My second job is at a HEBREW rare books library. Meaning that the books there are (mostly) כלי קודש. It's wonderful.
I am able to open a ספר and see the writing of someone who labored tirelessly over holy words to understand them, and then marked down his own הארות for posterity. (Interesting, isn't it, how the word הארות comes from להאיר, literally "to enlighten"? :) )
I open for the first time in 50 years the cracked pages of an ancient מחזור with the names of those for whom the owner would say Yartzeit written on the inside flap.
With chilling comprehension, I see the stamp of the Nazi Archives, marking a book to go to the museum for "those lost people, the Jews, who used to blight the world." And yet many of the books have been returned to their rightful owners, who outlived the evil ones. Many of the owners, however, could not be found. The books were then shipped to libraries across the world, where they could be accessed by the descendants of their former owners.
I wish I knew more Yiddish, German, Italian, and how to read music (those are the languages I've come across so far-aside from Hebrew, 'course). I found a book about an inch thick, filled with handwritten notes to songs that won't be played. I wish I could write them down and play them at home, learn them, and teach them for others.
It's with these books that I'm working now. On my volunteer time. And I love it.
This is Reality. This is Truth. This is not comparable to someone's twisted idea of "art," this is the truth about life! I feel like I know so little, and yet CAN learn so much. Cause it's just...right.
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Money vs. Everything Else
...or "How I wish I didn't need money so I could drop my paying job and do my volunteer work full-time"
I shouldn't complain. I'm not really, in fact. It's just that the diference is sooo clear. Let's back up a bit. I have two summer jobs, each two days a week. They're both in rare book libraries (Yes, a rare book library is different than an archive. An archive collects data. Could be anything-like how much the company earned this year, or what courses a university offers. A rare book library has rare books.), and I'm enjoying both of them. They're just....different.
One's at a university. They have a large photography collection, lots of old photographs, which is very cool. Not my particular interest, but very inerestin'. Especially interesting are the ones from during an important event in history (like a world war) that shows the event as the people saw it THEN, rather than as we see it through the 20/20 vision of history.
Another interesting thing about working with the photographs (they're from a newspaper collection) is how media distorts. The photographs have coloring all over them-blacking things out, drawing things in, emphasizing little and unimportant things...and thereby telling a completely different story than what had originally been there.
But there are the disturbing parts also. There was a lecture given about Ethics and Photography. Their conclusion? You can take a photograph of anything, yes, anything, and that's wonderful, because it's art, so it's beautiful. Essentially (and I'm paraphrasing the speaker), ethics are different with every person, and so there basically are no ethics. My conclusion? אם אין תורה אין דרך ארץ.
What was even more disturbing was that he told me afterwards that he's always worried about giving this speech, cause sometimes there're really religious people that take offense at it. Hello!! I'm offended!!
What was more disturbing than that was when he asked me to file the extremely graphic photos that he'd used for the lecture. I'm disturbed. Very very disturbed.
On the other hand, there's my other job :)
P.S. Has anyone ever flown international on Priceline before?
I shouldn't complain. I'm not really, in fact. It's just that the diference is sooo clear. Let's back up a bit. I have two summer jobs, each two days a week. They're both in rare book libraries (Yes, a rare book library is different than an archive. An archive collects data. Could be anything-like how much the company earned this year, or what courses a university offers. A rare book library has rare books.), and I'm enjoying both of them. They're just....different.
One's at a university. They have a large photography collection, lots of old photographs, which is very cool. Not my particular interest, but very inerestin'. Especially interesting are the ones from during an important event in history (like a world war) that shows the event as the people saw it THEN, rather than as we see it through the 20/20 vision of history.
Another interesting thing about working with the photographs (they're from a newspaper collection) is how media distorts. The photographs have coloring all over them-blacking things out, drawing things in, emphasizing little and unimportant things...and thereby telling a completely different story than what had originally been there.
But there are the disturbing parts also. There was a lecture given about Ethics and Photography. Their conclusion? You can take a photograph of anything, yes, anything, and that's wonderful, because it's art, so it's beautiful. Essentially (and I'm paraphrasing the speaker), ethics are different with every person, and so there basically are no ethics. My conclusion? אם אין תורה אין דרך ארץ.
What was even more disturbing was that he told me afterwards that he's always worried about giving this speech, cause sometimes there're really religious people that take offense at it. Hello!! I'm offended!!
What was more disturbing than that was when he asked me to file the extremely graphic photos that he'd used for the lecture. I'm disturbed. Very very disturbed.
On the other hand, there's my other job :)
P.S. Has anyone ever flown international on Priceline before?
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Emotional Overflow #2: Thank You!!
I realized that I've been living a charmed life. No, not a charmed life, a siyata dishmaya life. As I get older and learn more about the world, I realize it more and more. I'm shocked by things I read. About family situations. About abuse. About lack of love. About lack of understanding. Things that many many people, rachmana litzlan, have been touched by.
So I wanted to publicly announce thanks to Hashem. 'Cause he runs my life, and whatever He does, he does perfectly. Of course!! There's an incredible weight that lifts from your shoulders when you realize that things that happen to you are from Him, and therefore are by definition good...even if sometimes it's harder to see than other times. You make your Papa happy, and He takes care of you! And even when you do bad, He's there, waiting, still doing good for you. And He loves you. And me. :)
(No, that still doesn't negate EO #1-cause we want to make Him HAPPY!! Seeing His children fight doesn't do that...:( )
So I wanted to publicly announce thanks to Hashem. 'Cause he runs my life, and whatever He does, he does perfectly. Of course!! There's an incredible weight that lifts from your shoulders when you realize that things that happen to you are from Him, and therefore are by definition good...even if sometimes it's harder to see than other times. You make your Papa happy, and He takes care of you! And even when you do bad, He's there, waiting, still doing good for you. And He loves you. And me. :)
(No, that still doesn't negate EO #1-cause we want to make Him HAPPY!! Seeing His children fight doesn't do that...:( )
Emotional Overflow #1: It's OUR Land!!
Lately, I've been feeling two opposite emotions really really strongly. I'm putting them in two seperate posts, 'cause they're really almost opposites, and I'm putting the positive one second, 'cause I want that to be on the top of my blog.
Here goes:
The whole disengagement thing. It makes me angry, it makes me frustrated, it makes me scared. I have family that lives in Eretz Yisroel, where we're all supposed to be, and I want to be there IY"H one day soon. But will it be there by the time I get there? They're giving away one peice of land after another, on the assumption that it will bring peace. (Well...you know what assuming does...oh, never mind...) You can't have peace with someone that wants only to kill you and your people. Past circumstances have proved this, but it's all being ignored. Giving people that hate you the land next door to you is not a good idea, giving the people that hate you your brother's land and telling him to beat it is positively stupid!!
Which leads me to another rant...and I feel quite strongly about this-if we would make an attempt to get along with each other, I really really believe that things will improve. It's like Hashem is saying "You can't live together in My land? Then leave!" And it doesn't apply only to the charedim vs. chilonim. It has to do with US-wherever we are, in whatever countries. Just because your next-door neighbor is Modern Orthodox, or Chasidish, or Yeshivish or whatever doesn't mean that you have the right to mock him, his customs, and his way of life. Those of us who are following the Torah should work on following the Torah better, to the best of our ability-'cause THAT'S what we're here for-to serve Hashem!! Not to prove that our way is better!! So could we maybe maybe maybe try to get along?
We all need Moshiach sooooo badly. And the fastest way for him to come is to show Hashem that we're ready. I don't have the words to it now, but I once read a poem about Moshiach coming. He goes to a whole bunch of shuls, where they tell him that he can't be Moshiach, 'cause he's not wearing a black yarmulka/knitted yarmulka/black hat/streimel, etc. So he says "never mind", and leaves. Are we doing that??? Are we making an effort not to do that? Are we making an effort to make a Kiddush Hashem in the world? Or are we airing our dirty laundry where everyone can see it?
