriate law for them. G-d first created the Torah – then based upon the Torah – he found it appropriate to make a creature called a Man and one called a Woman.
The Error of Society – Not Appreciating Differences in People
I heard in some societies & public schools – they are erasing the gender differences. They say no more boys line or girls line – there is the A line or the B line. It is prohibited in the schools to say “Boy” or “Girl”.
To do what society is doing today – to force a man and a woman to ignore their differences will in the end create confusion and psychological problems. If I can’t appreciate my strengths and weaknesses – so I become like a marshmallow – devoid of form, and purpose and uniqueness. A rabbi said “If one tries to be like someone else – he is not that person and he is not himself – he becomes a non-entity.”
The Torah on the other-hand appreciates the difference between men & and women. It tells a man how he is to talk with his wife – with kindness. It teaches how a man should appreciate his wife – with words & gifts. It teaches how a woman should speak with her husband – with respect – like all people.
Each gender is given their particular laws that suit their psychological and role in the family. These laws bring out their strengths and minimize their weaknesses.
Say No to the Marshmallow Movement
Say No to being a Marshmallow!
When a Jew is in the womb of his mother – an angel is present teaching him the entire Torah. Before the baby exits – the angel strikes the person below the nose – creating an indentation and causing the baby to forget. Once the angel did not hit a certain child. The child was able to tell secrets of the the Torah. The parents brought the child to a great rabbi – He put the child in a dark room. In the morning the child forgot what he learned. They Called the child the Yanuka.
Today a great young rabbi in Israel – Rabbi Shlomo Yehuda – through his effort and toil in Torah – received an appellation of “the Yanuka” / הגאון הינוקא – due to his great Torah knowledge.
Asked about how one can have a more settled mindset – he replied:
One is to pray to Hash-m for a more settled mindset.
The second he said to read daily the Third chapter of Habakkuk.
The Third is that his or her mind should settled in terms of their “world to come.” When a person is settled about their “world to come” – doing the right in the eyes of man & G-d – it will help them to have a more settled mindset.
A person wants a legacy. Here is my “Legacy Quote”
“The Gift is in What You Make, Not What You Take”
Why are people still in search of happiness? Apparently – many think when they Have a particular thing – they will be happy. I will be happy when I win Lotto, when I have a new car, When I have a new house, when I get married.
Choose Happiness
But Torah says – you choose your happiness. You choose to be happy. You make your happiness. Meaning Happiness is in our own control – not a certain state based upon our situation.
When we do good – we feel good.
Why – because we have an elevated soul. The soul has little interest in food or material pleasures in themselves. It is interested in the benefit derived from using the material to do good. Thus – two people can do the same act – one will become happy and the other not. One by using their new car to drive their parents home will have the satisfaction of doing a Mitzvah or good deed. The one who uses their car to commit a bank hoist – will not elevate their soul. He will probably sadden it and will experience sadness.
Make the Situation
You choose what you want to do with your time. You can be productive & build the world or not.
Make Yourself
You choose to get angry or not. You choose to smile or not. You choose to become a better person.
Make Good Deeds
You can make the world a better place. You can choose to save lives, to protect lives, to help others – according to Torah – or not.
Bout with Sadness
I had a bout with sadness when I was young. I tried to get over it by glossing over it. By occupying myself with the media and the like. Although I was distracted – I remained with the sadness. I was doing activities that did not elevate my soul. I thus remained in my sad state – even though I was doing the activities that people do to be happy.
The reason that I didn’t get out of it readily – I believe – was that I was involved in some activities that gladden the soul and others that sadden it. Slowly, I got involved in activities congruent with Torah, I purified myself and little by little the sadness went away.
The Proof of Happiness being Congruent with Doing Good
Why do people like a happy ending. The Good person wins over the wicked. Good triumphs over evil. Like I said – innate in us is a soul that wants good, wants to do good, wants people to do good, and is inspired by people who do good.
Get involved in activities that are congruent with Torah values & one who’s soul suffers will eventually rejoice.
We associate the color white with purity. In the Torah / 5 Books of Moses – the brother of Rivka and father of Rachel & Leah has a beautiful name – Lavan. Lavan means white in Hebrew. Although he had a beautiful name – he was wicked.
