A Thousand Fibers

No person is an island entire of itself. We are all citizens of one world, we are all of one blood. Every person is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men and women; and among those fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects

Beauty & Dignity To Life

The most important human endeavor is the striving for morality in our actions. Our inner balance and even our very existence depend on it. Only morality in our actions can give beauty and dignity to life

Pennies

Pennies do not come from heaven. They have to be earned here on earth

Gods Own Pleasure Garden

God only orchestrates our lives in a way that is good and meaningful.
Everything bad is ultimately good. When God's justice seems askew the very things that seem "bad" are only good that has come in disguise - not as a means to an end but an end in itself. Our minds engage in conflict to comprehend between good & bad happens so that we can strengthen our faith and trust in God -The Creator Above.

We must know that this World is not a dark, sinister jungle, but a garden. And not just any garden, but Gods own pleasure garden - A Divine garden full of rainbow colours, of natural beauty, fragrances & wonder. A garden of vegetation & revelation. A place where God desires to be with all His essence.
If the taste to us is bitter it is only because we must first peel away the outer shell to find the fruit inside.
Sweet is the flower of kindness that blooms. Combat the pain in the world with goodness.

In God's garden it is always daylight. No darkness of the night but blue skies overhead so bright. Here we have nothing to fear because God is always so very near.

Spiritual Career

There was a time when people did not have careers. People did not live to acquire material wealth. People worked to earn enough for their families to eat that day, with a little extra saved for a special occassion. Today we are slaves of the houses, cars & the gadgets we must acquire.

The natural tendency is to treat matters of the spirit as luxury items - sort of an appendage to life. Eating, sleeping, making money - these things are given priority & the time dedicated to them is sarcosanct. But prayer, meditation & study fit in only when you feel like it, and are pushed aside on the slightest whim.
You've got to make your priorities faithful to your inner self. You've got to ask yourself if this is what your life is all about. Set a schedule for spiritually enriching activities. Be as tough with that schedule as a workaholic would be with his business.

Just as you search out a material career, so too you must also search out a spiritual one. But there is a difference: With a material career you can only plow & sow & await the rains. With your spiritual career you must provide the rain as well - in other words, it is up to you to fill it with life of spiritual Godliness. 

Do Not Ignore A Needy Person

 
This deed is based on the verse (Deut. 15:8) "But you shall open your hand wide." The Hebrew word "tzedaka" comes from the root tzedek - "justice" and "righteous." We are commanded to give generously to those in need. All that we own is through G-d's generosity. Therefore, it is only right and proper to support others less fortunate than we are. Even a poor person is obligated to give charity, even if only a small amount.
 
It is a prohibition to ignore a needy person

This deed is based on the verse (Deut. 15:7) "Do not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother." G-d wants us to share what we have and give charity generously. Be cautious not to ignore a needy person.

A little thought and a little kindness are often worth more than a great deal of money

The Search For A Utopia

Ever since the dawn of time, man has dreamed of a better world.There has always been a desire to make things better, to create a happier and more peaceful existence.

If significant numbers of people were to observe the Seven Laws there would be a visible decline in cruelty & injustice of all kinds, both on the personal & on the social level. They would not only enable mankind to have one law but the law would be of an everlasting nature.

The acknowledgement of His sovereignity itself provides the unifying factor, without the need for any other philosophy, system of government or new discovery."The L-rd is good to all, and his mercies are upon all his works"(Psalms 145:9)

If mankind were to strive to uplit itself to realize an idealistic universal Utopia can indeed exist, perhaps one might see how accepting the system of the 7 Noahide Laws serves as an answer to achieve that goal, thereby creating  a finer world in which peace, happiness, freedom & equality emerge supreme!

A Place Where Everything Is Just Right

Imagine the world’s people living in peace and walking hand in hand

A place where the spoken word is one that we all understand

As you enter Eden a sign reads a place for all life Noah’s ark on land

This is the type of life that I think our God planned 

No calendar or hourglass to mark off days or count every grain of sand

A place where life has no fear of extinction from the wrath of man

Imagine a place without servants to bow down to any Queen or King

No Dictator’s or Presidents to screw up and lie about everything

A place where Angel’s harps play and you can hear a gospel choir sing

With no need for money you will never again hear a cash register ring

We are one people and with love we all share what we all could bring

The lamb lies down with the lion without any fear or fright

No caged animals in a zoo or human prisons locked up real tight

No army or police in sight because there is no war or crime to fight

It’s a joy to wake up happy every day and sleep in peace every night

Nothing ever goes wrong in a place where everything is just right

No Way A Fall

When anyone, even a person lying at the bottom most rung of the ladder, in the muck, wishes to pull himself up even a little, they will find themselves pitched against strong opposition.
This principle also applies to those who have already progressed. Sometimes they commit the error of being demoralized when they find themselves once again in the face of obstructions. They think they have regressed. In truth this is no way a fall, since they have come to the threshold of the next rung of the ladder they must traverse a crisis - be tested. They must disregard all, and they will overcome these difficulties and be able to ascend to the next level.

