Saturday, January 31, 2009
Rogotchover
He can't find the Rambam. The Rogotchover is pacing back and forth. Browses a few pages in the Rambam on his desk. Continues pacing. Turns a few more pages and his face lights up! He found the Rambam! He excitedly lifts the sefer, gives it a kiss "Ah Rebbe, Zolst leben biz a hundert un tzvansik"!
Was I good? II
When something leads to bad it is bad. That's the way we (should) make decisions. And that's because our Yetzer Harah can come to us in a saints robe. Which would mean if I did something and it lead to bad then it came from my Yetzer Harah.
But wait, maybe when I did something good and it didn't lead to good, it didn't come from the Yetzer Harah it is the Yetzer Harah (Nefesh Habahamis). Because I did it to escape or the like, and that is just one of those things the Neha"b does (for good or for bad).
But wait, maybe when I did something good and it didn't lead to good, it didn't come from the Yetzer Harah it is the Yetzer Harah (Nefesh Habahamis). Because I did it to escape or the like, and that is just one of those things the Neha"b does (for good or for bad).
Friday, January 30, 2009
The Indirect Damage
Rabbah says: if someone burns his friend’s document, thus preventing his friend from being able to collect a debt, he is Patur (not obligated to pay). [The Talmud then goes on to quote the opinion of Ravah who disagrees, saying that he would be obligated to pay.]
If I were called upon to advocate on behalf of Rabbah position, I would put forth three points.
I. Although the defendant is Patur, he is still obligated to pay by the “heavenly court”, the court can therefore use indirect means to try to force him to pay. Such as to deny him the right to take an oath in any court until he pays up his moral obligation. Since the defendant damage was indirect, it follows that the court can only obligate him indirectly.
II. All agree that even if someone gives false information to his fellow thus causing monitory lose, the court can not obligate him to pay. Thus we have a precedent for being Patur if the damage was indirect.
III. The strongest point: the defendant did not damage the plaintiff. The guilty party is the borrower who lied, refused to acknowledge that he owes the money to the plaintiff. The defendant would have caused no damage without the borrower’s primary and leading role.
Baba Kama 98
If I were called upon to advocate on behalf of Rabbah position, I would put forth three points.
I. Although the defendant is Patur, he is still obligated to pay by the “heavenly court”, the court can therefore use indirect means to try to force him to pay. Such as to deny him the right to take an oath in any court until he pays up his moral obligation. Since the defendant damage was indirect, it follows that the court can only obligate him indirectly.
II. All agree that even if someone gives false information to his fellow thus causing monitory lose, the court can not obligate him to pay. Thus we have a precedent for being Patur if the damage was indirect.
III. The strongest point: the defendant did not damage the plaintiff. The guilty party is the borrower who lied, refused to acknowledge that he owes the money to the plaintiff. The defendant would have caused no damage without the borrower’s primary and leading role.
Baba Kama 98
Was I good?
I listened to a class online on Tzimtzum shelo kepshuto for an hour and a half, I spoke about it with someone for about an hour and then I thought about it for a while. I didn't daven properly afterwards. It must have come from the Nefesh habahamis. Because if it doesn't lead to doing more good then I really only did it for myself. So it didn't come from the yetzer harah it was my Nefesh habahamis for the neha"b is the soul in me that does things for myself.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
The Holy and the Headache
When I was in the second grade, my teacher would not accept a headache for an excuse for anything. If anyone would claim to have a headache he would respond: "headache? I'll tell you what a headache is. A story is told, in the book of prophets, of a boy who was at work in the field with his father. The boy complained, he said: my head my head. Dad sent the complaining boy home to his mom, the boy laid down and died."
[Miraculously the child was revived by the prophet Elisha, who was the one who originally granted the parents a blessing for a child.]
Looking at the story carefully, you will notice that the child never said anything about his head hurting. He just cried: my head, my head. Dad knew something was wrong without his boy mentioning pain, because a healthy person does not feel his head, if you do, then something is terribly wrong.
The soul is the body's source of life. A healthy body stays out of the way, it's completely nullified to the soul's energy. If, however, a limb feels itself, if the limb does not submit to the soul's energy, it will be paralyzed. The same is true with regard to the vitality of the universe. When the recipient is transparent, allowing the spirit of Hashem to shine forth, then it is healthy and holy. Holy for it is transparent, allowing Hashem's energy to express itself.
In general I could divide my life into two. Moments when I am energized, I accomplish, give to others, allow the Torah and it's teachings to flow right through me, enjoy interacting with others. Then there are moments, that I am sluggish, Sad, lifeless, self absorbed. Not allowing room for any life to circulate.
I get to make the choice at every moment, what kind of moment do I want? Do I want to be full of life? Or do I want a headache.
[Miraculously the child was revived by the prophet Elisha, who was the one who originally granted the parents a blessing for a child.]
Looking at the story carefully, you will notice that the child never said anything about his head hurting. He just cried: my head, my head. Dad knew something was wrong without his boy mentioning pain, because a healthy person does not feel his head, if you do, then something is terribly wrong.
