In honor of Kyle and Shelli's anniversary. Mazal tov .... may you break many fasts together!
1. Please download our new fall bulletin by clicking here. (On the first page there is a New Year's challenge and on the second page a "secret" challenge....)
2. Please enjoy this video of Yom Kippur inspiration:
3. Saved the best for the last: The Landlord.
Happy Yom Kippur
PS - Today's
your last chance to benefit from this year's Rosh Hashana - Yom Kippur
prep class. To hear the audio and get the handouts, including the new
"24 Questions to Think About from Rosh Hashana to Yom Kippur", click here.
PPS - If you haven't already, please tell everyone you know about the amazing Jewish app - http://tinyurl.com/amazingcalendarlink (Android version: http://tinyurl.com/amazingandroidcalendar )
And our free database of the best Jewish books and gifts keeps getting better: http://bestjewishkidsbooks.com .
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
Get Moving
The purpose of this blog is to provide a conversation-starter for your Friday night dinner table - please print and share....
Remember the Little Engine That Could?
Does any kid ever believe that story?
We all believe in the power of positive thinking, but is it enough?
Three months ago or so I wrote about my year-long attempt to get into shape and my quest for a 6:30 mile.
It appeared that much of what was holding me back was my belief that I could do it.
Since then, I've been pushing myself hard to stay at that plateau.
Then, last week, it occurred to me that I wasn't pushing myself as hard as I could. So it was time to try for hte 6 minute mile.
For the record, I don't have a particularly intense exercise routine. Just 3x/week, walk a mile, stretch, run a mile, stretch, calesthenics and maybe a few weights. That's about it. Unstudied, unschooled, I do what feels right to me.
But following the strategy as then, I got the same results, i.e. I'm now a 6 minute miler.
Who cares? The length of 1 mile and the time are so arbitrary. What difference does it make?
I think the answer is that although they are arbitrary, they give me a goal to work for. Without concrete goals, it's hard to feel like you're getting anywhere.
Have you ever tried to learn a language outside the classroom? You get a book, maybe some CDs or videos. You dabble. But if you decided, "I'm going to try to learn the Hebrew alphabet by February 27, 2012" you are highly likely to succeed. Or how about this: "I want to learn 1 new Hebrew phrase a day for 30 days." You'll do it, if you give yourself a deadline and numerical goal.
(I'm not saying you have to be Daniel Tammet, the kid who learned fluent Icelandic in one week, but watch this video and maybe you'll be inspired.)
Some readers may recall that when I first started exercising a year ago, I was so afraid of failure I actually bet a friend $500 that I could lose 8 pounds in 8 weeks. I knew that I could do it but wanted to make sure I did it. Put my money where my mouth was, quite literally.
But now something new has happened. For the first time, I'm thinking the previously unthinkable. I'm wondering if I could run a five minute mile. Is it conceivable or ridiculous? Understand, I'm not even close to what you would call an athletic person. I'm the kind of guy that real athletes smirk at if they see me in the gym. I did some googling around to see what's considered a good mile for the over-40 crowd. It seems that five may be a bit optimistic. Very very few achieve this, even with the intense motivation of competition. Five minutes looks too ambitious.
What do you think?
Here's today's question for your table: Which of your goals do you know you could achieve in the next 60 days if you were sufficiently motivated?
(If you say it's a top goal, and you know you could achieve it, but you're not willing to put your money with your mouth is, then it's not a real goal. Think about it.)
Shabbat Shalom
PS - Version 2.1 of my iphone app was released last week. Thanks for all the great feedback that went into making these revisions. Hope you enjoy it (links below).
As always, this message is available via email. Subscription info above.
To get the iphone/ipad app: http://tinyurl.com/amazingcalendarlink
To get the android app: http://tinyurl.com/amazingandroidcalendar
To get free audio or make a donation - http://www.jsli.org
A 501(c)3 organization.
Remember the Little Engine That Could?
Does any kid ever believe that story?
We all believe in the power of positive thinking, but is it enough?
