ב"ה

Meaning Behind the Mundane

Flaco the Celebrity Owl
Years of captivity, years without using his natural skills and abilities, didn't stop him from being himself.
The Need to Hit the Refresh Button Every Night
How fortunate we are that G-d, in his abounding kindness, wove the institution of nightly sleep into the fabric of our daily lives!
I Just Crashed the Car
Even though I realize how lucky I am that we all came out unscathed, and that a car can be repaired or replaced, I can’t help but feel a bit frustrated at the cost and inconvenience that I am now facing.
Are You Breathing?
Inspiration from the human body
We need look no further than the processes taking place inside our very own bodies for inspiration.
A Blistering Revelation
For the past three weeks I have been watching the small blister on the top of my middle finger shrink, and observing the healing process, I believe I have made an intuitive discovery.
G-d on Madison Avenue
I tune in to the woman on my left. Apparently, her husband is a work-at-home dad with a knack for blowtorching dinner, and she’s just been informed of his most recent clash with schnitzel. “Oh my G-d!” she shrills.
The Scrabble of Life
A mystical interpretation of the word-lovers' game
I'm convinced that the game of Scrabble was invented by an undercover mystic...
A Fashion Affair
Tonight's attendees are dressed in their finest, in black and white Dior and heels for miles. They say they've come to worship. But are they here to pray to G‑d or have they come to bow to the gods of fashion? Or both?
The Sporting Life
The world is the ball and you and I are the players. Our aim is to get the world to its goal. There will be people trying to prevent us from doing so. Don't let that stop you...
Purim in Prison
Sweet, Hidden and Edgy Purims
The third of my Purim reminiscences is the edgiest of the three. In many ways, it’s as compelling as the original Purim story, although far more ambiguous. In involves a Jewish woman from New York, whom I will call J, awaiting trial in a county jail in Santa Fe.
One of My Forty-Two Journeys
We were separated from the group, and found ourselves paddling somewhat aimlessly down little back areas replete with lilies, and no visible dry land. A deep fear overtook me...
A Sense of Direction
My siblings think it’s bizarre, my mother says it’s pathetic, my friends suppose it’s comical, and frankly—so do I...
A Meeting of Two Souls
Her thoughtfulness changed all that; it turned our causal encounter into a meaningful exchange. I realized that she was a real person and not just a passing prop on the stage of my life...
Why Did I Miss My Flight?
With much time on my hands until the flight, I started playing G‑d, trying to figure out why I had missed my flight; after all, it was the first time in my life that I had made such a mistake . . .
Refresh Rate
Physical reality is like your computer screen. The pictures it displays aren't substantial physical objects, but dynamic images that are being constantly regenerated.
Soldier, Survivor Have Emotional Reunion
"I have traveled thousands of miles without seeing a Jewish child." Then he stooped down, lifted the boy and danced around the room with him. Neither man ever forgot that day...
Potpourri
Take a dish of spiced leaves, aromatic wood-chips and scented dried fruit. Add the pokes, thorns and shakeups which life so suddenly and disturbingly throws at us
A Wedding, a Funeral, and My Baby's Song
"Chana, you are an open-minded woman. How can you brainwash your child like this? At least let her get a little older and think for herself first! Do her first words have to be memorized slogans of faith?"
Do You Know or Do You KNOW?
How many times we do knowingly eat things that are "unhelpful" to our health? How often do we pursue a pleasure, even though we "know" we'll regret it later?
Thanksgiving: A Jewish Perspective
As Jewish citizens of this land, we always look to the Torah for a deeper perspective and additional insight. What light does the Torah shed on the wonderful trait of thankfulness?
Thoughts of an Almost-Homeless Person
What with this and that, my roommate and I both decided it was time to move on. We have till the end of the month. Where will we go?
Wrappings
Decide on a color scheme. Play with texture. Mix and match. Don't be afraid to use your imagination. These gift wrapping tips apply to the gifts of life as well...
Touchdown: An Inspirational Football Game
A stint on the sidelines of a football game gave me the time to contemplate the messages the game is supposed to teach me.
Garbage
Words - like garbage - can fertilize growth, be recycled into something useful, or contaminate your world...
Finding Meaning in the Sandwich Generation
It’s the busiest stage of life, and the easiest time to neglect one’s spirituality. But can we really afford to wait until life slows down?
Love him or hate him, you must acknowledge that he is one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game.
Oscars, Superbowl, Elections & the Year of Purim
There's a pattern here, and it could be leading somewhere.
History works in strange, upside-down ways. Especially lately.
Teachings inspired by Jewish tradition sure to bring meaning to the latest craze
A Rabbi's World Series Meditation
As someone who grew up with baseball, I appreciate the nuances of the game . . .
The One Thing You Need to Do Differently This Thanksgiving
There are three types of thank you.
7 Jewish Ways to Give Thanks
How many of the classic terms and expressions do you know?
The very term Jew (Yehudi) is directly linked to the Hebrew word hoda’ah, which means “thanks.”
Why Does G-d Want Us to Get Frustrated?
The floor was covered with rusty tools and toilet parts, and all I had to show for it was a now empty bag of cookies.
Living the “Perfection-Free” Life
Every time we encounter an imperfection, how shall we view it?