blessings | Values & Ethics—Through a Jewish Lens

SUKKOT—Fragility, Fear, and Blessing

Posted by TTT | Sep 19, 2021 | blessings, challenges, holidays |

SUKKOT — Much of what we do tries to instill in our children a sense of security. What a challenge it is when life presents something unexpected to us that shows us how fragile we really are. Life in all its fragility can be difficult. We carry around fears of illness and worse for ourselves or our children or other loved ones. Everyone, at some point in life is faced with this feeling of fragility. The Holiday of Sukkot is all about fragility. A sukkah is a temporary shelter with a roof that allows us to see the sky...

OUR ANCESTORS BEFORE US…

Posted by TTT | Sep 2, 2021 | blessings, family |

NITZAVIM — Many of us approach parenthood as if we and our children were clean slates. As if, with some coaching from our friends and relatives, and a few good books, we can be exactly the kind of parents we wish to be and our children will turn out exactly how we want them to be. But it doesn’t often, or ever, turn out that way. We are heavily influenced by the way we were brought up, as well as by many factors not totally in our control. Our health, our socioeconomic situation, and the health and character of...

BLESSINGS IN DISGUISE…

Posted by TTT | Aug 27, 2021 | blessings |

KI TAVO — Imagine a parent bringing a six-month-old baby to the doctor. The mother looks on while the baby screams and squirms as the doctor pokes and pulls and gives a shot. The same baby grows up and is now a four-year-old at a birthday party; her mother stops her from having that final candy that she knows will make the daughter sick. Although from the child’s perspective the mother may seem very mean, she is in fact acting with the greatest mercy and kindness imaginable. Ki Tavo, this week’s Torah portion, describes a beautiful relationship between man...

DOES GRATITUDE COME NATURALLY?

Posted by TTT | Aug 27, 2021 | blessings, gratitude, responsibility |

KI TAVO — We have many magic moments in our families. There are times for us to appreciate our accomplishments and the people in our lives. Yet gratitude does not come naturally to most people, especially children. “Don’t forget to say thank you!”… Sound familiar? We try to teach our children gratitude. Being reluctant to express thanks is common in children. It is important to help children overcome this resistance. This week’s portion, Ki Tavo, relates the story of a farmer who has successfully produced a new crop. The first fruits have to be selected for a special ceremony...

SHARING WHAT WE HAVE…

Posted by TTT | Aug 27, 2021 | blessings, compassion, gratitude, new challenges, sharing |

KI TAVO — Many of us in this country have an overabundance of goodness in our lives. But sometimes in our society, with its saturation of goods and services, it is difficult to be aware of this abundance. If we have enough to eat, a place to sleep, and clothes to wear, we already have more than many people in the world. Becoming aware of how much we have, we naturally begin to think about what it means to give back to this world from which we’ve so plentifully received. In this Torah portion we are required to take...

Category: blessings

SUKKOT—Fragility, Fear, and Blessing

OUR ANCESTORS BEFORE US…

BLESSINGS IN DISGUISE…

DOES GRATITUDE COME NATURALLY?

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