Sunday, December 9, 2007
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Weekly Torah Portion
http://thewriterscafe.tripod.com/id16.html
14 Kislev 5768, (24 November 2007). Torah Portion. VaYishlach, Genesis : 32:4-36:43.
develop my own perspective on Torah ideas. They are presented on this site not to "argue" with exsiting concepts or ideas, but rather to serve as a collecting place for my ideas and concepts on Torah. They are given over with these disclaimers with the idea that the reader might find the perspective
14 Kislev 5768, (24 November 2007). Torah Portion. VaYishlach, Genesis : 32:4-36:43.
develop my own perspective on Torah ideas. They are presented on this site not to "argue" with exsiting concepts or ideas, but rather to serve as a collecting place for my ideas and concepts on Torah. They are given over with these disclaimers with the idea that the reader might find the perspective
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Every Day- A New Challenge
Did you rise to the occassion of Today's Challenge?
Origianl Un-editied writing by:
Aharon Moshe (AhMbDvd) Sanders
It is very easy to get all excited and bent out of shape. Everyone can increase the volume of their voice and turn towards yelling. Alas, here is one for you, how about when you really get upset, and feel like your going to lose your cool, try quieting down and truly listening to the person you are apeaking withIn
In last weeks Nesivos Shalom we learned about how every single day brings us a new challenge. The sections we read (in our Passaic host's home) relate directly to the upcoming parsha. It now seems like so long ago, but wow, think of how many unique tests missions, interactions were to be handled by our father Avraham in truly gelvadic day.
Visitors at Avraham's door. Beseeching/ davening to Hashem to save Sodom from total destruction for a mere minion of 10 righteous individuals. So much more..... I leave straight pashat literal meaning (as in the "up-shot" is) to others, as well as basic drasha (basic mining or digging for meaning) to tohers who are so much better at this then I am.
Just like our Avos we are constantly faced with a seemingly un-ending onslaught of decisions, things we should or need to do. People who want and need our attention. Mixed in with the everyday or so called mundane matters are also the biggies. The brach we might want to ask Hashem for is to be given enough insight to realize when when of the big (or tikkune type) decisions is standing opposite us, and demanding our attention.
Then, just maybe we can have a hope or a prayer to give the extra-special attention to this earth shaking, life changing moment. At this point we now still need Hashem's help. Recosgnizing that you are at a life changing (tikkkune type) crossroad, is only half the battle. Now you might want to take a deep breath, allow to conversation volume to drop, even physically step back, and try to get a grip on the now evolving larger picture.
Often when you truly look to Hashem in a moment of clear thinking, the answer becomes so simple and obvious that you may have never even considered it. It my case one of today's answers went like this:
Yes, of course I was wrong (but did not want to admit it), I should not have tried to act alone to change an agreement between two people. However, you are now using the very same logic which made me wrong, to invalidate our entire agreement, and we do know that two wrongs do not make a right.
Such an obvious answer never would have hit me, however I conscisously decided to let go of my axe which I was so buzy gringing to listen to the other person who had a legitimate gripe of his own.
After that I decided not to send an axe grinding e-mail ( on a totally separate matter ) . After all we have been keeping these arguments verbal till now, so why should I take the next step!
In times of great emotion we need to use our energy like an old time carburator with a car that idle's too high at a red light. Shift into neutral (stop judging and listen) , give a little gas to the engine (more whole brain utilization) then you will notice that the engine is now purring (quiet wisdom/insight based thinking) as opposed to running much to quickly and loudly (reactive mind stuff, some one pushed, you push back- thinking gets forgotten)...
All for now...
We should now approach Wed, with a renewed sense of how things should be for us, and those who are dear to us...
Lets learn more Nesivos Shalom
Aharon Moshe Sanders
November 7, 2007 4:05pm Passaic NJ
Origianl Un-editied writing by:
Aharon Moshe (AhMbDvd) Sanders
It is very easy to get all excited and bent out of shape. Everyone can increase the volume of their voice and turn towards yelling. Alas, here is one for you, how about when you really get upset, and feel like your going to lose your cool, try quieting down and truly listening to the person you are apeaking withIn
In last weeks Nesivos Shalom we learned about how every single day brings us a new challenge. The sections we read (in our Passaic host's home) relate directly to the upcoming parsha. It now seems like so long ago, but wow, think of how many unique tests missions, interactions were to be handled by our father Avraham in truly gelvadic day.
Visitors at Avraham's door. Beseeching/ davening to Hashem to save Sodom from total destruction for a mere minion of 10 righteous individuals. So much more..... I leave straight pashat literal meaning (as in the "up-shot" is) to others, as well as basic drasha (basic mining or digging for meaning) to tohers who are so much better at this then I am.
Just like our Avos we are constantly faced with a seemingly un-ending onslaught of decisions, things we should or need to do. People who want and need our attention. Mixed in with the everyday or so called mundane matters are also the biggies. The brach we might want to ask Hashem for is to be given enough insight to realize when when of the big (or tikkune type) decisions is standing opposite us, and demanding our attention.
