I am thankful for:
Torah
Hashem
Family
Friends
Food
Football
The ability to blog,
workout, and do things on my own
My parents
My Rebbe's
And so much more.
What are you thankful for?
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Has it been that long?
So, I just realized that it has been almost three months since I last posted on here, and therefore, have probably lost all my (one) followers. However, here goes. Since I last posted, I have been learning in Yeshiva full time, I have lost a lil bit of weight, but I have many more pounds to go, and need to really start watching what I eat, which I find really hard to do when I am at home. The nice thing about the Yeshiva, is that they make really good food, but its also portion controlled. I Just need to cut out a lot of the carbs when I eat, which is hard, because, as I said, it is really good food! Also, like I said, I have been learning, and working out 5 days out of the week, I am up to 30 minutes on the treadmill, and it feels really good after my workout! :) It's wonderful. As today is Thanksgiving, I figure I should say what I am thankful for.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
wow.
So, I just realized that it has been a while since I last blogged, so I suppose I should update this, and let everybody (really I think only one person reads this blog) know what has been going on in my life. So, a month a go, I was going to school online, trying to sell insurance, and told two of my Rabbis who were both going on trips to Jew heavy places (NYC and Israel) that if they found my beshert to bring her back home. They both said to me "When you find yourself, you will find your beshert." Fast forward to now, and I am in the middle of completing my paperwork for an application to Skokie Yeshiva, where I can go to school and learn fulltime. Interesting fact: Just like there are 49 days between Pesach and Shavous, there are also 49 days between Tisha B' Av and Rosh Hashana. Just something to keep in mind.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Naps
I just took a two hour, mid-late morning nap. G-d it felt great! The only better nap then the mid to late morning nap, is the anytime Shabbos nap, because then it's truly a mitzvah! Thank you Hashem for naps!
What you are supposed to do
Doing what you are supposed to do is a wonderful thing, and it helps that afterward you feel really good about yourself and what you just did. For the last four days, Shabbos, Sunday, Monday, and today, I have gotten up for Shacharis, which while easy on Shabbos, is a little harder on Sunday, and def hard during the week, when services start at 6:15! Yet, not only have I gotten up, but I have enjoyed doing it as well. It feels really good to be up that early, before most of the rest of the world is up, and to talk to your Creator in a community of like minded Jews. Then, I stayed and learned a little with the Rabbi; and while I have much more learning to do today, is there a better way to start your day off then with a little Torah? Then, the past two days, after getting back from Davening, I have gone to work out, another wonderful feeling. Seriously, this is just wonderful! Also, interesting note, I have now had two Rabbis tell me in the past week, that when I find myself, my beshert will come. So, if you find me, can you tell me so I can find me as well? I have also decided, that I need to learn some Chassidus on a daily basis, because the Chassidim, seem to have such love, and reverence for the Divine Service, and for our Father in heaven. As I always say, "one should learn like a Litvak, and Daven like a Chossid." Any thoughts?
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tisha B'Av
I am reposting from my blog about my adventures in Israel the piece I wrote on Tisha B'Av two years ago. I feel that the words I said then, still hold true today.
