RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL : IF OTHER'S WRONG YOU, CONSIDER IT NOTHING: JEWISH RENEWAL.

 RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL : IF OTHER'S WRONG YOU, CONSIDER IT NOTHING: JEWISH RENEWAL

 

 From December 1, 2011 Bluffton Sun.

___

 

Shalom and peace. I again invite you to learn about how the Talmud of Judaism teaches us to live.

 '' If you have done much good to someone, consider it as you have done very little. If someone has done you a bit of good, consider it as if he has done you much good. If you have done any wrong to someone, even a little bit, consider it as if it is much wrong.  If others have done much wrong to you, consider it as nothing.'' (Derek Eretz 3:9)

My rabbinic teacher asked: "Would you rather be happy or would you rather be right?''  He was not talking about major situations when ''we cannot stand idly by while our fellows' blood is being shed.'' He was discussing the daily interactions that we have with our fellows, including coworkers, family, et.al.

Our sages nor God wish us treated as door mats.  But neither are we to be full of angst and peccadilloes.

'' If you have done much good to someone, consider it as you have done very little.''

Why are we here on earth? From a Jewish spiritual point of view, we are here to be of maximum service to God and our fellows. When doing good for someone, or some institution, even if it is 'much' good, we have to consider it as if we have done little. Further, everything we have is not just a gift from God, but a loan.

''If someone has done you a bit of good, consider it as if he has done you much good.'' Think of all of the little things that are done for us each day with the same gratitude we would give for the occasional big thing done for us.

We realize all the things we take for granted that other humans do for us, and that God does for us.  When we do not acknowledge such wonders we become ingrates. Instead of seeing a flat tire as an inconvenience, one thing wrong out of 999 things that went right, we awfulize it, and loose our shalom.

 ''If you have done any wrong to someone, even a little bit, consider it as if it is much wrong.'' It is very easy to hurt another's feelings. Even doing acts with good intentions can bring harm.  Be kind and make amends.

 ''If others have done to you much wrong, consider it in your eyes as nothing.''   This isn't easy. It goes against our so-called human nature.  Our job spiritually is to grow from Homo Sapien, with this 'human nature,' to Homo Spiritus.  We check our egos.

We let childlike mean behaviors flow off our backs. Because we are trying to live a spiritual life doesn't mean everyone will treat us respectfully.  Because one is a vegetarian doesn't mean the bull won't charge.  We shed our Velcro skins and grow skins of Teflon.  Our lives go smoother. We live in freedom, with happiness and joyousness each day.

 

Rabbi Arthur Segal is an international lecturer, author, and teacher. Visit him at www.JewishSpiritualRenewal.org .   Follow him on FaceBook at 'Arthur L Segal', on Twitter at RabbiASegal, or his blog at  http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com  .  Email at RabbiSegal@JewishSpiritualRenewal.net

 

Rabbi Arthur Segal www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org
Jewish Renewal www.jewishrenewal.info
Jewish Spiritual Renewal http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA

RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL : IF OTHER'S WRONG YOU, CONSIDER IT NOTHING: JEWISH RENEWAL

RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL : IF OTHER'S WRONG YOU, CONSIDER IT NOTHING: JEWISH RENEWAL

 

 From December 1, 2011 Bluffton Sun.

___

 

Shalom and peace. I again invite you to learn about how the Talmud of Judaism teaches us to live.

 '' If you have done much good to someone, consider it as you have done very little. If someone has done you a bit of good, consider it as if he has done you much good. If you have done any wrong to someone, even a little bit, consider it as if it is much wrong.  If others have done much wrong to you, consider it as nothing.'' (Derek Eretz 3:9)

My rabbinic teacher asked: "Would you rather be happy or would you rather be right?''  He was not talking about major situations when ''we cannot stand idly by while our fellows' blood is being shed.'' He was discussing the daily interactions that we have with our fellows, including coworkers, family, et.al.

Our sages nor God wish us treated as door mats.  But neither are we to be full of angst and peccadilloes.

'' If you have done much good to someone, consider it as you have done very little.''

