When you listen to the news it sounds like world is descending into utter chaos rather than marching toward a redemptive state!
Remember though, that bad stories keep listeners more captivated! There must be a villain if it is to sell. In every key factor, the world is better today than it has ever been, and it's just getting better. We are healthier, safer, freer, smarter and richer than our forebears. And we don't even know it. Some examples: - In 1950, 75% of the world population was living in extreme poverty. Today it is down to 10%. Food is more accessible and abundant today than ever before. - International conflict is at an all time low. Historically, the chances of dying in battle or as a result of war were extremely high. Today they hover at around 0.04%. - Two hundred years ago, 40% of babies died before the age of five. Today that figure is a tiny fraction. Even in Africa their rate has halved in the last 30 years. - Until very recently, literacy skills were reserved for the elite few. (Jews were the exception). Today 8 out of 10 people worldwide are literate. - Homicide and violent crime rates are lower today than ever in history, including in the USA. - Life expectancy has doubled since the 19th century, and the world population has multiplied sevenfold. - Only one hundred years ago, almost all of the world lived under autocratic rule. Today the majority of the world's population live in free societies. And 80% of those who don't are in one country - China. - Just a few years ago, people had to rely on dial-up internet connections. Today before you hit send the other side is already responding seeing from your “3 dots” that you are in the midst of writing! The crazy thing is, with all this good going on, people in free countries don't think the world is improving. In Australia only 3% of people believe the world is getting better, and only 6% in the USA. Interestingly 41% of Chinese do believe the world is a better place today than in the past. Perhaps there are some benefits to a government controlled media spouting positive propaganda (or maybe they have more food now) ... This all tells us that we who benefit the most from these amazing times are enjoying it the least. While we are blessed with prosperity, health and opportunities that our ancestors could have only dreamed of, there is something they did have that we seem to be missing. And that is faith. Faith in a kind Creator who has a purpose for His creation. Faith in the human ability to solve problems, discover cures and invent solutions. And faith in the power of good to triumph over evil, that righteousness wins in the end and that goodness will prevail. Faith that after the darkness always comes the dawn. This is not to pretend that there is no evil in the world. There are certainly some formidable foes we need to contend with. But look beyond the news, and see how far we have come. Just open your eyes and you can see that we are living in good times. We need the wisdom to utilize this golden age, when rather than struggling to survive, we finally have the luxury to focus on our spiritual purpose. We are ever so close to that messianic world, not just not as bad as it once was, but good like it has never been before. Mendel (Menachem) Bluming and Rabbi Moss
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Flowers are useless. They are impractical, temporary, and they are not an investment. But that's precisely their power. You buy them for no reason other than because your wife likes them. You do it just for her.
This is the very definition of romance—doing something just to express love. Nobody needs flowers, they won't be around forever, but they make someone whom you love smile, so you buy them. That's why our relationship with G d is so romantic. He needs nothing from us humans, and we won't be around forever. But He gets immense pleasure out of it when we do a mitzvah, an act that He has commanded. So we do it. Not for what we get out of it, and not for what He gets out of it, but just because He likes it and wants it. The moment we do something that makes no sense to us but makes our loved one happy, we have truly transcended ourselves and connected with someone else. Stop thinking about yourself and think about her. That's the power of the rose. Mendel (Menachem) Bluming and Rabbi Moss The panic and travel warnings and changes of business plans are great due to the spread of the coronavirus. I was interviewed for an article about it from a Jewish perspective and because you probably have not read that article, I will post it here :)
“So Rabbi Menachem Mendel Bluming are there any Jewish teachings, lessons or travel warnings that you are receiving internally regarding this virus?”, we asked. “Before I proceed of course the Torah requires that we follow medical advice and I am not a doctor nor am I the CDC and so I encourage everyone to follow the advice of medical professionals”, Bluming began. “Here are a few thoughts. In truth this season of the regular virus has been and continues to be catastrophic and yet it has not caused the same panic as the coronavirus. Somehow because we seem to be used to the regular virus each year we think that it is somewhat under control or under our control and it does not cause us fear. So too so many people engage in activities that are very dangerous to their health and yet it does not concern them because they are used to it.” Mendel Bluming continued. “Spiritually as well. All too often we engage in spiritually risky behavior without the caution and the second thought that it deserves because it becomes part of normal society” Bluming counseled. “Another thought is regarding the facemasks that so many are wearing. We recognize that a few droplets emanating from us spread very far and can have deleterious effects. Are we as careful when we speak to know how far our words spread and how widely those droplets we casually share can impact?” Bluming noticed. “Most importantly,” Menachem Bluming asserted, “even a virus is ultimately in the hands of Hashem. In addition to heeding medical advice, the response should always be an increase in words of Torah, payer and giving tzedakah. G-d bless you with protection!” Menachem (Mendel) Bluming and Rabbi YCK One of the most crooked crooks in the Torah is Laban! At the Passover Seder we say that Laban wanted to destroy the entire Jewish future. Yet he was the father of Rachel and Leah the righteous matriarchs of the Jewish people! How did such a shady character have such wonderful children?
The answer is a little-known fact in biblical and Jewish history. Their mother! Her name was Adina! Have you heard of other women called Adina? The origin of that name is from Laban’s wife (see Sefer Hayashar quoted in Seder Hadorot). The name Adina means refined and delicate. That is the power of a mother! Even if the father is corrupt and crooked, a true mother, an Adina, can turn it all around for her precious children’s upbringing and future. In so many situations there is one spouse who is stable and dependable and virtuous (in a study led by Menachem Mendel Bluming of marriages in which only one spouse is virtuous, in 99.9% of the cases it is the one speaking with you who is the virtuous one, not the other :) When this happens do not lose sight of how critical and impactful your role in the family can be! Mendel (Menachem) Bluming and Rabbi Moss The dictator, the control freak, or the abusive spouse or parent, does not know how to give others freedom. He (or she) feels compelled to force others into the mold that he has created for them. Uncomfortable in his own skin, he is afraid that someone will overshadow him, expose his weaknesses, usurp his position or make him feel extra in this world. Outwardly he attempts to appear powerful, but inwardly his power is a symptom of inner misery and confinement.
Only when one learns to embrace others, not for whom he would like them to be, but for whom they are, can he begin to embrace himself, not for whom he wishes he was, but for whom he is. When we free those around us, we are freeing ourselves. By accepting them, we learn to accept ourselves. In a fascinating narrative in the book of Jeremiah chapter 34, we read: Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: So says the Lord G-d of Israel; I made a covenant with your fathers on the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slaves, saying: "At the end of seven years you shall let go every man his brother Jew who has been sold to you, and when he has served you for six years you shall let him go free from you." Isn’t that incredible?! While the Jews were just coming out of Egypt G-d made a covenant with them to let others go. G-d was teaching them that if you want to be free within yourself you must learn to not control others. That control does not make you more powerful it makes you smaller and weaker. This understanding was taught to the Jewish people even before they left Egypt having just served as slaves themselves. The Exodus from Egypt’s ultimate completion depended on this understanding. With blessings for freedom! Menachem Mendel Bluming of Potomac, Maryland |
AuthorRabbi Mendel Bluming also dedicated six years to serving on the board of directors of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, where he received the Matthew H. Simon Rabbinical Award for exceptional communal leadership. Archives
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