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Chabad.org » Spirituality » Essays » Cold Soup

Cold Soup



Imagine, a couple gets married, and the man says to his new wife, "Would you make me something to eat, please? I'll be right back." She begins preparing. The guy comes back 3300 years later, walks into the house, up to the table, straight to his favorite chair, sits down and tastes the soup that is on the table. The soup is cold

16 Comments Posted
Reader Comments
Posted: Sep 10, 2007
Best article ever written!
I think I'm going to read this so many times till I know it by heart and internalize it!

Perfect 10.

Thank you Rabbi Friedman
Thank you Rebbe
Thank you Jewish People
Thank you G-d!
Posted By Andy Rubin, Saber Springs, CA

Posted: May 12, 2008
Cold Soup
This is a beautiful article. It is clever and uplifting, I want to re-read to tell it to my children. My kids are in Orthodox school but as a familiy we are 'not very religious' just as in your article. Or may - be 'not yet very religious'.

Posted By Alla, Boston, MA

Posted: Oct 24, 2008
What a crock
Twist and turn anything into what you want it to mean just like a politician. Except you these rationalizations to try to capture people's brains. Politicians just want our money.
Posted By Abby, Athens, NY

Posted: Jan 29, 2009
cold soup...
rabbi, you hold the spirit of the day in your hand......such insight!!!!!
Posted By dg

Posted: Feb 3, 2009
Cold Soup
Dear Rabbi Friedman,
I think that we should throw out that old cold soup and make some new steaming hot soup. Bring out the finest dishes and polish the best silverware until it shines so to see our own reflections. Bring out the lamps and fill them with oil. But before this we need to buy some new clothes. Lot's of preparations, but so little time.

Then, we wait -for that is what he told us to do - expectantly and thankfully.

3300 years is nothing relative to an eternity.

Perhaps it wouldn't have taken so long if we had clued in the first place - perhaps 40 years might have been 40 days instead?
Posted By dwb, Foxboro, Canada

Posted: Feb 3, 2009
The emperors new clothes
I have spent my life listening to the preaching of those who are supposed to be wiser than me. They certainly are older. I guess it is like the emperors new clothes. Truth doesn't matter. If enough people believe, that makes it real? Where is the evidence? Point to one thing that exists outside of someone's mind. I would like to believe too but I need something more than words.
Posted By Abby, Athens, NY

Posted: Feb 3, 2009
Re: The emperors new clothes
Try looking with your heart, not your head.

David was a man after G-d's own heart - why was that? Abraham was a "friend" of G-d - why was that?

What is wisdom anyway?

Why don't you ask Him instead of others?
Posted By dwb, foxboro, Canada

Posted: May 11, 2009
This is amazingly deep stuff, and did you know that the Rabbi is NOT speaking in parables here?
Posted By Steve, Malta

Posted: May 11, 2009
rabbi friedman.....SUCH PHILOSOPHY...

couldn't be said more plain!!!!!!!.....sending this to my grand-daughter....
Posted By dg

Posted: June 30, 2009
Great Point!
Thanks!
Posted By Meira, League City

Posted: July 30, 2009
Bowl of Soup
That bowl of soup is like the Cup of Elijah we set out at the Seder. The kids will all shout that yes, a little bit of the wine is gone, Elijah must have been here! You know what, sometimes we look and see that a little bit of the soup is gone - so the husband has been back, only the wife missed it. We need people like the Rebbe to show us when the soup is being eaten. Or to get us ready for the moment when the husband will march through the door triumphantly, ready to take back his bride. And her soup.
Posted By Judy Resnick, Far Rockaway, NY

Posted: July 31, 2009
Amaizing! heart warming
Posted By S, brooklyn

Posted: July 31, 2009
abbeys' post from athens n.y.
abbey.....i'm sure you're aware of truth being only someones opinion....so, discontinue looking for truth....there ain't no such thing....truth is only a position someone stands tall before....
Posted By Anonymous, monroe, ny

Posted: Aug 2, 2009
cold soup
To Anonymous from Monroe; Your comment is very interesting but I don't really get what you're saying. It is almost contradictory. Please explain further.
Posted By abby, Athens, NY

Posted: Aug 3, 2009
truth.......
empirically speaking, only from experience, truth is the safest lie.....the gathering of all information leads me to believe that there is no such thing as real truth, only opinion and deductive knowledge.....i look at a question that seems true..and question it...
Posted By dg, 07446

Posted: Aug 3, 2009
Truth
You sound like one of the rabbis arguing the existence of god. So tell me do you exist?
Posted By Abby, Athens, NY

 


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