I try to avoid politics on this blog, but Ari brings up an important issue. While we won’t know what Beck has in store until the event happens, I do think he’s sincere in his support of Israel. Curious to see how this rally turns out.
The Daily Show – “The Thin Jew Line”
March 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment
I hate using The Daily Show as a news source, mostly because it’s a comedy show and can distract from the issue by making fun of it, but this is a truly bizarre story. In summary, an Orthodox Jewish group wants to set up an eruv in part of The Hamptons, and some non-Orthodox Jews wants to prevent it. Not sure how a string that most people won’t notice will harm anyone, but apparently some think it will. Truly baffling…
Things That Intrigue Me: “Hitbodedut”
March 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Hitbodedut, as defined by Wikipedia (which never, ever, EVER has its facts wrong) is, “…an unstructured, spontaneous and individualized form of prayer and meditation taught by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov.” Basically, it’s an hour-long daily prayer said in seclusion.
Here’s a video from Rabbi Lazer Brody with a little more insight:
I seriously want to give this a try, but something about it makes me a little nervous. Not entirely sure what.
Take The Shot: The Only Failure Is Not Trying
February 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment
An inspirational video from Aish.com
“Love God” – A Few Thoughts
February 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment
So, I’ve been reading the 6 Constant Mitzvot by Rabbi Noah Weinberg over at Aish.com. Today was #4, Love God. In particular, this stuck out to me:
The sign of successful Torah study is when it becomes an insatiable addiction. If something doesn’t make sense, you will rack your brains to figure it out. And every time you succeed in working it out, the pleasure makes you want more and more. This level is called Ahavat Torah — true love of Torah. You become so overwhelmed that Torah study becomes your very essence and you want to absorb as much as you can.
Now, while I really want to be at that point, I just can’t seem to get there. I’ve been confused about my lack of motivation, but after reading some teachings of on the topic of prayer by Rabbi Lazer Brody (side note: how cool would it be to have the name “Lazer?”), I may have the answer:
If hitbodedut is so pleasant, convenient, and easy, why isn’t everyone speaking to Hashem for an hour a day? What’s stopping people from doing what they know is right and beneficial, from talking to Hashem in personal prayer?
The answer is that the Yetzer Hara – the Evil Inclination – knows full well the virtues of hitbodedut. He knows that by way of personal prayer, a person will realize his potential to the maximum and see blessings of success in all of his endeavors. Most of all, personal prayer is the vehicle that brings a person close to Hashem, to his true mission in life, and to his soul correction. For these reasons, the Yetzer Hara will fight tooth and nail against hitbodedut and do everything to convince and discourage a person from doing personal prayer.
Now, I’ve never been comfortable with anything that even slightly resembles a “the devil made me do it” defense, but I also know my knowledge is nowhere near that of Rabbi Brody. So, is it entirely possible that my desire for comfort and fear of the unknown qualify as some sort of “evil inclination” that have me spinning my wheels and going nowhere? Sadly, they are.
Problem diagnosed. Now, for a solution…
Orthodox Jewish Hip-Hop: Ta-Shma
February 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Yeah, their one album came out in 2006, but I’m just now getting around to downloading it (mostly because I’m just now getting around to trusting iTunes a a viable music-purchasing option).
Anyway, two songs I really dig by these guys:
(yes, it was my fondness for Matisyahu’s music that caused me to check these guys out. I just couldn’t ignore the “featuring Matisyahu” next to the song title for “Rachamana.”)
“You Complain. A Lot.”
January 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment
A coworker said that to me the other day. It caught me off guard, because I’m generally happy with my job, and feel like I make an effort to fix what is wrong instead of just griping about it. However, I can’t see myself how others see me, so it’s entirely possible that I’m a big complainer. I could just be numb to it.
I’m also pretty sure that how I behave at work is how I behave outside of work, so this whole thing concerns me on a pretty big level.
A couple of things I’ve seen recently that have me thinking…
First, I was watching Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist the other night, and there’s a line about Tikkun Olam that kind of bugs me:
Norah: There’s this part of Judaism that I like. Tikun Olam. It said that the world is broken into pieces and everyone has to find them and put them back together.
Nick: Maybe we don’t have to find it. Maybe we are the pieces.
It bugs me mostly because of Nick’s response. We aren’t the pieces. We’re the ones that broke the world. We dishonor god and each other with our totally selfish pursuits. For those of us that complain a lot, this is the source of that complaining; people aren’t behaving as I think they should, and it bugs me. Why should I try to understand anyone else when it’s obvious I’m always right?
Second, something I found on the blog of a Crossfit gym in California:
If we were to take a look at the world through color or lack their of, would you life be bright or dull. Taking a visual aid from the 1998 movie “Pleasantville” where an idyllic complacent 1950′s town lives in a world without color, significant excitement and limited enthusiasm. The movie’s depiction reflects a general lack of concern for finding new stimulants and simply maintaing an acceptance of being mediocre. So how does the plot of “Pleasantville” relate to us at the gym.
Earlier this week we discussed that if you did not enlighten your friends to the idea of training with us that you were directly supporting and encouraging them to develop diabetes and have their feet removed forcibly from their bodies. Since that post almost a whole 2 days ago we have seen many of you bring your friends in and share the cure, so to that I congratulate you. Now back to the topic at hand, please do not allow your friends and family to live a life of gray complacency, bring a little color into their life. Let us paint your life with vibrancy and gloriousness.
