Just Wondering...

If the  amount of bends and creases of one's gray matter signify intelligence, it must be a good thing to get lost in thought.

Pesach Cleaning Your Brain

As we frenetically clean for Pesach, I humbly suggest we not neglect our brains, which tend to require the deepest cleaning of all. Grab a feather duster, and shake up that thick layer of dust from the compartments in your brain. I find that a vigorous head banging works great too. When the dust settles and you can finally see what's been stored in there, the fun part begins. A brain, like an attic or storage cellar, will quickly become cluttered if not systematically organized.
Spread before you all of your accumulated thoughts, knowledge, and memories, and assess them carefully. If you have been holding onto unfavorable thoughts and experiences, I sincerely recommend you rid yourself of them immediately. The brain is a precious commodity with limited storage space, so it's best to reserve room for positive reminiscences. You will soon notice that the less negativity you retain, the many more joyful experiences you will be able collect, especially if you are a hoarder of thoughts.
Once the contents have been appraised, clearly sort and label them so that they can be easily retrieved when needed. As you carefully rearrange your brain, take care not to push anything too far back.
Briefly scan you brain for anything you may have missed, and sweep it one last time. You are done. Enjoy the benefit of a well organized head. Conduct this exercise often for optimal functionality.

Advice to the Narcissistic Complainer - Inspired by Shel Silverstein

Eat your heart out for breakfast,
and a piece of you mind for dinner,
I am sure you'll be glad,
eating something you love,
and the benefit of growing thinner.

An Open Letter to the Organizers of BRHS Shabbaton 5772

It is difficult to take rampant thoughts and pin them down, but I will make the effort. I believe that the reaction shows more about the event then can ever be repeated about the event itself and so I will work from there. (Did that make sense? It did in my head.)

I have two images I’d like you to picture. The first one is 400+ girls at a Melave Malka. 50 round tables. Buffet of pasta dishes, salad bar and delicious ice cream. And in the middle of the chaos are five tables with 43 boxes on them. Each box holds raffle tickets with various girls’ names and on the outside is a description of the prize. A typical Chineese auction, right? No. Alongside the description of the prize is an explanation of what’s involved for the winner to receive the prize. A commitment to follow through if you were lucky enough to win and that’s your ticket. 400+ girls studying the booklet intently. Will I be able to do this Hachlata if I win? Oh, that’s something I need to work on, I’ll put in for that. Looking at the Hachlata before the prize.

The second image is an auditorium full of girls. The end of the auction has the prizes for grabs with live bidding. After one girl pledged 40 hours of Chessed for an Apple gift certificate and a second pledged 200 lines of Tanya for a framed picture of the Rebbe, we are up to the flight ticket. It starts at 5 oisios of a Sicha and it goes higher and higher. And higher and higher. And still 30 girls are willing to make this commitment. 30 girls are eager to learn 300 oisios of the Rebbe’s Sichos and are fighting for the privilege!

I cannot begin to describe the whole weekend, because it would take up too much time and space but the climax of the Shabbaton, the Motzei Shabbos event is more than enough to explain the impact. When 400 girls are prepared to make a commitment like that, it is because they were inspired and motivated by learning what that means. They talked, argued and discussed these topics and took it to heart. And for that I am proud, impressed and humbled.

I know this sounds cliché, but I truly believe that the participants gained more in those 72 hours than 4 years of high school as did I.

And these two words are not enough but it'll have to suffice

Thank you

a life lived without transcendence is transient

Last night I was witness to a most tragic conflagration; a car exploded on the parkway. As flames raged wildly, and tires popped in angry bursts, I grabbed my tehillim and prayed for a miracle. We humans are conditioned to think we are immortal and often take life for granted not realizing that our existence is ephemeral. Moments like these to jolt us from our lackadaisical attitudes, and get us contemplating our purpose on earth. Upon learning the occupant perished in the blaze I began pondering the transience of life.

What is life?

This week's parsha discusses Yaakov Avinu's descent to the land of Egypt and the final years of his life. Surprisingly, the parsha is called Vayechi - and he lived. Our sages explain that "Yaakov Avinu lo meis" "Yaakov our father did not die." True life is a spiritual life, a life connected to the Giver of life as it is written: "Veatem hadvaikim baHashem, chayim kulchem hayom," "You who cleave to Hashem, you are all presently living."


Indeed, Yaakov our father typified true existence, he was "a dweller of tents," a student at the yeshivos of Shem and Ever. Although he left his tent of learning to work in the world, Yaakov always made sure Torah, eternal life, would accompany him.

When the Tzemach Tzedek was a small child, he asked his grandfather, the Alter Rebbe, "How can Yaakov Avinu, the greatest of the fathers, experience the best years of his life in the land of Egypt, a land steeped in immorality?" The Alter Rebbe responded that Yaakov sent Yehuda ahead to build life sustaining infrastructure; shuls and yeshivos. When a Jew learns Torah, he connects to Hashem and can truly live and grow even in a despicable place like Egypt.

Rashi explains on the verse "Yaakov our father did not die,"  that "as long as his descendants are alive, he is alive." When we follow in the path of our forefather Yaakov, which is a path of Torah and G-dliness, we merit eternal life and enable Yaakov's spirit to live within us. The Alshich explains that the name Yaakov is the aspect of our forefather that did not depart but remains alive with his children in exile. The word Yaakov, the heel, signifies battling the challenges this physical world.

When we remain steadfast to our faith and do not get influenced by the transient gratifications of this world, we access transcendental and eternal life like Yaakov. Indeed, as we presently find ourselves  "at the heels of Moshiach," we must continue the life of Yaakov by "choosing life." With this avodah we will merit the final redemption, when "death will be permanently eradicated" we will experience everlasting life.

Like stray hairs on an eyebrow, my ideas are many and do not always follow a straight line.

On Telephones and Procrastination

A telephone; this amazing invention that lets you talk to a person even if they’re not directly in front of you. A telephone; this piece of technology that paralyzes you when you use it to talk to someone who isn’t directly in front of you.

There are two sides to everything. The good and the not so good. The phone is great. You can be in touch with your best friend from across the world. You can keep on top of things happening eight states away in real time. The phone is not so great. It puts a cloak of anonymity on every call. It is uncomfortable to talk to someone across the country that you don’t know.

In other words these few paragraphs are a form of procrastination and distraction. Although, this is not causing the phone calls to dial themselves.