Tisha B'Av
Judaism is big on countdowns; you have the 49 days between Pesach and Shavous, the 10 days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and of course our most recent countdown, the 3 weeks before Tisha B'Av, especially the last 9 days. To an outside observer; one might wonder why Judaism is so big on countdowns, I mean what's the big deal? However, to those in the know, if you will, counting is very significant. From Pesach to Shavous we count 49 days, to work on 49 attributes to improve, and to mentally prepare ourselves for the spiritual high of receiving the Torah. Also the first 33 days are significant because during that time Rabbi Akiva's 24,000 students all died of a plague. For the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we repent our sins to both Hashem and our fellow man that we may have wronged, so that we may be written in the book of life for another year. That of course brings us to the three weeks before Tisha B'Av. Many sad things happend on this day the 9th of Av, including the spies telling the Israelites that Canaan couldn't be conqured, to the fall of both our Temples and the destruction of Jerusalem, to more modern things as well, such as the Spanish inquisition, and the liquidation of the Warsaw Ghetto. Three weeks before the day, it is said the walls of Jerusalem were breached, and thus we start the mourning period, by not cutting our hair, or shaving, and trying to avoid travel if at all possible, and that intensifies during the last 9 days. Now that we know why we count, why was our temple destroyed in the first place? For the simple reason of baseless hatred. Jews simply did not love other Jews like they should have. That is why we have no Temple. The Rabbi's say that if the Temple is not built in our generation than it as if we personally caused it to be destroyed. So, if our baseless hatred towards our fellow Jews is keeping the Temple from being built, what is the cure? That is simple... Ahavas Yisroel, Love of your fellow Jews. Thats it, if we as a people could just open our hearts to each other, we could then merit seeing Moshiach and the rebuilt Temple. So, greet everybody cheerfully, help your neighbor with his groceries, give tzedakah to the homeless man on the street, and give of your time to. Am I perfect? No, I certainly can do more myself; but so can you. If we roll up our sleeves, and stopped disparaging our fellow Jews who may not be as observant as us, or may be more observant than us, than once again, we would merit seeing Moshiach. Is there any reason for us to have a Chassid, or a Sephardi Jew, or Ashkenazi, or Mizrahi, and while we may feel a twinge of sadness when we see a Jew eating pork on Yom Kippur or a Jewish woman showing a little too much skin, we owe it to them, ourselves, and our G-d Hashem, to not look down upon them with disdain and scorn; but instead to educate them about the laws of Kashrus, and modesty, and to do it with a smile on our face. Every Jew, and especially every observant Jew should do Kiruv for his fellow Jew if he gets the chance, and even if the Jew eating pork doesn't want to here it then and there, one must accept that as well with a smile, and tell him that if and when he is ready to learn more about his faith, we, the Orthodox, will be there for him, with open arms, and a big smile, waiting for him to come home. Furthermore, if we do this, than we will be performing another important mission Hashem set out for us, and that is to be a light among the nations, for how could the other nations not see how we treat each other, and not want to emulate our example? They could not. So, if we just do that little bit, maybe perhaps, in our days we can merit Moshiach. Amen.
Tisha B'Av
Judaism is big on countdowns; you have the 49 days between Pesach and Shavous, the 10 days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and of course our most recent countdown, the 3 weeks before Tisha B'Av, especially the last 9 days. To an outside observer; one might wonder why Judaism is so big on countdowns, I mean what's the big deal? However, to those in the know, if you will, counting is very significant. From Pesach to Shavous we count 49 days, to work on 49 attributes to improve, and to mentally prepare ourselves for the spiritual high of receiving the Torah. Also the first 33 days are significant because during that time Rabbi Akiva's 24,000 students all died of a plague. For the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we repent our sins to both Hashem and our fellow man that we may have wronged, so that we may be written in the book of life for another year. That of course brings us to the three weeks before Tisha B'Av. Many sad things happend on this day the 9th of Av, including the spies telling the Israelites that Canaan couldn't be conqured, to the fall of both our Temples and the destruction of Jerusalem, to more modern things as well, such as the Spanish inquisition, and the liquidation of the Warsaw Ghetto. Three weeks before the day, it is said the walls of Jerusalem were breached, and thus we start the mourning period, by not cutting our hair, or shaving, and trying to avoid travel if at all possible, and that intensifies during the last 9 days. Now that we know why we count, why was our temple destroyed in the first place? For the simple reason of baseless hatred. Jews simply did not love other Jews like they should have. That is why we have no Temple. The Rabbi's say that if the Temple is not built in our generation than it as if we personally caused it to be destroyed. So, if our baseless hatred towards our fellow Jews is keeping the Temple from being built, what is the cure? That is simple... Ahavas Yisroel, Love of your fellow Jews. Thats it, if we as a people could just open our hearts to each other, we could then merit seeing Moshiach and the rebuilt Temple. So, greet everybody cheerfully, help your neighbor with his groceries, give tzedakah to the homeless man on the street, and give of your time to. Am I perfect? No, I certainly can do more myself; but so can you. If we roll up our sleeves, and stopped disparaging our fellow Jews who may not be as observant as us, or may be more observant than us, than once again, we would merit seeing Moshiach. Is there any reason for us to have a Chassid, or a Sephardi Jew, or Ashkenazi, or Mizrahi, and while we may feel a twinge of sadness when we see a Jew eating pork on Yom Kippur or a Jewish woman showing a little too much skin, we owe it to them, ourselves, and our G-d Hashem, to not look down upon them with disdain and scorn; but instead to educate them about the laws of Kashrus, and modesty, and to do it with a smile on our face. Every Jew, and especially every observant Jew should do Kiruv for his fellow Jew if he gets the chance, and even if the Jew eating pork doesn't want to here it then and there, one must accept that as well with a smile, and tell him that if and when he is ready to learn more about his faith, we, the Orthodox, will be there for him, with open arms, and a big smile, waiting for him to come home. Furthermore, if we do this, than we will be performing another important mission Hashem set out for us, and that is to be a light among the nations, for how could the other nations not see how we treat each other, and not want to emulate our example? They could not. So, if we just do that little bit, maybe perhaps, in our days we can merit Moshiach. Amen.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Why?