(No, I don't think the first and second rants contradict each other. I don't HATE the people who are arranging the disengagement. I think that they have preconcieved notions about the people they're kicking out and don't feel like they're brothers, and that's why they think it's okay!! If we'd attempt to show them Torah and the whole concept that places like Kever Rochel are HOLY and should not be given to the people who destroyed Kever Yosef, maybe thing'd be different...)
Here goes:
The whole disengagement thing. It makes me angry, it makes me frustrated, it makes me scared. I have family that lives in Eretz Yisroel, where we're all supposed to be, and I want to be there IY"H one day soon. But will it be there by the time I get there? They're giving away one peice of land after another, on the assumption that it will bring peace. (Well...you know what assuming does...oh, never mind...) You can't have peace with someone that wants only to kill you and your people. Past circumstances have proved this, but it's all being ignored. Giving people that hate you the land next door to you is not a good idea, giving the people that hate you your brother's land and telling him to beat it is positively stupid!!
Which leads me to another rant...and I feel quite strongly about this-if we would make an attempt to get along with each other, I really really believe that things will improve. It's like Hashem is saying "You can't live together in My land? Then leave!" And it doesn't apply only to the charedim vs. chilonim. It has to do with US-wherever we are, in whatever countries. Just because your next-door neighbor is Modern Orthodox, or Chasidish, or Yeshivish or whatever doesn't mean that you have the right to mock him, his customs, and his way of life. Those of us who are following the Torah should work on following the Torah better, to the best of our ability-'cause THAT'S what we're here for-to serve Hashem!! Not to prove that our way is better!! So could we maybe maybe maybe try to get along?
We all need Moshiach sooooo badly. And the fastest way for him to come is to show Hashem that we're ready. I don't have the words to it now, but I once read a poem about Moshiach coming. He goes to a whole bunch of shuls, where they tell him that he can't be Moshiach, 'cause he's not wearing a black yarmulka/knitted yarmulka/black hat/streimel, etc. So he says "never mind", and leaves. Are we doing that??? Are we making an effort not to do that? Are we making an effort to make a Kiddush Hashem in the world? Or are we airing our dirty laundry where everyone can see it?
(No, I don't think the first and second rants contradict each other. I don't HATE the people who are arranging the disengagement. I think that they have preconcieved notions about the people they're kicking out and don't feel like they're brothers, and that's why they think it's okay!! If we'd attempt to show them Torah and the whole concept that places like Kever Rochel are HOLY and should not be given to the people who destroyed Kever Yosef, maybe thing'd be different...)
Monday, June 20, 2005
Yiddish, anyone? OR Yay Mindy!
I was wondering if there's anyone who could help me. I'm translating something from Yiddish for my work, but there's a minor problem. I don't speak Yiddish..at all :/ B"H, my father does, and he's helping me with it, but there were still a few words that we couldn't get. How many do you know?
קוילען
קינסטלער
פארלעגער
אפגשטעלט
ערן וועד
פלאטע
ציפערן
בירגער
קוילען
קינסטלער
פארלעגער
אפגשטעלט
ערן וועד
פלאטע
ציפערן
בירגער
Edit: I've got 'em all, thanks to Mindy-see, that chasidish education is definately worthwhile! ;)
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Desiring to Desire vs. Longing for the Longing
In this past week's parsha, in the description of the the complaints of the Eirav Rav, the pasuk uses a very interesting double lashon. Loosely translated, the phrase used means "and they desired." It continues on to discuss how they complained because they weren't getting meat in the desert.
If translated literally, however, the phrase means "and they desired desire." What does this mean?
1. The mon was purely spiritual. As such, it elicited no forbidden ta'avos within the people. The particular people who were complaining literally wanted "desire," those forbidden ta'avos that come with eating the same physical nourishment that animals do.
2. The people wanted to find something to complain about. So they worked themselves up, searching for something that they could twist to their purposes. They discovered a few things lacking from the otherwise endless choices in the mom, and grabbed that as their excuse to complain. They tried to build in themselves a desire to do bad, and succeeded.