Wickedness of Lavan
We say it in the Passover Haggada – “Arami Oved Avi” – “An Aramean (Lavan) destroyed my father (Yaakov / Jacob).” Since Lavan tried to kill Yaakov – he is considered as if he actually did it. Thus we say “An Aramean destroyed my father.” and not “An Aramean tried to kill my father.” For certain – if they attempt to do an evil act — it is considered as if they actually did it.
Misleading Purity
At times the world of marketing – leads us to believe that certain things are pure and certain things are right. It may be so – it may not.
What is Purity?
There is a difference between Holiness and Purity. Holiness is one who is careful to follow the laws of the Torah with precision. He is loved my man and Hash-m / G-d. A Holy person can be impure. A pure person – can be unholy.
Defining Purity
There are various kinds of purity – purity of the heart and purity of the body are two.
Purity of Heart
Purity of the heart – means a person is careful to guard their heart of hatred. They guard their eyes from seeing the prohibited – improper images – like those of idolatry, the face of wicked people, immodest people and images. They guard their mouths from speaking evil – they speak no evil about others – even if it is true (see laws of Lashon HaRa), they do not flatter, they have clean language. From their mouth emanates truth and kindness. They guard their ears from hearing bad about others. They keep their hearts far from grudges, animosity and controversy. They keep their mind pure as well.
Purity of the Body
A person’s body can become impure several ways. A person who touches an unclean animal – like a lizard, rodent or insect can become impure. A person who touches a dead body or who is in a building with a dead body or in a cemetery also contracts impurity. A menstruating woman or a man that has a seminal issue also contracts impurity. A person’s hands become impure when they sleep – thus we do netilat yadayim / washing of the hands in the morning.
To achieve purity of the heart one reads, learns and applies sefarim / Jewish books on Mussar / Jewish Ethics.
To achieve purity of the body one may immerse in a natural body of water, like a river, ocean, or mikve.
At times a person feels cloudy of mind. They feel depression. They may feel anger. Certain things that bring upon themselves impurity cause depression, anger and being unsettled.
The solution? Purify yourself.
I asked my mechanic today if he needs an assistant. I had so many car troubles – I know many car parts, troubles, and their solutions. He laughed.
He told me it is more worth my time to learn & teach Torah. He told me a story that once – I believe Moshe Reichman – a Multi-Billionaire – asked – the Gadol HaDor – great Rabbi of the Generation – could he retire and just sit and learn Torah. Rav Shach said – He supported so many Yeshiva Students – with his wealth – that he should remain in business and keep his Torah learning schedule.
A Greater Place in Heaven
I then told him a story – Once Moshe Reichman asked Rav Schach – “Who will have a greater place in Heaven – Himself – because he supported so many Torah learning Institutions and Yeshivot or Rav Shach who was the Torah leader of the Generation?”
Rav Shach replied – “I don’t know who will have a better portion of Olam HaBa / in Heaven – but I know I have a better portion in Olam HaZeh / this world.” Moshe Reichman was a billionaire. Rav Shach lived very simply. He meant that living & Learning Torah was greater than the life of a billionaire.
The Benefits of an Old Used Car
I said to my mechanic – It is good to have an old used car. Why? Because the troubles that you have are an atonement for sins. Instead of physical harm – the atonement goes on the car. So spending $1000 for a new Intake Manifold isn’t so bad – after all.
Rabbi Harvey Gornish, an Orthodox Rabbi, brought a story in response to a question – “How did King Solomon / Shlomo Hamelech learn the language of the animals?”
In I Kings 3:5–14 Solomon begs G-d for the wisdom of a LEV SHOMAYA or understanding heart, and a Midrash informs us that when he woke up from what he thought was a dream (3:15), he found that he could understand the chirping of the birds.
There is a remarkable follow up to this Midrash. One day a friend of Solomon, obsessed with learning the secrets of the birds, implored the king to teach him this secret language. Solomon cautioned him that it would serve him not well and lead to disaster, but the friend was relentless. Upon learning how to understand the chirping birds, the man heard two birds conversing and was shocked to hear that they were speaking about himself, warning that tomorrow his house would burn down. Shrewdly, the man raced to the market and sold his house to a idolatrous gentile. How happy he was to incur no loss when the house burst into flames on the morrow.