Three months ago or so I wrote about my year-long attempt to get into shape and my quest for a 6:30 mile.
It appeared that much of what was holding me back was my belief that I could do it.
Since then, I've been pushing myself hard to stay at that plateau.
Then, last week, it occurred to me that I wasn't pushing myself as hard as I could. So it was time to try for hte 6 minute mile.
For the record, I don't have a particularly intense exercise routine. Just 3x/week, walk a mile, stretch, run a mile, stretch, calesthenics and maybe a few weights. That's about it. Unstudied, unschooled, I do what feels right to me.
But following the strategy as then, I got the same results, i.e. I'm now a 6 minute miler.
Who cares? The length of 1 mile and the time are so arbitrary. What difference does it make?
I think the answer is that although they are arbitrary, they give me a goal to work for. Without concrete goals, it's hard to feel like you're getting anywhere.
Have you ever tried to learn a language outside the classroom? You get a book, maybe some CDs or videos. You dabble. But if you decided, "I'm going to try to learn the Hebrew alphabet by February 27, 2012" you are highly likely to succeed. Or how about this: "I want to learn 1 new Hebrew phrase a day for 30 days." You'll do it, if you give yourself a deadline and numerical goal.
(I'm not saying you have to be Daniel Tammet, the kid who learned fluent Icelandic in one week, but watch this video and maybe you'll be inspired.)
Some readers may recall that when I first started exercising a year ago, I was so afraid of failure I actually bet a friend $500 that I could lose 8 pounds in 8 weeks. I knew that I could do it but wanted to make sure I did it. Put my money where my mouth was, quite literally.
But now something new has happened. For the first time, I'm thinking the previously unthinkable. I'm wondering if I could run a five minute mile. Is it conceivable or ridiculous? Understand, I'm not even close to what you would call an athletic person. I'm the kind of guy that real athletes smirk at if they see me in the gym. I did some googling around to see what's considered a good mile for the over-40 crowd. It seems that five may be a bit optimistic. Very very few achieve this, even with the intense motivation of competition. Five minutes looks too ambitious.
What do you think?
Here's today's question for your table: Which of your goals do you know you could achieve in the next 60 days if you were sufficiently motivated?
(If you say it's a top goal, and you know you could achieve it, but you're not willing to put your money with your mouth is, then it's not a real goal. Think about it.)
Shabbat Shalom
PS - Version 2.1 of my iphone app was released last week. Thanks for all the great feedback that went into making these revisions. Hope you enjoy it (links below).
As always, this message is available via email. Subscription info above.
To get the iphone/ipad app: http://tinyurl.com/amazingcalendarlink
To get the android app: http://tinyurl.com/amazingandroidcalendar
To get free audio or make a donation - http://www.jsli.org
A 501(c)3 organization.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Master of the Name
The purpose of this blog is to provide a conversation-starter for your Friday night dinner table. Please print and share.
Last week's Table Talk generated a huge amount of positive feedback. If you missed it, it is archived here.
This week's story is for anyone who is feeling down.
Or knows someone feeling down.
Or might feel down one day and find it helpful to have a story like this on file to pull out and re-read at the time.
The protagonist is of the most famous rabbis of all time.
I don't know if it's true or not.
But they don't tell stories like this about you and me.
He's known as the Baal Shem Tov.
If you want to remind yourself who he was and what he did, click here.
Here's the story.....
For those who "do" Shabbat, even a little bit, Saturday night can be a mystical time.
The more you do Shabbat, the more mystical Saturday night can become.
Saturday night is when a person can savor the Shabbat that one just experienced. Bask in the glow. The greater the experience, the greater the glow.
Something like enjoying a drink or cup of coffee or tea after an excellent meal.
The long Saturday nights in winter, all the more so.
One such Saturday night, while all were basking in that glow, the Baal Shem Tov told his driver to prepare the wagon and they set out with several of his students.
When they reached the open road outside of town, he told the driver, "Get the horses into a gallup and then let go of the reins."
This driver knew better than question or doubt anything that the great tzaddik said.
