Similar is generosity, which is the middle between stinginess and wasteful extravagance.
behold!
A man rushed into shul to hear "Kedusha." In the process, he stepped on a another man's shoes and made them dirty. After the prayer, Reb Yisroel asked the man over to a corner of the shul. In private, he told him he must apologize to the other man. Although Kedusha is a great mitzva, any mitzva is canceled if doing it harms another person.
laid back enthusiasm
turn up the heat
your Honor...
Today was no ordinary day. It was my mitigation hearing for speeding in a school zone. Yeah, I know what you are thinking. Really? Well, given it was a construction zone, poor sign placement, not normal hours for speed reduction, not having traveled down the road except for 2 times, I had my reasons.
winter 2011 mussar kallah recordings
Introduction: Rav Rafael
{mp3}../kallah-winter2011/01-RabbiJason-Intro{/mp3}
Rabbi Russ Resnik Session 1: Obeying the great commandment, Part One
{mp3}../kallah-winter2011/02-RabbiResnik-The-Greatest-Commandment-Part1{/mp3}
The Shema is a central Jewish prayer and statement of faith, but above all it is a commandment. We will consider six ramifications of the Shema-as-commandment and how they shape our practice of Mussar.
Rabbi Russ Resnik Session 2: Obeying The great commandment, Part Two
{mp3}../kallah-winter2011/03-RabbiResnik-The-Greatest-Commandment-Part2{/mp3}
Discussion:
{mp3}../kallah-winter2011/04-RabbiResnik-Discussion{/mp3}
In this session we explore the commandment that Messiah (along with Jewish tradition) describes as inextricably linked with the Shema: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” What does this mean and not mean, and why is the Shema incomplete without it?
Rav Rafael Session 3: Na’aseh v’Nishma
{mp3}../kallah-winter2011/05-RabbiJason-Beatitudes-Study{/mp3}
This session examines the ethical/mussar imperative that Mashiach Yeshua gives us in chapters Matthew 5, 6 and 7 from the DHE and how to concretely apply it to our lives. Yeshua's Mussar teaching from the mount is an allusion to the giving of Torah from Sinai when we said, "All that Hashem has spoken we will do and we will hear [Na'aseh V'nishma]!“ How we do and listen is a reflection of our character development.
Rebbetzin Malkah Session 4: When all you hear is noise
Intro:
{mp3}../kallah-winter2011/06-RebbetzinMalkah-Meditation-Gratidude-Silence{/mp3}
Meditation Exercise & Feedback:
{mp3}../kallah-winter2011/07-RebbetzinMalkah-Meditation-Exercise-and-Feedback{/mp3}
During this session, we will explore the middot of gratitude and silence. In doing so, we will learn how these middot can be used within meditation to help us stop the noise and truly listen to our souls.
honoring Hashem's image
worthy of honor
honor and humility
We usually think of honor as something that is earned. It is an honor to receive a Ph.D. in one’s field, or to be given an award for excellence in a particular area of work. The people to whom we most often give honor are those who have received “honors” for things they have done. This leads to a view that the honor we receive is based primarily on achievement. Yeshua offers a radically different picture of honor.
being even tempered
storms within and without
what do you exalt
putting life in order
There was an office sign that read “a clean desk is a sign of a disturbed mind.” Anyone who has ever battled with a cluttered desk could smile at that statement. Clutter is something that most people deal with at one point or another. Some people confine it to one room, while other people let it overtake every room in their house.
both inner and outer order
order and priorities
a plaque on the wall
a year of gratitude
I’m basing my practice of mussar on the Shema for the next cycle or two. I’m inspired to do this just from learning the Shema more deeply the past few months, and also by some recent reading, including The Year of Living like Jesus by Ed Dobson.forgetful or ungrateful?
and you shall bless Hashem
The Birkat Hamazon, also known as Grace after Meals, is among the most ancient prayers in the Jewish liturgy. Composed of many blessings, depending on holiday, day of the week and what has been eaten, it is comprehensive and thanks Hashem for not only the food but many other blessings at the same time.
