I'm in the kitchen. Baking. Listening to music.
I'm listening to a great song. One with a message.
I wrote about that song before. It's called Conversation in the Womb and is about two unborn children-both unsure about the next world. One is an optimist and one a pessimist.
Just as the song finishes, I crack open an egg and see...twin eggs.
I crack eggs all the time. When are they ever twins? Just about never. But this time, there they are. Cute, two little yellow yolks in one eggshell.
I think about the song I just listened to, that I so quickly dismissed as soon as the next song started to play. I want to internalize this message.
I think about the climax of the song. When the optimist baby gives out a scream because he has finally entered the next stage of life. The pessimist, hearing the piercing cry, assumes it's all over, his brother must have died. But this is not death, it is actually an entrance into a whole, new, beautiful life.
In life, we go through challenges. We can either be pessimistic about the tests we've been given, thinking of them as the end.
The screams of pain...what are they?
Does that mean everything is all over?
The optimist says, No, it's not over. This is just a new beginning. The beginning of a whole new life.
Yes, we are tested in life. Yes, sometimes we need to cry out. But that cry should be a message to us...a message of hope.
When things get tough and you wonder how you will go on, try to look at it with this new perspective.
These specific challenges are here to form you. To create you. They will give you a whole new life. Your life will not be the same as it used to be, sitting in a protective little bubble. Now that you've been exposed to the harsh realities of this world, look at is as a chance for rebirth. For renewal. You are on your way to becoming a new being.
The optimist realizes that the pain he is experiencing is the pain of transition. But this transition will open up a new world for him. No longer will he be protected by his mother. He will now step out into this world and have the opportunity to become a different person. To laugh, to play, to interact, to make a difference.
The pessimist sees this cry, the pain of challenge as the end. This is it. There is no life past this. He cannot even deal with the thought of transition.
Let us try to be like the optimist, realizing and internalizing that change, although hard, can bring us to better places. Transition is painful. But by going through that difficult phase, we can become different people. We won't be stuck in patterns of the past. We will be able to create new realities for ourselves in our lives.
Two eggs in the shell. Two babies in the womb. A message of hope.
Showing posts with label Song. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Song. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Hurricane Sandy
Someone submitted the following question anonymously. Please could you write about the hurricane what message can we take from it... it was only one day and then everything back to normal!?!
There are many lessons and messages that we can take from the hurricane and all that happened in the last few days-the excitement and preparation leading up to it, the time spent indoors to ensure full protection from the storm, and the aftermath…living without electricity and waiting for the power to be restored.
I got the following text message this morning: Hashem is powerful and we are powerless.
When we are hit by a “natural” disaster, it gives us a chance to stop and think. To realize WHO really is in control of every aspect of our lives.
Yes, we are the ones who go through the motions of our day-to-day lives, accomplishing and getting things done. But when we are blessed with that clarity the moment we lose power, we realize Who is the one who has the power and who is really powerless.
I am reminded of a poem/song I once posted, If Hashem Were To Go On Strike. It's taken from a tape, The Iron Butterfly, by Suki and Ding. I will post it here again because the message is so on target.
It’s just a good thing that Hashem above has never gone on strike,
Because He wasn’t treated for or for the things he didn’t like.
And if He had just once sat down and said, “That’s it, I’m through,
I’ve had enough of those on earth so this is what I’ll do:
I’ll give my orders to the sun, cut off your heat supply,
And to the clouds, give no more rain and run those oceans dry.”
And just to make it tough and to put the pressure on,
He’d cut off all the oxygen ‘til every breath is gone.
Do you know that Hashem would be justified if fairness were the game,
For no one has been more abused or treated with disdain.
And yet Hashem has carried on supplying you and me,
With all the favors in His world and everything for free.
No more would flowers bud in spring and food just wouldn’t grow,
And summer turn to winter, Hashem can do it all, you know.
He could make the daytime pitch black so we’d see our way no more,
There’s just so much Hashem can do to even up the score!
Men say they want a better deal and so on strike they go,
But what a deal we’ve given Hashem to whom everything we owe?
We don’t care who we hurt or harm to gain the things we like,
But what a mess we’d all be in if Hashem were to go on strike!!
So here we have it-Hashem "pushed a button" and the whole world went crazy. People ran around stocking up on water, canned goods, bread, candles, flashlights...you name it. How could we live for a few days without power?
People are left without access to the internet. Ask yourself this question. Who is part of your social circle? Does it extend past your Facebook friends and those you talk to through email and text? How much face to face contact do you have with the people who are important to you-beyond your immediate family?
In preparation for the hurricane, someone on the radio mentioned that this will give families a chance to reconnect with each other. When the power goes out and the batteries on all the electronic devices start to die, siblings and parents can actually talk to each other. There's no distraction of laptops and computers, iPhones and Tablets and any other electronic devices. Devices that instead of connecting us, disconnect us from those who are important and close to us.
Trees got thrown down just a few inches away from houses and cars. I saw with my own eyes the precision of the fall...how every inch is calculated. Another inch-and that car would have been smashed. Another inch-and that house would have had major damage. This showed me how every little detail is calculated, every inch, every moment of our lives. The same One who made the tree fall directly in front of that house and an inch away from that car, is watching over me every moment. The details of my life are calculated; Hashem works with precision and care.
Many people are still in the dark. They are illuminating their homes with candles instead of electric lights. The effects of the hurricane are far from over. It will still take another few days for power to be restored. The impact and the message of Hurricane Sandy may stay with them for a little longer than it stays with you. The choice is yours.
How long do you want to remember this hurricane for? How long will these messages stay with you?
