Friday, October 23, 2009
Football Day
I don't know what I see when I watch football. It must be something insane, because I should not enjoy it as much as I do. I must be seeing something so personal and so universal that understanding this question would tell me everything I need to know about who I am, and maybe I don't want that to happen. But perhaps it's simply this: Football allows the intellectual part of my brain to evolve, but it allows the emotional part to remain unchanged. It has a liberal cerebellum and a reactionary heart. And this is all I want from everything, all the time, always. - Chuck Klosterman
Good Shabbat
"The most fundamental principle of all is that man must create himself. - Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik, Halakhic Man
"Why was man created last? In order to say, if he is worthy, all creation was made for you; but if he is unworthy, he is told, even a gnat preceded you." - (Bereishith Rabbah 8: 1; Sanhedrin 38a)
"I may attack a certain point of view which I consider false, but I will never attack a person who preaches it. I have always a high regard for the individual who is honest and moral, even when I am not in agreement with him. Such a relation is in accord with the concept of kavod habriyot, for beloved is man for he is created in the image of God." —Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik
"Why was man created last? In order to say, if he is worthy, all creation was made for you; but if he is unworthy, he is told, even a gnat preceded you." - (Bereishith Rabbah 8: 1; Sanhedrin 38a)
"I may attack a certain point of view which I consider false, but I will never attack a person who preaches it. I have always a high regard for the individual who is honest and moral, even when I am not in agreement with him. Such a relation is in accord with the concept of kavod habriyot, for beloved is man for he is created in the image of God." —Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik
Thursday, October 15, 2009
The Beatles
I went out and read the book the other day and pulled out the whole Beatles quote thats in the book, it takes place between Nick and his friend Dev:
“You know what it’s all about, Nick?”
“What what’s about?”
“It, Nick. What it’s all about.”
“No.”
“The Beatles.”
“What about the Beatles?”
“They nailed it.”
“Nailed what?”
“Everything.”
“What do you mean?”
Dev takes his arm and puts it right against mine, skin to skin, sweat on sweat, touch on touch. Then he glides his hand into mine and intertwines our fingers.
“This,” he says. “This is why the Beatles got it.”
“I’m afraid I’m not following…”
“Other bands, it’s about sex. Or pain. Or some fantasy. But the Beatles, they knew what they were doing. You know the reason The Beatles made it so big?”
“What?”
“I Wanna Hold Your Hand. First single. Fucking brilliant. Perhaps the most fucking brilliant song ever written. Because they nailed it. That’s what everyone wants. Not 24-7 hot wet sex. Not a marriage that lasts a hundred years. Not a Porsche or a blow job or a million dollar crib. No. They just wanna hold your hand. They have such a feeling that they can’t hide. Every single successful love song of the past fifty years can be traced back to I Wanna Hold Your Hand. And every single successful love story has those unbearable and unbearably exciting moments of hand holding. Trust me. I’ve thought a lot about this.”
“I Wanna Hold Your Hand,” I repeat
“And so you are my friend. So you are.”
“You know what it’s all about, Nick?”
“What what’s about?”
“It, Nick. What it’s all about.”
“No.”
“The Beatles.”
“What about the Beatles?”
“They nailed it.”
“Nailed what?”
“Everything.”
“What do you mean?”
Dev takes his arm and puts it right against mine, skin to skin, sweat on sweat, touch on touch. Then he glides his hand into mine and intertwines our fingers.
“This,” he says. “This is why the Beatles got it.”
“I’m afraid I’m not following…”
“Other bands, it’s about sex. Or pain. Or some fantasy. But the Beatles, they knew what they were doing. You know the reason The Beatles made it so big?”
“What?”
“I Wanna Hold Your Hand. First single. Fucking brilliant. Perhaps the most fucking brilliant song ever written. Because they nailed it. That’s what everyone wants. Not 24-7 hot wet sex. Not a marriage that lasts a hundred years. Not a Porsche or a blow job or a million dollar crib. No. They just wanna hold your hand. They have such a feeling that they can’t hide. Every single successful love song of the past fifty years can be traced back to I Wanna Hold Your Hand. And every single successful love story has those unbearable and unbearably exciting moments of hand holding. Trust me. I’ve thought a lot about this.”