It just struck me, cause I find myself doing that sometimes. There're times when I don't really care either way about doing something, but I want to want to do it, so I work myself into it. For bad things AND for good things.
Think about it. The next time you're ambivalent about something, consider: Is it something you just want to create a ta'ava for? Or is it something that you want to build a ratzon for within yourself, because it coincides with the Ultimate Ratzon....?
There's a stone in the place where my heart used to be
And I'm longing for the longing once again
There's a small subtle trace of my sincerity
And it only comes to taunt me now and then...
Gut voch and shavua tov.
If translated literally, however, the phrase means "and they desired desire." What does this mean?
1. The mon was purely spiritual. As such, it elicited no forbidden ta'avos within the people. The particular people who were complaining literally wanted "desire," those forbidden ta'avos that come with eating the same physical nourishment that animals do.
2. The people wanted to find something to complain about. So they worked themselves up, searching for something that they could twist to their purposes. They discovered a few things lacking from the otherwise endless choices in the mom, and grabbed that as their excuse to complain. They tried to build in themselves a desire to do bad, and succeeded.
It just struck me, cause I find myself doing that sometimes. There're times when I don't really care either way about doing something, but I want to want to do it, so I work myself into it. For bad things AND for good things.
Think about it. The next time you're ambivalent about something, consider: Is it something you just want to create a ta'ava for? Or is it something that you want to build a ratzon for within yourself, because it coincides with the Ultimate Ratzon....?
There's a stone in the place where my heart used to be
And I'm longing for the longing once again
There's a small subtle trace of my sincerity
And it only comes to taunt me now and then...
Gut voch and shavua tov.
Saturday, June 11, 2005
My job(s)
Very cool!! I'm working in two rare books libraries-one volunteer, one paid. I've only started the paid one, but just being in the environment is awesome!! Lots 'n lots of really old stuff, artifacts, letters, stuff like that. Nothing Jewish (that's what the volunteer one is for), but still pretty exciting.
I said nothing Jewish, but I managed to find something ;) One of the archivists is writing a book, and asked me to translate something for him for the book (= credit line for me when it's published! :) ). He thought it was Hebrew, turns out it's Yiddish....so I'm sorta learning Yiddish on the spot so I can do this. It's one of the five or so languages (including Arabic, French, German...) that I'm gonna need to know anyway, so better start early!
B"H. It was a good week. Even when it didn't seem that way. :)
I said nothing Jewish, but I managed to find something ;) One of the archivists is writing a book, and asked me to translate something for him for the book (= credit line for me when it's published! :) ). He thought it was Hebrew, turns out it's Yiddish....so I'm sorta learning Yiddish on the spot so I can do this. It's one of the five or so languages (including Arabic, French, German...) that I'm gonna need to know anyway, so better start early!
B"H. It was a good week. Even when it didn't seem that way. :)
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Cheap Flights to London?
Anyone? I have a wedding in July that I would really really really love to attend...but I can't afford more than $600 on a ticket right now...and Czech Air is not an option ;)
Any ideas?
Any ideas?
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Lessons from my past?
So I've gotten through all my notes from high school, and I'm up to seminary. In fact, I have been up to them for the past two weeks or so...but I'm afraid to review them. I'm not where I was, and I don't like it, but apparantly it's not affecting me enough to change myself...
It's a yucky day.
(Although...I got a job today in the Rare Books Library!! ;) There's always something good...and yes, I know y'all are soooooo jealous...)
It's a yucky day.
(Although...I got a job today in the Rare Books Library!! ;) There's always something good...and yes, I know y'all are soooooo jealous...)
Stagnation
What happened to the little girl
Who dreamed a thousand dreams she didn't keep?
Who woke up in the middle of a nightmare,
She was drowning in her sleep.
She had sold her dreams for cheap.
....
And as I cry all alone
Inside a frenzy of struggle and pain I would scream
PLEASE let me dream again (dream again..)
Please fill me with dreams once again,
And the strength to change...
-Big Dreams, Julia Blum
Who dreamed a thousand dreams she didn't keep?
