Shabbat Table Talk from the desk of Rabbi Alexander Seinfeld
September 19-20, 2025 • 27 Elul 5785 • Netzavim (Deut 29-30).
You probably don't need it at this point, but our countdown timer to Rosh Hashanah is still ticking.
Ze Frank is a master short-take filmmaker.
One of my favorites is his "The Time You Have (In JellyBeans)".
Picture a large black floor space. A pair of hands pours an enormous quantity of jellybeans.
The narrator explains, "These are roughly twenty-eight thousand eight hundred jelly beans.... In this pile there is one jelly bean for each day that the average American will live."
He could have stopped the video right there and that idea and visual alone would have been enough to make us think.
But he continues...
He removes 5,475 jellybeans representing your first 15 years of life.
He then removes 8,477 jellybeans (days) for the total the average person sleeps over a lifetime.
He then removes 1,635 for the amount of days we will spend in food preparation and consumption.
He then removes 3,202 jellybeans for the average amount of time spent "at work."
He then removes 1,099 for the amount of time the average person spends commuting.
He then removes 2,676 for the average amount of days a person spends watching TV (or the equivalent).
Subtract another 1,576 for shopping and household chores.
Subtract 564 jellybeans (days) for time spent caring for others' needs.
Subtract 671 days for personal grooming.
Subtract 720 days for "religious and civic duties."
After removing all of those jellybeans, there is a small pile: "This is the time we have left.... time for laughing, swimming, making art, going on hikes, text messages, reading, checking Facebook, playing softball, maybe even teaching yourself to play the guitar... So what are YOU going to do with the time you have left? How much do you think you've already used up?"
"What if you only had one day left? What would you do?"
The visual effect of that one remaining jellybean is a homerun.
Question for your table: What if you only had one jellybean left? What are you going to do today?
On that note, to help you turn this blog into a meaningful RH and YK, click on the above image, or email me for the 5786 Edition of "40 Meditations for the High Holidays", or both.
Shabbat Shalom
And L'Shanah Tovah - wishing you and yours a sweet, healthy, happy, holy and wise 5786
PS - At this time of year, it is customary to increase our tzedakah. If you enjoy this email weekly or even once in a while, please consider showing your appreciation with a tax-deductible donation. There are many ways to give, including recurring credit card donations... please visit https://jsli.org/donate.
Appreciated this Table Talk? Like it, tweet it, forward it....
You probably don't need it at this point, but our countdown timer to Rosh Hashanah is still ticking.
Ze Frank is a master short-take filmmaker.One of my favorites is his "The Time You Have (In JellyBeans)".
Picture a large black floor space. A pair of hands pours an enormous quantity of jellybeans.
The narrator explains, "These are roughly twenty-eight thousand eight hundred jelly beans.... In this pile there is one jelly bean for each day that the average American will live."
He could have stopped the video right there and that idea and visual alone would have been enough to make us think.
But he continues...
He removes 5,475 jellybeans representing your first 15 years of life.
He then removes 8,477 jellybeans (days) for the total the average person sleeps over a lifetime.
He then removes 1,635 for the amount of days we will spend in food preparation and consumption.
He then removes 3,202 jellybeans for the average amount of time spent "at work."
He then removes 1,099 for the amount of time the average person spends commuting.
He then removes 2,676 for the average amount of days a person spends watching TV (or the equivalent).
Subtract another 1,576 for shopping and household chores.
Subtract 564 jellybeans (days) for time spent caring for others' needs.
Subtract 671 days for personal grooming.
Subtract 720 days for "religious and civic duties."
After removing all of those jellybeans, there is a small pile: "This is the time we have left.... time for laughing, swimming, making art, going on hikes, text messages, reading, checking Facebook, playing softball, maybe even teaching yourself to play the guitar... So what are YOU going to do with the time you have left? How much do you think you've already used up?"
"What if you only had one day left? What would you do?"
The visual effect of that one remaining jellybean is a homerun.
Question for your table: What if you only had one jellybean left? What are you going to do today?
On that note, to help you turn this blog into a meaningful RH and YK, click on the above image, or email me for the 5786 Edition of "40 Meditations for the High Holidays", or both.
Shabbat Shalom
And L'Shanah Tovah - wishing you and yours a sweet, healthy, happy, holy and wise 5786
PS - At this time of year, it is customary to increase our tzedakah. If you enjoy this email weekly or even once in a while, please consider showing your appreciation with a tax-deductible donation. There are many ways to give, including recurring credit card donations... please visit https://jsli.org/donate.
Appreciated this Table Talk? Like it, tweet it, forward it....
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