There are many lessons and messages that we can take from the hurricane and all that happened in the last few days-the excitement and preparation leading up to it, the time spent indoors to ensure full protection from the storm, and the aftermath…living without electricity and waiting for the power to be restored.
I got the following text message this morning: Hashem is powerful and we are powerless.
When we are hit by a “natural” disaster, it gives us a chance to stop and think. To realize WHO really is in control of every aspect of our lives.
Yes, we are the ones who go through the motions of our day-to-day lives, accomplishing and getting things done. But when we are blessed with that clarity the moment we lose power, we realize Who is the one who has the power and who is really powerless.
I am reminded of a poem/song I once posted, If Hashem Were To Go On Strike. It's taken from a tape, The Iron Butterfly, by Suki and Ding. I will post it here again because the message is so on target.
It’s just a good thing that Hashem above has never gone on strike,
Because He wasn’t treated for or for the things he didn’t like.
And if He had just once sat down and said, “That’s it, I’m through,
I’ve had enough of those on earth so this is what I’ll do:
I’ll give my orders to the sun, cut off your heat supply,
And to the clouds, give no more rain and run those oceans dry.”
And just to make it tough and to put the pressure on,
He’d cut off all the oxygen ‘til every breath is gone.
Do you know that Hashem would be justified if fairness were the game,
For no one has been more abused or treated with disdain.
And yet Hashem has carried on supplying you and me,
With all the favors in His world and everything for free.
No more would flowers bud in spring and food just wouldn’t grow,
And summer turn to winter, Hashem can do it all, you know.
He could make the daytime pitch black so we’d see our way no more,
There’s just so much Hashem can do to even up the score!
Men say they want a better deal and so on strike they go,
But what a deal we’ve given Hashem to whom everything we owe?
We don’t care who we hurt or harm to gain the things we like,
But what a mess we’d all be in if Hashem were to go on strike!!
So here we have it-Hashem "pushed a button" and the whole world went crazy. People ran around stocking up on water, canned goods, bread, candles, flashlights...you name it. How could we live for a few days without power?
People are left without access to the internet. Ask yourself this question. Who is part of your social circle? Does it extend past your Facebook friends and those you talk to through email and text? How much face to face contact do you have with the people who are important to you-beyond your immediate family?
In preparation for the hurricane, someone on the radio mentioned that this will give families a chance to reconnect with each other. When the power goes out and the batteries on all the electronic devices start to die, siblings and parents can actually talk to each other. There's no distraction of laptops and computers, iPhones and Tablets and any other electronic devices. Devices that instead of connecting us, disconnect us from those who are important and close to us.
Trees got thrown down just a few inches away from houses and cars. I saw with my own eyes the precision of the fall...how every inch is calculated. Another inch-and that car would have been smashed. Another inch-and that house would have had major damage. This showed me how every little detail is calculated, every inch, every moment of our lives. The same One who made the tree fall directly in front of that house and an inch away from that car, is watching over me every moment. The details of my life are calculated; Hashem works with precision and care.
Many people are still in the dark. They are illuminating their homes with candles instead of electric lights. The effects of the hurricane are far from over. It will still take another few days for power to be restored. The impact and the message of Hurricane Sandy may stay with them for a little longer than it stays with you. The choice is yours.
How long do you want to remember this hurricane for? How long will these messages stay with you?
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Shabbos Queen
I sing this song to my son Shalom Baruch every so often. He's been asking me to sing it to him more and more now...(except he says, "Mommy, sing me Shabbos Clean..." ;-) )
I used to think my mother was the Shabbos Queen
She’d stand so regally with royal grace
And whisper to the king of the universe, Hashem
In a very special place
Behind her covered face
I know that she’s not asking him for diamonds
My noble mother doesn’t ask for gold
She’s asking him to help me study in the Torah’s ways
And to let her eyes behold
The joy as she grows old
CHORUS:
Oh...When I grow up, no matter what life brings
Hashem will give the strength I need to handle it
And I will walk by the lights of one thousand Friday nights
And the tefillos of my mother who always had her candles lit
And you can sing the chorus as many times as you want-it gets stronger and more powerful every time you sing it.
This song makes me teary-eyed. I have to hold back those tears so I could sing it to him from beginning to end because the words are so touching and it gives me so much to think about.
When I get to the chorus, so many thoughts run through my mind. Sometimes, I just look at those big innocent eyes staring back at me and I am overwhelmed. I don't know what Hashem has in store for my son but I do know that no matter what it is, Hashem will give him the strength he needs to go through whatever challenges come his way. I look into those big eyes and I think and I hope-I just hope that he will have it easy...and things should go smoothly for him. And I do know that whatever tests come his way, Hashem will help him through them.
Other times, I think of my mother. I think of all the tefillos she davened for me at the shabbos candles. I think of the challenges I've gone through and how much her tefillos must have helped me get through them. I think of the tests Hashem has given me, the little and the big ones...and it makes me cry. But I hold back the tears so I could finish singing the song to SB because he is looking back at me...I'm still thinking while I sing...and I think more about my mother's tefillos...and her hopes for all of her children. We've all been through challenges and we need those tefillos. She never stops. Every week she lights her beautiful silver candelabra and she davens for each of us.
I think of my future-the unknown. And I know that no matter what life brings Hashem will give me the strength I need to handle it because I have my mother's tefillos to rely on. And I have Hashem to rely on-always.