The horses were allowed to run freely, to follow their instinct.......
They ran and ran, on-road, off-road, on paths seldom traveled.
Finally, after an hour or so, they slowed and stopped.
They had come to a stop before a small cottage on the outskirts of a small town in the forest.
The residents must have heard the noise outside because almost instantly a man came rushing out, a Jewish man.
"My friends," he called to them, hurrying to the road. "My friends, my friends, welcome! Please, come inside for a warm drink, for a bit of food. We seldom see travelers here, please do me the honor of welcoming guests into our home!"
The Baal Shem Tov, his students and driver all followed the man inside.
When the man heard that they were from Medzibozh, his face lit up even more. "Do you know the Baal Shem Tov?"
Before anyone else could answer, the rabbi said, "If you please, we are indeed hungry and thirsty, may we speak later?"
The man served them a hot meal. They sang songs together.
When the hour got late, he invited them to stay the night and they accepted.
In fact, they stayed not one night, not two nights, but five nights with this Jewish family, until they had consumed all of their food.
When they departed on the sixth morning, the many thanked them profusely and asked, "If you see the Baal Shem Tov, would you please ask him for a bracha for me, that I should raise my children to be good Jews?"
Finally, the rabbi told him. "I am the rabbi you are asking about. God sent me to you for a reason, and soon you will know why."
They departed before their stunned host could gather his thoughts and reply.
As he re-entered his house, still in a daze from what had just happened, he encountered his wife.
She was not happy.
To say the least.
"You fed those strangers every moursel of food in our house! We have nothing left! And the children are hungry! They're crying! What are you going to do?!!"
In despair, the man closed his eyes, and uttered a simple prayer.
"Master of the universe, what did these children do to deserve to suffer? Please send us help!"
He continued for a few minutes, thinking about his wife and children, what they needed and asking for help.
While lost in this meditation, there was a knock on the door.
It was a non-Jewish neighbor named Ivan.
Ivan often came by for a visit and a shot of vodka.
This time, Ivan had other business.
"My friend, I've known you a long time, and you know that I live with my daughter and son-in-law, and that they make me miserable. I can't stand it anymore. Let me come stay with you."
Before the Jewish man could tell Ivan he had no food in the house, Ivan continued.
"I won't bother you. In fact, it will be very good for you. You see, long ago I made a fortune and I buried it in the forest in a secret location. I don't want my daughter and son-in-law to get it. I will give it to you. All of it. Just help me get out of the misery."
Seeing that the man was incredulous, he added, "Come, come with me, we'll get some of the treasure right now."
Into the forest they went, shovel in hand, and sure enough, Ivan dug up a sack full of gold coins.
So Ivan gave the man the treasure in exchange for his hospitality.
Not only did the man's family have enough to eat, they became great givers of tzedaka.
A few years later, the man traveled to Medzibozh to visit the Baal Shem Tov.
When the Baal Shem Tov saw him, he spent an unusual amount of private time with him.
Seeing this, his students asked, "Why did Rebbe spend so much time with this particular man?"
"You don't remember him. He is the Jew we visited Saturday night a few years ago. The Holy One brought us to him. There was a decree in Heaven that he should be blessed with great weath. The problem was that this simple Jew was so satisfied with what he had, that he never asked for anything more. There was a chance that the blessing would never reach him. We were sent to him to consume all of his food so that he would ask for help."
Question for your table: What is the moral of this story? Can you think of two or three?
Shabbat Shalom
PS - Thank you to all those who responded to last week's PS.... As I wrote then, if you're read this far, chances are you enjoyed this message. Tomorrow night at 11:59 pm is your last chance to make tax-deductible contributions for 2011. How many appeals have you received this year? But you read this email, so you got something out of it. Maybe you have enjoyed this Table Talk throughout the year. Please support the organization that makes this and many ambitious educational programs possible. Here's the link: http://jsli.org/donate/ No contribution is too small or too large.
