So nicely said. I get the part about not being quite ready for tshuva. “Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow…” But. I went to a lecture last night of Rav Asher Weiss. He said something which maybe helped me a little. He said do tshuva now, in Elul, because these are days of rachamim, mercy. Rosh Hashana is Din, judgement. It’s worth doing it now, rather than later.
Just a tiny thing, I remind myself. Just one tiny thing to improve on.
I'm not sure if your son is still young enough to be at home, but if he is, a good reason to do Jewish stuff even when you're not "feeling" it, is to set an example for him. And it's fine to explain to him that even though you may not be excited about certain obligations right now, you feel it's important to maintain certain traditions anyway. That way, you're not being hypocritical.
Hey hey we’re the monkees. People say we’re monkeying around but we’re too busy singing to put anybody down. Just trying to be friendly… that’s all I remember.
Here’s a question. When people talk about G-d, like in the sense of a drawing, so you think the common response is unknowingly a representation of Zeus?
Why would G-d be an old man with a white beard… kind of random.
Top of my head I think of G-d as avinu malkeinu. Our father, our king.
The drawings are more Heidi’s grandfather/Santa Claus. Doesn’t speak to me.
Do you remember St. Elsewhere? I have the vaguest memories of it. There was one episode where a character has a near death experience and meets G-d. And G-d looks like him, same pale yellow button shirt, same face etc. I guess because it is said that we were made in G-d’s image. That’s more fascinating and relevant to me than a grey bearded version of G-d.
Any visual representation of God by humans would have human form because we necessarily make God in our own image. That is all we can comprehend. Your problem is taking the phrase “in the image of God” literally. God can be understood as a verb. When we show compassion we are acting “in the image of God.” The Torah lists 13 attributes of God. They describe God as compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abundant in kindness and truth, and one who remembers kindness to thousands of generations, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, yet not leaving the guilty unpunished. When we act in accord we are acting in the image of God. I believe that similar ideas can be found Islam and Christianity. If we reason together we can understand each other, and end war. Then we truly will be acting in the image of God. Please subscribe to Self-Evident Truths robert365.substack.com
I'm a believer
Not a trace of doubt in my mind.
That makes my heart soar like a hawk.
So nicely said. I get the part about not being quite ready for tshuva. “Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow…” But. I went to a lecture last night of Rav Asher Weiss. He said something which maybe helped me a little. He said do tshuva now, in Elul, because these are days of rachamim, mercy. Rosh Hashana is Din, judgement. It’s worth doing it now, rather than later.
Just a tiny thing, I remind myself. Just one tiny thing to improve on.
Oh wow, that story of the man and the Chabad rabbi gave me goosebumps. Really beautiful.
I'm not sure if your son is still young enough to be at home, but if he is, a good reason to do Jewish stuff even when you're not "feeling" it, is to set an example for him. And it's fine to explain to him that even though you may not be excited about certain obligations right now, you feel it's important to maintain certain traditions anyway. That way, you're not being hypocritical.
Love the header photo. Very clever.
I remember the Monkees. We used to watch re-runs.
Hey hey we’re the monkees. People say we’re monkeying around but we’re too busy singing to put anybody down. Just trying to be friendly… that’s all I remember.
Here’s a question. When people talk about G-d, like in the sense of a drawing, so you think the common response is unknowingly a representation of Zeus?
Why would G-d be an old man with a white beard… kind of random.
Top of my head I think of G-d as avinu malkeinu. Our father, our king.
The drawings are more Heidi’s grandfather/Santa Claus. Doesn’t speak to me.
Do you remember St. Elsewhere? I have the vaguest memories of it. There was one episode where a character has a near death experience and meets G-d. And G-d looks like him, same pale yellow button shirt, same face etc. I guess because it is said that we were made in G-d’s image. That’s more fascinating and relevant to me than a grey bearded version of G-d.
Any visual representation of God by humans would have human form because we necessarily make God in our own image. That is all we can comprehend. Your problem is taking the phrase “in the image of God” literally. God can be understood as a verb. When we show compassion we are acting “in the image of God.” The Torah lists 13 attributes of God. They describe God as compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abundant in kindness and truth, and one who remembers kindness to thousands of generations, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, yet not leaving the guilty unpunished. When we act in accord we are acting in the image of God. I believe that similar ideas can be found Islam and Christianity. If we reason together we can understand each other, and end war. Then we truly will be acting in the image of God. Please subscribe to Self-Evident Truths robert365.substack.com
My thoughts go to Daniel 7.