Monday, October 16, 2006
What a Week!
Hmm, I don't know what was more fun - winning (read: buying) a new cell phone on Ebay, switching my insurance to save $200 (not Geico), or having my shoe heel fall off on the way to work (staples may seem like a good solution, but they make a lot of clicking noises when you walk on them). Of course, after sleeping outside for a week, everything sounds like a good idea.
If you look closely at the siddur, among a number of other prayers in small print that nobody says is a blessing for those that will fast on the Monday, Thursday and Monday following the festival months of Tishrei and Nissan. While a forgotten fast, these days were instituted as an atonement for the excessive joys which we partake of during the week long holidays of Sukkos and Pesach.
What is it about the Yetzer Hora that emboldens it when we are filled with good times? Is it trying to dampen our good spirits? Or were our "good" times only a sham, corrupted in their selfishness from the outset?
I'm just a regular guy. I try hard, but I have the same weaknesses as everybody else. So how far does a person go in avoiding those tests? Some people don't use the internet, but there is enough shmutz on the streets anyways. Some people walk with their heads down, but they miss the opportunity to greet others with a smile.
When do we accept others as imperfect, and when do we chastise them? When is a person a Tzaddik who struggles, and when is he just another shmendrik? When can a guy grow his beard long and still stumble, and when does he just have to go along with the crowd?
More importantly, I have to get back to my dating list...this really isn't nice of me to keep all these ladies waiting. The Josh Train departs on schedule...
If you look closely at the siddur, among a number of other prayers in small print that nobody says is a blessing for those that will fast on the Monday, Thursday and Monday following the festival months of Tishrei and Nissan. While a forgotten fast, these days were instituted as an atonement for the excessive joys which we partake of during the week long holidays of Sukkos and Pesach.
What is it about the Yetzer Hora that emboldens it when we are filled with good times? Is it trying to dampen our good spirits? Or were our "good" times only a sham, corrupted in their selfishness from the outset?
I'm just a regular guy. I try hard, but I have the same weaknesses as everybody else. So how far does a person go in avoiding those tests? Some people don't use the internet, but there is enough shmutz on the streets anyways. Some people walk with their heads down, but they miss the opportunity to greet others with a smile.
When do we accept others as imperfect, and when do we chastise them? When is a person a Tzaddik who struggles, and when is he just another shmendrik? When can a guy grow his beard long and still stumble, and when does he just have to go along with the crowd?
More importantly, I have to get back to my dating list...this really isn't nice of me to keep all these ladies waiting. The Josh Train departs on schedule...
# posted by Josh : Monday, October 16, 2006
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If you recall a shiur you heard right before Yom Kippur -- You'll remember that we as humans tend to forget our purpose for mundane/fun activities. Do we do it because it's fun, in vogue or because everyone else is doing it? Or do we do it so that we may better serve Hashem tomorrow? Do we eat to live or live to eat? These are questions you must ask yourself constantly and this I feel is the reasoning behind behab -- Even though we may be feasting l'chvod simchas yomtif -- how many of us are really doing it for the sake of Hashem or how many of us are just interested in tasting every dish 5 times to make sure they had enough and they will be able to talk about their great feasts after yomtif? Did you do all your fun chol hamoed trips because you wanted to compete to having had the best experience or you did it to rejuvenate and relax yourself so that you may better serve Hashem for the rest of the year? Just think pure thoughts and realize that Hashem stands before us always -- and you won't run into trouble. Obviously, much easier said than done but I feel this is the reason why we have behab -- as a 'friendly' reminder.
Hatzlacha with the dating....
Hatzlacha with the dating....
IMM - Couldn't agree with you more. And thanks for reminding me of the shiur that was already long forgotten (it's been two weeks already, ok?).
It's funny, but the impetus for this post was just a discussion I had with a girl about her roommates and their boyfriends. For some reason, my last bunch of posts have had a hard time hitting their marks.
It's funny, but the impetus for this post was just a discussion I had with a girl about her roommates and their boyfriends. For some reason, my last bunch of posts have had a hard time hitting their marks.
# posted by 
: October 17, 2006 8:18 AM
: October 17, 2006 8:18 AM
Why the need to chastise anybody? Who says that you will have a positive effect. Generally, in chiding someone- particularly when you're unsure of yourself- the result is the opposite of good and quite undesirable.
Nemo's fan club will be meeting this coming monday at 9 pm. Location: to be announced.
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# posted by : October 25, 2006 11:43 AM
: October 25, 2006 11:43 AM<< Home
