People uphold humility like its the most laudable of virtues. I think its overrated. I’ve seen people feign humility to the point that it’s sickening.
concentration
{acp _pattern 248}{acp top-intro/}Focus on each task with intensity as if it were a work of art.Concentration is a state of mind mastery where one can take a task or a moment and be immersed and involved in it without distraction. Concentration does not ignore others; rather, it is intense focus to achieve solutions, ideas, and finished products in the midst of daily life. Concentration is vital for our work, projects, aspirations, and the growth of our own souls.Suggested practices:
- Turn your phone off and or tablet/computer for 1 hour while doing a task to avoid distraction and to fully invest yourself.
- Commit to one day of technology free (phone, radio, television, computer, tablet) living in order to concentrate on spiritual, home, or other matters/tasks.
- Find something you have been avoiding doing and see it through to completion. Be fully engaged with whatever this is in all manner of detail{acp /top-intro}
{acp top-image images/stories/middot/25-concentration.jpg}{acp print-version print/W25-concentration.pdf}{acp quotes-cat 548}{acp meditation-cat 549}{acp torah-cat 550}{acp mesorah-cat 551}{acp besorah-cat 552}{acp daily-cat 553}{acp daily-cat-intro-count 1}{acp besorah-cat-intro-count 1}{acp stories-cat 554}{acp accounting-cat 555}{acp podcast-cat 263}{acp _end}
awareness
{acp _pattern 248}{acp top-intro/}Open eyes, open ears, open mind, open heart.Awareness is seeing and knowing what is happening in your locale, the world, and within yourself. It is a constant state of being connected to humanity, your soul and Hashem. Awareness breeds concern and helps to refine the other middot.Suggested practices:
- Try and notice 3 new things on your daily commute (sign, tree, house, etc…) that you haven’t noticed before.
- Become aware of your breathing when you are driving or performing tasks. Do you tend to hold your breath? Practice active awareness with your breath this week, being conscious of full breaths.
- Find a way to engage in a local event that you normally don’t attend so you can become more aware of your local community.{acp /top-intro}
{acp top-image images/stories/middot/24-awareness.jpg}{acp print-version print/W24-awareness.pdf}{acp quotes-cat 540}{acp meditation-cat 541}{acp torah-cat 542}{acp mesorah-cat 543}{acp besorah-cat 544}{acp daily-cat 545}{acp daily-cat-intro-count 1}{acp besorah-cat-intro-count 1}{acp stories-cat 546}{acp accounting-cat 547}{acp podcast-cat 262}{acp _end}
accepting compliments
taking responsibility
the responsibility hot potato
Responsibility has become a sort of hot potato in our times. We want others to take lots of it, and we don’t want to take any ourselves.social responsibility
His chesed is always there!
chesed and the Passover Lamb
Among messianic Jews, much has been said concerning the parallels between the sacrifices of the paschal lamb and that of Yeshua. After all, the paschal lamb was the essential sacrifice which God commanded the children of Israel to make before liberating them from bondage to the Pharaoh of Egypt and bringing them to Sinai where they would enter into a covenant of service to Him.
do a chesed
the goldilocks principle
The Shema is a most wholesome exhortation of moderation. If we examine what it is saying, at the very beginning and core, it is commanding us to love Hashem in a few different ways. And those ways, if we do them, will help us to love Him in the best and balanced way. Without the complete embodiment of heart, soul, and might, we would fail miserably in our attempt to love Hashem.
moderation in interaction
two sides of the same coin
with all your resources
Travel always provides lots of opportunities for practicing the middot—standing in a TSA security line is ideal for developing patience; staying strapped into a narrow seat on a crowded plane is perfect for equanimity; and there are boundless opportunities for humility. On my latest trip I had a chance to learn about the middah of generosity.
time and generosity
silence versus tune-out
enthusiasm… real or put on?
an enthusiastic word
as little children
Young children tend to be the most enthusiastic people…ever. With regards to energy, they are also quite well off. Whether the energy fuels the enthusiasm or vice-versa is hard to tell but one thing is for sure, the two are inseparable. A part of it has to do with the fact that life is significantly “newer” for children than adults.