PPS - Robert Zimmerman:
PPS - Another selection from the Amazing Jewish Fact-a-Day Calendar
++++++ Sunday’s Amazing Jewish Fact ++++++
6 Tevet 5772
1 January 2012
At the age of 40, Akiva (ca. 60 CE) was an illiterate shepherd.
At his wife's insistence, he went to learn, but was embarrassed to be sitting in school with kindergarteners. Yet he couldn't go home, because his wife told him not to return until he was a scholar.
Feeling sorry for himself. Akiva sat down by a stream and stared at the water.
As he watched the dripping water slowly wearing away a rock, he had a flash of inspiration:
"If water, which is so soft, can wear away a hard rock, surely a little Torah can get into my hardened heart!"
So inspired, he returned to kindergarten.
By the age of 64 he had become Rabbi Akiva, the greatest scholar in Israel, with 24,000 students.
Talmud Nedarim 50a, Ketubot 62b-63a
Wikipedia on Rabbi Akiva
A book about Rabbi Akiva
An amazing class by R. Akiva Tatz on the meaning of life
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From the Amazing Jewish Fact-a-Day Calendar:
http://tinyurl.com/amazingcalendarlink (iphone/ipad version)
http://tinyurl.com/amazingandroidcalendar (android version)
Last week's Table Talk generated a huge amount of positive feedback. If you missed it, it is archived here.
This week's story is for anyone who is feeling down.
Or knows someone feeling down.
Or might feel down one day and find it helpful to have a story like this on file to pull out and re-read at the time.
The protagonist is of the most famous rabbis of all time.
I don't know if it's true or not.
But they don't tell stories like this about you and me.
He's known as the Baal Shem Tov.
If you want to remind yourself who he was and what he did, click here.
Here's the story.....
For those who "do" Shabbat, even a little bit, Saturday night can be a mystical time.
The more you do Shabbat, the more mystical Saturday night can become.
Saturday night is when a person can savor the Shabbat that one just experienced. Bask in the glow. The greater the experience, the greater the glow.
Something like enjoying a drink or cup of coffee or tea after an excellent meal.
The long Saturday nights in winter, all the more so.
One such Saturday night, while all were basking in that glow, the Baal Shem Tov told his driver to prepare the wagon and they set out with several of his students.
When they reached the open road outside of town, he told the driver, "Get the horses into a gallup and then let go of the reins."
This driver knew better than question or doubt anything that the great tzaddik said.
The horses were allowed to run freely, to follow their instinct.......
They ran and ran, on-road, off-road, on paths seldom traveled.
Finally, after an hour or so, they slowed and stopped.
They had come to a stop before a small cottage on the outskirts of a small town in the forest.
The residents must have heard the noise outside because almost instantly a man came rushing out, a Jewish man.
"My friends," he called to them, hurrying to the road. "My friends, my friends, welcome! Please, come inside for a warm drink, for a bit of food. We seldom see travelers here, please do me the honor of welcoming guests into our home!"
The Baal Shem Tov, his students and driver all followed the man inside.
When the man heard that they were from Medzibozh, his face lit up even more. "Do you know the Baal Shem Tov?"
Before anyone else could answer, the rabbi said, "If you please, we are indeed hungry and thirsty, may we speak later?"
The man served them a hot meal. They sang songs together.
When the hour got late, he invited them to stay the night and they accepted.
In fact, they stayed not one night, not two nights, but five nights with this Jewish family, until they had consumed all of their food.
When they departed on the sixth morning, the many thanked them profusely and asked, "If you see the Baal Shem Tov, would you please ask him for a bracha for me, that I should raise my children to be good Jews?"
Finally, the rabbi told him. "I am the rabbi you are asking about. God sent me to you for a reason, and soon you will know why."
They departed before their stunned host could gather his thoughts and reply.
As he re-entered his house, still in a daze from what had just happened, he encountered his wife.
She was not happy.
To say the least.
"You fed those strangers every moursel of food in our house! We have nothing left! And the children are hungry! They're crying! What are you going to do?!!"
In despair, the man closed his eyes, and uttered a simple prayer.
