Guess Who Wins?

re.The purpose of this blog is to push the pause-button at the Friday night dinner table. Please print and share...lease print and share...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last week our topic was legacy.

This week it's what's on everyone's mind.

It's a remarkable thing - the US presidential election is the only such election in the world that makes headlines in every single country in the world. In many ways, we're electing the world leader.

So first of all, try asking at your table: Who do you think will win, and why?

It's interesting, almost everyone has an opinion on the matter. That is, everyone on the planet. 

But so what? Why does anyone's opinion matter?

Here are two people whose opinions might matter more than average.

There are two professors who have carefully studied the patterns of history and developed a highly accurate understanding of these patterns enabling them to predict the outcome of presidential elections.

1. American University Historian Allan Lichtman, who has accuractly predicted elections since 1984 with his "13 Keys".

2. Stony Brook Political Scientists Helmut Norpoth whose model accurately predicted 25 out of 27 elections with his "Primary Model".
 

This year, Professor Lichtman says Biden will win.

And Professor Norpoth predicts Trump will win.

Question for your table: Is it a toss-up? Or does this mean we should expect a tie?

Bigger question for the table: Is it possible to stop thinking about the future and start living in the present moment?


Shabbat Shalom

Announcement: To become a partner in the publication of groundbreaking new book, Body and Soul: A Torah Guide to Health, Fitness, and Longevity, Medically-Annotated, it is now possible to contribute a dedication in someone's honor or memory to be printed in the book, please email dedications@jsli.org for instructions and may the merit of your contribution uplift them and the Jewish People and the world. Eight years in the making, this collaboration of Torah scholars, doctors and dietitians will, we hope, change the way we relate to our bodies and to food.


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Giving Legs to Your Legacy

 The purpose of this blog is to for the Shabbat memories to endure for ages. Please print and share...

Happy birthday shoutout to Jeff in NYC!

Last week I suggested asking your table about heroism.

This week it's about legacy.

In short: What's the point of heroism if it makes no lasting impact?

After they chew on that for awhile, try asking this: How many of your eight great-grandparents can you can name? How many of your sixteen great-great grandparents?

Or this: What is something of note that your great-grandparents accomplished?

Now, do you realize that one day, you are going to be someone's great-grandparent?

How are your great-grandchildren going to remember you? 

Or to put it this way, here's last week's musical link again. Does that song speak to you?

These questions could be comfortably ignored, or they could penetrate deeply. I hope they can foster a meaningful conversation tonight.


Shabbat Shalom

Announcement: To become a partner in the publication of groundbreaking new book, Body and Soul: A Torah Guide to Health, Fitness, and Longevity, Medically-Annotated, it is now possible to contribute a dedication in someone's honor or memory to be printed in the book, please email dedications@jsli.org for instructions and may the merit of your contribution uplift them and the Jewish People and the world. Eight years in the making, this collaboration of Torah scholars, doctors and dietitians will, we hope, change the way we relate to our bodies and to food.


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Why on Earth Are You Here-o?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The purpose of this blog is to make the Shabbat Table epic. Please print and share.

Dedicated to the memory of Yermiyahu Matan (Jeremy Dossetter) - whose yahrzeit was this week (please remember him here);

Happy birthday shout-out to his dear mother Susan;
and Mazal tov to Yaakov Felson on becoming bar mitzvah. 

Announcement: To become a partner in the publication of groundbreaking new book, Body and Soul: A Torah Guide to Health, Fitness, and Longevity, Medically-Annotated, it is now possible to contribute a dedication in someone's honor or memory to be printed in the book, please send an email to dedications@jsli.org for instructions and may the merit of your contribution uplift them and the Jewish People and the world. Eight years in the making, this collaboration of Torah scholars, doctors and dietitians will, we hope, change the way we relate to our bodies and to food.

Try starting off the conversation with this couplet:

Who's your hero?
Whose hero are you?

I wonder how many people think about such questions. Or about this week's title question....

Why in the world are we here?
Surely not to live in pain and fear....

The question is arguably the fundamental problem driving the entire Torah.

It seems to me the Torah's answer to that question is: You're here to be a hero.

Like all great heroes, you only become a hero through trial and tribulation.

Of course, the tests often come when we're least expecting them. The surprise too is part of the test.

So here is a true story that happened to my friend the other day.

He was filling up at a service station near the highway. Two women approached him and told him that they were en route to the airport, but the person driving them had ditched them while they were using the ladies' room. He had driven off with their luggage. 

For your table: Put yourself in his shoes. What would you do?

Less dramatic versions of this encounter happen every day: a panhandler at the red light; a spouse asking for help; a child whining; a parent lecturing; any of the above nagging....

I'm guessing everyone at the table can come up with many better examples.

If you find yourself resisting playing the hero, just wanting to be left alone and not get involved, it's a sure sign you're being tested.

What about a test of your patience? Is that also a test of your heroism?

What about when you make a mistake and someone calls you on it - is that also a call to heroism?

Now we can bring it full circle:

Who's your hero?
Whose hero are you?


Shabbat Shalom


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Spinning Out of Control?

 The purpose of this blog is to add some serenity to the Shabbat Table. Please print and share...

Announcement: To become a partner in the publication of groundbreaking new book, Body and Soul: A Torah Guide to Health, Fitness, and Longevity, Medically-Annotated, it is now possible to contribute a dedication in someone's honor or memory to be printed in the book, please send an email to dedications@jsli.org for instructions and may the merit of your contribution uplift them and the Jewish People and the world. Eight years in the making, this collaboration of Torah scholars, doctors and dietitians will, we hope, change the way we relate to our bodies and to food.

A question for your table followed by a story followed by a question.

First question: Did you ever have a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day?

The story: Yesterday someone told me about his own terrible, horrible, very bad day. It included a mysterious health problem that seemed to come out of nowhere, a "worst, most turbulent airplane flight of my life", and a torrential rainstorm of Biblical volume.

After all of that, he finally found himself seated in the comfort and security of a Mercedes limo, on a mostly-empty freeway. The storm continued but the worst appeared to be over.

Suddenly, without warning, the car started to spin out of control on the freeway, ultimately crashing into the median. Thankfully, no one was injured.

Now if you click on the link in the second line above, and read the 5-star and then the 3-star (and lower) reviews, you'll see a strange phenomenon. Most readers love that book, but many are disappointed because it doesn't have a sugary happy ending. What do you think? Is that book a failure because "it doesn't resolve" (as one negative review put it)?

Or is it a success because "We can always go to bed, and try to have a better day, and make better choices, tomorrow"???

We know many people in a closed city or state (like California) who either have fled or planning to flee or fantasizing about moving to a city or state that is more open/safe/comfortable. 

Second question for your table: How much does our location have to do with having a great v. "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad" day?

Shabbat Shalom

and

Chag Sameach!


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