One More Rung

In this world where everything is hidden, appearances may be deceptive. Only God, Who knows our innermost hearts, knows who is great. We might imagine that we are very near the goal, when we are actually very far from it. Or on the contrary we may believe ourselves lower down the ladder when we only have one more rung to cross the threshold of victory. 

Life Is Like......

Life is like a flame only alive when its burning

Life is like a clock when you run out of time

The world for you stops turning 

Life is education the world is your teacher

And death is your final lesson in learning

Life is like a wall of denial

When people say how are you

Body & mind we all lie

And say I'm OK with a smile

Life goes by too fast
Before you know it your future is your past 

No matter how old you are
Any day can be your last

Life is a fear
Before you know it there goes another year

As you get older the fact you will have to leave some day

Becomes perfectly clear

Just before you chase the light into Heaven

You swear you heard God whisper in your ear

Take my hand child your time is getting near

Life is hard to understand

Sometimes the life you lead is not quite what you planned

You just hope & pray you get to live what you wish

Before God takes you by the hand

Life is a river & Heaven is the ocean we supply

The Torah is the path that leads us

To the mansions of heaven floating in the sky     

Preventing The Suffering Of Living Creatures

According to ethical tradition, prohibition against cruelty to animals is one of the basic laws of humankind.
The concern for the welfare of animals are accorded the same sensitivity as human beings. Indeed, animals are understood to not only have feelings but also have rights of existence and protection. They must be
treated as humanely as possible & be treated with mercy & compassion. It is required that animals be treated with consideration, kindness and respect just as one would their fellow human being.

Let's not fool ourselves about the impact of animal kindness on human beings' character. The primary principle behind the treatment of animals is preventing the suffering of living creatures. There is a fundamental connection between human beings and animals. Attitudes toward animals provide an excellent example.

There is a recognized link between the way a person treats animals and the way a person treats human beings. Such people may show similar aggression towards humans as well. A person who is cruel to a defenseless animal will undoubtedly be cruel to defenseless people & is likely to inflict pain & suffering on human beings. A person who cares for the lowest of creatures will certainly care for his fellow man.
We are not permitted to cause or inflict unnecessary pain to any living being. No distinction is made. This applies to bugs & creatures too. We must be very careful not to kill any bug, even the smallest and lowliest, such as fleas, lice, flies, and the like. 

Everything in creation has a special part in God's plan for unity. Everything has its place in the plan of creation and it is "good.". It becomes "very good" when all the parts are working in unison.
God  loves each of His creatures, and would not want pain inflicted upon them. Not even a moment's worth of pain if it can be avoided.

Is Friends With Benefits Allowed?

Part of the Seven Divine "Laws" is

4) The prohibition of immorality and promiscuity. Respect the institution of marriage. Marriage is a most Divine act. The marriage of a man and a woman is a reflection of the oneness of G-d and His creation. Disloyalty in marriage is an assault on that oneness. Wholesome families are a basis of healthy communities and societies. Immorality leads to inner decay. (Gen. 2:24)

The relevant verse in Genesis 2:24 states:

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and cling to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."

The phrase "cling to his wife, " comes to teach us that he shall have relations with his own wife and not another man’s wife.

It is also a righteous practice, and it adds to the level of the marriage bond.

One's Love Of Another

The greater the degree of spirituality one achieves, the more perfect can one's love of another person be

Finding Peace In The World

If you want to find peace with any other person in the world, you've got to start with your own brothers and sisters. Until then, you haven't yet found peace within your own self. And only when you've found peace within yourself can you help us find peace for the entire world.
Every person is a brother or sister of a great family of many thousands of years.
When one person does an act of kindness, all our hands extend with his or hers. If one person should fall, all of us stumble. If one suffers, we all feel pain. When one rejoices, we are all uplifted. In our oneness we will find our destiny and our destiny is to be one. For we are a single body, breathing with a single set of lungs, pulsating with a single heart, drawing from a single well of consciousness.
We are one. Let it be with love - Tzvi Freeman