I used to think my mother was the Shabbos Queen
She’d stand so regally with royal grace
And whisper to the king of the universe, Hashem
In a very special place
Behind her covered face
I know that she’s not asking him for diamonds
My noble mother doesn’t ask for gold
She’s asking him to help me study in the Torah’s ways
And to let her eyes behold
The joy as she grows old
CHORUS:
Oh...When I grow up, no matter what life brings
Hashem will give the strength I need to handle it
And I will walk by the lights of one thousand Friday nights
And the tefillos of my mother who always had her candles lit
And you can sing the chorus as many times as you want-it gets stronger and more powerful every time you sing it.
This song makes me teary-eyed. I have to hold back those tears so I could sing it to him from beginning to end because the words are so touching and it gives me so much to think about.
When I get to the chorus, so many thoughts run through my mind. Sometimes, I just look at those big innocent eyes staring back at me and I am overwhelmed. I don't know what Hashem has in store for my son but I do know that no matter what it is, Hashem will give him the strength he needs to go through whatever challenges come his way. I look into those big eyes and I think and I hope-I just hope that he will have it easy...and things should go smoothly for him. And I do know that whatever tests come his way, Hashem will help him through them.
Other times, I think of my mother. I think of all the tefillos she davened for me at the shabbos candles. I think of the challenges I've gone through and how much her tefillos must have helped me get through them. I think of the tests Hashem has given me, the little and the big ones...and it makes me cry. But I hold back the tears so I could finish singing the song to SB because he is looking back at me...I'm still thinking while I sing...and I think more about my mother's tefillos...and her hopes for all of her children. We've all been through challenges and we need those tefillos. She never stops. Every week she lights her beautiful silver candelabra and she davens for each of us.
I think of my future-the unknown. And I know that no matter what life brings Hashem will give me the strength I need to handle it because I have my mother's tefillos to rely on. And I have Hashem to rely on-always.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Non-Jewish Music
Q: Is there anything wrong with listening to classical music?
A: Your question isn't a simple one.
Music is the language of the soul-we know that many people say that. What this means in real life is that music is a very deep thing. The essence of the person who makes up the music, their inner soul, goes into the music they compose and enters the soul of the one listening to it.
R' Shimshon Pincus zt"l says that when a person is trying to express themselves but the thoughts in their mind and the feelings in their heart are so strong that they can't say what they mean in words, they burst into song. This is why on Shabbos, the holiest day of each week, we begin with the song of Lecha Dodi. It's because Shabbos is so special and so pure and so holy that our hearts are overflowing with such strong emotions that we can't express our feelings in words, and so we sing.
When listening to music from a non-jewish source, composed by a non-jewish author, they put their whole heart and soul into the music - and that is what can enter your neshama when you listen to it. Sometimes, it's a very subtle thing that you may not even know about, but it goes in there.
I'm not saying that all classical music is bad. I personally LOVE classical music. I stopped listening to it when the rav in seminary who taught us halacha spoke to us about classical music and non-jewish music. We specifically asked him about a certain classical music composer - and he listened to it and said that he can feel the ruach hatumah that's coming from his music! We were all blown away!! (He must be on quite a level to be able to feel it-cuz I most certainly wasn't able to!) He must keep himself really pure to be able to feel the negative vibes in the music of the player!
And from then on, I don't listen to classical music. I know where you are coming from and it's a hard thing to stop, especially if you're hooked. It can be very relaxing at the end of a long day, or even at the end of a regular day. I'd listen to the music and feel myself breathing in and out and calming myself down, even when I didn't feel stressed out in the first place-that's the power of music and it can really relax you! But I decided to stop because I didn't want that negative power to enter my neshama-even if I can't feel it!
If you do want to listen to classical music, here is what I suggest. Do a little bit of research on the composer of the music. Check out online to see what kind of person he was/is. Google his name and see what comes up. Then you can decide for yourself if you want to listen to the things he has composed...and if you want the essence of who he is, which is what goes into the music that he plays, to enter the very fiber of your being, your neshama.
Hatzlacha and let me know what you think of this.
R' Shimshon Pincus zt"l says that when a person is trying to express themselves but the thoughts in their mind and the feelings in their heart are so strong that they can't say what they mean in words, they burst into song. This is why on Shabbos, the holiest day of each week, we begin with the song of Lecha Dodi. It's because Shabbos is so special and so pure and so holy that our hearts are overflowing with such strong emotions that we can't express our feelings in words, and so we sing.
When listening to music from a non-jewish source, composed by a non-jewish author, they put their whole heart and soul into the music - and that is what can enter your neshama when you listen to it. Sometimes, it's a very subtle thing that you may not even know about, but it goes in there.
I'm not saying that all classical music is bad. I personally LOVE classical music. I stopped listening to it when the rav in seminary who taught us halacha spoke to us about classical music and non-jewish music. We specifically asked him about a certain classical music composer - and he listened to it and said that he can feel the ruach hatumah that's coming from his music! We were all blown away!! (He must be on quite a level to be able to feel it-cuz I most certainly wasn't able to!) He must keep himself really pure to be able to feel the negative vibes in the music of the player!
And from then on, I don't listen to classical music. I know where you are coming from and it's a hard thing to stop, especially if you're hooked. It can be very relaxing at the end of a long day, or even at the end of a regular day. I'd listen to the music and feel myself breathing in and out and calming myself down, even when I didn't feel stressed out in the first place-that's the power of music and it can really relax you! But I decided to stop because I didn't want that negative power to enter my neshama-even if I can't feel it!
If you do want to listen to classical music, here is what I suggest. Do a little bit of research on the composer of the music. Check out online to see what kind of person he was/is. Google his name and see what comes up. Then you can decide for yourself if you want to listen to the things he has composed...and if you want the essence of who he is, which is what goes into the music that he plays, to enter the very fiber of your being, your neshama.
