Teaching Despite Himself
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He alone knows what he has done with life. In the privacy of his own home, he
looks in the mirror and sees himself. And from head to toe, things are not good.
So he says, "I should teach others? I should provide
guidance?!"
And we tell him, yes, because if your soul has come to the world at this time, that is its purpose. For we live in
a time when all those who know alef must teach alef and those who
know what comes after alef must teach that too.
And G-d Above who formed you and placed you in these times knows with a complete knowledge who you are and what you are capable of accomplishing.
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Latest Comments:
Whenever a Jew asks me a question, I tend to give a detailed answer-- so much and so often so, that my wonderful wife will say, "Can't you ever give a simple answer to a simple question?" to which I respond, "Well, it's complicated..."
Alef means:
--The first of the 10 Commandments, a silent letter, thereby including the essence of all the mitzvote to follow, and teaching us that we can learn Torah, not only from the letters of the text, but from the silences between the words and letters-- Torah is, after all, written with letters of black fire on parchment of white fire;
--In its shape, the alef resembles a Jew (or any human being) walking along, lifting her arms up to G-d in supplication and prayer;
--It resembles "aluf," or "champion, chieftain," referring to the heads of the Israelite tribes, but possibly extending its meaning to any Jew who strives to learn and practice Torah. We can all, each in our own way, be champions of G-d.
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Alef stands for the first most simple thing you have learned. Whatever it is, if it has meaning to you, share it with others.
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I would like to know what alef stands for.
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Well said. For to say that we have no specific reason for being here, is to say that G-d acts without purpose; and this is not the G-d I have come to fear. As Al Mighty, he controls every molecule that that is manifest and unmanifest and surely upon the awareness of this, the individual must take it upon himself to magnify HIM. Through teaching these things, the individual increases the sphere of dominion of this concept, thus extending the dominion of the Crown in the hearts of men.
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The question "Should I teach others?" is naively asked as if one had a choice. All of our behavior --nonverbal as well as verbal-- is instructive. We sometimes instruct as examples of, e.g., what to do, how to live, or how to be right with G-d. At other times we instruct as non-examples. Indeed, we could be described as walking, living, and breathing proverbs or anti-proverbs at any given point in time. Which we chose is our only real choice.
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Even on a bad day, no one knows where the influence of the teacher will end. Limud goreret limud-- learning leads to learning, and teaching to teaching.
What is most dangerous is being misunderstood-- and so, keep it simple! Don't confuse those to whom you speak-- and don't pretend that you have all the answers. Leave some truth for your students to discover, even if you think that you know all the possible questions and answers already.
And, above all, don't lord it over your students. Moshe Rabeinu was an effective teacher because he was modest and humble. Don't you be arrogant and all-knowing.
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This was just perfect today. G-d alone is our judge and so we do our best to glorify Him.
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I need this today of all days.
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