“I Wanna Hold Your Hand,” I repeat
“And so you are my friend. So you are.”
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
A good story
I’m a sucker for movies, I’m more of a sports guy when it comes to TV but I get caught up on movies. Yesterday I had the day off so after spending the morning writing a paper, I happened upon ‘Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist’ its one of those cute love storyish movies. It has recognizable characters, and good dialogue (it captures those awkward / poignant / cheesy moments wonderfully). What makes movies or TV shows for that matter stand out for me are little moments, the ones that feel real, this movie has many great moments in it. One such moment is when Nicks calls Nora at the beginning of the end of the movie, there is a moment when she hangs up, bites her lip (to stop herself from smiling), flips her hair back and then just smiles. That’s a real moment, we’ve all felt that way when someone who we’ve just met calls us up and says something stupid and it makes us feel special and happy and we start to smile. Everything feels right in the world because we know that person was thinking about us. Those moments are real and this movie does a good job capturing not just that moment but many others.
Here are a two quotes and why I liked them:
"Other bands, it's about sex. Or pain. Or some fantasy. But The Beatles, they knew what they were doing. You know the reason The Beatles made it so big? 'I Wanna Hold Your Hand.' Fucking brilliant, perhaps the most fucking brilliant song ever written. Because they nailed it. That's what everyone wants. Not 24-7 hot wet sex. Not a marriage that lasts a hundred years. Not a Porsche or a million-dollar crib. No. They wanna hold your hand. They have such a feeling that they can't hide. Every single successful love story has those unbearable and unbearably exciting moments of hand-holding."
Awesome.
Said to Nick by his (gay) friend while he’s trying to sort out the events of the night. This line got me thinking, it’s been over two years since I’ve been in a real relationship, I’ve had a few girls come in and out of my life, but no one really special. This line brought me back to the wonderful little things about being in a relationship, like reaching out for the persons hand when you’re walking down the street, or waking up next to them and being content to just be close. Those are good moments in life and its not all the time that you meet someone who makes you want them.
NORAH: That reminds me of this part of Judaism that I really like. It’s called Tikkun Olam. It says that the world is broken into pieces and it’s everybody’s job to find them and put them back together again.
NICK: Well maybe we’re the pieces, you know, maybe we’re not supposed to find the pieces, maybe we are the pieces.
Is it tremendously profound? I say no. But it’s the kind of thing a person says to another person when they’re looking each other in the eye, and are both a little unsure of how the other feels. Like I said before it feels real and that’s why I enjoyed this movie so much, have a wonderful Tuesday everybody.
Here are a two quotes and why I liked them:
"Other bands, it's about sex. Or pain. Or some fantasy. But The Beatles, they knew what they were doing. You know the reason The Beatles made it so big? 'I Wanna Hold Your Hand.' Fucking brilliant, perhaps the most fucking brilliant song ever written. Because they nailed it. That's what everyone wants. Not 24-7 hot wet sex. Not a marriage that lasts a hundred years. Not a Porsche or a million-dollar crib. No. They wanna hold your hand. They have such a feeling that they can't hide. Every single successful love story has those unbearable and unbearably exciting moments of hand-holding."
Awesome.
Said to Nick by his (gay) friend while he’s trying to sort out the events of the night. This line got me thinking, it’s been over two years since I’ve been in a real relationship, I’ve had a few girls come in and out of my life, but no one really special. This line brought me back to the wonderful little things about being in a relationship, like reaching out for the persons hand when you’re walking down the street, or waking up next to them and being content to just be close. Those are good moments in life and its not all the time that you meet someone who makes you want them.
NORAH: That reminds me of this part of Judaism that I really like. It’s called Tikkun Olam. It says that the world is broken into pieces and it’s everybody’s job to find them and put them back together again.