Hatzlacha and let me know what you think of this.
Monday, June 13, 2011
The Next World
The following question was emailed to me and I'm posting it here with permission from the one who asked.
Q: Is there a proof in the torah for techiyat hameisim and olam habah? Or is that the blind faith type of thing?
A: Everything in this world is a mirror or a mashal to the next world. There is something to learn from each thing that goes on in Olam Hazeh - this world that we can parallel to Olam Habah - the next world.
To answer your question, I want to tell you about a song called "Conversation in the Womb" which is based on a mashal (and I think a medrash or gemara but I'm not 100% sure the exact source) which shows that there is another world beyond the world we live in.
This conversation is between two unborn children (twins) in the womb of their mother. One is a pessimist and the other is an optimist. One believes that after living in the mother's womb, he will die and his life will be over. The other believes that there is a life, a beautiful, sunny, happy life beyond the life he knows right now. The first paragraph starts with the pessimist and the second switches to the optimist and so forth. Here are the words to the song:
My dear brother
Look around and tell me what your eyes behold
Don't deny that you see
It's only you and me
Our existence,
It is empty,
It is cold
Our existence,
It is empty,
It is cold
But dear brother
You must have faith that we are not the only ones
For in the distance there's a place
Where we'll stand up tall and straight
I believe there is a world to come
Yes, I believe that there is a world to come
My dear brother
Don't be blind,
Don't be stubborn,
Don't be set.
Imagination it's all right
But it won't light up the night
What you see is exactly what you get
Oh what you see is exactly what you get
But dear brother
You will surely find when all is said and done
That the future it will show
There is so much we don't know
Oh I believe that there is a world to come
Yes I believe that there is a world to come.
My dear brother
Where have you gone?
Is this the moment I have known?
I can faintly hear the cry
My dear brother must have died
It's all over now forever I'm alone
It's all over now forever I'm alone
But dear brother
Please don't mourn me when my life has just begun
For what you hear are sounds of joy
"Congratulations it's a boy"
Oh i believe that there is a world to come
Yes i believe that there is a world to come
Cuz what you hear are sounds of joy
"Congratulations it's a boy"
Soon you'll be here with me in this world to come
Soon you'll be here with me in this world to come.
So you see that birth is a mashal to the life we live. We only know the reality of our existence in this world and can't imagine anything different. But a time will come when we will live in Olam Habah and it will be a whole new incredible experience.
Hashem created the world and everything in it - there's a purpose and reason for our existence. He did so much to give us such a beautiful world. Do you think it's for nothing? That after this world where we work so hard, live full lives, do mitzvos, help others, connect to Hashem, learn Torah - and then what?!
The next world is the place where we will be rewarded for all the good we have done while we were alive in this world.
It says in Pirkei Avos (4:21), “HaOlam hazeh domeh li’prozdor bifei haOlam Habah; Haskein atzmacha baprozdor, k’dei she’tikaneis la’trakilin” - This world is but a hallway before the Next World; Prepare yourself in the corridor, in order to enter properly into the ballroom. Which means that this world is a place to prepare and get ready for the big event - the big party, the main place where all good things will happen! Let's use our time wisely!
Also, I recommend reading Beyond a Reasonable Doubt by Rabbi Shmuel Waldman. You sound like someone who is a thinker and who wants to know and understand more, which is so important! It's great to ask questions and feels so good when you get your answers. This book talks about many fundamentals of yiddishkeit and it will explain and answer many questions you may have. It is an excellent book that will give you the knowledge you want and help you understand things on a deeper level.
Q: Is there a proof in the torah for techiyat hameisim and olam habah? Or is that the blind faith type of thing?
A: Everything in this world is a mirror or a mashal to the next world. There is something to learn from each thing that goes on in Olam Hazeh - this world that we can parallel to Olam Habah - the next world.
To answer your question, I want to tell you about a song called "Conversation in the Womb" which is based on a mashal (and I think a medrash or gemara but I'm not 100% sure the exact source) which shows that there is another world beyond the world we live in.
This conversation is between two unborn children (twins) in the womb of their mother. One is a pessimist and the other is an optimist. One believes that after living in the mother's womb, he will die and his life will be over. The other believes that there is a life, a beautiful, sunny, happy life beyond the life he knows right now. The first paragraph starts with the pessimist and the second switches to the optimist and so forth. Here are the words to the song:
My dear brother
Look around and tell me what your eyes behold
Don't deny that you see
It's only you and me
Our existence,
It is empty,
It is cold
Our existence,
It is empty,
It is cold
But dear brother
You must have faith that we are not the only ones
For in the distance there's a place
Where we'll stand up tall and straight
I believe there is a world to come
Yes, I believe that there is a world to come
My dear brother
Don't be blind,
Don't be stubborn,
Don't be set.
Imagination it's all right
But it won't light up the night
What you see is exactly what you get
Oh what you see is exactly what you get
But dear brother
You will surely find when all is said and done
That the future it will show
There is so much we don't know
Oh I believe that there is a world to come
Yes I believe that there is a world to come.
My dear brother
Where have you gone?
Is this the moment I have known?
I can faintly hear the cry
My dear brother must have died
It's all over now forever I'm alone
It's all over now forever I'm alone
But dear brother
Please don't mourn me when my life has just begun
For what you hear are sounds of joy
"Congratulations it's a boy"
Oh i believe that there is a world to come
Yes i believe that there is a world to come
Cuz what you hear are sounds of joy
"Congratulations it's a boy"
Soon you'll be here with me in this world to come
Soon you'll be here with me in this world to come.
