There is only one way to bring people closer to Torah, whether your friend, your spouse, your child or a complete stranger.
It is not with rebuke, not with arguments, not with intellectual games—but by drawing them with thick ropes of love, by showing your faith in who they are in word and in deed.
Good 🌻 Morning,
Not too long ago, when many people were bearly making ends meet, they may not have had car insurance, but we had a "friend, or neighbor insurance." When beat-up cars broke down they would call a friend, see a neighbor, or walk to a service station, and ask someone for help. The person may have been poor too, but they got together with another person they knew who had a "rope," and they attached it the car, and "pulled" the car to a safe place until the person could get someone to help them make their "beat-up" car operational again. The Torah tells us that a "3-cord rope" is not easily broken. The 3-cord rope is called "love." Nowadays, we have tow trucks and that's a good thing. We got money and benefits in our pockets, but not much love - "rope". Where has our "love" gone? I feel our "love" is fading.
We who love GD, and know Torah can't let that happen. The poor and needy (even if you are rich) still needs to be pulled with "3-cord" ropes of love to safety. 🕊💜
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What I understand from this is that everyone is a child of G_d and that we should look upon them as such. They will respond better to being treated with respect and dignity then arguments, scorn, distain. If we want them to know the goodness of G_d, we need to show it in words and actions. That doesn't mean a hug if they know it makes both of us uncomfortable. We can find other kind expressions. Reply
Not crazy about the artwork for this Daily Dose but am really feeling the words. A lot. The comments here go back to 2008 and it’s 2020. I am drawn to each of the 8 comments below and wish there was a way to chat about the ideas and see how everyone has been doing. Usually I don’t connect with many of the daily dose comments but on this one I really felt each or your eight viewpoints. May we all be okay. Reply
A truth more powerful than any currently being expressed! Pleasure to see it reaffirmed by one who fully understands.
Thank you!
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there are people whom I live by and attend certain functions with. they like to judge people by color, race. nationality, etc. I do not like these people and I wish nothing to do with them. I am nice to them but it does not mean that I hang around them. what do you think? Reply
Thanks for helping me live better. Reply
To Anonymous in Thornhill, Ont
In my experience acts of love are not bound exclusively to the feeling of love. I also doubt that hugs are useful in every situation considering that my counterpart would probably feel the emptiness of my act or doesn't like to be hugged in that moment.
Acts of love can be divided into positive and negative categories, dos and don'ts. Everybody has to determine the dos and don'ts in every situation in the spirit of loving-kindness.
For example, the behavior of my counterpart arouses strong anger in me. One possible act of love would be to leave the scene, calm down, analyse and pray for inspiration either to avoid or to resolve such a situation or to get used to it. Maybe my perception - of what might be a karmic situation - is worse than what's actually happening. If I'm able to change my own attitude (in the spirit of loving-kindness) and discover even the least step out of the situation I open up a chance to draw all involved closer to ourselves, closer to G-d and closer to a hug.
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true true
So true, that is the message of the Torah isn't it. We are all special and unique and our suffering and strengths are all unique and beautiful and no one has the right to judge anyone.
It has taught me so much compassion for others and for myself.
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Love Pulls the torah is a way of life, its a way of dealing with one another when issues tear at relationships, its a way of looking beyond ones desires or personal ambitions and to look at how ones beliefs contradict the torah and come then to the way of the torah. so the question would then be, how do you bring people closer to the torah who oppose those who oppose their falsehoods and how can one be expected to show faith in who they are when they oppose so much of who you are when your beliefs are unbending nor compromising with that wish is not compatible? are we to do as Anonymous in Thornhill, Ont says and hug with emptiness and fake love simply to tolerate? Reply
When I try to show love for another Jew I can only give empty gestures. I can give the person a hug, I can tell person that I love him but those acts remain empty, without feeling. I can do those things even if the person is not nice even if the person looks like he is intentionally trying to hurt me I can still give the person a hug but the gesture remains without feeling. Perhaps the fact that I could hug a person that I think such things about shows empty my actions are.
Is there anything that I can do to change the way I am?
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Exactly Thank you for so aptly expressing what is in my heart. I have tried to explain before, but have never been able to say it so eloquently as you have. It is a very basic and fundamental truth that we all need to bear in mind as we go about our daily lives, interacting and shining our light to the world. Reply
I try to remember that all people are inherently good because Hashem is within them and everything about Hashem is good. Yet, kelipah can consist of layers and layers which cover and conceal the inherent goodness. Admittedly, it is difficult to “crack” and peel away those husks to see the Divine light of goodness hidden by those husks. We know it’s there and we yearn to see and feel the person’s light begin to peek through. How can we help the person realize this about themselves, especially when that person is so close and dear to us? We can only do our best, based upon the limitations of our own wisdom and knowledge. For the heavy lifting, we must rely on the Good Help of Hashem.