"Master of the universe, what did these children do to deserve to suffer? Please send us help!"
He continued for a few minutes, thinking about his wife and children, what they needed and asking for help.
While lost in this meditation, there was a knock on the door.
It was a non-Jewish neighbor named Ivan.
Ivan often came by for a visit and a shot of vodka.
This time, Ivan had other business.
"My friend, I've known you a long time, and you know that I live with my daughter and son-in-law, and that they make me miserable. I can't stand it anymore. Let me come stay with you."
Before the Jewish man could tell Ivan he had no food in the house, Ivan continued.
"I won't bother you. In fact, it will be very good for you. You see, long ago I made a fortune and I buried it in the forest in a secret location. I don't want my daughter and son-in-law to get it. I will give it to you. All of it. Just help me get out of the misery."
Seeing that the man was incredulous, he added, "Come, come with me, we'll get some of the treasure right now."
Into the forest they went, shovel in hand, and sure enough, Ivan dug up a sack full of gold coins.
So Ivan gave the man the treasure in exchange for his hospitality.
Not only did the man's family have enough to eat, they became great givers of tzedaka.
A few years later, the man traveled to Medzibozh to visit the Baal Shem Tov.
When the Baal Shem Tov saw him, he spent an unusual amount of private time with him.
Seeing this, his students asked, "Why did Rebbe spend so much time with this particular man?"
"You don't remember him. He is the Jew we visited Saturday night a few years ago. The Holy One brought us to him. There was a decree in Heaven that he should be blessed with great weath. The problem was that this simple Jew was so satisfied with what he had, that he never asked for anything more. There was a chance that the blessing would never reach him. We were sent to him to consume all of his food so that he would ask for help."
Question for your table: What is the moral of this story? Can you think of two or three?
Shabbat Shalom
PS - Thank you to all those who responded to last week's PS.... As I wrote then, if you're read this far, chances are you enjoyed this message. Tomorrow night at 11:59 pm is your last chance to make tax-deductible contributions for 2011. How many appeals have you received this year? But you read this email, so you got something out of it. Maybe you have enjoyed this Table Talk throughout the year. Please support the organization that makes this and many ambitious educational programs possible. Here's the link: http://jsli.org/donate/ No contribution is too small or too large.
PPS - Robert Zimmerman:
PPS - Another selection from the Amazing Jewish Fact-a-Day Calendar
++++++ Sunday’s Amazing Jewish Fact ++++++
6 Tevet 5772
1 January 2012
At the age of 40, Akiva (ca. 60 CE) was an illiterate shepherd.
At his wife's insistence, he went to learn, but was embarrassed to be sitting in school with kindergarteners. Yet he couldn't go home, because his wife told him not to return until he was a scholar.
Feeling sorry for himself. Akiva sat down by a stream and stared at the water.
As he watched the dripping water slowly wearing away a rock, he had a flash of inspiration:
"If water, which is so soft, can wear away a hard rock, surely a little Torah can get into my hardened heart!"
So inspired, he returned to kindergarten.
By the age of 64 he had become Rabbi Akiva, the greatest scholar in Israel, with 24,000 students.
Talmud Nedarim 50a, Ketubot 62b-63a
Wikipedia on Rabbi Akiva
A book about Rabbi Akiva
An amazing class by R. Akiva Tatz on the meaning of life
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From the Amazing Jewish Fact-a-Day Calendar:
http://tinyurl.com/amazingcalendarlink (iphone/ipad version)
http://tinyurl.com/amazingandroidcalendar (android version)
Friday, February 25, 2011
__A (Fill in the Blank)
Here's a story you don't hear too often.
You've probably heard of OA - Overeaters Anonymous
Maybe you even know someone who's a member.
According to statistics, you surely know someone who could be a member.
Regardless, you have a stereotype of what an OA member looks like: overweight, right?
I mean, if you're not overweight, how could you think of yourself as an overeater (barring disorders like anorexia)?
So imagine my astonishment last weekend when speaking to an acquaintance who lives around the corner. Let's call him Yaakov.
