Rabbi Moshe Soloveitchik: "How negative events can cause new Opportunities"

B"H

It is anything but easy figuring out the Soloveitchik family. In order to get a picture, I have been collecting books, photos and plenty of articles. The strange thing is that modern Jewry and the national religious movement mainly concentrate on Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (died in 1993). Don't get confused with the "Beit HaLevi" because here I am referring to the philosopher Joseph B. Soloveitchik.

Haredi Jewry often quotes the Brisker Rav as well as all the other Brisker Soloveitchiks. I am interested in both directions but do prefer the Brisker family tree.

As Yom Kippur is right ahead, I would like to share a Soloveitchik story about how we can learn from negative events.

As far as I know, the first Rabbi Soloveitchik mentioned was Rabbi Moshe Soloveitchik who lived in the days of Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin. It was in Slobodka (Vilijampolė) / Lithuania where Reb Moshe was running a successful lumber business. He had inherited all his wealth from his parents but one day, he just lost the business and all his money. 

The Jews in town started speculating about why Rabbi Moshe had lost his business. How could it be that G - d took all the money from him leaving him a poor man ? Of course, people started guessing and some came to the conclusion that Rabbi Moshe may have not given enough Zedakah. However, there was no definitive answer, as we don't know G - d's thoughts and intentions.

After loosing his business, Rabbi Moshe Soloveitchik didn't  really know what to do with himself and started learning at the local Beit Midrash. After some time had passed, he and other Jews noticed how talented he actually is with his Torah studies. He became an excellent scholar founding the great rabbinical Soloveitchik dynasty. 

If Rabbi Moshe hadn't lost his wealth, he would have carried on with his business without entering a Beit Midrash and discovering his real talent and task in life. Because he lost his business, he got the great opportunity of starting something new and even founded a rabbinic dynasty. 

From this we can learn that not everything negative happening to us should get us into depression. Sometimes we must loose somethin in order to find a new way in our life. We may be successful in one field and think that this is it. However, what if it turns out being a dead end and, in the end, we are left with nothing. Hopefully we get over it and start something new. Start a new life and suddenly we realize that loosing something valuable in the past wasn't the end of the world but a new opportunity for the future.


Later on, Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin chose Rabbi Moshe's son, Rabbi Yosef Soloveitchik, to marry his daughter Rielka. The beginning of the Soloveitchik dynasty. 
_________________________

Source:

The Brisker Rav by Rabbi Shimon Yosef Meller

Welcome to the Israeli Unemployment Office

How I love this mentality ! By the way, you can experience the same at many supermarket when the cashier is suddenly taking off going to have a break.:-)

Source: Yeshabulletin

Purim Sameach, everyone !

B"H

It is always the same: As soon as there is a holiday such as Purim, Tisha be'Av or Independence Day, people working in certain fields still have to work and no time for celebrations. Including myself. 

This morning, it looked as if I can finish work on time but, in the end, I had to work longer. The same tomorrow and Purim will be finished. As a matter of fact, the same happened to me while I was still living in Jerusalem and working at a well - known local bakery. We were always open and there was hardly any day off. 

As other holidays such as Pessach, Purim has become big business in Israel. Wine, presents, sweets ... there is so much money involved that the whole atmosphere is going down the drain.

The Seven Wonders of the World

B"H 

Found on the Internet:

A group of students were asked to list what they thought were the present "Seven Wonders of the World." Though there were some disagreements, the following received the most votes: 

1. Egypt's Great Pyramids 

2. Taj Mahal 

3. Grand Canyon 

4. Panama Canal 

5. Empire State Building 

6. St. Peter's Basilica 

7. China's Great Wall 

While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student had not finished her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many " The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help." 

The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the 'Seven Wonders of the World' are: 

1. to see 

2. to hear 

3. to touch 

4. to taste 

5. to feel 

6. to laugh 

7. and to love." 