Who woke up in the middle of a nightmare,
She was drowning in her sleep.
She had sold her dreams for cheap.
....
And as I cry all alone
Inside a frenzy of struggle and pain I would scream
PLEASE let me dream again (dream again..)
Please fill me with dreams once again,
And the strength to change...
-Big Dreams, Julia Blum
Saturday, June 04, 2005
ברכת המדינה vs. קריאת התורה?
Bracing self, taking a deep breath, preparing for all the attacks...
I go to shul pretty regularly, especially since I restarted my Shabbos morning chavrusa. Something's been bothering me a lot, and since this can be a venting ground for me, here goes:
I don't have a problem with the ברכת המדינה per se. I think it's a wonderful thing and that we should daven for ארץ ישראל and our people. What gets me frustrated is the lack of consistancy involved with it.
We usually have a תפילה for חולים during שביעי. In general, during קריאת התורה, there is always a bit of talking (only on the men's side in my shul, which I find rather fascinating...), but it usually ends at ברכו, when everyone does their quick shifting in their seats to complete the ברכה. The תפילה for חולים, however, seems to become free-for-all talking time.
Inerestin.'
During the Haftorah, however, it's different. Then, apparantly the need to talk is too great, and is so important, that many of the men actually leave the sanctuary to go and discuss their very important matters in the hallway.
Also inerestin.'
After all the laining is the ברכת המדינה et al. Suddenly everyone is back, standing, alert, quiet, and at attention. That's pretty incredible. The תפילה for חולים is not that important, the Haftorah is not that important, but suddenly this new תפילה, which has been introduced fairly recently and is fairly controversial, is more important even than the תורה and the words of the נביאים?
Again, I have nothing against the actual תפילה. It's just the hypocracy that goes along with it that frustrates me.
/rant
I go to shul pretty regularly, especially since I restarted my Shabbos morning chavrusa. Something's been bothering me a lot, and since this can be a venting ground for me, here goes:
I don't have a problem with the ברכת המדינה per se. I think it's a wonderful thing and that we should daven for ארץ ישראל and our people. What gets me frustrated is the lack of consistancy involved with it.
We usually have a תפילה for חולים during שביעי. In general, during קריאת התורה, there is always a bit of talking (only on the men's side in my shul, which I find rather fascinating...), but it usually ends at ברכו, when everyone does their quick shifting in their seats to complete the ברכה. The תפילה for חולים, however, seems to become free-for-all talking time.
Inerestin.'
During the Haftorah, however, it's different. Then, apparantly the need to talk is too great, and is so important, that many of the men actually leave the sanctuary to go and discuss their very important matters in the hallway.
Also inerestin.'
After all the laining is the ברכת המדינה et al. Suddenly everyone is back, standing, alert, quiet, and at attention. That's pretty incredible. The תפילה for חולים is not that important, the Haftorah is not that important, but suddenly this new תפילה, which has been introduced fairly recently and is fairly controversial, is more important even than the תורה and the words of the נביאים?
Again, I have nothing against the actual תפילה. It's just the hypocracy that goes along with it that frustrates me.
/rant
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
A message to all you theatre people (I know you're there...)
I've been getting a lot of hits recently from searches for things like "Julia Blum", "Shomer Shabbos Theatre", "frum acting", etc. I'm not sure exactly how BlogPatrol works-if it just shows me when Frumactress has been clicked on in a Yahoo, Google, MSN, etc. search, or if it shows that I've been linked just when someone searches for the terms-whether they click on the site or not.
Either way, if you are there, EMAIL ME!! Frumactress at gmail....'cause I knew I'm not the only person out there who needs to act, and all you searchers confirmed it, and it's really hard to start a theatre program for frum girls on my own...so please? I'd love to talk to you!!
Either way, if you are there, EMAIL ME!! Frumactress at gmail....'cause I knew I'm not the only person out there who needs to act, and all you searchers confirmed it, and it's really hard to start a theatre program for frum girls on my own...so please? I'd love to talk to you!!
Monday, May 30, 2005
I've been tagged!
