תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: כְּשֶׁחָלָה רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר נִכְנְסוּ תַּלְמִידָיו לְבַקְּרוֹ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: רַבֵּינוּ לַמְּדֵנוּ אוֹרְחוֹת חַיִּים וְנִזְכֶּה בָּהֶן לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. אָמַר לָהֶם: הִזָּהֲרוּ בִּכְבוֹד חַבְרֵיכֶם, וּמִנְעוּ בְּנֵיכֶם מִן הַהִגָּיוֹן, וְהוֹשִׁיבוּם בֵּין בִּרְכֵּי תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים, וּכְשֶׁאַתֶּם מִתְפַּלְּלִים — דְּעוּ לִפְנֵי מִי אַתֶּם עוֹמְדִים. וּבִשְׁבִיל כָּךְ תִּזְכּוּ לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.
On a similar note, the Gemara recounts related stories with different approaches. The Sages taught: When Rabbi Eliezer fell ill, his students entered to visit him. They said to him: Teach us paths of life, guidelines by which to live, and we will thereby merit the life of the World-to-Come. He said to them: Be vigilant in the honor of your counterparts, and prevent your children from logic when studying verses that tend toward heresy (ge’onim), and place your children, while they are still young, between the knees of Torah scholars, and when you pray, know before Whom you stand. For doing that, you will merit the life of the World-to-Come.
(1) עָלֵינוּ לְשַׁבֵּחַ לַאֲדון הַכּל.
(2)לָתֵת גְּדֻלָּה לְיוצֵר בְּרֵאשִׁית.
(3) שֶׁלּא עָשנוּ כְּגויֵי הָאֲרָצות. וְלא שמָנוּ כְּמִשְׁפְּחות הָאֲדָמָה.
(4)שֶׁלּא שם חֶלְקֵנוּ כָּהֶם וְגורָלֵנוּ כְּכָל הֲמונָם:
(5)שֶׁהֵם מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לְהֶבֶל וְרִיק וּמִתְפַּלְלִים אֶל אֵל לא יושִׁיעַ:*
(6)וַאֲנַחְנוּ כּורְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים וּמודִים לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדושׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:
(1) It is upon us to praise the Lord of all.
(2) To bestow Greatness to the Molder of creation,
(3) For God did not make us as the nations of the lands, & God did not establish us like the families of the earth, (4) For God did not assign our portion as theirs, & our lot like all the multitudes
(5) For they bow to vanity & emptiness(Isaiah 30:7) & pray to a god that saves not(Isaiah 45:20).*
*censored in Reform
(6) And we bow before the King, the King of all Kings, the Holy One, Blessed be He,
(ז) וּמִצְרַ֕יִם הֶ֥בֶל וָרִ֖יק יַעְזֹ֑רוּ לָכֵן֙ קָרָ֣אתִי לָזֹ֔את רַ֥הַב הֵ֖ם שָֽׁבֶת׃
(7) For the help of Egypt
Shall be vain and empty.
Truly, I call this,
“They are a threat that has ceased.”-f
Shall be vain and empty.
Truly, I call this,
“They are a threat that has ceased.”-f
(כ) הִקָּבְצ֥וּ וָבֹ֛אוּ הִֽתְנַגְּשׁ֥וּ יַחְדָּ֖ו פְּלִיטֵ֣י הַגּוֹיִ֑ם לֹ֣א יָדְע֗וּ הַנֹּֽשְׂאִים֙ אֶת־עֵ֣ץ פִּסְלָ֔ם וּמִֽתְפַּלְלִ֔ים אֶל־אֵ֖ל לֹ֥א יוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃
(20) Come, gather together,
Draw nigh, you remnants of the nations!
No foreknowledge had they who carry their wooden images
And pray to a god who cannot give success.
Draw nigh, you remnants of the nations!
No foreknowledge had they who carry their wooden images
And pray to a god who cannot give success.