NICK: Well maybe we’re the pieces, you know, maybe we’re not supposed to find the pieces, maybe we are the pieces.
Is it tremendously profound? I say no. But it’s the kind of thing a person says to another person when they’re looking each other in the eye, and are both a little unsure of how the other feels. Like I said before it feels real and that’s why I enjoyed this movie so much, have a wonderful Tuesday everybody.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Young war, old peace
“Young men make wars, and the virtues of war are the virtues of young men – courage and hope for the future. Then old men make the peace, and the vices of peace are the vices of old men – mistrust and caution. It must be so.” -- T.E. Lawrence, “Lawrence of Arabia”
Friday, October 2, 2009
Yom Kippur (post script)
It’s been a while since I’ve sat down (well not literally I’m in bed right now) and written a post for the blog but I wanted to say something about Yom Kippur.
This year I had a Yom Kippur like I’ve never experienced before. I felt terrible on Sunday morning, I spent the day eating and drinking in preparation of the fast. As the day went on I continued to get dizzier and dizzier, my head was pounding… I was not in good shape. I wasn’t sure what to do. What I did was fall asleep at roughly 4:45, I woke up as the sun was setting. I finished my preparations and got ready to go to Kol Nidrei… I didn’t make it, I fell back asleep. I woke up at dawn.
I was not doing well.
I contemplated my options; I knew that I could not stay in bed all day and continue to fast. I knew that staying home would mean making soup and taking some medicine and sleeping some more, boy was I tired (and I had slept for 14 hours that night!)
I decided to get up, get dressed and get to shul. When I finally made it I was greeted warmly, everyone was glad that I made it, they all knew I wasn’t feeling well, they all told me the same thing, just go as long as you can, if you can’t make it don’t try to be a hero, eat, take some medicine and get into bed. Take care of yourself if you have to and so it began. I made it through the day; we took one 45 minute break. We prayed all day.
This is the first place where I’ve ever felt completely accepted as a spiritual person, where I don’t feel the need to hide myself. This is my chosen community; this is still very new for me. I stood next to two of the Kollel Rabbis these guys are heavy hitters. They are also my friends and they got me though the day, making my laugh when I felt I couldn’t go on any longer, helping me find my place when I got lost and or just zoned out for a few minutes, encouraging me to go on and make it though the day.
I thanked god for the many, many blessing he has given me, I asked god for forgiveness for my many, many sins. I asked for nothing other than strength to make it though the day.
By around six I was getting delirious when it came time for the Neliah service I wasn’t sure if I’d make it. It’s the last service of the day; we open the doors of the Ark and don’t close them until we’re done. That means we stand for the whole thing, last year I almost passed out (not I’m not exaggerating, my knees buckled at one point but I made it then) and I made it this year, in the closing moments when I knew I would make it, I felt such an amazing wave of euphoria. I was determined to make it and I did, the day was almost over. Soon I would be home eating and drinking. I’d once again have to look after my own needs.
The thing about Yom Kippur is that, on that day we are like the angels. Completely without need, the whole day we atone, we ask for nothing but forgiveness and god in his infinitely mercy grants it not just to us individually but us as a group, and not just to the group of people we’re with at that particular time but to the whole world. I felt it in those final moments when we yell out to god, in grief and happiness. I felt that I was truly connected to each and every person in that room. I hadn't made it WE had made it. I hadn’t been forgiven WE had been forgiven and not just those of us in that room but each and every one of us. I needed nothing I was completely whole.
I wish that every person could have an experience as I had on that day. To everyone I say have a great weekend, a good Shabbat and a good year.
This year I had a Yom Kippur like I’ve never experienced before. I felt terrible on Sunday morning, I spent the day eating and drinking in preparation of the fast. As the day went on I continued to get dizzier and dizzier, my head was pounding… I was not in good shape. I wasn’t sure what to do. What I did was fall asleep at roughly 4:45, I woke up as the sun was setting. I finished my preparations and got ready to go to Kol Nidrei… I didn’t make it, I fell back asleep. I woke up at dawn.