The room was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. The things we overlook as simple and ordinary and that we take for granted are truly wondrous! A gentle reminder -- that the most precious things in life cannot be built by hand or bought by man.

You & the World

" To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world "

Secular Jews and Gentiles using a religious Jewish Library

"Sifriat HaRAMBAM - Rambam Library" at "Beit Ariella", Tel Aviv.

Photo: Miriam Woelke

B"H

For far more than ten years, the "Jewish National Library" in Jerusalem used to be my "second home". If I could, I would have moved right in. First of all, I love books and, secondly, I am addicted to religious books and have a Beit Midrash - like collection. Talmud editions, Torah, commentaries, Rambam, Arizal, Ramchal, anything you want. 

The negative side of using the "National Library" in Jerusalem is seeing many secular Jews (e.g. professors from the HebrewU) using religious books. Not for positive purposes but to proof that Judaism is an ancient invention. What really went on my nerves are all those Gentiles creeping around. Christian theology students from Germany, for instance, who keep on looking for a proof that the Jew J. is the Meshiach and that the Jews are wrong. When I was at the "National Library" last week, I overheard a conversation between two German Christians who were eager writing about anti - Zionism by using books from Israeli professors. Without going into real sources or talking to any anti - Zionist Rabbi. And we all know what the result will be: False reports about a certain branch in Judaism told by German non - Jews !

Since I have moved to Tel Aviv, I am using the local library at the "Beit Ariella" building. In particular, the "Rambam Hall". There you find the opposite: Mainly Jews (plenty of them are religious) using the books. Of course, there are secular Jews entering as well but you don't have any eager professors running around (as in Jerusalem) and showing off with their latest publications. In "Beit Ariella", people sit quietly and actually work instead of running around like a peacock. 

The "Rambam Hall" is run by two national religious librarians and they pay attention who is entering. Now they even put a sign next to the entrance door (see photo on top):

People entering the "Rambam Hall" should wear modest clothes !

This is a wise decision, as too many women enter religious libraries who are hardly dressed. 

Pieced of advice: Those of you who live in Tel Aviv and are interested in Halacha - The "Rambam Hall" has the greatest halachic collection I have ever seen !

Israeli Supermarket Shopping

 

Photo: Miriam Woelke

B”H

Big Israeli chains love giving out a membership card (Hebrew: Kartis Moadon). Most of those memberships are a complete waste of time and the cards are totally useless. Retailers, however, justify themselves by claiming that only the customer who is also a member, is going to receive special discounts. 

As almost every Israeli, I have a few of those membership cards. Among others, I am a member of the supermarket chain “Kim’at Chinam – Almost for Free”. This card is, as most of their kind, useless and I only accepted it because I was promised huge discounts. As a matter of fact, every “Kim’at Chinam” customer receives those special offers and not only members. 

Today I went to “Kim’at Chinam” and was surprised when I saw the low price for a big glass of asparagus. Only 7,50 Shekel (approx. 2 Dollar) and I thought that this is really cheap. At the same moment, I read the small print on the special offer sign and it says that the price is only valid when you buy two glasses. When you decide buying only one glass, you have to pay the full price which is much higher. 

Those customers who do not speak Hebrew are going to have a bad surprise at the till !

Are you aware of your inner Galut ?

The Diaspora Jew

Photo: Arutz 7

 

B"H

Are you aware of your personal Galut (Diaspora) ?

A Jew usually understands under "Galut - Diaspora" living abroad but not in Israel. Nevertheless, according to chassidic teachings we also have to be aware of our own personal Galut which is far worse than the Galut of the Jewish nation.

Am I aware of my own Galut ? Of my own difficulties not connecting enough or at all to G - d ? As a Jew, I can live in Israel but still continue my personal Galut. Someone at a Shiur just gave the perfect definition:

"You can put a boy from Brooklyn to Israel but can you get Brooklyn out of the boy ?"

