Rabbi's Blog: May 2005

Looking back at May of six years ago, via this blog, I came across a post called Link Heaven. In that post I say Goodnight and G-d Bless (as edited correctly by Pearl) for the first time. Also I site a haiku by Richard Wright, which I forgot about when I thought I discovered his haiku for the first time years later.

Like a link heaven

a haiku and blog filled post

windows of wonder

- Neil Fleischmann

The neighing horses

are causing echoing neighs

in neighboring barns

- Richard Wright

In May 2005 I mention the passing of Rav Wolbe, the mussar giant of our generation. He passed away 6 years ago on Peasch. I wish mussar didn't get a bad rap with people who ignorantly critique a talk as smacking of mussar. Mussar is our friend, mussar is a nudge to do the write thing, mussar is, in essence, self refinement - the purpose of our lives.

A little boy was flying a kite. The wind was strong so it was a good day for it. He continuously released string, as the kite soared to the sky. An old man passed and asked the what the kid was doing. The boy said he was flying a kite. The man pointed out that there was no kite in sight, only a taught string leading to the clouds. The boy insisted that his kite was at the end of the line. The man demanded: "How do you know the kite is there?" The boy replied, "I can feel it's tug."

We have the tug of our ancestors inside us. Many of us, like myself, have been blessed with parents that value and passed on Jewish tradition. It would be wise to heed the spirit of the Avot inside us. We must foster chesed,gevura/avodah, and Torah in ourselves and our community. As long as we feel the tug, there is hope (posted here).

In May, 6 years ago, Richard Joel told the story about the kite at graduation and every graduate got a kite. I'd been telling that story for about 20 years (and posted here) and a dear friend remembered. I wrote about it all here.

I told a story in this month at that time about bumping into a student who I'd kicked out of my class for good. I met him years later and he seemed to harbor a fondness toward me as his teacher. It got me thinking:

"I sometimes have issues setting boundaries. This was a reminder that people are not so fragile. Letting someone abuse is never right. Letting them abuse you is not good for you or for them. In fact people (and that's what students are) appreciate your assisting them in drawing lines that they know they need but can't set for themselves."

I think I used to write more openly here when I was confident that no-one was paying attention (sic).