Thoughts on being Jewish

For the past few months, I've been quoting from the eminent Lubavitcher (Hasidic) rabbi (may his memory be a blessing), Rabbi Schneerson, who while living, strongly effected everyone who came to see him in Brooklyn, NY. He was the Chief Rabbi of an outreach movement - Chabad - with "houses" all over the globe. You might recall that during the Mumbai massacre, the Chabad House in Mumbai was directly targeted; four murdered, leaving a heroic nanny and her two year old charge alive. Though steeped... Sign in to see full entry.

While speaking to a group of children about the relationships between Jews and non-Jews Rabbi Menachem Schneerson said, "Don't be afraid of the other person because he is different from you. There is far more in common between any two human beings than there are differences. As for the differences, think of them as the hooks that hold us together. Differences are the thing we have most in common." Sign in to see full entry.

We all have our animal inside. The point is not simply to muzzle that animal but to harness its power. To determine what sort of an animal this is and what can be done with it. A sheep for example is easily domesticated and doesn't care to hurt anyone while an ox may kick and gore. But did you ever see a sheep plow a field? One man carries rocks for a living - give him emeralds and all he sees are more rocks. Another carries diamonds with devotion and care. Give him the emeralds and he exclaims... Sign in to see full entry.

Another gem from Rabbi Schneerson; Self pity is nothing less than an impulse to destroy your own self. And this is its script, "This is the way I'm made. These are the facts of my situation. It's bad. Worse than anybody else in the whole world. In fact, it's so bad, it's impossible to do anything about it. And therefore, I'm free from any responsibility to clean it up. Nobody can blame me for anything." Self pity is a liar and a thief. A liar because everyone is granted the power to clean up his... Sign in to see full entry.

Written from Israel by Rabbi Boaz Heilman; The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem is so called because of a rock or stone that now lies centered precisely under the mosque’s golden dome. It is the Foundation Stone. According to Moslem legend, this is the very spot--the third holiest place on Earth for Moslems-- where the prophet Mohammed stood when he rose to heaven to receive Allah’s message. In Christian thought, this rock is a gateway to the spiritual world; plumbing its depths leads to the... Sign in to see full entry.