And,once again, we are back on the road of finding ourselves and try to understand who we really are !

Tel Aviv Central Bus Station

Daily life at Tel Aviv's Central Bus Station: The area is full of crime, prostitutes and foreign workers from the Philippines and Africa.

Photo: Miriam Woelke

The Donation Business

Cartoon: Airforce Obama

B"H

Generally I have nothing against fundraising if it is for the right person. Due to the worldwide financial crisis many institutions which have so far relied on donations / funds suddenly have to take care of themselves. Find more donors or think more public relation. If you are rich and don't know what to do with your money, there are plenty of opportunities to help. Chesed organizations or Rabbi Mordechai Machlis, for instance. The latter organizes Shabbatot at his house in Jerusalem and I have been trying to do some advertising for him because he is honest in his doings.

The problem with fundraising is always that there are people working for someone else (raising the funds) who also want to get paid. Hardly anyone is doing that kind of job as a volunteer because everyone needs an income. However, when you are an institution or a Rabbi looking for donations, those people working with you ask for their share. Usually a firm percentage of the donation amount.

Let's say you donate 100 Dollar to someone, then the fundraiser receives a commission. Thus, the person who actually needs the money gets less due to the fundraiser's commission. The question is if this is fair. Other people working for people in need talking their own share ?

Within the past months I have been making some advertising for chesed institutions / rabbis in need of money. I only do this for honest organizations but I have had the experience lately, that more and more companies / fundraisers involved try to cheat. Let's say an institution in need of funds orders a company to do some commercials or send out PR letters. This is how it usually works but what is bothering me, and I am very much disgusted by that, is that those connected companies suddenly start sending out donation letters as well. And not only that but especially to those donors donating to the person they are working for. The companies claim in their newsletters that all of this would be on behalf of the person they are working for but this is a lie. The marketing companies' only goal is to get money into their own pockets by using their customer who is actually paying them for sending out his advertising.

As soon as I am making fundraising advertising for a private person, I am receiving e - mails from people who are connected to this person because they all want their share. I would rather wish that the money I am donating is going directly to the person in need and not to some greedy middleman who is living on the expenses of the person in need.

It looks to me as if today some people are too lazy to work and thus start looking for donation victims. "I organize your donations and you pay me 10%".

Maybe this is the way it works today but I am just wondering if such parasites are not ashamed of themselves. And don't send me any more e - mails asking for help on behalf of a needy but move your behind and look for a job !

How do I get closer to G - d ?

B"H

"How do I get closer to G - d ?" is one of the major question in life.

How should I do that ? Actually I don't know Him (G – d) at all. At least not the side of G – d one can see, smell, touch, understand or build a relationship you usually do with other people.

Officially it says that we should keep the Mitzvot (Gentile the Seven Noachide Laws and Jews the Torah laws) as well as pray. Then we would have a relationship with our creator.

And how does this work ?

Do I love G – d or do I fear Him ?

In case I don't do what He wants from me, I may be punished by Him.

What kind of a relationship is this supposed to be ?

If you look around for an appropriate way to find yourself getting closer to G – d, you may notice a vast amount of literature on the subject. Each author is giving you his recipe in order to succeed. To tell you the truth: When I read those books, they didn't help me at all. Eventually you will come to the conclusion that every individual has his or her own way approaching G – d. "Finding the way" can turn into a lifetime task. Who, after all, is able to confirm to me that my way is the right way ? How am I supposed to know all that ?

Where actually lays the root of our fear of G – d ?

Within our human intellect because deep inside of us we know what is right and what is wrong. Do we act against G – d, our intellect is pushing the alarm button and it is up to us whether we listen to it or not.

Chassidic literature teaches us that G – d punished His creations because of love. First of all He wants to put a person back onto the right path. On the other hand, G – d punishes people in order to prevent from them even a worse punishment in Olam Habah (or before getting there). G – d just doesn't find any pleasure in punishment but acts like a parent towards a child.

