equanimity
rabbi russ resnik
equanimity and adrenaline

A few years ago, I took up rappelling, the art of descending sheer cliffs by rope and harness, so that we could explore the red-rock canyons of Southern Utah. After I had begun to learn the basics, Steve, our guide, said to me, “You’re one of those people who wants to speed up when your adrenaline starts to flow.”

equanimity and adrenaline
loving-kindness
rabbi russ resnik
fairness or freebie?

Some things in life have to be earned, and some things cannot be. We can earn respect and reputation by our behavior, but sometimes we need help, or forgiveness, or just a break, that we haven’t earned and don’t deserve. And we can also give to others gifts they don’t deserve and don’t have to earn. That sort of undeserved kindness is captured by the word Hesed, often translated as lovingkindness.

fairness or freebie?
adaptability
rabbi russ resnik
age and adaptability

The other day I had coffee with Hal, the father of one of our chavurah members. He had just written his second novel, this one based on his amazing experiences as a Jewish-American soldier fighting the Nazis in World War II. We got together to talk about his book.

age and adaptability
silence
rabbi russ resnik
authentic listening

One of the current terms of religious discussion that I’ve grown to suspect is “spirituality.” I’m tired of hearing people say, “I’m not religious; I’m spiritual,” which often means I don’t have any outward signs of religious or transcendent life, but, trust me, I possess many lofty sentiments.

authentic listening
loving-kindness
rabbi russ resnik
chesed in action

Chesed or loving-kindness is an essential human attribute, but it’s first of all a divine attribute. If we want to cultivate chesed, we should pay attention to how Hashem exercises it. And God’s chesed is on display at the conclusion of the Haftarot of Comfort, the passages from Isaiah that we read during this period between Tisha B’av and Rosh Hashanah.

chesed in action

quotes

from the mussar masters

art-pearls

“One who acquires understanding loves his soul, guarding understanding to find good.” --Proverbs 19:8

 “Of Your precepts I speak and I look at Your paths. I occupy myself with Your statutes, I will not forget Your word.” --Psalms 119:15

“Ready my steps in Your word, and do not let any iniquity dominate me.” --Psalms 119:133

“Whosoever possesses these three qualities belongs to the disciples of Abraham our father: a generous eye, a humble spirit, and a meek soul.” --Avot 5:22

“Cursed is he who misleads an undiscerning person.” --Deutoronomy 27:18

Regarding the cleanliness of language, it is said: “The throne [of the Mashiach] will be established with benevolence and he will sit on it through truth.” – Isaiah 16:5

“Who is courageous? One who conquers his inclination.” --Avot 4:1

“Envy, lust and the [pursuit of honor] remove man from the world.” --Avot 4:21

 

from the mussar masters

art-pearls

Hillel says, "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, who am I? If not now, when?" – Avot 1:14

“He who has not yet ruled over his evil inclination is like one lost along the paths [of the maze] unable to differentiate between them.” – The Path of the Just, Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto

“Commit your way to Hashem, rely on Him and He will act. He will bring forth your righteousness like a light, and your justice like the high noon.” – Psalms 37:5-6

“Align the course of your feet, and [thereby] all your ways will be corrected.” – Proverbs 4:26

“Generally, one must be content to rely on logic and make his determination based on probability. Moreover, one must reach his logical decisions quickly, for most situations require alacrity so that the opportune moment does not pass.” – Rabbi M.M. Lefin of Satanov, Cheshbon HaNefesh

from the mussar masters

art-pearls

“Align the course of your feet, and [thereby] all your ways will be corrected.” – Proverbs 4:26

“If a person in need of discipline is obstinate and resistive, he may suddenly crumble, and there will be healing for him.” --Proverbs 29:1

“One who deals responsibly and truthfully with others and with whom the souls of others are at ease, it is as if they have fulfilled the entire Torah. --Mekhilta on Exodus 15:26

“In all your ways know Him and He will align your paths.” --Proverbs 3:6

“It is good to give charity before praying.” --Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 92:10

“Only he who prepares prior to Shabbat eats on Shabbat." --Talmud, Avodah Zara 3a

“All your actions and possessions should be orderly – each and every one in a set place and set time. Let your thoughts always be free to deal with that which lies ahead of you.” – Rabbi M.M. Lefin of Satanov,  Cheshbon Hanefesh

“Fish die when they are out of water, and people die without law and order.” --Talmud

from the mussar masters

art-pearls"Woe to the pampered one who has never been trained to be patient. Either today or in the future he is destined to sip from the cup of affliction."  -- Rabbi M. M. Leffin, Cheshbon ha-Nefesh

"Slowness to anger [shows] much understanding, but a short-spirited person elevates foolishness." -- Proverbs 14:29 Stone Tanach

"The key to everything is patience.  You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it."  -- Arnold H. Glasgow 

"Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears."  -- Barbara Johnson

"Patience is not passive; on the contrary, it is active; it is concentrated strength." -- Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton

"Perseverance prevails even against Heaven." -- Talmud, Sanhedrin 105a

"A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but the slow to anger calms a dispute." -- Mishlei 15:18

"Experience has taught me this, that we undo ourselves by impatience. Misfortunes have their life and their limits, their sickness and their health." -- Michel de Montaigne

"I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me and heard my cry." -- Tehillim 40:1

"Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the LORD." -- James 5:10

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." -- Ephesians 4:2