For Lack Of What Is Found There
“It is difficult
to get the news from poems
yet men die miserably every day
for lack
of what is found there.”
p
- William Carlos Williams
(from “Asphodel, That Greeny Flower”)
(
I came across this quote, and it seemed relevant to me and my life. It was cited in this week's AJWS Dvar Torah (what they call Dvar Tzedek) by Rachel Farbiarz who "is a graduate of Harvard College and Yale Law School, as well as of an Orthodox yeshivah high school."
'
I mentioned 10Q and stand by my recommendation. I have been saving the questions and answers for myself, but keeping them private. Today, for question number four, I entered my answer with my name. I will share it here as well.
[
Describe a broader event in the world that has impacted you this year? How? Why?
[
This is a touchy question because at the Rosh HaShanah table I ate at someone brought up a news event from this past year and criticized me for not being familiar with it (Bishop Richard Williamson having made a comment denying the Holocaust) (they went further - mocking me when something came up about the singer Mary - of Peter and Paul fame - passing away, how I knew of that and not of the other story).
The landing of the plane on the Hudson in January really touched me. I was listening to the radio from the start to the end of the story. I blogged about it and have been in touch with one of the survivors. It helped remind me of daily miracles. It also showed the power and importance of age and experience.
[
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l
Yesterday I came across a translation of the words - "nafshi laHashem mishomrim laboker, mishomsim laboker." The Metzudah Machzor translates it as:
k
My soul yearns for G-d
More than watchmen
Wait for the morning
More than watchmen
Wait for the morning
p
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l
On Tzom Gedaliah
;
A pound of my flesh
As a sacrifice to You
We call them fast days
posted by rabbi neil fleischmann @ 8:25 PM
4 Comments:
Count me as one of those who did not know the former news and knew the latter. I will not comment on what I think that means about you and the person who criticized you. Suffice it to say that one time, someone played a pive of music for me and was horrified when I could not identify it as having been the score from Schindler's List ( a movie that I have not seen to this day). We all have OUR mitzvos.
It is always humbling to see my words with no commets after them. Unless of course, it's because my words were so profound that those who read it were speechless:)
Thank you Pesach. This person put it such that every frum Jew in the world besides me had been aware of and vocal about this. I appreciate your honestly dhsring and supporting my perspective.
Many of my posts get zero comments. I know that people read my blog. Many people read regularly and don't feel comfortable commenting.
You just told me recently that someone told you that he/she appreciates your writing. That person reads this blog but only very rarely comments. I'm sure he/she liked your piece, I really did.
sharing,
"It also showed the power and importance of age and experience."
This part of the Hudson plane landing incident was especially important to me. As you, Neil, know, this summer we finally ended a two-year employment drought for my husband, who is 63. After many exciting but ultimately fruitless interviews at the "finalist" stage of searches, he was called by a college where the president actually sought and valued the experience, seasoning and wisdom my husband had accumulated in his career in higher education. This viewpoint is rare enough in the job market today that we felt utterly amazed and refreshed, as if we'd stepped under a cool little waterfall after being parched.
That astounding pilot last winter was absolutely the right person in the right place at the most fraught time possible. A younger pilot may not have been able to respond so instinctively and quickly to disaster. Bravo for the wisdom of the elders! I was happy to see it celebrated in the various tributes that followed.
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