Then, just maybe we can have a hope or a prayer to give the extra-special attention to this earth shaking, life changing moment. At this point we now still need Hashem's help. Recosgnizing that you are at a life changing (tikkkune type) crossroad, is only half the battle. Now you might want to take a deep breath, allow to conversation volume to drop, even physically step back, and try to get a grip on the now evolving larger picture.
Often when you truly look to Hashem in a moment of clear thinking, the answer becomes so simple and obvious that you may have never even considered it. It my case one of today's answers went like this:
Yes, of course I was wrong (but did not want to admit it), I should not have tried to act alone to change an agreement between two people. However, you are now using the very same logic which made me wrong, to invalidate our entire agreement, and we do know that two wrongs do not make a right.
Such an obvious answer never would have hit me, however I conscisously decided to let go of my axe which I was so buzy gringing to listen to the other person who had a legitimate gripe of his own.
After that I decided not to send an axe grinding e-mail ( on a totally separate matter ) . After all we have been keeping these arguments verbal till now, so why should I take the next step!
In times of great emotion we need to use our energy like an old time carburator with a car that idle's too high at a red light. Shift into neutral (stop judging and listen) , give a little gas to the engine (more whole brain utilization) then you will notice that the engine is now purring (quiet wisdom/insight based thinking) as opposed to running much to quickly and loudly (reactive mind stuff, some one pushed, you push back- thinking gets forgotten)...
All for now...
We should now approach Wed, with a renewed sense of how things should be for us, and those who are dear to us...
Lets learn more Nesivos Shalom
Aharon Moshe Sanders
November 7, 2007 4:05pm Passaic NJ
Friday, October 12, 2007
Aharon's Ark
Aharon's Ark: "Aharon's Ark This Vessel is being created to preserve what is good. The World rests on three pillars: Torah, Service to Hashem (G-d) and Acts of Chesed (kindness)"
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Nesivor Shalom
Aleph to Tav: "A source from the Holy Zohar was used to explain how there is a connection to the Sphierot of Chesed to Avraham, Yakov to Tiferet, and Yitzchak to Gevurah. The word Tikkune was also read which our host translated as 'fixing' and also the concept of Tikkune Olam (the fixing or correction of the World) was brought out, I believe from our Holy Zohar ( A primay Kabbalistic source). Readers Digest type synopsis: The sin of Kayin (Cain) killing his brother Abel, had its foundation in Envy. Kayin was jealous that his brother's offering was accepted and not his. The sin which was crouching at Kayins door was that of envy. It was brought out that envy can even rot the bones. Suffice it to say that envy is a very serious negative quality, which is capable of taking a person out of this world!"
Okay, so what about Noach?
A lot has been written about the waters of Noach. One thing mentioned was desire. The hebrew word word for desire is Taiva. The hebrew word for Noah's Ark is Teva. Much was expounded upon, and I am still struggling to understand the meaning of the "Waters of Noach". Therefore I will play it safe, and stop here.
Okay, so what about Noach?
A lot has been written about the waters of Noach. One thing mentioned was desire. The hebrew word word for desire is Taiva. The hebrew word for Noah's Ark is Teva. Much was expounded upon, and I am still struggling to understand the meaning of the "Waters of Noach". Therefore I will play it safe, and stop here.
Defending our Oceans | Greenpeace International
Defending our Oceans Greenpeace International: "Modern fishing practices are incredibly wasteful. Every year, fishing nets kill up to 300,000 whales, dolphins and porpoises globally. Entanglement is the greatest threat to the survival of many species.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELm8yRxAK9o
Moreover, some fishing practices destroy habitat as well as inhabitantsModern fishing practices are incredibly wasteful. Every year, fishing nets kill up to 300,000 whales, dolphins and porpoises globally. Entanglement is the greatest threat to the survival of many species. Moreover, some fishing practices destroy habitat as well as inhabitants"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELm8yRxAK9o
Moreover, some fishing practices destroy habitat as well as inhabitantsModern fishing practices are incredibly wasteful. Every year, fishing nets kill up to 300,000 whales, dolphins and porpoises globally. Entanglement is the greatest threat to the survival of many species. Moreover, some fishing practices destroy habitat as well as inhabitants"
Mass Extinction Underway | Biodiversity Crisis | Global Species Loss
Mass Extinction Underway Biodiversity Crisis Global Species Loss: "The rapid disappearance of species was ranked as one of the planet's gravest environmental worries, surpassing pollution, global warming and the thinning of the ozone layer, according to the survey of 400 scientists commissioned by New York's American Museum of Natural History. The poll's release yesterday comes on the heels of a groundbreaking study of plant diversity that concluded than at least one in eight known plant species is threatened with extinction. Although scientists are divided over the specific numbers, many believe that the rate of loss is greater now than at any time in history. 'The speed at which species are being lost is much faster than any we've seen in the past -- including those [extinctions] related to meteor collisions,' said Daniel Simberloff, a University of Tennessee ecologist and prominent expert in biological diversity who participated in the museum's survey. [Note: the last mass extinction caused by a meteor collision was that of the dinosaurs, 65 million years ago.]"
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