A Simple Test
Generous George walks down the street.
He sees a poor man. “Here my friend – take $20 dollars.”
A wheel-chaired man is selling candy.
“I’ll buy $100 worth.”
In the playground, he yells – “Free Candy!” and distributes them.
A Rabbi is walking in the opposite direction. “Rabbi. I love your Shabbat Torah discourse. Please Take $20,000 for your Torah Day School.”
A random person comes up to him. He tells him he lives in a small studio. Feeling badly for him, George says to him “You know what take my mansion.”
George is left homeless.
He now sleeps in the street and thinks “Perhaps, I went too far.”
He regrets ONE of all his actions.
(Fill-in the Blanks)
He regrets ______ _____ ____ _____.
Give 2 Reasons Why.
My Answer –
He regrets giving away his house.
1. His house is his own shelter. His shelter takes precedence over someone else’s shelter.
2. His house is his most prized possession. His prized possessions should be given to prized individuals.
Un-normal giving. Normal regret.
Poor George. Left alone to sleep in the street.
Fiction & Reality
The story is fiction – somewhat.
Really, it happens everyday. On college campuses, in bars, in nightclubs.
What is your most prized possession?
Your house? car? computer? Phone?
Think Again.
In Torah a person is a soul clothed in a body. Your body is your most prized physical possession. Your soul is your most prized spiritual possession. Your values protect both.
Permissiveness Linked to Depression
Societies social permissiveness has given rise to a new trend called “hookups”. It has also given rise to a new reason for depression. Strangers, exchanging more than glances are feeling depressed from giving away their most valued possession – their body and values – for free – because they cave into societies pressure of unusual social mores and a fleeting desire.
Women think promiscuity may lead to appreciation and marriage. Men think they just want to have a good time. Both are mistaken. Both are on the wrong wavelength. Both are hurt from incompatible relations. They build relationships in the air that many times may lead to unstable marriages and wasted time. Instead of building a family – they build castles in the air. Once the glamor wanes, the reality sets in that they are incompatible.
The Torah’s view is for Jews to be celibate till marriage. Once one finds a suitable mate, worthy of their building a mutual family with values founded on Torah and mutual respect and Torah guided goals, the giving takes place. The couple feels a purpose in giving. The couple has a strong foundation – difficult to shake.
The Difference between Truth and Falsity
The word for TRUTH In Hebrew is EMET – spelled Aleph, Mem, Tav. Each letter is solidly grounded – the Aleph has two feet, the Mem has a horizontal Base, the Tav also has two feet. The Word for falsity – shecker – is spelled Shin, Kuf, Resh. Each one is unstable. The Shin has a pointed bottom. The Kuf has one foot and the Resh also has one foot. Thus it easily tumbles over.
Founding a Solid Relationship
- First part in a Solid relationship is to know the proper values – ie, Torah Values.
- Second is to base the relationship on those values.
- Third is to seek compatibility – in goals, values and raising children.
- Fourth is to find attractiveness.
Reason for Misery
Misery sets in when one feels they are not accomplishing purpose in life. They sold their values for a minute of pleasure. Following after purposeless pleasure, they feel they gladden the body – but at the same time they sadden the soul. Sadness sets in when the soul feels compromised. A person’s soul is his or her self.
Rehabilitation through Proper Giving
Giving can rehabilitate a person. Giving can make the average person great. Some who fell to depravity or to cruelty can rehabilitate themselves by giving to counteract the bad. Giving on the opposite extreme – for the purpose of helping, not for the purpose of self-gratification – will help them heal. If I hurt someone, let me make amends. Let them give according to Torah values. A person can always wipe the slate clean.
Religion Litmus Test – Step One – Finding the Right Values
A religion that preaches hatred – historically or currently – is falsity. G-d created men & women – who are His children. It makes no sense that G-d wants His children to be hurt. If His children do do bad, they need correction. But G-d tells no one to hurt the innocent – like any other normal father. It’s simple logic.
Many people will fail the justice test upstairs – when G-d asks them – do you think I wanted the innocent to be hurt? Thus values of a couple must be real values. G-d. given values. Only once in the history of mankind did G-d appear to an entire nation of millions of people – when G-d gave the Torah to the Jews at Mount sinai about 3,300 years ago.
The difference between happiness and sadness is the difference between good giving and bad giving. It is also the difference between a successful marriage and the opposite.
Good and Bad Giving
Giving is good. Giving is G-d’s trait. Giving satisfies the soul.
Yet, the happy man knows to whom to give and what to give.
The man who is a giver is a greater individual.
The man who gives guns to a criminal is a criminal.
The man who gives candy to children is kind.
The man who gives cigarettes to children is cruel.
A man who leads a person in the Torah’s spiritual path is kind.
A man who give people opportunities for spiritual degradation is not.
A person who gives thoughtfully and calculating the consequences is prudent.
A person who gives wantonly, without proper though can cause selfishness and spoiled children.
A person who gives of his time to help others is kind.
A person who gives of his time to hurt others is cruel.
Educating children to Love is lovely.
Educating children to hate is atrocious. They are guilty of destroying lives – of their children and the people they hate.
Giving is good.
It’s Good to Give. But give wisely.