Meshivat Nafesh
A colleague sent out an email yesterday asking if anyone had a Torah Temimah on Shmot that they could bring in. I emailed back that I'd bring it and I did. Non drivers don't generally get that an extra book makes a difference when you're walking about a mile a day. I was disappointed when I informed my associate that I'd brought the sefer only to be told that he's found it elsewhere. No thank you to my email, no - it's OK, you don't have to bring it. No super sensitivity, just normalcy. I've got to learn to accept that.
Today I have 5 classes and 4 periods of Torah Guidance. This is a space period. I am leaning back and listening to Lechah Dodi on Pandora as I breathe and type. I am thrilled that I found Jewish music on Pandora. Is this a great country or what? (Can you name that movie quote? I know my brother - HSLABW - would know the answer in a millisecond.)
I am pleased that in Rabbi Abraham Twerski's latest book, which he wrote specifically due to recent economic realities he speaks about stress reduction. He discusses meditation, music, aroma and art therapy and more. G-d bless his soul.
While I had the Torah Temimah handy, I took a look and saw that Chazal note that the command to light a candelabra with olive oil includes the word eilecha - to you. The point is that G-d doesn't need the light of the oil. Torah Temimah elaborates and quotes other examples which illustrate how the splendor of the Beit HaMikdash is for our spiritual benefit.
Now
And then
I think that
I am stressed out.
Then I look around
And I realize that I
Am more aware than many
Awareness allows me to pause
Which is what I am doing right now
Breathing in and out, thanking G-d for life.
posted by rabbi neil fleischmann @ 12:46 PM
3 Comments:
The opposite of awareness
is not stressed out, but spaced out.
Out in space you can't breathe.
That can be stressful.
But boy oh boy,
it's one heck
of a
view!
As the kids would say "OMG" I can't believe you referenced that movie - now I want to go rent "Night Shift" - it's been a (long) while - and I can't believe Ron Howard did that - I'd forgotten that.
P.S. I can't thank you enough for mentioning Pandora - I never heard of it and now I'm loving it - I'm listening to "Caravan" by Van Morrison - it took a click of the mouse - I can't believe it. And they keep playing great songs
P.P.S. The mention about the sefer - its a good reminder about being sensitive to the things we ask friends to do - the things that we might think are of no consequence can be much more significant for our friends - who are willing to go out of their way for us. But it was a nice reminder about the oil - at chanukah I always loved the thought - the fact that the oil burned was itself a miracle - just like the time that the vinegar burned. Why not? Every day is creation anew.
Nice one Kishke - free associative and well done. I am pleased with your poetry and watching it grow and change, here in my virtual corner.
Esqcapades - nice job! Yeah, I saw that movie - what feels like - a thousand years ago. I remember my brother - HSLABW - really loving that line and his telling me about that scene and line before I saw the movie.
Michael Keaton had some funny lines in that. I don't think it's a great movie though - just one of the reasons I don't think I need/want to see it again.
Re PS - I find Pandora amazing. I also like old school CDs. I just picked a CD of my shelf. I'd forgoten that I owned it - it's The Chabad Sessions, by Lanzbom and Solomon. Great. Which reminds me - I found one way to listen to Jewish music on Pandora. I put in David Grisman and Andy Statman - they made 2 Jewish instrumental albums together. Amazing stuff.
Re PPS - A dear friend gave me a book about Highly Sensitive People. It's good to be sensitive, but it is a double edged sword, which is very sharp and can be the cause of pain...
I am a fan of the oil burning being a miracle vort...
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