I was not doing well.
I contemplated my options; I knew that I could not stay in bed all day and continue to fast. I knew that staying home would mean making soup and taking some medicine and sleeping some more, boy was I tired (and I had slept for 14 hours that night!)
I decided to get up, get dressed and get to shul. When I finally made it I was greeted warmly, everyone was glad that I made it, they all knew I wasn’t feeling well, they all told me the same thing, just go as long as you can, if you can’t make it don’t try to be a hero, eat, take some medicine and get into bed. Take care of yourself if you have to and so it began. I made it through the day; we took one 45 minute break. We prayed all day.
This is the first place where I’ve ever felt completely accepted as a spiritual person, where I don’t feel the need to hide myself. This is my chosen community; this is still very new for me. I stood next to two of the Kollel Rabbis these guys are heavy hitters. They are also my friends and they got me though the day, making my laugh when I felt I couldn’t go on any longer, helping me find my place when I got lost and or just zoned out for a few minutes, encouraging me to go on and make it though the day.
I thanked god for the many, many blessing he has given me, I asked god for forgiveness for my many, many sins. I asked for nothing other than strength to make it though the day.
By around six I was getting delirious when it came time for the Neliah service I wasn’t sure if I’d make it. It’s the last service of the day; we open the doors of the Ark and don’t close them until we’re done. That means we stand for the whole thing, last year I almost passed out (not I’m not exaggerating, my knees buckled at one point but I made it then) and I made it this year, in the closing moments when I knew I would make it, I felt such an amazing wave of euphoria. I was determined to make it and I did, the day was almost over. Soon I would be home eating and drinking. I’d once again have to look after my own needs.
The thing about Yom Kippur is that, on that day we are like the angels. Completely without need, the whole day we atone, we ask for nothing but forgiveness and god in his infinitely mercy grants it not just to us individually but us as a group, and not just to the group of people we’re with at that particular time but to the whole world. I felt it in those final moments when we yell out to god, in grief and happiness. I felt that I was truly connected to each and every person in that room. I hadn't made it WE had made it. I hadn’t been forgiven WE had been forgiven and not just those of us in that room but each and every one of us. I needed nothing I was completely whole.
I wish that every person could have an experience as I had on that day. To everyone I say have a great weekend, a good Shabbat and a good year.
Enough Jews
My Grandmother sent me this...
At the Russian military academy, a general gave a lecture on "Potential Problems and Military Strategy."
At the end of the lecture, he asked if there were any questions.
An officer stood up and asked, "Will there be a third world war? Will Russia take part in it?"
The general answered both questions in the affirmative.
The officer asked, "Who will be the enemy?"
The general replied, "All indications point to China ."
All in the audience were shocked. The officer asks, "General, we are only 150 million. There are 1.5 billion Chinese. Can we win at all?"
The general answered, "Just think about this. In modern warfare, it is not the quantity that matters but the quality. For example, in the Middle East we have had a few wars recently where 5 million Jews fought against 150 million Arabs, and Israel was always victorious."
After a small pause, the officer asked, "Do we have enough Jews?"
At the Russian military academy, a general gave a lecture on "Potential Problems and Military Strategy."
At the end of the lecture, he asked if there were any questions.
An officer stood up and asked, "Will there be a third world war? Will Russia take part in it?"
The general answered both questions in the affirmative.
The officer asked, "Who will be the enemy?"
The general replied, "All indications point to China ."
All in the audience were shocked. The officer asks, "General, we are only 150 million. There are 1.5 billion Chinese. Can we win at all?"
The general answered, "Just think about this. In modern warfare, it is not the quantity that matters but the quality. For example, in the Middle East we have had a few wars recently where 5 million Jews fought against 150 million Arabs, and Israel was always victorious."
After a small pause, the officer asked, "Do we have enough Jews?"
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