A week later he heard the birds warn that his cattle would die of a plague. Once again he shrewdly sold them quickly and suffered no loss. Finally, the last avian warning was that HE was about to die. Terrified, the man ran to Solomon begging for advice.Solomon explained there was nothing he could do; the man had tried to outsmart the Al-Mighty, and deserved his fate. The merciful G-d had tried to awaken him to repentance by depriving him of a somewhat painless monetary loss; a house, some cattle, etc. But NO, HE was too smart to allow G-d to do this. So finally, there was nothing left with which to punish his sins except to take his very life.And that was That.
And so the Torah warns us in Deuteronimy 18:13 Tamim Tihihey Im Hashem Elokecho: Be WHOLEHEARTED with Hashem your G-d. Refrain from astrology, divination, fortune telling and tarot cards in order to outwit your fate. It can not be done and it is a sin to try. Instead TRUST in His love that whatever befalls you was not only necessary, but also the best outcome that is beneficial to your soul. Trying to outsmart the Al-Mighty is really for the birds!
Spending $1000 for a new Intake Manifold isn’t so bad – after all.
Need inspiration?
Apparently the word inspiration comes from – the same latin root at spirit. Spirare in Latin means to breath. I looked it up:
Middle English enspire, from Old French inspirer, from Latin inspirare ‘breathe or blow into’ from in- ‘into’ + spirare ‘breathe’. The word was originally used of a divine or supernatural being, in the sense ‘impart a truth or idea to someone’.
The Best inspiration is Torah inspiration – Why? Because Torah inspiration – inspires the soul. It imparts a truth from Hash-m – the Divine.
Every day at 1:00 PM Eastern 10:00 AM Pacific is the OU’s Daily Tehillim Call: Where you can Connect with Jews across the world for daily Tehillim and Inspiration
Call 773.377.9170.
I was on yesterday.
You can get great inspirational cards at our freebies / store section.
The Blessing of Freedom of Choice
We recite the Morning Blessings every day. One of the Berakhot is “Asher Natan LaShechvi Bina Lehavchin ben Yom uben Layla” – We bless G-d that he gave the rooster the ability to distinguish between day and night. We thank G-d that rooster wakes us up in the morning. In the Chumash of Rabbi Eli Munk he brings the Chidushei HaRim. He says that the word Shechvi – can also mean the heart of man.
Thus the blessing’s meaning becomes “We bless G-d that he gave the heart of man the ability to distinguish between day and night.” We thus thank G-d for giving us freedom of choice daily. Freedom to choose between day – which is an allegory to doing Good. And the freedom to choose night – an allegory to evil.
Choose Life
In this week’s parasha / Torah reading – Re’eh Hash-m says – See that I place before you a blessing and a curse. The Blessing that you observe the Mitzvot / Commandments …
Why does it say The blessing that you observe the Mitzvot. It should say the blessing if you observe the mitzvot? It’s teaching that not only do we get blessing by observing Torah and mitzvot – but the Torah & Mitzvot are a blessing in itself.
When we observe Shabbat – it is a blessing to spend time with family and connect with Hash-m and community.
See the Good in Life
We just have to see it. So we can see that everything I present before you is a blessing – we choose to view it as a blessing or a curse. It is our freedom of choice.
Choose to Be Happy
We can view the good in every situation or the opposite it is our choice. Like it says in pirkei avot – who is the wealthy person? the person who is happy with his lot. It is not our situation that makes us happy but our choice. We choose to be happy.
What makes us Happy
In Shir HaShirim / Song of Songs – written by Shlomo Hamelech – it says Yishakeini MeNishikot Pihu – ki tovim dodecha miyayin.” – Kiss me with the Kisses of Your Mouth for your love is better than wine.
The Vilna Gaon says The kisses are the 2 commandments we heard directly from Hash-m. Anochi / “I am Hash-m..” Implanted the Torah in our hearts. “Lo Yehiye” / “Do not have any gods aside Me…” – removed the evil inclination from us.
Spiritual vs. Material Pleasure
When we learn Torah we receive this love. More than that – it is saying that Hash-m’s love is greater than wine. Meaning that Spiritual pleasure – being close to Hash-m through Torah – gives us greater pleasure than wine – material pleasure.
Why is this – because our essence is a soul. The soul does not gain pleasure from the physical world (except for aromas) – but it gains pleasure from the closeness to Hash-m. Thus – when we do good – and Hash-m is “close to us” we are happy. When we do the opposite – Hash-m “distances” Himself and thus it gives the soul sadness.