Checklist for Yom Kippur

 
Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "A More Important Checklist for Yom Kippur."

If we measure a person's life not by how long they live but by what they do with their precious moments in life, then maybe we can see our lives more in terms of outcomes in meeting our potential rather than purely as time present. Of course, we want to have more time, but whatever time we are granted, we should make the most of it.

(Credit Photo: Pixabay via https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-marking-check-on-opened-book-416322/)

Checklist for Yom Kippur

Rosh Hashanah Reflections

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Rosh Hashanah Reflections."

Rosh Hashanah is the annual wake-up call for us to stop, get out of the car, actually see what we are doing and where we are going, and course correct while we still can in our lives. G-d gives us 60, 70, 80, maybe 90 years of chances to take stock of how we use our precious time in this world, our relationships with our loved ones, and the thoughts, words, and deeds that we evoke for good or, G-d forbid, otherwise. Rosh Hashanah is a blessing for us to back the car out of danger and get us on the road to success if we but take the opportunity, which, G-d willing, we will all do.

(Credit Photo: Ri_Ya via https://pixabay.com/photos/shana-tova-honey-sweet-jewish-4496748/) 

Rosh Hashanah Reflections

Can Love Be Blind?

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Can Love Be Blind?"

As long as in this material world, the body hides the soul of the person, then love can never be fully blind because people cannot see the true brightness of the soul inside or realize the primacy of people's spiritual inner selves without getting distracted by the physical aspects of the person, including attraction (which as we all know fades over time) and, of course, class, race, and ethnicity. Yes, physical/chemical attraction is an important part of intimate relationships, but at the end of the day, it's what's inside that counts, not only in this world, but for our eternal being and purpose.

(Source Photo: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-holding-a-lantern-7789180/)

Can Love Be Blind?

The Hypocrisy of False Repentance

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "The Hypocrisy of False Repentance."

We firmly believe that there is true Divine justice by the Almighty (even if not always by our court system), and that if we don’t do good and work at perfecting our deficiencies as is our purpose in Olam Hazeh (this world), then we will suffer the consequences in the World to Come.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

The Hypocrisy of False Repentance

Finding Truth in a Topsy-Turvy World

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Finding Truth in a Topsy-Turvy World." 

In terms of seeing the world and life clearly, you have a choice of how to live. You can choose to endlessly chase meaningless material things and the next physical high, or you can live your life with a deeper understanding that this world is just a corridor to the future world, where the “breath of life” from G-d returns to Him for everlasting revelation and reckoning.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Finding Truth in a Topsy-Turvy World

Playing The Odds

 

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Playing The Odds."

The stranger told me: Precisely fifty years ago, the doctor told me the exact same thing about having a one in a hundred chance of paralysis if they operated. So, what did I do? I went to see the Rabbi (Avigdor Miller) and ask his advice, and the Rabbi says to me: "A Jew doesn’t take odds like that!"

I thought to myself while Jews don’t take those wild odds (1 in a 100 of paralysis), why do they play the odds with their souls by pretending to be religious on the outside, but on the inside and away from human eyes doing evil? Surely, we all know that G-d sees everything and that a faithful judgment awaits us all. And it all made sense not to play the odds not only with our physical health, but also with our spiritual wellbeing.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Playing The Odds

What Children Learn

Excellent poem by Dorothy Nolte:

What children experience at home is what they learn to become. 

Sure people can change their thinking and actions.

But any negative voices of the past may still echo in theirs heads. 

That is until people tell them "hush, be quiet!"

And they replace old voices and experiences with new thinking about themselves and what they are capable of positively doing with their lives and in their relationships with others. 

We all need to know what we value about ourselves and our lives and then make sure that we do those things. 

So at the end of days, we can answer for our lives in an affirmative way! ;-)

(Credit Photo: Etsy)

What Children Learn

Mount Meron and Hating The "Baseless"

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, "Mount Meron and Hating The 'Baseless.'"

We are all reeling from the devastating deaths of 45 Jews on Lag B'Omer at Mount Meron (and many others critically injured) from a stampede during the bonfire celebration near the grave of the holy Kabbalist, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Last night, we were glued to the new as the body count kept going up. I couldn't help thinking to myself that this is something that happens in the masses of people that gather in India or Saudi Arabia, not in the tiny State of Israel. But lo' and behold, tragedy can strike anywhere, anytime. Life is completely tenuous!

So can we draw conclusions that in those days there was baseless hate and so too in our times. I think, while we don't know G-d's ways, certainly from experience and observation, we do know that there is not only baseless hate, but also plenty of "hate the baseless".  And what I mean by that is that one type of Jew thinks they are better than another whose beliefs, faith, and observance we denigrate and deem baseless, without support and they without real merit...We are forever driven towards a "Better than thou" attitude and lifestyle. To the religious catcalls of "get out of our neighborhood slut" or the throwing of Shabbat rocks at passing cars. This all has got to stop!

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Mount Meron and Hating The "Baseless"

The Feeling of Shaming

What's it like to feel shame?

In this life, it's having your head ripped around your body.

Then in the next life, it's got to be a soul bared and stretched across the heavens and for all eternity.  

Punishment is revelation and the mark it undoubtedly leaves behind. 

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

The Feeling of Shaming

Someone's Always Watching

These days someone is always watching.

Whether someone is peering at you from upstairs or around the corner.

Or there is a surveillance camera.

Or someone is recording you on their smartphone. 

You are never really alone. 

And even IF, and that's a big if, that no one person is watching.

Remember that G-d above still sees everything!  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal) 

Someone's Always Watching

The Yom Kippur Bank Account

Please see my new article in The Time of Israel called, "The Yom Kippur Bank Account."

Instead of worrying about accumulating earthly and material treasures: money, houses, cars, exotic travel, and more, we would be well advised to pay attention to our Heavenly treasure that we should be accumulating. Whether tomorrow, when our judgement will be sealed on Yom Kippur or when we, G-d forbid, die and are called for an accounting before our Maker, we should have plenty in the spiritual bank to speak well for us.

However, even if we are a little blind to our own accounting, certainly, just like we don’t want to be physically poor or bankrupt in this world, we definitely don’t want to be coming spiritually empty at Yom Kippur or when we arrive in the world to come. Put in more than you take out! Much more if you can! That’s what every parent should teach their child about their bank or brokerage savings account, building healthy relationships with others, and most importantly, how to live our lives towards our Father in Heaven and the King of the Universe.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

The Yom Kippur Bank Account