The Chabad founder Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi (Tanya, Likkutei Amarim 43) said that there is no wisdom without fear of G – d. If someone is starting to fear G – d due to His powers and uniqueness then the person will find the best conditions for keeping the Torah Mitzvot. This level of fear would be a higher level, as the person is becoming aware of G – d surrounding and sustaining all of His creation.

And how does that help me now ?

The Baal Shem Tov suggested the following:

Someone needs to be constantly aware of G – d being close to him. He (G – d) surrounds me every second. Without any break. Thus, G – d is turning into the focus of my life and He is always there. If I want Him or not.

Our soul has an unconditional love for G – d and this is one of the best conditions for getting closer to Him. However, there are so many other things in our environment that many times we forget about Him. We start telling ourselves that we don't really need Him. We live, so what !

But how about when I seriously start searching for G – d but always fail ? Then counseling literature may not be of any help.

One thing you should avoid is sitting down and forcing yourself to find a closeness NOW. You simply cannot force it.

On the other hand it can happen that we are on the right track but don't even notice it. Rabbi Nachman of Breslov constantly repeated the concept of "Hitbodedut". Once a day, a Jew should withdraw himself from society and go into a room or a forest in order to talk to G - d. Alone and tell G – d your feelings or whatever you like.

And if I don't know what to tell G – d ?

So, tell G – d that you don't know what to say.

Pray that He enables you to pray !

Existence -קיום

Sitting at a Bar: Is this only the Yetzer HaRah ?

Photo: Tapuz

B"H

As soon as you get off the bus in Jerusalem you hear Torah. Not constantly and not at any place but you do hear it.

I heard it last Friday afternoon when I walked out of the Central Bus Station and was waiting for a local bus taking me to the Machane Yehudah Market. Some young American Yeshiva guys passed me and they seemed to be deeply involved in a Parasha talk.

Having something completely different in my mind, the Parasha talk reminded me of my first Yeshiva (seminary) steps. Actually my very first steps were some basic Jewish classes (litvish as well as chassidic) later leading to the AISH HATORAH "Discovery" programme. Let alone further classes at the "ESSENTIALS" (also run by AISH). Not all beginner classes teach you Halachot and what you have to do. Seeing the huge amount of Mitzvot may scare people away. Just strangle them and threats that G - d will punish you by not being observant can cause you to run away.

Many programmes though start teaching "philosophy". Making you aware of why you were created. Why are you here in this world and what is your task. Is there a task at all or everything happened just by accident ?

Those programmes will prove you in detail that nothing happens by accident. There is a G - dly masterplan and we (especially the Jews) have to follow it. This is the reason for our creation and entire being. G - d wants us to do something. To carry out Mitzvot and to search for our task in life.

Haredi groups, in particular strict chassidic groups, even go a step further. They develop their own internal rules the members must keep. The Rebbes teach that if you don't follow Torah and the rules of the group, G - d may punish you. Let alone the group itself.

All this gives you the feeling that your whole life is just a huge Mitzvah box. No thinking, no freedom and no personality but rules, Mitzvot and giving up yourself in order to function. This is the reason why you were created.

When those Yeshiva guys were passing me at the bus stop, I was in the middle of my own thoughts: "Where am I in G - d's masterplan ? Not only me but my existence, my personality ?

Does my entire life consist of following rules and if not, am I doomed to punishment ?"

There is a great difference between those Haredim who were born into society and Baalei Teshuva. As a Baal Teshuva you are either getting so terribly carried away and just jump into religion or you jump but still remain questioning. Many born Haredim don't ask but just do. "This is my duty, those are the rules, this is what G - d wants from me !"

I am just having a problem with the idea of living in and with a society. A society where the individual doesn't count. Where the entire existence stands for following the way of the masses.

Sudden Baalei Teshuva giving up themselves, their "ME" in order to fulfill their task in life.