Yaakov is about as slender as a man could be, and not be invisible. There
does not appear to be one gram of excess fat on him.
He has always been slender.
Here we are just shmuzing and he mentions, "You know, I've been member of OA for the past 2 years."
My jaw dropped: "You? What in the world for? You do not fit one's stereotype of a candidate for OA!"
"I just felt that I had an unhealthy relationship to food, so I tried it out, and it's been really great for me. Changed my life, in fact."
It seems to me a lot of people talk about changing their lives, whether that means losing weight, learning to paint, conquering anger, developing their spiritual side, but don't actually do it. The OA message I got from my friend is that it's a system. A systematic way of
So here's the question for your table: Why don't more of us do this?
Shabbat Shalom
PS - if you're looking for a little inspiration to take a shot at it, try this great video that someone sent me this morning:
You've probably heard of OA - Overeaters Anonymous
Maybe you even know someone who's a member.
According to statistics, you surely know someone who could be a member.
Regardless, you have a stereotype of what an OA member looks like: overweight, right?
I mean, if you're not overweight, how could you think of yourself as an overeater (barring disorders like anorexia)?
So imagine my astonishment last weekend when speaking to an acquaintance who lives around the corner. Let's call him Yaakov.
Yaakov is about as slender as a man could be, and not be invisible. There
does not appear to be one gram of excess fat on him.
He has always been slender.
Here we are just shmuzing and he mentions, "You know, I've been member of OA for the past 2 years."
My jaw dropped: "You? What in the world for? You do not fit one's stereotype of a candidate for OA!"
"I just felt that I had an unhealthy relationship to food, so I tried it out, and it's been really great for me. Changed my life, in fact."
It seems to me a lot of people talk about changing their lives, whether that means losing weight, learning to paint, conquering anger, developing their spiritual side, but don't actually do it. The OA message I got from my friend is that it's a system. A systematic way of
1. Defining the change you want to make
2. Identifying what's holding you back
3. Making a plan
4. Making it a habit.
So here's the question for your table: Why don't more of us do this?
Shabbat Shalom
PS - if you're looking for a little inspiration to take a shot at it, try this great video that someone sent me this morning:
Friday, September 17, 2010
Feel More Human
Happy new year! Welcome to volume 5771 of Table Talk.
I have some really good news.
After 10 years of effort, the Hebrew edition of The Art of Amazement is now in print. I haven't actually put my hands on a copy yet, but 1,000 copies were sent out to teachers and organizations around the world, thanks to contributions and pledges from many readers of this blog. $9 enables me to put one book into the hands of one young Israeli and follow-up with him or her. Another shipment will hopefully go out soon, and hopefully we'll eventually fulfill the requests we have for 15,000 copies.
This week - three steps to feeling more human:
1. A timely update
2. An important addition
3. A child's plea for mercy
First, the update:
I gave a few Yom Kippur classes this week. In case you missed them, here are links to two handouts that I used - great Yom Kippur table talk for all ages:
Get the free handouts
+ + + + +
Second, even if you were with me, here is something that I did not say.
Something that is arguably the #1 most important thing to do before Yom Kippur.
Something that has nothing to do with being "religious".
Something that has nothing to do with fasting, praying, yada yada yada.
This afternoon, try finding a moment and place of solitude, and saying aloud the following words:
"I hereby forgive anyone who has hurt me in any way in the past, whether it was intentional or unintentional, knowing or unknowing, negligent or unavoidable. (If they owe me money or an apology, they may still repay or apologize, but I am not going to harbor grudges or bad feelings.) Beginning right now, I am looking forward and not backward in all of my relationships."
Guaranteed to make you feel more human than you felt before you did it.
(What do you have to lose, besides your pride?)
+ + + + +
Finally, people sometimes ask me what's the best way for a non-religious person to do Yom Kippur? How about kids? Make them sit through a long service bored out of their minds?
Are you crazy?
If you are not inspired to sit in shul, PLEASE do not go to services just because “I’m supposed to.” That’s a great way to kill your soul.