Just got back from a whirlwind, spur of the moment trip to my aunts' (the one with the secret passageway in her house ;) ) and found that I've been tagged by en to do RandomActsofKindnesses.
I originally found the definition on survivor's blog:
RAK (rak) n. a random act of kindness done out of the goodness of one's heart, the act of helping others, Etymology: Yiddishe Mamma
Whoever started this, I like it! ;)
1) Didn't get upset at all when everyone else thought I would. In fact, I was quite nice! (והמבינה תבין)
2) Didn't talk back to avoid an argument and just did as she said (and no, "she" wasn't my mother)
3) Called my PiT-on TIME, and changed the book we're gonna learn BEFORE she bought it so she doesn't see the awful editing (or lack thereof) that I found.
4) Called someone else about the elusive Rivka (who I think might be going by Rebecca these days), with whom only I can relate, from what I understand. I still havn't called her, but I need to figure out the situation first...
5) Finished cleaning up the kitchen so my mother wouldn't have to when she got home
I'm tagging:
Stx (you knew you would be ;) )
Ger-ish (although you've been gone for a while-I guess now is peak grading time)
Karl
I originally found the definition on survivor's blog:
RAK (rak) n. a random act of kindness done out of the goodness of one's heart, the act of helping others, Etymology: Yiddishe Mamma
Whoever started this, I like it! ;)
1) Didn't get upset at all when everyone else thought I would. In fact, I was quite nice! (והמבינה תבין)
2) Didn't talk back to avoid an argument and just did as she said (and no, "she" wasn't my mother)
3) Called my PiT-on TIME, and changed the book we're gonna learn BEFORE she bought it so she doesn't see the awful editing (or lack thereof) that I found.
4) Called someone else about the elusive Rivka (who I think might be going by Rebecca these days), with whom only I can relate, from what I understand. I still havn't called her, but I need to figure out the situation first...
5) Finished cleaning up the kitchen so my mother wouldn't have to when she got home
I'm tagging:
Stx (you knew you would be ;) )
Ger-ish (although you've been gone for a while-I guess now is peak grading time)
Karl
Thursday, May 26, 2005
The Price You Pay
For Rivka. I don't know you, but I know how you feel. "When G-d gives you a gift, you are obligated to use it. Use it to bring GOODNESS into this world and HONOR to the One who gave it to you." Remember that and email me if you actually read this...
Trained monkeys at a photo session
Smiling for the camera
You can learn to do it to if you agree to pay the price
You think you're great if someone calls
You think you're awful if they don't
Let your self-esteem depend upon the rolling of the dice
But that's the price you pay for the money and applause
It's the price you pay for the fun and fame because
You ordered pain for twenty without looking at the bill
Now the fun isn't funny anymore...
Well they'll cheer when you win
And then they'll cheer when you lose
And when you marry and divorce and when the wrinkles crowd your face
You're an overnight success except it took you 15 years
They'll love you now, till next month when someone younger takes your place
But that's the price you pay for the money and applause
It's the price you pay for the fun and fame because
You ordered pain for twenty without looking at the bill
Now the fun isn't funny anymore...
It isn't difficult to smile 87 times a day
If that's the way you get attention and the way you pay your bills
It doesn't mean that you are happy or you're greatful to be living
You could fool the fans in Philly; I'd a heart that never filled
But that's the price you pay for the money and applause
It's the price you pay for the fun and fame because
You ordered pain for twenty without looking at the bill
Now the fun isn't funny
And the fame...ain't such a thrill
By: Julia Blum
Trained monkeys at a photo session
Smiling for the camera
You can learn to do it to if you agree to pay the price
You think you're great if someone calls
You think you're awful if they don't
Let your self-esteem depend upon the rolling of the dice
But that's the price you pay for the money and applause
It's the price you pay for the fun and fame because
You ordered pain for twenty without looking at the bill
Now the fun isn't funny anymore...
