Live Forever

“We exist temporarily through what we take, but we live forever through what we give.” ~ Chicken Soup for the Neshama

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The Highest Mystery

“Human Prayer is the service of the spirit.  Although people do not realize it, it involved the highest mysteries.  For prayers split through the atmosphere, through all firmaments, open all doors, and ascend on high.” ~ Zohar as quoted by R’ Aryeh Kaplan zt”l

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The Greatest of Miracles

Matter was created out of nothing, which is the greatest of all miracles.  It follows that every stone or clod of earth is, by its mere existence, the greatest miracle.  In addition, it possesses extreme holiness, for it is naught but G-d’s will.  It is a concretization of the Creator’s word which materialized and became apparent to our senses.  ~ R’ Avigdor Miller zt”l

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Failing to Want

We will not be judged for what we failed to do but for what we failed to want. There are no excuses for the lack of desire. Failure to act can be excused by lack of funds or other difficulties.  But there is never any excuse not to want – it is free and no one can ever take it away. ~ R’ Menachem Azolai as translated by Dov Elias

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Responsibilities of a Family

“The first stages of your life are to learn to be a master over yourself. But then comes a major and difficult transition in life, when you take on the responsibilities of a family. Now you must learn to put aside your own self improvement for their sake. But you surely realize that, in the long run, what is best for them will be best for you.” ~ R’ Tzvi Freeman

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Just Do It

Alain iz di neshomeh rain

Don’t depend on others – do it yourself.

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Cute Story about R’ Shmuel of Lubavitch

With great remorse, a man entered the private room of Rabbi Shmuel of Lubavitch to ask for a formula for repentance. Since the man was ashamed to admit that he was the sinner, he explained that a friend had committed the sins and was too embarrassed to appear before the Rebbe personally. Therefore, his friend had asked him to come to the Rebbe on his behalf. Consequently, the visitor then gave the Rebbe a list of sins his “friend” had supposedly committed.

“What a fool the other man is,” the Rebbe answered with a knowing smile, “he could have come himself and said that his friend sent him.” ~ Told by the Lubavitcher Rebbe and found in Chicken Soup for the Neshama

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Immediate Reward

It says “schar mitzvah: mitzvah [the reward for a good deed is another good deed].”  The reward of a mitzvah is a mitzvah, and the reward for joy is joy.

How does G-d pay you for being happy?  He gives you another minute of happiness.  So if this one minute of happiness is real, the next minute also will be.  But if you say “I’m so happy to be alive,” and the next minute you are walking around downcast, then there was something wrong. ~ R’ Shlomo Carlebach

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A Servant of Hashem

“The first thing in being an oved (servant of) Hashem is to say, “Thank you Hashem!”  That’s the basis of everything: A person who is not in the mindset of expressing gratitude can’t be an oved Hashem.  As it says “What is good in This World? It is to give thanks to Hashem.” ~ R’ Avigdor Miller zt”l

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Out of Your Control

“When every other element is out of your control, remember that you can still manage your reaction.” ~ Chicken Soup for the Neshama

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