Like many people, I do so much better when there are tangible goals that I have written down and have some level of accountability to. It reminds me of the time that I was in Rabbi Nivin’s Chabura, I was wildly productive then. Also like many people, I often feel like I do not have… Continue reading What I Learned From A Month With My Bullet Journal
It’s t-minus four days (three days?) until Purim! I made a shopping run this morning for some last-minute things. I may or may not need to do another last-last-minute run, but we’ll see. As it stands right now, I’m gearing up to make my shalach manos, to put the finishing touches on some costumes and… Continue reading One Way Purim Improved My Life
When Rivka Malka Perlman asked if I would help spread the word about the upcoming Redemption Retreat, I was all for it. I didn’t know that much about the retreat, but on the surface it seemed like a very nice thing. Well, just watching this five-minute video by Rivka Malka as she gives some background to… Continue reading Need To Recharge? Go To The Redemption Retreat!
Our phone rang immediately after last Shabbos, and when I went to screen the call see who it was, I saw my mother’s cell phone number on the caller i.d. But when I answered, it was my father on the line, which was unusual (I usually call him, and on their land line). He told… Continue reading Why We Don’t Do What We Know Is Good For Us
I heard a story once about someone who was checking the references of a potential suitor. She called the young man’s rabbi and asked him, “Does this person have an anger problem?” The rabbi replied, “I don’t know. He’s never been married.” So, haha, very funny. But seriously, I don’t know if you’ve experienced this,… Continue reading Embracing Imperfection
It was one of those days. It started with some small yet challenging events, but the challenges kept coming, more quickly, and the more they came, the more mistakes I made in dealing with them. By evening, it was like a roaring crescendo of mistakes culminating in one really lousy day. Making so many mistakes… Continue reading When Falling Down Means Going Up
Well, here we are in the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, the ten days in between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. In these days our judgments are hanging in the balance, and we are praying for the best. It’s common for people to step up their mitzvah observance in order to merit a favorable judgment. Some people… Continue reading Torah Tuesdays: Hanging in the Balance
I love it when Torah Tuesdays coincides with Rosh Chodesh! What a treat! Today is Rosh Chodesh Elul. Elul is the last month of the Jewish year. It is the month preceding the high holidays (Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur). It is a month of spiritual accounting and preparation for the upcoming holidays. You may… Continue reading Torah Tuesdays: A Month of Introspection
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, the three weeks, and within them, the nine days, are some of the saddest days on the Jewish calendar. Many of the calamities that have befallen the Jewish people (and oh, have there been a lot of those) originated from events that occurred during this time period. These sad… Continue reading Torah Tuesdays: Speaking well of others
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
Rivki Silver ~ thoughts & music 