The soul is the body's source of life. A healthy body stays out of the way, it's completely nullified to the soul's energy. If, however, a limb feels itself, if the limb does not submit to the soul's energy, it will be paralyzed. The same is true with regard to the vitality of the universe. When the recipient is transparent, allowing the spirit of Hashem to shine forth, then it is healthy and holy. Holy for it is transparent, allowing Hashem's energy to express itself.
In general I could divide my life into two. Moments when I am energized, I accomplish, give to others, allow the Torah and it's teachings to flow right through me, enjoy interacting with others. Then there are moments, that I am sluggish, Sad, lifeless, self absorbed. Not allowing room for any life to circulate.
I get to make the choice at every moment, what kind of moment do I want? Do I want to be full of life? Or do I want a headache.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Riding the Waves of Financial Worries
You're drowning. You're drowning in a never ending current of frightening thoughts, worrying whether you'll be able to take care of your family and provide for your loved ones. Even when you find the time to visit the park with you’re family you're mind is wondering, even while opening a prayer book in the synagogue, the torrents of worry catch up with you. You have nowhere to hide.
Financial worries can be as destructive as the biblical flood. In fact, just like all of the Torah, every detail of the Torah’s description of the flood is relevant to the spiritual journey of a Jew. The flood is the financial worries that threaten to drown us all; the protective Ark is the words of Torah and prayer. Just as the floods water lifted the ark to great heights, the financial worries actually lift the prayer and study to a higher plane.
Spiritual sustenance is necessary not merely to satisfy your yearning soul, or to intellectually entertain by broadening the horizon of human experience. It’s the secret to survival in a challenging world. The spiritual haven is most appreciated when you realize that it is your protective shelter.
You see, before the flood the ark will sometimes feel confining. Even while praying and studying part of you lured toward the attractive world. When the world is flooded you realize that the ark is a source of peace, having spent time within it’s protective walls, having captured it’s tranquility, you can then bring it’s peacefulness along wherever you go.
Conventional wisdom leads a person to think that "I need to work extremely hard until I have enough money to buy piece of mind", that doesn't work. As the Ethics of Our Fathers teach: "one who adds money adds worry". The opposite is true, first you must find your ark, the protective and comforting words of Torah and prayer, only then can you be sure that when you have money it won’t rob you of your most important possession: piece of mind.
(Torah Or, Noach)
Financial worries can be as destructive as the biblical flood. In fact, just like all of the Torah, every detail of the Torah’s description of the flood is relevant to the spiritual journey of a Jew. The flood is the financial worries that threaten to drown us all; the protective Ark is the words of Torah and prayer. Just as the floods water lifted the ark to great heights, the financial worries actually lift the prayer and study to a higher plane.
Spiritual sustenance is necessary not merely to satisfy your yearning soul, or to intellectually entertain by broadening the horizon of human experience. It’s the secret to survival in a challenging world. The spiritual haven is most appreciated when you realize that it is your protective shelter.
You see, before the flood the ark will sometimes feel confining. Even while praying and studying part of you lured toward the attractive world. When the world is flooded you realize that the ark is a source of peace, having spent time within it’s protective walls, having captured it’s tranquility, you can then bring it’s peacefulness along wherever you go.
Conventional wisdom leads a person to think that "I need to work extremely hard until I have enough money to buy piece of mind", that doesn't work. As the Ethics of Our Fathers teach: "one who adds money adds worry". The opposite is true, first you must find your ark, the protective and comforting words of Torah and prayer, only then can you be sure that when you have money it won’t rob you of your most important possession: piece of mind.
(Torah Or, Noach)
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
The Letter “Hey”
Tough you could barley hear its sound and its voice is soft, the Hebrew letter Hey is powerful. Hey represents expression. When it came time for Avrom and Saray to have children, to give birth to an expression of their souls, Hashem added a Hey to their names. To quote the Midrash: “Avram can’t give birth, Avraham can. Saray can’t give birth, Sarah can”.
A few generations later, of Yakov’s four wives only Rachel, the only matriarch without the letter Hey in her name, was barren. What did Rachel do? She told her husband “Here is my maidservant Bilhah, marry her, and I too will be built from her”. Bilhah had two “Hey’s” in her name, Rachel felt that she “will be built” from Bilhuh’s double Hey.
Rachel had a harder time expressing herself then her sister Leah, for Laeh represents taught while Rachel represents speech. Leah had the easier job of expressing her idea’s in her own mind, Rachel had to find the words reach others.
When Rachel finally overcame her spiritual challenge and gave birth, her child was a master of expression. Joseph alone was able to articulate and express holiness to the Egyptians. Only He could find the words to bring the “outsider” into the family.
Ateres - Vayechi
A few generations later, of Yakov’s four wives only Rachel, the only matriarch without the letter Hey in her name, was barren. What did Rachel do? She told her husband “Here is my maidservant Bilhah, marry her, and I too will be built from her”. Bilhah had two “Hey’s” in her name, Rachel felt that she “will be built” from Bilhuh’s double Hey.
Rachel had a harder time expressing herself then her sister Leah, for Laeh represents taught while Rachel represents speech. Leah had the easier job of expressing her idea’s in her own mind, Rachel had to find the words reach others.
When Rachel finally overcame her spiritual challenge and gave birth, her child was a master of expression. Joseph alone was able to articulate and express holiness to the Egyptians. Only He could find the words to bring the “outsider” into the family.
Ateres - Vayechi
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