So you see that birth is a mashal to the life we live. We only know the reality of our existence in this world and can't imagine anything different. But a time will come when we will live in Olam Habah and it will be a whole new incredible experience.
Hashem created the world and everything in it - there's a purpose and reason for our existence. He did so much to give us such a beautiful world. Do you think it's for nothing? That after this world where we work so hard, live full lives, do mitzvos, help others, connect to Hashem, learn Torah - and then what?!
The next world is the place where we will be rewarded for all the good we have done while we were alive in this world.
It says in Pirkei Avos (4:21), “HaOlam hazeh domeh li’prozdor bifei haOlam Habah; Haskein atzmacha baprozdor, k’dei she’tikaneis la’trakilin” - This world is but a hallway before the Next World; Prepare yourself in the corridor, in order to enter properly into the ballroom. Which means that this world is a place to prepare and get ready for the big event - the big party, the main place where all good things will happen! Let's use our time wisely!
Also, I recommend reading Beyond a Reasonable Doubt by Rabbi Shmuel Waldman. You sound like someone who is a thinker and who wants to know and understand more, which is so important! It's great to ask questions and feels so good when you get your answers. This book talks about many fundamentals of yiddishkeit and it will explain and answer many questions you may have. It is an excellent book that will give you the knowledge you want and help you understand things on a deeper level.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Lag Ba'Omer - Why Celebrate?!
As we reach the Lag BaOmer milestone, we are faced with a perplexing question:
What is really the sudden cause for celebration at this time? After all, from what we know of our past during the Omer period, 24,000 senior scholars--the students of Rebbe Akiva passed away for not properly respecting each other; even Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai, one of the surviving students, eventually passed away on this day; later, the Crusades took their great toll on Ashkenazic Jewry during Sefira; then, the great Posek for Ashkenazim, the Rema passed away on Lag BaOmer, like Rebbe Shimon; and, most recently, much of Hungarian Jewry was hurriedly annihilated during the period from Pesach to Shavuos in 1944--to such an extent that the survivors of Hungarian Jewry who do not know when their relatives or friends were murdered observe the Second Day of Shavuos as their Yahrzeit. So, what is the joy--the songs, the bonfires, the bows and arrows about? Why are weddings allowed, and Tachanun not recited?
Rav Chaim Kanievsky, Shlita (following the lines of the Gra’s Commentary on Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim, 493) teaches we celebrate that in all events, there were those who remained. Indeed, the resemblance in all of the aforementioned tragedies is striking: Rebbe Shimon passed his legacy to his students (it is no coincidence that so many other future generations of Tannaim are buried right around Rebbe Shimon in Meron). Similarly, even after the Crusader massacres killing Rabbeinu Tam and many others in many communities, the Baalei Tosfos flourished for many generations, culminating in the Rosh, and his son, the Tur, as the basis for our Shulchan Aruch; the Rema, rather than being the final word in Halacha for Ashkenazim, became the basis and guide for the scores of future poskim; the remnants of Hungarian Jewry fill the Yeshivas from Bnei Brak to Borough Park.
But it is more than that we are just survivors. It is the fulfillment of the Posuk (Devorim 32:23): “Chitzai Achaleh Bom”--I will finish my arrows in them--which Chazal (Sotah 9A) explain to mean--my arrows will be finished in them, but they will not be finished. Hashem has guided us through events, times, places and tragedies of immense proportions, while the other 70 nations of the world disappeared from far less calamitous events. Perhaps this is the symbol of the bow and arrow on Lag BaOmer--the arrows are done, but we are not. Why is this so--why has our history--our experience in this world been so different than all other nations?
We suggest that the answer to this, too, brings us to this time of year--it is, once again, not coincidental that all of this is happening as we prepare to receive the Torah--for it IS THE TORAH that has made our lives so different and so endurable. It is the Torah, created well before the world as we know it was created, that has given us the “supernatural” force for us to thrive and survive. At this special time of year, we should especially demonstrate our recognition of the importance of Torah in our lives and in the lives of K’lal Yisroel.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTION: For the coming two weeks until Shavuos, in whatever you are learning, whether it is a thought on the Parsha, Daf Yomi, or even a Torah email, think about how important Torah study in our lives. It is not academics, nor a body of knowledge, but the one part of our life that permeates and invigorates us--and the bonfire that warms and enlightens us every day of our lives.
Taken from today's Hakhel post.
What is really the sudden cause for celebration at this time? After all, from what we know of our past during the Omer period, 24,000 senior scholars--the students of Rebbe Akiva passed away for not properly respecting each other; even Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai, one of the surviving students, eventually passed away on this day; later, the Crusades took their great toll on Ashkenazic Jewry during Sefira; then, the great Posek for Ashkenazim, the Rema passed away on Lag BaOmer, like Rebbe Shimon; and, most recently, much of Hungarian Jewry was hurriedly annihilated during the period from Pesach to Shavuos in 1944--to such an extent that the survivors of Hungarian Jewry who do not know when their relatives or friends were murdered observe the Second Day of Shavuos as their Yahrzeit. So, what is the joy--the songs, the bonfires, the bows and arrows about? Why are weddings allowed, and Tachanun not recited?
Rav Chaim Kanievsky, Shlita (following the lines of the Gra’s Commentary on Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim, 493) teaches we celebrate that in all events, there were those who remained. Indeed, the resemblance in all of the aforementioned tragedies is striking: Rebbe Shimon passed his legacy to his students (it is no coincidence that so many other future generations of Tannaim are buried right around Rebbe Shimon in Meron). Similarly, even after the Crusader massacres killing Rabbeinu Tam and many others in many communities, the Baalei Tosfos flourished for many generations, culminating in the Rosh, and his son, the Tur, as the basis for our Shulchan Aruch; the Rema, rather than being the final word in Halacha for Ashkenazim, became the basis and guide for the scores of future poskim; the remnants of Hungarian Jewry fill the Yeshivas from Bnei Brak to Borough Park.
