Make Your Life a Sanctuary for G-d

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called “Make Your Life a Sanctuary for G-d.”In short, everything we do in life should be great, but not for our greatness. Everything that we do should be done with passion and determination, but not for our sakes. We are only here by the loving grace of G-d and for as long as He wills it. In our time here, we need to act in a way that means something beyond our finite, selfish mortal selves and instead be selfless for the purpose of our Creator.

If you lived your life for G-d, for good, and for a greater purpose, then your inner spiritual legacy will live on beyond your years and even your name. If you build a sanctuary for G-d, it will have holiness and permanence not only in this world but, more importantly, in the next.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Rising To Great Heights

When we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us…

We can truly reach great heights!  😉

(Credit Photo: Rebecca and Itzchak)
 

Ten ‘Points to Ponder’

 
Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called “Ten ‘Points to Ponder’.”

My dear father, Fred Blumenthal (ZT”L), like many from his generation, used to read Reader’s Digest. I remember that there was a section called “Points to Ponder,” which I thought was a good title for things that can have a deeper and more profound meaning in our lives. So in this vein, I’d like to share a variety of thoughts that may give you pause to ponder as well.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Great Video on Happiness and The Rat Race

Never Truly Alone

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called “Never Truly Alone.”

Alone, in the quiet.

There is pain, suffering, and loss.

Anxiety and depression.

But wait, there is also faith.

David Slays Goliath

This video clip is totally awesome:

David standing up to and killing Goliath. 

Faith over fear. 

With G-d, anything is possible!  😉

Russia Wins This Hands Down

Russia has so won this conflict, hands down, with Ukraine in their targeting sights and the West demonstrating nothing but weakness. 

They have so intimidated Ukraine that Russia will be able to install a new government in Kyiv or just pull the strings on the puppets in place without ever firing a shot.

Moreover, Ukraine won’t be considered by NATO for membership ever again knowing that Russia will go to the mat over it. 

Scare tactics can work if you carry a big enough gun and have the gumption to hold it to your opponent’s head!  😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Climbing Up, Falling Down

Thought this was insightful.

All paths up are different.

All paths down are the same. 

Climbing up is challenges and we all have to find our determination, strength, and skill to make it up rung after rung on the ladder of life.

Falling down is when the sh*t hits the fan and the walls come crumbling down and we freefall into the abyss.

The key as we usually learn early in life when we take our first falls is to quickly get back up (on the horse). 

Life is never just smooth sailing.

It’s not meant to be. 

You wouldn’t learn or grow if it was. 

Be prepared for the occasional fall from grace, and get your tushy back in the saddle and ride again.  😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Success, Israeli Cuisine Style

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, Success, “Israeli Cuisine Style.”

This notion of success and failure in life makes you think about not only the imperative to be successful in our lives, but also to question what does that success even mean and look like? Is success really the goal or is the journey with its growing pains and lesson learned the real goal towards purifying our souls?

When we read the Ten Commandments, we are reminded of what the foundational elements of success in life actually are all about: How did we treat others (were we compassionate and giving)? Did we behave as Mensch’s in our lives? Did we try our best to do the “right thing” by our fellow man and by G-d? If you can answer in the positive to these latter questions then maybe you have achieved real success, regardless of what any culinary chef or life maven would tell you!

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)