Yeah, it focuses on exercise, but makes a very valid point that can apply to pretty much anything in life. I think Rabbi Nachman of Breslov said it best:
לבקר אחרים ולתת להם הרגשה שאינם רצויים – זאת יכול כל אחד לעשות. אך לרומם את רוחם ולהעניק להם הרגשה טובה – לכך דרושים כישרון מיוחד והשקעת מאמץ
Think about that for a while!
(okay, seriously, in English):
Criticising others, giving them an unwelcome feeling, can be done by anyone. Uplifting them and giving them a good feeling – that takes a special gift and spending effort.
Truly, there is nothing worth complaining about. It should be my goal in life to uplift others, not worry about (mostly insignificant) issues I let get to me. Complaints don’t make the world a better place, and I need to keep that in mind.
Pushin’ Weight Update
So, I’ve been hitting the gym, using the workouts posted at Crossfit Football. It’s going well, but I still need to work on cleaning the junk out of my diet. I may try to post a weekly workout that includes all workouts, but I’m a little scared my blog could turn into an exercise log, which I don’t want, so I’ll see what I can work out.
Matisyahu’s New Hannukah Song: Miracle
November 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment
I seriously cannot get this song out of my head. It’s just that awesome.
Using Fear
October 31, 2010 By Leave a Comment
I’ve been reading through 48 Ways To Wisdom over at Aish.com lately, one way per day. Today’s reading was #6, Mastering Fear.
A few thoughts, starting with my two biggest fears:
BE AFRAID OF MEANINGLESSNESS
Remember the old TV program where you had 10 minutes in a supermarket to grab whatever you could? The woman was running up and down the aisles, looking for what is most valuable. She didn’t want to end up with a cartload of soap suds.
That show is a metaphor for life. There are eternal consequences. Each moment can be lived to the fullest — or wasted into nothingness. Life is serious business.
The ultimate human fear is to live without meaning. We all want to have an impact, to help others, to change the world. Try saying the words: “I’m happy being mediocre.” You can’t say it!
Remember the time you asked yourself, “What does it all add up to?” We have this moment of clarity, and then what do we do? We run for the ostrich hole, start playing tennis, put on the music, call up a friend.
Don’t run for the ostrich hole. Be afraid of being mediocre. Be afraid of not having self-respect. Be afraid of waking up one morning and saying to yourself: “What did I do with my life?”
Use this fear to inspire you to figure out what counts most in life. Then go get it.
FEAR OF MORTALITY
Each of us knows we will die one day. But we fool ourselves into thinking that those who die belong to a separate sector of humanity. “They are the mortal ones. We are immortal.” Underneath it all, we have this illusion.
Did you ever have a friend who died? Maybe he was 17 and got killed in a motorcycle accident. How did you react? “But I just talked to him yesterday! He can’t really be dead. He was so full of life!”
What does that mean — “It can’t be”? What we’re really saying is that it’s too close for comfort. I’m not in the mortal group. And now my friend is dead. That’s too close. It can’t be.
Realize that each of us can be dead in one minute. You don’t need an airplane crashing through the ceiling. You don’t need a heart condition. All it takes is one blood clot and … bang! These are the facts of life. But we don’t feel like looking at it. “I am immortal. Other people get mugged, other people die. Not me!”
When someone we know dies unexpectedly, we feel our own sense of vulnerability. It makes us think, “Am I using my time efficiently?”
Take a close look at your life history. Trace the years back, and see how well you’ve used your time. Often our past is a blur, and as you get older, this becomes even more pronounced.
We all have a clock ticking and don’t know how long it’s going to run. How many years do you figure you have left? Don’t think it’s open-ended. Someday you will have only one year left. And someday you will have only one day left. So plan for it now. As the Sages say: “Put your life on track one day before you die.”
Some Jews have the custom of visiting their future burial plots once a year, usually before Rosh Hashana. Why? It’s not morbidity. It makes the point clear: “I am mortal, and this is where I’ll end up. So what do I want written on my tombstone?”
Live every day as if it’s your last — because one day it will be. Tick, tick, tick..
Oddly enough, I’ve never used either fear to motivate me to do anything. Pushing them out of my head has always been much easier. However, it has recently been brought to my attention that a fear of failure has a bigger grip on me than I originally thought. This fear of failing is what’s caused me to achieve nothing more than mediocrity, and only now am I realizing this. I’m not sure what’s next for me in this life, but there are a few things I can take from this article (have I mentioned how much I dig Rabbi Noah Weinberg?):
Walk with a constant awareness of God. Everything is recorded on videotape. Are we maximizing life’s opportunity, or are we wasting it? One day we’ll have to answer for our actions.
That fear can motivate you to greatness.
And, of course, the article summary:
- Fear helps you do what’s right, not what society thinks is right.
- Fear gets you in touch with your own mortality; death is the most potent fear.
- Fear is an exercise in free will.
- Be afraid of a meaningless old age. If you live as though there will always be a tomorrow, then you’ll never make much of today.
- Fear is not restricting. Fear is power and freedom.
- With fear, you can feel the thrill of life 100 percent of the time.
Basically, I need to get to a point where my fears of insignificance and mortality are at the forefront of my mind to motivate me, not somewhere pushed to the back where I can ignore them. The later leads to mediocrity, and who wants that?
You know what the worst part of my recent introspection is? I’ve reached a point in life where there’s a country song I can relate to. If that isn’t rock bottom, then I hope to never reach the real thing!
Sukkot: The Ultimate Shelter
September 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment
