After davening this morning a student turned to me and told me that he just read today's Shir Shel haYom in English and was struck by it.  He asked if I ever studied it.  I said that if you look closely at any tefilah you see how beautiful it is.  My examples were brish Shmei and Anim Zamirot.  He told me that he likes the minhag of his shul Rinat Yisrael, as explained to him by Rabbi Yosef Adler to follow the GRA and only say Anim Zemirot on the Yamim Noraim because it is so holy.  He likes hearing it said slowly by an adult in the same solemn manner as other prayers of the most holy days.  I like asking the "trivia" question - Where in davening do we refer to G-d nodding His head? In Anim Zemirot we request that Hashem nod in response to our prayers. What an image!

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About twenty years ago I went to a poetry reading in NYC that I feel I'll never forget.  It was December and someone got up and recited a poem that went something like this: "I was six years old when I received my first hug.  i don't remember who gave it to me.  But I remember the hug.  And all I want for Xmas this year is another hug."

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Just came across this lesson I prepared last year for Vaad.  Happiness is a serious life issue.

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The 2 main guys (or so they claim) from The Eagles made The NY Times today.  Their music is pleasant to my ear, but as people they rub me the wrong way.  I don't think they treated other members of the band well.

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It's interesting that the most quoted line about the Mishkan is, "Make me a Mishkan and I will dwell in them." And the idea is oft elaborated on that through the Mishkan we attain an awareness of G-d inside of ourselves.  What's not often noted is that first there are detailed laws and obligations about the offerings for the Mishkan, then comes the idea behind it.  We/I often stress the ideas behind our laws, but the laws come first.  This prompted a great discussion recently.  Maybe I'll write more about it if I find the time.  Maybe

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I write about time

Within time, all of the time

Mystified by time