How DARE you?

I am addressing this post to three specific people. Due to an important thing called לשון הרע (a concept they totally don't understand), I won't name them...
I'm talking about people who use the phrase "intellectually lazy," to describe Rabbonim or Gedolei Hador. Have you ever learned a page of גמרה? A line of מהרל? Have you ever sat in a בית מדרש-for just the purpose of listening and learning, not to find ways to further your own twisted reasoning? You'll find that being quiet and just absorbing for a bit can be an amazing experience...try it one day!)
I just don't get it. If you find that there are problems in this society-and I'll be the first to admit that there are-work on ways to FIX them rather than to rant about it for days just to spread hate and discontent. The LAST thing you can call any person who is immersed in the study of Torah is "intellectually lazy."
It's so ridiculous...I'm just in shock...but then again, thank G-d, I haven't been exposed to these hate-spreading people until recently. Naivete is a much calmer state of mind...
Wow. I hope you work out your issues.

Perspective..;)

I got this from Stx, who got it from a girl named Jessica Joy. I'm not sure where it's from originally, but it's so wonderful!

Hodu LaHashem Ki Tov!

I am thankful for the wife who says it's hot dogs tonight, because she is home with me, and not out with someone else.
For the husband who is on the sofa being a couch potato, because he is home with me and not out at the bars.
For the teenager who is complaining about doing dishes because that means she is at home, not on the streets.
For the taxes that I pay because it means that I am employed.
For the mess to clean after a party because it means that I have been surrounded by friends. Fr the clothes that fit a little too snug because it means I have enough to eat.
Fr my shadow that watches me work because it means I am out in the sunshine.
For a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters that need fixing because it means I have a home.
For all the complaining I hear about the government becasue it means that we have freedom of speech.
For the parking spot I find at the far end of the parking lot becasue it means I am capable of walking and that I have been blessed with transportation.
For my huge heating bill because it means I am warm.
For the pile of laundry and ironing because it means I have clothes to wear.
For weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day because it means I have been capable of working hard.
For the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours because it means that I am alive.
In short...I am thankful, oh so thankful.

Thank you Hashem!!!

With so much to be thankful for, one wonders why there're so many people out there who are insistant not only in making their own lives miserable, but also in convincing others that their lives are miserable. Work on fixing yourself, not on souring others!

DIVERSITY!!

I really wasn't going to post until after finals are over (course, I also wasn't going to go online, but that was a pretty pathetic attempt..), but Stx linked a wonderful post, and I just HAVE to link to it as well! It's Chayyei Sarah. She writes (and I'm interpreting loosely here-go see it for yourself!) about how different frum Jews can be and how steryotyping is so awful because it ignores the other 99.9% of the Hasidic, Yeshivish, Ultra-Orthodox, Haredi (etc.) people!!

So all of you out there whose main goal seems to be to find flaws in great numbers of frum people, please read this and open your minds a bit...

Restrictive?

Iwas talking to my brother (yes, I do that occasionally) today, and he said something fascinating. We were discussing whether being frum (Orthodox) is restrictive or not. He said, "You can't fly. Do you find that restrictive?"
Just thought it was inerstin'

Edit: After a little discussion, we decided that doing drugs would be a better example. You physically CAN do it, but you don't (I hope!)-why? Because it's proved to be bad for you. Well, if The Doctor says that something is bad for you, why would you do it? (I know-believing in a Supreme Doctor is an entirely seperate argument...but in my personal case, I do!)

The President Gets it Right

It's so interesting. Everyone has their views on the reason for Channuka, some according to the way it actually says in the sources, some veeery strange. (Then there are those who go by the wrong position in the Gemora and are lighting according to Bais Shaamai, but that's a different story...a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing...)
But President Bush, tonight, in the official lighting of the White House Menora got it right! The names of the kids who lit the candles were Chaim, Menachem, and Miriam, but I'm sure that's just coincedence ;)
(Unless you remember Miss Straus-who's now Mrs. Someone Else-6th grade Navi-THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A COINCEDENCE!! Funny what you remember from grade school..)

And now for something completely different...or not!

My driving mashal of the month:

I went today on my first trip to a faraway place (stop laughing, Rachel ;) ) all by my lonesome. A fifteen minute drive on roads previously uncharted (at least by me..). The way there was fine. On the way back, made a wrong turn. Simple mistake, right? Um...it takes talent. Anyway, I called a wonderful friend who knows everything about every direction there is to go, and she told me to go in a certain direction. As I was speaking to her, I saw a road that looked familiar-so I said "never mind, I just found it...I'm going this way." She didn't sound so sure, and said, "um..ok, but I don't think that'll go where you need to go.."

Well...aside from the fact that it WAS another wrong turn, the route I had planned to take didn't work even when I found the right road! So I called her back, sheepishly, and asked her for directions, promising to follow them to the letter. When I listened to her, I got where I needed to go-in the 15 minutes it was supposed to take originally.

The nimshal?

I wasted 45 minutes of my time because I was stubborn and didn't want to listen to the person who could help me (yes, you can gloat..). You can take that for Emunas Chachamim, Emunas HaTorah, Kibud Av Va'Em, whatever you'd like. Just know that when you quiet your ego for a bit, you'll find that many people have important things to tell you!!

On the Star-K thing...

Since everyone feels the need to voice their opinions, I just want to mention that, regardless of how you feel about it, the Star-K took a problem that everyone complained about and offered a solution. Until I hear someone offer a better alternative, I don't think anyone has a right to complain.
Besides...it works. I was out of town for Shabbos, and apparantly lots of people know about it and are veeeery interested...money talks...louder than anything else, unfortunately