blessings Archives - Values & Ethics

PASSOVER—Is Freedom Free?

Posted by TTT | Apr 7, 2020 | blessings, holidays, rituals |

PASSOVER — Freedom is such an attractive concept to us all. We like the idea of doing what we want, when we want. Often we think that being free of rules, regulations, and requirements are important for us to feel free. Could we be wrong in expecting too much of freedom? What if people did exactly as they pleased, whenever they wanted. Life could get very confusing, complicated, and dangerous. On Passover, we celebrate our freedom from slavery with a Seder. Interestingly the word Seder means order, and our special celebration of freedom starts with 15 steps to follow....

CONSTANTLY FEEDING OUR INTERNAL SPARK…

Posted by TTT | Apr 3, 2020 | blessings, communication, rituals, sharing, teaching moments |

TZAV — Jewish learning is a continuous process of discovering the richness and relevance of our tradition. Many people think learning can stop when school stops. Stopping Jewish studies after 13 is all too common. This week’s Torah portion, Tzav, instructs that a small fire must burn permanently on the Altar represent the desire within each of us to connect to something bigger and higher, just as a fire always reaches upwards. This small flame also reminds each of us that we have a spark to learn and improve within us. It is our responsibility to nurture our spark...

“THNX GOD!!!”

Posted by TTT | Mar 27, 2020 | blessings, communication, gratitude |

VA-YIKRA — In a world of text messaging and twitter, writing a proper thank-you note has become a lost art. We express our appreciation by quickly texting THNX!!! while out-and-about and multitasking on smart phones. In contrast, in order to write a thank-you note you must sit at a desk and have a pen, stationery, and a stamp on hand. You need to write legibly, know your recipient’s street address, and have ample time and quiet to focus on expressing sincere gratitude. Unlike texting, however, sending a thankyou note shows that you are willing to sacrifice precious time to...

CHERISHING WHAT IS BROKEN…

Posted by TTT | Mar 13, 2020 | attitude, blessings, compassion |

KI TISSA — We are each our own harshest critics. It is very easy to see our own flaws and what we could do better. We dwell on things in ourselves that others don’t even notice. But this does not prevent us also from seeing flaws in those around us. Often it is easy to focus on what is not as we would like. But these flaws, like veins in a beautiful gem, are what remind us that we are each unique creations. Imagine how boring the world would be if we were all perfect and no butterfly were...

WHAT IS INSIDE US IS MOST IMPORTANT…

Posted by TTT | Feb 28, 2020 | blessings, gratitude, new challenges, self care |

TERUMAH — As we grow, we are trying to develop ourselves. We spend time on how we look, the styles we like, and how we wear our hair. Often we spend more time on what is outside us than what is inside. This week’s Torah portion Trumah deals with building the sanctuary in the desert. Instructions are clear that the outside should be plain, orderly, neat, and clean but not showy. The inside is clearly the more important place where it is permissible to exhibit the most beautiful decorations and objects. Our bodies are our own sanctuary. Clearly, in...

Category: blessings

PASSOVER—Is Freedom Free?

“THNX GOD!!!”

CHERISHING WHAT IS BROKEN…

WHAT IS INSIDE US IS MOST IMPORTANT…

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