But it is more than that we are just survivors. It is the fulfillment of the Posuk (Devorim 32:23): “Chitzai Achaleh Bom”--I will finish my arrows in them--which Chazal (Sotah 9A) explain to mean--my arrows will be finished in them, but they will not be finished. Hashem has guided us through events, times, places and tragedies of immense proportions, while the other 70 nations of the world disappeared from far less calamitous events. Perhaps this is the symbol of the bow and arrow on Lag BaOmer--the arrows are done, but we are not. Why is this so--why has our history--our experience in this world been so different than all other nations?
We suggest that the answer to this, too, brings us to this time of year--it is, once again, not coincidental that all of this is happening as we prepare to receive the Torah--for it IS THE TORAH that has made our lives so different and so endurable. It is the Torah, created well before the world as we know it was created, that has given us the “supernatural” force for us to thrive and survive. At this special time of year, we should especially demonstrate our recognition of the importance of Torah in our lives and in the lives of K’lal Yisroel.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTION: For the coming two weeks until Shavuos, in whatever you are learning, whether it is a thought on the Parsha, Daf Yomi, or even a Torah email, think about how important Torah study in our lives. It is not academics, nor a body of knowledge, but the one part of our life that permeates and invigorates us--and the bonfire that warms and enlightens us every day of our lives.
Taken from today's Hakhel post.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Daddy Dear
Here's a beautiful video - now listen to the words of the song...the sound of the boys high pitched voice make it so much more touching!!
Here are the words of the song, Daddy Dear.
Daddy dear, tell me please
Is it true what they say
In the heavens there's a cup
That gets fuller each day
And I've heard that Hashem
Keeps it close nearby
And He fills it with His tears
Each time that we cry
Zeidy told me, Daddy dear
Did he tell you the same
That when sorrow strikes His people
Hashem feels all the pain
Tell me why does He cry
Far away in the sky
Tell me why, Daddy dear
Are there tears in your eyes
Little one, little one
It is true, yes it's true
Zeidy told me years ago
And his dad told him too
Fathers cry for their children
And Hashem does the same
When we hurt, so does He
Yes he feels our pain
Tears of pity from His eyes
In his cup sadly flow
Till one day when it's full
All out troubles will go
We will dance, we will fly
In the sky like the birds
And I cry, little one
'Cause I'm touched by your words
One more question, Daddy dear
Answer please if you will
Just how deep is this cup
Tell me when will it fill
Don't you think it is time
That the sun forever shine
Don't you think it is time
Dear Daddy of mine
Little one, it is time
And I've questioned that too
So Let us ask Him together
Together me and you
Father dear, do You hear
Our worries, our fears
Will your eyes ever dry
Is your cup filled with tears
Here are the words of the song, Daddy Dear.
Daddy dear, tell me please
Is it true what they say
In the heavens there's a cup
That gets fuller each day
And I've heard that Hashem
Keeps it close nearby
And He fills it with His tears
Each time that we cry
Zeidy told me, Daddy dear
Did he tell you the same
That when sorrow strikes His people
Hashem feels all the pain
Tell me why does He cry
Far away in the sky
Tell me why, Daddy dear
Are there tears in your eyes
Little one, little one
It is true, yes it's true
Zeidy told me years ago
And his dad told him too
Fathers cry for their children
And Hashem does the same
When we hurt, so does He
Yes he feels our pain
Tears of pity from His eyes
In his cup sadly flow
Till one day when it's full
All out troubles will go
We will dance, we will fly
In the sky like the birds
And I cry, little one
'Cause I'm touched by your words
One more question, Daddy dear
Answer please if you will
Just how deep is this cup
Tell me when will it fill
Don't you think it is time
That the sun forever shine
Don't you think it is time
Dear Daddy of mine
Little one, it is time
And I've questioned that too
So Let us ask Him together
Together me and you
Father dear, do You hear
Our worries, our fears
Will your eyes ever dry
Is your cup filled with tears
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Happy First Birthday SB!
Tomorrow, yud daled sivan, is Shalom Baruch's first birthday. It is a big day for me and it's exciting too! It is amazing for me to look back and see how much he has grown and changed since he was born. He came into this world as an innocent and precious little child, unable to do anything but cry and look around. He didn't know anything about the world. A newborn baby is like cement-it is up to you to shape them. Everything you say to them will affect them. It is such a responsibility to have a tiny little child, a precious neshama, to take care of.
A baby is totally dependant on his parents to take care of him. And within one year, he learns so much. He learned to smile, babble, play with toys, crawl, eat real food, stand and so much more. There is so much that we can learn from little kids and especially from babies.
Shalom Baruch (or SB) is now learning how to walk. It is unbelievable to watch his determination while he is trying it out. He takes his walking toy and holds on to it while he takes a few steps and then...plop! He falls onto the floor. But does he start to cry and give up right there? Nope! He picks himself up, laughs and tries again. Step, step, step, step, plop! And again. He just never gives up. Incredible! Like it says, "Sheva yipol tzaddkik v'kom" - a tzaddik falls seven times and still gets up. No matter how many times he falls, he does not despair, he keeps strong and tries again. How many falls does it take until we say, "that's it, I'm done trying?" and give up? Let us look at this little tzaddik and follow in his teeny footsteps! Remember, the only way he'd learn to walk is by trying again. If he were to give up, even after the tenth time, he would never learn. The fact that he keeps on going no matter how many times he falls is what makes him succeed and soon he will be walking like a pro! But it all starts from getting up after that plop!