If you have any influence over children, PLEASE do not drag them to services just because "I’m supposed to". That's a great way to kill their souls.
A better use of Yom Kippur: go visit an assisted living facility. Go see how your single/divorced/widowed neighbor is doing.
And if you are one of the pious ones who likes to be in shul, make sure to read the words of the Yom Kippur Haftara - this is exactly what the Prophet Isaiah is telling us to do.
Think about it.
Happy Yom Kippur
Yes, happy!
PS - there may not be an update the next 2 weeks because I'll be sitting in my Sukka.
PS – this inspired 104-second video is all about changing one’s perspective:
I have some really good news.
After 10 years of effort, the Hebrew edition of The Art of Amazement is now in print. I haven't actually put my hands on a copy yet, but 1,000 copies were sent out to teachers and organizations around the world, thanks to contributions and pledges from many readers of this blog. $9 enables me to put one book into the hands of one young Israeli and follow-up with him or her. Another shipment will hopefully go out soon, and hopefully we'll eventually fulfill the requests we have for 15,000 copies.
This week - three steps to feeling more human:
1. A timely update
2. An important addition
3. A child's plea for mercy
First, the update:
I gave a few Yom Kippur classes this week. In case you missed them, here are links to two handouts that I used - great Yom Kippur table talk for all ages:
Get the free handouts
+ + + + +
Second, even if you were with me, here is something that I did not say.
Something that is arguably the #1 most important thing to do before Yom Kippur.
Something that has nothing to do with being "religious".
Something that has nothing to do with fasting, praying, yada yada yada.
This afternoon, try finding a moment and place of solitude, and saying aloud the following words:
"I hereby forgive anyone who has hurt me in any way in the past, whether it was intentional or unintentional, knowing or unknowing, negligent or unavoidable. (If they owe me money or an apology, they may still repay or apologize, but I am not going to harbor grudges or bad feelings.) Beginning right now, I am looking forward and not backward in all of my relationships."
Guaranteed to make you feel more human than you felt before you did it.
(What do you have to lose, besides your pride?)
+ + + + +
Finally, people sometimes ask me what's the best way for a non-religious person to do Yom Kippur? How about kids? Make them sit through a long service bored out of their minds?
Are you crazy?
If you are not inspired to sit in shul, PLEASE do not go to services just because “I’m supposed to.” That’s a great way to kill your soul.
If you have any influence over children, PLEASE do not drag them to services just because "I’m supposed to". That's a great way to kill their souls.
A better use of Yom Kippur: go visit an assisted living facility. Go see how your single/divorced/widowed neighbor is doing.
And if you are one of the pious ones who likes to be in shul, make sure to read the words of the Yom Kippur Haftara - this is exactly what the Prophet Isaiah is telling us to do.
Think about it.
Happy Yom Kippur
Yes, happy!
PS - there may not be an update the next 2 weeks because I'll be sitting in my Sukka.
PS – this inspired 104-second video is all about changing one’s perspective:
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Black to the Future
Looking for a new question to stump everyone with at your Passover seder?
Here's the question:
What did ancient Egyptians call their country?
Jews called it "Mitzrayim" - i.e., the land of boundaries, limitations (hence, we re-enact leaving Mitrayim)
Romans called it "Egypt" - which was derived from the local name for Memphis.
What did Egyptians call it?
A: Kemet - the "black land" - perhaps because the Nile-enriched soil was so lusciously dark. Or perhaps for some other reason?
Now, if you or anyone you know are looking for fresh inspiration for Pesach this year...
Look at these two short, entertaining vids. The first one nicely reminds us why we're doing this. The second one will get you pumped up to make it great.
Shabbat Shalom and Happy Passover.
PS - If you would like my free Passover Kit, including a modifiable Art of Amazement Haggada in .doc format, send an email and I'll try to get it to you by Sunday morning.
PPS - This blog will be busy leaving Mitzrayim… see you in 2 weeks.
Here's the question:
What did ancient Egyptians call their country?