Well they'll cheer when you win
And then they'll cheer when you lose
And when you marry and divorce and when the wrinkles crowd your face
You're an overnight success except it took you 15 years
They'll love you now, till next month when someone younger takes your place
But that's the price you pay for the money and applause
It's the price you pay for the fun and fame because
You ordered pain for twenty without looking at the bill
Now the fun isn't funny anymore...
It isn't difficult to smile 87 times a day
If that's the way you get attention and the way you pay your bills
It doesn't mean that you are happy or you're greatful to be living
You could fool the fans in Philly; I'd a heart that never filled
But that's the price you pay for the money and applause
It's the price you pay for the fun and fame because
You ordered pain for twenty without looking at the bill
Now the fun isn't funny
And the fame...ain't such a thrill
By: Julia Blum
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Book Review
A note: I stopped reading most fiction a while ago (with the exception of pretty much one series ;) ), mainly because of bad quality, bad content, and the fact that real life (or real
history) is sooooo much more interesting.
history) is sooooo much more interesting.
I just got the newest book in the midos series by R' Baruch Chait and Gadi Pollack. As usual, I'm so impressed, and I just want to share it. There're three books so far, about the journey of the travellors of the Gaavatanic and their trails and travails. It's pretty cool, because it has absolutely beautiful drawings, and the lessons it teaches are really real. Using the אורחות צדיקים as its "main source of reference," the books talk about Midos, something very apropos for during Sefira. It shows how character traits can be good or bad, taken to either extreme, and describes how NOBODY can be perfect without working on themselves. Not all of the Midos are "good" or "bad" per se, it's just how and when they're used that makes all the difference.
And I'm a sucker for pretty pictures :)
Another note: I just figured out how to post pics, but not how to combine them with text...if anyone knows, please let me know! Thanks!
Monday, May 23, 2005
Words
Thanks to simpletoremember.com, I've been catching up on R' Tatz's shiurim. Wow.
In the one I just finished, R' Tatz talks about speech. Words make concepts smaller, compress ideas, and therefore necessarilly destroy some of the concept being discussed. Once one tries to solidify a concept into finite words, so much of the concept is lost, because so much is not describable. This is why a picture is worth 1000 of them. At least. Because words are empty, and very hard to use for describing Reality. Another thing he adds-the stronger a connection a relationship has, the less the people need to speak to each other.
Random:"Aura" sounds very much like "אורה". Coincedence? I think not.
Sorry. It's clearly a concept that can't be put into my words...listen to the shiur, it's beautiful.
In the one I just finished, R' Tatz talks about speech. Words make concepts smaller, compress ideas, and therefore necessarilly destroy some of the concept being discussed. Once one tries to solidify a concept into finite words, so much of the concept is lost, because so much is not describable. This is why a picture is worth 1000 of them. At least. Because words are empty, and very hard to use for describing Reality. Another thing he adds-the stronger a connection a relationship has, the less the people need to speak to each other.
Random:"Aura" sounds very much like "אורה". Coincedence? I think not.
Sorry. It's clearly a concept that can't be put into my words...listen to the shiur, it's beautiful.
Thursday, May 19, 2005
Lessons from my past #3
רבי יהושע בן קרחה אומר: כל הלומד תורה ואינו חוזר עליה, דומה לאדם שזורע ואינו קוצר
"R' Yehosua ben Karcha says: Anyone who learns Torah and does not review is similar to a man who plants and does not reap." (Sanhedrin 99.)
So I've found. I knew so much when I was in high school (ironic though that sounds). I had chazals at my fingertips, I could quote from probably 3/5 of Chumash, I knew every Navi that I'd learned, often more so than my brothers (cause they don't learn Navi in Yeshiva for some unknown reason..).
And now? Now I don't learn..much. I try to, but I don't have the obligation that a man does, so if I have a paper/exam/anything else, I'll work on that instead. It's actually quite sad. Now that I'm on vacation, IY"H I'll be able to learn again. I've been listening to lots of stuff online, which eases it somewhat, but I want to learn something inside-I want it to be MY Torah, that I've learned on my own-not something that I've heard in a lecture.