Why are we here on earth? From a Jewish spiritual point of view, we are here to be of maximum service to God and our fellows. When doing good for someone, or some institution, even if it is 'much' good, we have to consider it as if we have done little. Further, everything we have is not just a gift from God, but a loan.

''If someone has done you a bit of good, consider it as if he has done you much good.'' Think of all of the little things that are done for us each day with the same gratitude we would give for the occasional big thing done for us.

We realize all the things we take for granted that other humans do for us, and that God does for us.  When we do not acknowledge such wonders we become ingrates. Instead of seeing a flat tire as an inconvenience, one thing wrong out of 999 things that went right, we awfulize it, and loose our shalom.

 ''If you have done any wrong to someone, even a little bit, consider it as if it is much wrong.'' It is very easy to hurt another's feelings. Even doing acts with good intentions can bring harm.  Be kind and make amends.

 ''If others have done to you much wrong, consider it in your eyes as nothing.''   This isn't easy. It goes against our so-called human nature.  Our job spiritually is to grow from Homo Sapien, with this 'human nature,' to Homo Spiritus.  We check our egos.

We let childlike mean behaviors flow off our backs. Because we are trying to live a spiritual life doesn't mean everyone will treat us respectfully.  Because one is a vegetarian doesn't mean the bull won't charge.  We shed our Velcro skins and grow skins of Teflon.  Our lives go smoother. We live in freedom, with happiness and joyousness each day.

 

Rabbi Arthur Segal is an international lecturer, author, and teacher. Visit him at www.JewishSpiritualRenewal.org .   Follow him on FaceBook at 'Arthur L Segal', on Twitter at RabbiASegal, or his blog at  http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com  .  Email at RabbiSegal@JewishSpiritualRenewal.net

 

Rabbi Arthur Segal www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org
Jewish Renewal www.jewishrenewal.info
Jewish Spiritual Renewal http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA

RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: GOOD DEEDS DONE WITHOUT FANFARE

  

RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: GOOD DEEDS DONE WITHOUT FAN FARE

   

 

Jewish  Spiritual  Renewal:

  

  Derek  Eretz Zuta + Rabbah:

  

 Shabbat  12/10/11 

 

 (aka  Derech  Eretz )

  

 

  

Shalom  my dear Chaverim, Talmidim, v' Rabbanim, friends, students and fellow rabbis: 

  

An oneg, joy-filled, Shabbat this coming weekend to all. And a early Happy Chanukah, Happy Holidays and a blessed Happy New Year. These wishes are being sent early as this will be our last class till Mid January 2012, as I will be officiating as Rabbi for Shabbatot  and Chanukah out of state and the USA. 

  

We continue with our exploration into the Talmudic Tractates of Derek Eretz Zuta and Rabbah. (aka Derech Eretz Zuta, aka Derech Eretz Rabbah.  As was mentioned, zuta is Aramaic for 'small', and rabbah is 'large').

  

Remember that Derek Eretz is not about Jewish ritual. It is  about how we are to treat one another and what traits of character, middot, we  are to try to develop. The lessons are universal and ecumenical. The  development of character traits and Jewish spiritual renewal  transformation is called  Mussar.

  

For  those new to the class Baruch ha Ba! Welcome! You can access last  week's class at   Rabbi Arthur Segal: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: SLOW TO ANGER, EASY TO APPEASE  or http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com/2011/11/rabbi-arthur-segal-jewish-spiritual_8169.html

  

From  here you will find links to preceding classes in this series. So, together we continue:

  

 TALMUD  BAVLI

  

 TRACTATE 

  

 DEREk ERETZ  ZUTA

  

 (aka  Derech  Eretz)

  

Today we will complete  CHAPTER 5 of Talmud  Bavli Tractate Derek Eretz Zuta Verse  5:5.