Looking back at this past year, there is so much growth and change that SB experienced. In the beginning it was week-by-week and then it was month-by-month. First he learned how to smile, then roll from his stomach to his back, then from his back to his stomach, then he started to grab toys, he learned how to giggle, he started to crawl, he got his first tooth, he would stand while holding on to the couch, chair, a toy (or my skirt!), then he started to leave go and stand on his own. He's already starting to talk and say little things, like "hi" or "baby." (I'm still trying to teach him how to say "mommy" but that's another story!) What is interesting is that by little kids, you see so much change happening from one year to the next. I can't even compare where he was when he was born a year ago to what he is up to now.
And now you have to ask yoursef, how much do I change in a week? a month? a year? When you look back at where you were last year at this time and see where you are today, are you happy with what you see? What can you do to make sure that by the time you get to next year, you will be able to look back at this past year and say, "Wow, I feel so good about where I am now!"
I remember holding SB when he was still a newborn and looking into his pure little eyes while trying (unsuccessfully) to sing elokei neshama. The song I was singing had a very touching tune and I just could not get through the song without crying. It was so emotional to try to sing this song to such a pure little baby. I would think to myself, You are so young. So innocent. You don't know anything about the big world out there. And I wish you could stay this way. I was a baby like you too. We all started off this way. But what happened? What can I do to keep your innocence and purity so you always stay on the right path, always love Hashem and always want to do the right thing? And I was never able to get to the end of the song. I would sing and think along with the meaning of the words...tehorah hee-the neshama you placed inside of me is pure...v'ata meshamra b'kirbee-and you are watching it inside of me...v'ata asid litlah mimenee-and in the future you will take it away from me...u'lihachazira bee l'asid lavo-and at the end of time you will return it to me. Oh, Hashem, please let this child's neshama remain whole and pure and untainted. Let him live a full life...a happy life, a beautiful and fulfilling life. And I would cry and cry (if I even got to this part of the song). And Shalom Baruch would just look at me with his little eyes, blink, blink, blink and look around, unaware of my emotions.
We all started out this way!! Each and every one of us came into this world pure and without any aveiros. And while your neshama is still in your body remember that Hashem is watching over and protecting you at every moment of the day. Before you do something, before you read something, think for a second, "is this good for my neshama?" Will it bring me closer or farther away from Hashem?
Now that we are baruch Hashem approaching Shalom Baruch's very first birthday, there is so much more I want to say but just don't know how to say it. It is such a privelege and a big responsibility to be able to raise such an adorable little boy-who still is innocent and pure. I hope he is able to keep his purity for a long time and we are able to teach to do the right thing always.
We'll take brachos (and presents lol) anytime!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Tefillah - More Than Just a Choir!!
Someone submitted this question. How do you connect davening with talking to Hashem. I know that sounds strange but I feel totally comfortable asking Hashem for help throughout the day. But davening for me is a huge choir and its basically just saying a bunch of words I don't feel like I am talking to Hashem. How would I be able to change that?
This is a great question!! I totally understand what you are saying when you ask how you can put some heart into your tefillos. You are so cute for saying that davening is a huge choir! I never heard anyone put it that way but it makes so much sense! You feel like you are singing the words but there is no real emotions behind what you are saying. You want to fill your tefillos-the ones you daven from your siddur, with more feeling and kavannah so that when you put your siddur down you can say, "Wow! I just davened a special shachris/mincha! I feel so much closer to Hashem now!"
One book I felt that was really helpful for me is Praying With Fire which is in 5-minute Lesson-a-day format so it's easy to read. You only read a little bit every day and it helps so much! It will help you fill your tefillah with kavannah and hopefully it will help you improve the way you daven.
Tefillah is something that we need to constantly work on. It's hard to give one blanket answer and say, "Do this and then from now on, you'll always come out of tefillah feeling inspired and uplifted." But I can try to give you some ideas to help you fix up the way you daven and fill your davening with emotion so that it's more than just a nice choir!!
One thing that might help is (going along your lines of the choir), sing a song before you start to daven. Right before you open your siddur, sing something that touches your heart and that can get you into the right mood. It can even be a song in your heart, it doesn't have to be out loud - if you are in a place where you cannot sing (like in school). But getting yourself into the right frame of mind before you actually start to daven can work wonders for the way your tefillah actually comes out in the end. I can't sing on this blog but I can write the names of some songs that might work for you: (I'm suggesting slow songs but sometimes, even the fast ones can get you into the right mood.) elokei neshama, mama rochel, ani ma'amin...bevias hamoshiach, racheim, vezakeini legadel, ima tagidi li and there are many more.
Another thing that I find very helpful is having a siddur that has the meaning of the words right below the words. You can buy an interlinear siddur, where the definition of each word is directly below the word or a metsudah siddur, where the definition of each phrase is directly across so your eyes can scan the meaning while you say the words. This helps so much because then you know what you are saying and it's not just a choir, a song, a bunch of words without meaning. Then you can understand what you are saying and appreciate what you are saying.