Jews called it "Mitzrayim" - i.e., the land of boundaries, limitations (hence, we re-enact leaving Mitrayim)
Romans called it "Egypt" - which was derived from the local name for Memphis.
What did Egyptians call it?
A: Kemet - the "black land" - perhaps because the Nile-enriched soil was so lusciously dark. Or perhaps for some other reason?
Now, if you or anyone you know are looking for fresh inspiration for Pesach this year...
Look at these two short, entertaining vids. The first one nicely reminds us why we're doing this. The second one will get you pumped up to make it great.
Shabbat Shalom and Happy Passover.
PS - If you would like my free Passover Kit, including a modifiable Art of Amazement Haggada in .doc format, send an email and I'll try to get it to you by Sunday morning.
PPS - This blog will be busy leaving Mitzrayim… see you in 2 weeks.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Something New
Dedicated to Eric Most, who needs to be healed, quickly and completely, along with all those who need healing.
This week: a challenge, an announcement, and an inspiration.
The Challenge
At this time of year, most non-profits are holding out the hat. Get in that last-minute tax deduction! (who needs more tax deductions THIS year??)
If you are a long-term subscriber, you know that I have a different year-end message for you. I seek your wisdom, rather than you nickel.
Kindly take a few minutes to answer 10 questions - click here.
(all anonymous, so be brutally honest!)
If you are so inclined, this website rates non-profits. You can help us by clicking here and tell them what you think of JSL.
(If you need a reminder of the scope of JSL’s work, click here)
Thank you!
The Announcement
After some six months of labor, I am pleased to announce the launch of the fourth edition of the Art of Amazement. It has been completely revised and expanded, and now includes a study schedule and extremely useful index, not to mention a snazzy new cover. If you have one of the old editions, you’re probably going to enjoy the new. If you know someone who might enjoy it and have been wondering where to get a new copy, search no more. And if you’ve never read it....I, I just don’t know what to say!
Here’s your Amazon link:
http://www.tinyurl.com/NewArtofAmazement
The Inspiration
I know that you may not always take the time to watch at the amazing videos I post here, I know they can’t be printed out for sharing at the dinner table, but please make this one of the ones you look at. You will not be disappointed:
It’s so special it isn’t even on youtube.
You can tell the folks at your table about it and ask them this question: Why do you think people were so inspired by Alon Nir?
Shabbat Shalom and l'chaim in 2010
Do not let spacious plans for a new world divert your energies from saving what is left of the old. - Churchill
This week: a challenge, an announcement, and an inspiration.
The Challenge
At this time of year, most non-profits are holding out the hat. Get in that last-minute tax deduction! (who needs more tax deductions THIS year??)
If you are a long-term subscriber, you know that I have a different year-end message for you. I seek your wisdom, rather than you nickel.
Kindly take a few minutes to answer 10 questions - click here.
(all anonymous, so be brutally honest!)
If you are so inclined, this website rates non-profits. You can help us by clicking here and tell them what you think of JSL.
(If you need a reminder of the scope of JSL’s work, click here)
Thank you!
The Announcement
After some six months of labor, I am pleased to announce the launch of the fourth edition of the Art of Amazement. It has been completely revised and expanded, and now includes a study schedule and extremely useful index, not to mention a snazzy new cover. If you have one of the old editions, you’re probably going to enjoy the new. If you know someone who might enjoy it and have been wondering where to get a new copy, search no more. And if you’ve never read it....I, I just don’t know what to say!
Here’s your Amazon link:
http://www.tinyurl.com/NewArtofAmazement
The Inspiration
I know that you may not always take the time to watch at the amazing videos I post here, I know they can’t be printed out for sharing at the dinner table, but please make this one of the ones you look at. You will not be disappointed:
It’s so special it isn’t even on youtube.
You can tell the folks at your table about it and ask them this question: Why do you think people were so inspired by Alon Nir?
Shabbat Shalom and l'chaim in 2010
Do not let spacious plans for a new world divert your energies from saving what is left of the old. - Churchill
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