(Tangent..) There's such a big difference between a lecture and a class. Lectures are where people talk at you, feeding you information. In a class, you are part of the conversation, and therefore what you learn becomes part of you. I've learned that college courses are lectures. My Bais Yaakov courses were classes. For that, I'm grateful.
"R' Yehosua ben Karcha says: Anyone who learns Torah and does not review is similar to a man who plants and does not reap." (Sanhedrin 99.)
So I've found. I knew so much when I was in high school (ironic though that sounds). I had chazals at my fingertips, I could quote from probably 3/5 of Chumash, I knew every Navi that I'd learned, often more so than my brothers (cause they don't learn Navi in Yeshiva for some unknown reason..).
And now? Now I don't learn..much. I try to, but I don't have the obligation that a man does, so if I have a paper/exam/anything else, I'll work on that instead. It's actually quite sad. Now that I'm on vacation, IY"H I'll be able to learn again. I've been listening to lots of stuff online, which eases it somewhat, but I want to learn something inside-I want it to be MY Torah, that I've learned on my own-not something that I've heard in a lecture.
(Tangent..) There's such a big difference between a lecture and a class. Lectures are where people talk at you, feeding you information. In a class, you are part of the conversation, and therefore what you learn becomes part of you. I've learned that college courses are lectures. My Bais Yaakov courses were classes. For that, I'm grateful.
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
A 7th grader's way of changing the world
I wish I could go back to believing that life is so simple.. :\
Dear Mr. President,
Recently my class has noticed hat there is a major problem with the compost heaps. In short, there is too much garbage! Therefore, I would like to respectfully offer you a few alternatives. Firstly, in some places in the North and South Poles there is virtually no wildlife. This being so, we could dump our garbage in the poles. If that would do something to hurt the environment, then I have another alternative. You could take a rocketship, put lots of garbage in it, and take the garbage to the sun where it could explode into nothing. However, that would be a little expensive, so you could instead invest money toward helping scientists discover a way to turn garbage into energy. That, I think, is the best idea of all.
A Fellow Citizen,
TRW, of Mrs. Bauer's seventh grade high science.
Dear Mr. President,
Recently my class has noticed hat there is a major problem with the compost heaps. In short, there is too much garbage! Therefore, I would like to respectfully offer you a few alternatives. Firstly, in some places in the North and South Poles there is virtually no wildlife. This being so, we could dump our garbage in the poles. If that would do something to hurt the environment, then I have another alternative. You could take a rocketship, put lots of garbage in it, and take the garbage to the sun where it could explode into nothing. However, that would be a little expensive, so you could instead invest money toward helping scientists discover a way to turn garbage into energy. That, I think, is the best idea of all.
A Fellow Citizen,
TRW, of Mrs. Bauer's seventh grade high science.
The RIGHT way to make a Takana
I love the Baltimore community.
Recently, the Vaad Harabonim in Baltimore published a letter in a weekly magazine describing what they call a "request..that the Vaad Harabanim would like to bring to the attention of the klal." The matter is indeed small, yet something that has bothered many people (on all ends of every spectrum). But that's not the point. It's worded so respectfully, with a note that "The Vaad Harabanim would very much like to hear people's response to the above suggestions." No, they don't have to write that. Yes, we know that they're much greater than the average person. And yet, they treat everyone like they're on the same level. They're offering a "suggestion" to the community (which happens to be very valid), in a respectful and thoughtful way that condemns nobody and offers suggestions on how to change.
I'm impressed.
Recently, the Vaad Harabonim in Baltimore published a letter in a weekly magazine describing what they call a "request..that the Vaad Harabanim would like to bring to the attention of the klal." The matter is indeed small, yet something that has bothered many people (on all ends of every spectrum). But that's not the point. It's worded so respectfully, with a note that "The Vaad Harabanim would very much like to hear people's response to the above suggestions." No, they don't have to write that. Yes, we know that they're much greater than the average person. And yet, they treat everyone like they're on the same level. They're offering a "suggestion" to the community (which happens to be very valid), in a respectful and thoughtful way that condemns nobody and offers suggestions on how to change.
I'm impressed.
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