It is also important to personalize your tefillah. Instead of just saying the words and having in mind what they mean, try to add your own personal touch to your words. Like Rabbi Alperin (from seminary) always said, "Don't be a parrot!" Don't just say the words someone else put into the siddur-add something to make it a more personal experience. For example, when davening for someone who is sick and needs a refuah shelaima, instead of just saying the bracha of refaeinu like this, "Refaeinu Hashem Venairafei-heal us Hashem and we will be healed," add something like this, "Hashem, when you heal a person, you are better than any doctor in the world! You can guarantee that even if someone is sick, you will make sure they get better and never get sick again! You can do anything and everything so please, heal this person!" By inserting your own thoughts into the words of your tefillah, you will be filling your heart with special emotions and feelings and this will make it that much more uplifting!!
Or the bracha of parnassah - Bareich Aleinu - add your own personal thoughts and feelings into the words that you are saying. Say, Hashem, you provide for every single creature and animal with whatever they need, from the smallest worm to the tallest giraffe. Please, help me make the right decision, help me find the right job, provide me with the money I need and give money to those who are struggling.
When you are up to the parts of davening where you are praising Hashem, think of specific things that happened to you that make you feel that you want to praise and thank Him. Thank Hashem for your health, your family, your friends, the fact that you can read and see the colors of this blog post!!
Try to spend some time reading and learning about the meaning of the words and parts of davening. By learning what amazing kavanos you can have when you daven different parts of the tefillah, you will become more excited about it!! Put your heart into it and you will be amazed by how much you can connect to Hashem through the words in your siddur!!
Also try to read uplifting stories about tefillah and how people used this powerful tool to connect to Hashem and how their requests were answered. Touched By A Prayer is a great way to start! It is full of stories and insights on tefillah and will hopefully help change the way you daven!!
I hope this helps you out – and let me know if you still have questions or if this works for you!
Anyone else have any ideas they want to share – of how you can make tefillah a special and uplifting experience?!
This is a great question!! I totally understand what you are saying when you ask how you can put some heart into your tefillos. You are so cute for saying that davening is a huge choir! I never heard anyone put it that way but it makes so much sense! You feel like you are singing the words but there is no real emotions behind what you are saying. You want to fill your tefillos-the ones you daven from your siddur, with more feeling and kavannah so that when you put your siddur down you can say, "Wow! I just davened a special shachris/mincha! I feel so much closer to Hashem now!"
One book I felt that was really helpful for me is Praying With Fire which is in 5-minute Lesson-a-day format so it's easy to read. You only read a little bit every day and it helps so much! It will help you fill your tefillah with kavannah and hopefully it will help you improve the way you daven.
Tefillah is something that we need to constantly work on. It's hard to give one blanket answer and say, "Do this and then from now on, you'll always come out of tefillah feeling inspired and uplifted." But I can try to give you some ideas to help you fix up the way you daven and fill your davening with emotion so that it's more than just a nice choir!!
One thing that might help is (going along your lines of the choir), sing a song before you start to daven. Right before you open your siddur, sing something that touches your heart and that can get you into the right mood. It can even be a song in your heart, it doesn't have to be out loud - if you are in a place where you cannot sing (like in school). But getting yourself into the right frame of mind before you actually start to daven can work wonders for the way your tefillah actually comes out in the end. I can't sing on this blog but I can write the names of some songs that might work for you: (I'm suggesting slow songs but sometimes, even the fast ones can get you into the right mood.) elokei neshama, mama rochel, ani ma'amin...bevias hamoshiach, racheim, vezakeini legadel, ima tagidi li and there are many more.
Another thing that I find very helpful is having a siddur that has the meaning of the words right below the words. You can buy an interlinear siddur, where the definition of each word is directly below the word or a metsudah siddur, where the definition of each phrase is directly across so your eyes can scan the meaning while you say the words. This helps so much because then you know what you are saying and it's not just a choir, a song, a bunch of words without meaning. Then you can understand what you are saying and appreciate what you are saying.
It is also important to personalize your tefillah. Instead of just saying the words and having in mind what they mean, try to add your own personal touch to your words. Like Rabbi Alperin (from seminary) always said, "Don't be a parrot!" Don't just say the words someone else put into the siddur-add something to make it a more personal experience. For example, when davening for someone who is sick and needs a refuah shelaima, instead of just saying the bracha of refaeinu like this, "Refaeinu Hashem Venairafei-heal us Hashem and we will be healed," add something like this, "Hashem, when you heal a person, you are better than any doctor in the world! You can guarantee that even if someone is sick, you will make sure they get better and never get sick again! You can do anything and everything so please, heal this person!" By inserting your own thoughts into the words of your tefillah, you will be filling your heart with special emotions and feelings and this will make it that much more uplifting!!
Or the bracha of parnassah - Bareich Aleinu - add your own personal thoughts and feelings into the words that you are saying. Say, Hashem, you provide for every single creature and animal with whatever they need, from the smallest worm to the tallest giraffe. Please, help me make the right decision, help me find the right job, provide me with the money I need and give money to those who are struggling.
When you are up to the parts of davening where you are praising Hashem, think of specific things that happened to you that make you feel that you want to praise and thank Him. Thank Hashem for your health, your family, your friends, the fact that you can read and see the colors of this blog post!!
Try to spend some time reading and learning about the meaning of the words and parts of davening. By learning what amazing kavanos you can have when you daven different parts of the tefillah, you will become more excited about it!! Put your heart into it and you will be amazed by how much you can connect to Hashem through the words in your siddur!!
Also try to read uplifting stories about tefillah and how people used this powerful tool to connect to Hashem and how their requests were answered. Touched By A Prayer is a great way to start! It is full of stories and insights on tefillah and will hopefully help change the way you daven!!
I hope this helps you out – and let me know if you still have questions or if this works for you!
Anyone else have any ideas they want to share – of how you can make tefillah a special and uplifting experience?!
Labels:
Connection,
Song,
Tefillah
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