He (Rabbi Tarfon) used to say: It is not your duty to finish the work, neither are you at liberty to neglect it. Pirkei Avos 2:16 Today I had planned to go out on my biweekly shopping trip. I’m doing my best to keep my shopping (and, indeed, all my going out of the house)… Continue reading One Thing At A Time
“Im ein ani li, mi li? Aval im ani rak l’atzmi, ma ani?” “If I am not for me, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, what am I?” -Hillel (Pirkei Avos 1:14) We all have own strengths, the things that come naturally to us, that we might even excel… Continue reading Being Your Own Advocate
It’s beautiful out today. This is even nicer considering the amount of rain we’ve had here for the past few weeks (a lot). So, we went for a walk, ran an errand and played at a playground. It was really enjoyable and relaxing. I appreciated being able to walk with my boys without the pressure… Continue reading Torah Tuesdays: Do it now
I’d like to thank my toddler for napping and my baby for entertaining himself, which is how I had time to write today’s Torah Tuesdays post. Boys, you’re the best! I was looking at some notes I took from a class on Koheles (Ecclesiastes) that I took with Rebetzin Heller, back in the day when… Continue reading Torah Tuesdays: Choose who you become
We’ve been having some off days over here. The sink’s been broken since Motzei Shabbos, and it has remained broken despite my, and my landlord’s, best efforts at fixing it. A professional is coming tomorrow morning. The kitchen is a disaster. I still haven’t caught up on laundry since returning from our trip to Memphis,… Continue reading Torah Tuesdays: Even when you don’t feel like it
Sometimes it seems like life moves so quickly that I miss opportunities in the rush of the daily grind. Like making that phone call to a friend who I know is lonely. Or apologizing for a potential slight inadvertently caused. Or sending a thank you card for a kindness done a few months ago. In… Continue reading Torah Tuesdays: Better Late than Never
“If you’re using bitachon when you should be using hishtadlus, that’s not real bitachon.” – heard at Neve. One of my posts in late December prompted a great discussion with my friend, Sarah, which made me think a little bit about the concept of hishtadlus. This past Shabbos, in Zman magazine, I read an amazing… Continue reading Torah Tuesdays: An “A” for Effort
Nope, not talking greenhouse gas emissions here. This is more along the lines of the cultural environment we find ourselves living in. This post was inspired by Rebbetzin Heller’s (usually) weekly email to Neve alumni. This week’s letter was entitled “Upward from Depravity,” referencing to this week’s parsha, where the Jews are living in Egyptian… Continue reading Torah Tuesdays: the Environmental Factor
Toddlers are like little mp3 players (I was going to say parrots, but I thought I would be more high-tech with the analogy): They record everything they hear and repeat it. Little Man is getting very, very good at repeating things. It’s both exhilarating and terrifying. This new phrase of his reminds me of a… Continue reading Torah Tuesdays: A Watchful Eye
Rivki Silver ~ thoughts & music 