Source Sheet Credit
- A More Positive Articulation of Particularism - Rav Dani Victor
- https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/254996.3?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
- A More Positive Articulation of Particularism - Rav Dani Victor
- https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/254996.3?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
Excerpt From "It’s On Us: Living the Jewish Calling at Har Sinai, in the Desert, and in Davening"
Sermon by Rabbanit Alissa Thomas Newborn - Delivered at Yeshivat Maharat on May 18, 2018
Sermon by Rabbanit Alissa Thomas Newborn - Delivered at Yeshivat Maharat on May 18, 2018
- Jews chose to sanctify God’s name with this prayer on their lips. Famously, the Jews in 12th century France said the words of Aleinu and became martyrs rather than accept Christianity. Hauntingly, they sang Aleinu as they were being burned at the stake. They did this because it was the ultimate response to their enemies, as the prayer declared unyielding faith in God and hope for His kingship even after their deaths. Today we recite/sing it with them in mind.
- God is listening for it. The Mishnah Berurah explains that when we say Aleinu, כל צבא השמים שומעים והקב"ה עומד עם פלמיא על מעלה, "All of the hosts of heaven listen and God stands with His entourage from above". When we say Aleinu, God and His court stand with us, giving us joy in our lot and chizuk in our mission. God needs us to show up for Him, and we need Him to have our backs as we face the ups and downs of life. Aleinu is the time when we stand with God in our commitment to each other.
- It has a mic-drop ending that you may not know about. The final words of Aleinu (originating from Zechariah 14:9) are ביום ההוא יהיה ה' אחד ושמו אחד, "On that day the Lord will be One, and His name one". The Gemara in Pesachim 50a asks on this, “What does 'one' mean? Isn’t God’s name already one?” Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak answers that the difference between this world and the world to come is that in this world God’s name is not read as it is written. And so, God’s name is not truly one. When we recite the last line of Aleinu we are acknowledging that the world is imperfect. Our loved ones die and we miss them terribly. Many are homeless or go without food. And we hurt each other, intentionally and unintentionally, with words and actions. And yet, we still have to step outside of shul and lead prayerful lives-- we still have to enter into the midbar. For if we don’t, who will make God’s name one? Aleinu challenges us to see what the world is right now and then imagine what it could be. Like making a bikkur cholim visit when it is uncomfortable or inconvenient, giving above and beyond of our time to those in need, or sacrificing our own desires to give a loved one, or even a stranger, opportunities. In the words of Aleinu we are not just asking God to bring about achdut and tikkun; we are challenging ourselves to do so. Aleinu-- it’s on us! This last line is our epic end to every prayer service.
(ט) וְהָיָ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־כׇּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יִהְיֶ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶחָ֖ד וּשְׁמ֥וֹ אֶחָֽד׃
(9) And the LORD shall be king over all the earth; in that day there shall be one LORD with one name.
From "What Does It Mean to Be Self-Actualized in the 21st Century?"
Scott Barry Kauffman, Ph.D. in the Scientific American
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/beautiful-minds/what-does-it-mean-to-be-self-actualized-in-the-21st-century/
Overall, self-actualization was related to higher levels of stability and the ability to protect your highest level goals from disruption by distracting impulses and thoughts. Self-actualization was related to lower levels of disruptive impulsivity ("Get out of control", "Am self-destructive"), nonconstructive thinking ("Have a dark outlook on the future", "Often express doubts"), and a lack of authenticity and meaning ("Feel that my list lacks direction", "Act or feel in a way that does not fit me").
Just as [Abrham] Maslow predicted, those with higher self-actualization scores were much more motivated by growth, exploration, and love of humanity than the fulfillment of deficiencies in basic needs. What's more, self-actualization scores were associated with multiple indicators of well-being, including greater life satisfaction, curiosity, self-acceptance, positive relationships, environmental mastery, personal growth, autonomy, and purpose in life.
Scott Barry Kauffman, Ph.D. in the Scientific American
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/beautiful-minds/what-does-it-mean-to-be-self-actualized-in-the-21st-century/
Overall, self-actualization was related to higher levels of stability and the ability to protect your highest level goals from disruption by distracting impulses and thoughts. Self-actualization was related to lower levels of disruptive impulsivity ("Get out of control", "Am self-destructive"), nonconstructive thinking ("Have a dark outlook on the future", "Often express doubts"), and a lack of authenticity and meaning ("Feel that my list lacks direction", "Act or feel in a way that does not fit me").
Just as [Abrham] Maslow predicted, those with higher self-actualization scores were much more motivated by growth, exploration, and love of humanity than the fulfillment of deficiencies in basic needs. What's more, self-actualization scores were associated with multiple indicators of well-being, including greater life satisfaction, curiosity, self-acceptance, positive relationships, environmental mastery, personal growth, autonomy, and purpose in life.