 

''The beauty of the Law is wisdom; the beauty of wisdom is modesty; the beauty of modesty is the fear of Heaven; the beauty of the fear of Heaven is noble performance; the beauty of noble performance is secrecy (i.e., not publicly, for the purpose of being praised). ''

 

Today's verse is defining ''beauty'' as the ''beautiful result of.'' So the beautiful result that we wish to gain from studying Torah and Talmud is wisdom. Judaism makes distinction among wisdom, understanding, and knowledge...chochmah, binah and da'at.

 

Chochmah , conceptional wisdom, is acquiring  a simple formulation of certain facts. One can be taught that it is a mitzvah to love one's fellow. If asked if it is a mitzvah  to love one's fellow, he can be taught to say 'yes.'

 

When the individual can explain important corollaries to loving one's fellow, such as not gossiping, one has gained binah , understanding. So far these are both conceptual levels.

 

When we have the wisdom and the knowledge, still using the example of loving one's fellow, and we can go out an apply it in our daily lives, we have gained da'at, understanding.

 

Why Judaism distinguishes between these three levels is found in Kabbalistic understanding. When we understand spiritually that loving one's fellow is part of actual living in a happy, joyous and free way, so that it becomes as natural as breathing, we have combined wisdom and knowledge, into true understanding, da'at.

 

So studying Torah and Talmud as the basic level should yield us the wisdom of the Torah and Talmud. But at the wisdom level we can teach the ethical behavior of loving one's fellow, but until we truly we have da'at, we  can sadly allow ourselves to selfishly walk past someone needing aid.

 

Now with wisdom of Torah we can hopefully work into the da'at stage. And this level should lead us to begin to become modest and humble, as we truly begin the understanding in our very soul, trumping intellect, about how little we truly understand.

 

As we become modest and humble, we begin to have da'at, understanding, in  our souls, in our spiritual awakening, of Adon Olam. We develop true awe and love for God.

 

Because we love God, and His goodness , kindness, grace and mercy, we are able, without second thought, to live our lives doing mitzvoth, not just ritual, but especially those that are life changing and life affirming for others.

 

And our doing these mitzvoth, are done as privately as can be, without striving to get our names in synagogue bulletins. In fact, when we pray each day for our names to be like dust, we truly strive for this, and not the kavod, the honors, that others seek, as we know, we have the da'at, that all honor belongs to God. We are here on earth to be of maximum service to our fellows. We do not need thanks for performing good deeds, any more than we need applause for breathing. We understand that this is what life is. And it is 'beautiful.'

 

 

We discuss these middot, character traits, of wisdom, understanding,  knowledge, humility, modesty, love and awe of God, and mitzvoth done with altruism, throughout the majority of chapters in  ''The  Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern  Jew'' ' (http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.net/ )  as well as in most chapters of ''A  Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud''  

(http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.net/index.html#Compendium2 ) .

  

What are your ideas about  ''undertanding'' and becoming spiritually awakened?  How has learning Talmud's Derek Eretz helped you in your  interpersonal  relationships? How  has understanding the spiritual and ethical teachings of  Judaism helped you live a more joyous life? 

  

Next class, Baruch ha Shem, in mid January 2012, we will continue with Derek Eretz Zuta, Chapter SIX. Thank you for joining me.

 

For those who want a d'var Torah on Parasha Vayishlach from '''A  Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and  Talmud ''

(http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.net/index.html#Compendium2 )  please  click  on:  

Rabbi Arthur Segal: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL; CHUMASH CANDESCENCE: PARASHA VAYISHLACH: GENESIS 32:04-36:43  or http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com/2008/02/chumash-candescence-parasha-vayishlach.html

 

 

 

Shabbat Shalom:

Rabbi Arthur Segal_

 www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org_ (http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org/ ) 

Jewish Renewal_ 

www.jewishrenewal.info(http://www.jewishrenewal.info/ ) 

Jewish Spiritual Renewal

Jewish Spirituality

Eco Judaism

Hilton Head Island, SC,  Bluffton, SC, Savannah,  GA

 

If visiting SC's Low Country, contact us for a Shabbat meal, in our home by the sea, our beth yam.

 

Maker  of Shalom (Oseh Shalom) help make us deserving of Shalom beyond all human  comprehension!