Showing posts with label Self-improvement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Self-improvement. Show all posts

September 1, 2024

Life is Full of Oohs and Ahs

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Life is Full of Oohs and Ahs."

These are collectively the ah-ha moments in life when we realize that oohs are often really ahs, and the ahs are frequently really oohs. As we head towards Rosh Hashanah, this is a good lesson that if we can take a step back to see the consequences of our actions, we need not be surprised by the iced bucket of water in the sauna anymore. We can work to make every moment ultimately meaningful and spiritual ahs in our precious pursuit of life and good.

(AI generated image vai Designer)


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June 1, 2024

Don't Be So Humble; You're Not That Great

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Don't Be So Humble; You're Not That Great."

In short, Judaism teaches that our mission in life is to connect to Hashem, the source of all. In connecting to the source, we are supposed to empty ourselves of vanity and materialism so that we can be filled with the Divine holiness.

G-d is the source of everything, and the greatest opportunity for human beings is to connect to the source and fulfill G-d's commandments to make the mundane into the holy and the worldly into the heavenly. Just as G-d is the creator, He created humans so that we have the ability to reach out to the source and perfect ourselves in His image. This is the ultimate good that G-d gives to humanity: the capacity to connect with and be close to the creator through our own choices and actions.

(AI generated image via Designer)

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January 7, 2024

My Supernova

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "My Supernova."

Years ago, there was a time when I rebelled against religion, Judaism, and G-d. It was my version of running to the Supernova Music Festival, where I could dance and party to the music under the desert sky. I was young, and probably like many others, went through a stage when I wanted to express my freedom and independence.

On October 7, of the almost 1,200 people massacred that day, 364 were at the music festival. No one can say why anyone lost their lives, were brutally tortured and raped, or were abducted by these radical Islamic terrorists that day—it was pure evil—but like me missing Rosh Hashanah years ago, people at Supernova were also misplaced from the holy Shabbat services and the singing and dancing with the Torahs for the holiday. This is a kind of Jewish tragedy.

(AI Generated Image via Craiyon)

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September 27, 2023

Bringing the Community Together this Sukkot

 

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Bringing the Community Together this Sukkot."

Like in all socio-economic caste systems, the Rabbi who was managing the sale of the lulav and esrog for the upcoming holiday of Sukkot differentiated between three types and offered the following: Aleph (the most expensive), Bet (medium priced), and Gimel (the least expensive), and all were supposed to be full sets, but they weren't.

This led me to reflect on all the different ways that we compete with and classify each other instead of valuing each person and acting like a real community (with an emphasis on "unity"). Really, it's a million things, from who can afford the better bar mitzvah to who makes the more lavish wedding; who is rated grade A for matchmaking, and who is considered to have a "mum" (defect) and be less or undesirable; who gets the prime kovod (honors) in the synagogue, and who never even gets called to the Torah for an Aliyah.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)


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September 24, 2023

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/)
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September 17, 2023

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/) 

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July 2, 2023

When Politics Gets Personal

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "When Politics Gets Personal."

Not unlike the deep political divide in Israel over Judicial Reform, this week’s U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down college affirmative action following their prior ruling overturning Roe v. Wade has once again brought to the forefront the huge political divide in this country. Further, the polarization and bitterness between the right and left from the 2020 election are still simmering as we approach the next presidential election in 2024. Underneath all the day-to-day niceties, there seems to be a latent powder keg in our electorate, especially if the next election is a repeat between Trump and Biden.

In this context, I must admit that I had a run-in with someone this week who sits on the other side of the political spectrum from me. And maybe, as they say, it's best not to talk too much about religion or politics, just for the reasons I am about to convey.

(Credit Photo: John Hain via https://pixabay.com/illustrations/fingerprinting-blaming-division-2203448/)

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June 18, 2023

Looking Beyond the Superficial

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Looking Beyond the Superficial."

We are all much more than our physical manifestations in this world, and looks can definitely be deceiving. The most important thing in dealing with ourselves and others is to look beyond the superficial and see each person for who they really are, and G-d’s holy spirit has an outsized role in realizing the potential of who we can be.

(Credit Photo: Activedia via https://pixabay.com/photos/spiritualism-awakening-meditation-4552237/)


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May 21, 2023

Some Shabbos Chuckles

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Some Shabbos Chuckles."