But what about myself ?

Why did G - d create me with a personality when I don't really need one because He shows me the way ? Was I only created this way in order to live off my "Free Will - Bechirat Chofshit" ?

I think that there is so much more about life. Developing freedom but still fulfilling Mitzvot. A totally secular friend of mine once said that "following Mitzvot or rules and living in a frum society is a sign of people who are not able to manage their own lives". "Those people would need guidance because otherwise they couldn't make it".

In a way, my friend is right.

In the long run, getting overwhelmed is never such a positive way. After a while you may loose your excitement and then start questioning whether you are still a person or a robot.

G - d gave us this world in order to enjoy it. Enjoy it in a moral and Mitzvah frame.

Being religious doesn't mean giving up oneself !

Wanna have Fun ?

B"H

Haredim are actually human beings, believe it or not. Once I heard from Rabbi Motti Berger (Aish HaTorah) that humans were created in order to have pleasure in this world. Enjoy the world but don't forget the Mitzvot. However, G - d created this world for pleasure and we should enjoy His creation.

Enjoying life doesn't mean to dump religion and G - d !

Nevertheless, there are quite a few Haredim who dream about "normal" pleasure. Just go out, dance and without any society rules chasing after them. Just being yourself and not another brick in the haredi wall. Find out about your own personality and simply enjoy life.

However, not too many Haredim can openly do so but are forced to hide. It is not a secret that for many years, various Haredim have been going out especially on Thursday nights. Taking off the haredi dress, putting on something else and go into a bar to have fun. Okay, not always too modest but sometimes in life you feel like doing something otherwise you would go insane.

Here is one example of doing so:

HAARETZ

Haredim going out once a week in order to keep their balance on all the other days of the week.
 
Is there anything wrong being human ?

About finding an apartment in Tel Aviv

B"H

If you want a taste of Gehinnom, start looking for an affordable apartment in Jerusalem; or even worse - in Tel Aviv.

The first and most important thing you need is MONEY. An income. The higher the better.
Today, Tel Aviv landlords are not ashamed of asking you if your job is secure or if you are facing any danger of loosing it due to the worldwide recession.

Why your wife is at home and not working ? Does she have problems or can you simply afford letting her stay at home ?

Here are some further descriptions:

http://cgis.jpost.com/Blogs/guest/entry/apartment_hunting_in_tel_aviv

Some years ago, I looked at an apartment in Petach Tikwah (near Tel Aviv) and my potential flatmate thought that I am too thin because she was fat.

Maybe I would have a better chance today, as I did put on some (unfortunately) weight but not as much as her (Baruch HaShem !).

Searching for an apartment in Jerusalem wasn't any better. I was looking for religious but still open - minded roomates but somehow ended up looking at flats with females who didn't want ONE guy in the apartment. No secular books such as novels and no walking around dressed immodestly. Not even on your way from the room to the toilet - in case of emergency at night.

If you are looking at the moment, dress properly and don't be on a diet !

Boiling Heat

B"H

Why talk about the weather ? Sounds just like some English guys are standing together and start their usual subject.
These days, however, our lives are (again) influenced by weather. As soon as we step outside, we start sweating and loose any kind of energy we had before. Instead, we only sweat and think about taking another shower.

Yesterday and today, Jerusalem suffered from a heat wave of 38 degrees Celsius. I have no idea how much this is in Fahrenheit but it should be at least about 90 F. Tel Aviv was basically the same but, additionally, suffers from a high percentage of humidity. Walking in the streets feels like walking into a green house.

Today I have had the privilege of "enjoying" both cities. In the late afternoon I was teaching some children in Jerusalem and then went back to Tel Aviv. The trip back went fast, as the highway was almost empty.

Israeli license plate

The forecast says that temperature is going down in the course of the day tomorrow. I just wonder how people in biblical times dealt with that kind of heat without any air condition or a fridge.