Today is Tisha B’Av.
It’s a solemn day on the Jewish calendar when we commemorate so many terrible events that happened in our history.
We have to remember the lows, but also pray for G-d to bring us ever back to the highs.
Peace, health, prosperity, and happiness.
It all comes from the One Above!
May G-d have mercy on us and bestow only blessings for good times to come. 😉
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Shabbat Shalom from Ms. Cat.
It only takes a day to change from a dog to cat.
Downs and ups of life.
Shabbat is the up, thank G-d! 😉
(Credit Graphic: Andy Blumenthal)
A Smooth Jazz Shabbat Shalom to all!
A little song.
A little dance.
We’re back in the groove.
Thank G-d for Friday, because then comes Shabbat! 😉
(Credit Graphic: Andy Blumenthal)
Beautiful art from a few years ago by my daughter, Rebecca.
Peace, happiness, and life. 😉
(Credit Art: Rebecca Ochayon)
Beautiful Shabbat is almost here again.
A time for rest and rejuvenation.
Each of us has to take care of and nourish our body, mind, and soul.
Wishing everyone a Shabbat Shalom!
Please stay safe and healthy. 😉
(Credit Graphic: Andy Blumenthal)
Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, “Why The Happiness of Purim?“
In a world that is constructed of the story of Purim, everything looks like it’s based on mere happenstance and there seems to be no G-d involved—this is a world of randomness and meaninglessness. Whatever happens, just happens by nature or luck, and what can be more meaningless and depressing than that! Thus, the Rabbis had to decree all the laws for the happiness of Purim, because happiness is not innate to a story that is seemingly happenstance and devoid of G-d. That is the big difference between Purim, where Hashem is hidden, and Passover or Hanukah, where Hashem revealed Himself and made incredible miracles—the 10 plagues and the splitting of the Red Sea or the one day of oil that lasted for eight days.
On Purim, we celebrate our deliverance from the evil Haman and the king’s decree to kill all the Jews, but also we are overflowing with Joy remembering that G-d is always with us—in good times and G-d forbid in the bad times–we are not afraid of anything (another indecisive election, the stock market downturn, our enemies, Coronavirus, etc.) knowing that He loves us and cares for us, and will deliver us in the old days and in the new. May the final deliverance soon be completed with the arrival of the Mashiach—and the hidden will become revealed like on Purim and the joy will be forever increased. Amen.
(Credit Video: Andy Blumenthal and Credit Photo: Minna Blumenthal)
Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, “Uncut Gems Cuts Deep.”
Yesterday, we went to see the new Adam Sandler movie, Uncut Gems….Ratner’s life is full of shlemazel of his own making. While he has a good wife, kids, and extended family (maybe with the exception of his loan shark uncle), a fancy-schmancy home in the suburbs with a newly renovated pool, his own jewelry business that even caters to some big-league sports players, and a shiksa girlfriend on the side (who seems to love him), Ratner is never satisfied or happy and is always pushing for more!
In the movie, Howard Ratner was driven by greed and made bad life choices, and to me, it was a shame that the he was portrayed as a Jew, which can feed the vicious cycle of discrimination and hatred that has often been anchored around money. With the vicious machete attack on Chanukah at a Rabbi’s house in Monsey this week (after a slew of other anti-Semitic incidents, including an attack on a student for wearing a yalmulke on the NYC Subway to beatings and tire slashings of Jews in Brooklyn), we are reminded that there is once again a resurgence of prejudice and hate against Jews, but also that it’s the light of Chanukah that “drives out the darkness,” and that money and materialism are a mere shabby substitute to finding true security and success whether you work in the dense NYC Diamond District or live in the sprawling suburbs of America.
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
“When you keep the Sabbath day, the Sabbath day keeps you!”
(Credit Graphic: Andy Blumenthal)
So I saw a smart video about which are the best jobs.
They are not the ones that just pay the most!
Here are the three criteria to look for in your next dream job (aside from the money):
1) Autonomy – Work that is self-directed provides satisfaction that jobs that are closely or micro-managed do not.
2) Mastery – Jobs that allow you get better at them over time (technical proficiency) provide a sense of mastery and self-respect.
3) Purpose – When you have a deep sense of purpose and meaning from your work there is simply no greater motivator and satisfier than this.
I’d also add that the best places to work are the ones with:
Overall, if we can reconnect the profit motive with the purpose motive then we have truly have the best jobs out there. 😉
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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