People never fail to amaze me in both their potential as well as in their idiosyncrasies. But the last number of weeks have really brought home that while we Jews share many commonalities, there are also quite a few quirky differences, and many of these are worth sharing.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)


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April 16, 2023

Kosher in Body and Soul

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Kosher in Body and Soul."

The essence of keeping kosher is not that we just keep the dietary kosher laws and eat only that which G-d commanded is permissible to us, but more so that we feed our spiritual soul with G-d’s manifestation to us and ultimately that we live kosher lives through His wisdom and the performance of good deeds.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)


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November 20, 2022

Mutual and Eternal Love

Please see my new poem in The Times of Israel called "Mutual and Eternal Love."
Like Abraham, we are tested to do "what is right and just," and history is our witness.

For "we are dust and will return to dust," but our souls will rise to heaven and be reunited with our everlasting, loving Father.

(Also, please remember to listen to the Jewish music video as you read the poetry.)


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November 6, 2022

Monsters and Humans

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Monsters and Humans."

Ultimately, the litmus test is whether there is a human in that being. If there is that spark of G-d, that soul, that inner conscience weighing right and wrong, that fear and love of G-d and his creations driving decision-making, then there is still hope for that person as well as for mankind.
However, if we are dealing with those who are sadistic animals in human form, then we must be as soldiers of Hashem, taking a firm stand and decisive action, because true evil does not remain dormant for long.

(Source Photo: Aneesh Ans; https://www.pexels.com/photo/painted-face-of-person-portrait-photo-1211966/)
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September 24, 2022

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)
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September 4, 2022

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)


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September 2, 2022

Great Video on Happiness and The Rat Race


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August 12, 2022

What Are You Refusing To See?

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "What Are You Refusing To See?"

Rabbi Yosef Mizrachi’s incredible book, Divine Information, opened my eyes in explaining about “Torah and Science,” how G-d’s word to us in the Torah is fully and absolutely divine from Hashem.

The Torah was given in 1,312 BCE, before most of the discoveries of the world, modern science, and tools like telescopes and microscopes. Yet, the Torah tells us secrets of the world and science long before they were known.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

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July 30, 2022

Never Truly Alone

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Never Truly Alone."

Alone, in the quiet.

There is pain, suffering, and loss.

Anxiety and depression.

But wait, there is also faith.


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June 4, 2022

Testing Our Faith

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Testing Our Faith."
In short, I think it’s healthy for us as human beings to ask questions, even the most difficult questions of why. We need to make sense of our world and the context in which we live. Questions like: Why do good people at times experience horrible loss and suffering? Why do atheists and sinners often seem to excel and succeed (my wife says, perhaps they sold their soul to the devil!)?
While asking why to search for G-d and try to understand His ways is human, at the same time, we as mere mortal human beings can not ever fully know G-d’s ways or His plan for us. In short, Mendel, the Chabad rabbi, said today, don’t get fixated on the why. Instead focus on what you can do to make the world better. Actions speak louder than words.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

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May 21, 2022

Measuring Success Like G-d

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Measuring Success Like G-d."
Never more than today are we living lives of total excess. This week, we saw a Mercedes-Benz 1995 car sell for a record-breaking $142 million. Last month in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, authorities seized a Russian oligarch’s $793 million mega yacht. And this last year, Morgan Stanley predicted that Elon Musk may eventually become the world’s first trillionaire.
In a world where marketing, sales, advertising, branding, and the media all seek to convince us that life is essentially about “things,” self-satisfaction, the next high, and happiness, we can easily forget how transient and valueless all that really is. Inside each of us though there is a deeper, true voice that seeks a life of real meaning, purpose and immortality, where faith, compassion, giving, and self-sacrifice is the true measure of our character and the ultimate gauge of life success.

(Source Photo: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/smiley-emoticon-greed-822993/)

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February 4, 2022

Stop The Excuses

Change is hard, but often necessary.

As they say, "adapt or die." 

Of course, you can change when you stop:

  1. Procrastinating
  2. Being lazy
  3. Accepting the status quo
  4. Making excuses 

Take control of your life: change yourself before life bites back at you (and maybe hard).

We've got to slay our own demons not only outside, but inside. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)


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