Why do I do things that I know I should not do, and why do I not do things that I know I should do? Why do I eat unhealthy food, like yummy cookies and ice cream? Why don't I workout, even though I would feel good, and would look better to the ladies... Why don't I do what I know I need to and should do for work to get me out of the house, and to have money to spend on those ladies. I once heard a quote that said "the person who knows how or what, will always work for the person who knows why." I guess that is why I am here, and Hashem is up there.
Monday, July 13, 2009
New Blog, New Me
So, It has now been over a year since I have returned from Israel, and much has changed in my life, and much has remained the same. To read about my adventures in Israel, just go to my other blog, which can be found here: http://aspivakinisrael.blogspot.com/
Currently, I am an online business student, trying to finally finish up my degree, I work in the insurance industry, and I love it because I can really help people, and I learn Torah. School, and work are both full time, so it is also a good thing that Shabbos is full time! That is another thing you should know about me, I love Shabbos, and learning (although I admit, I do not do it as much as I should, or could). I wanted to start this new blog, because I figured having a place to put down my thoughts and feelings, would be helpful as I find myself caught in a strange place. On one hand, I look to become more observant and become a true "ben Torah." Which means "son of the Torah", hence the blog name. Although, in practice a ben Torah, is somebody who takes all aspects of their Judaism seriously, and puts it front and center in their life, very little would they let interrupt their davening (prayers) or learning. On the other hand, I still enjoy things like movies, hanging out with friends (even those of the opposite sex) and the occasional TV show. I realize that my two options are not mutually exclusive, but I have a feeling that in the months to pass, I am going to have to focus much more on when then the other, especially when I get married. Oh well, I guess that has always been the nature of Judaism, which is harmonizing the duality of things, the sacred with the secular, Shabbos with the rest of the week, etc. Much more to come, but I should go learn now.
Currently, I am an online business student, trying to finally finish up my degree, I work in the insurance industry, and I love it because I can really help people, and I learn Torah. School, and work are both full time, so it is also a good thing that Shabbos is full time! That is another thing you should know about me, I love Shabbos, and learning (although I admit, I do not do it as much as I should, or could). I wanted to start this new blog, because I figured having a place to put down my thoughts and feelings, would be helpful as I find myself caught in a strange place. On one hand, I look to become more observant and become a true "ben Torah." Which means "son of the Torah", hence the blog name. Although, in practice a ben Torah, is somebody who takes all aspects of their Judaism seriously, and puts it front and center in their life, very little would they let interrupt their davening (prayers) or learning. On the other hand, I still enjoy things like movies, hanging out with friends (even those of the opposite sex) and the occasional TV show. I realize that my two options are not mutually exclusive, but I have a feeling that in the months to pass, I am going to have to focus much more on when then the other, especially when I get married. Oh well, I guess that has always been the nature of Judaism, which is harmonizing the duality of things, the sacred with the secular, Shabbos with the rest of the week, etc. Much more to come, but I should go learn now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
