http://search.deviantart.com/?q=by:Lhabya&section=today deviantART RSS for by:Lhabya en-us Copyright 2009, deviantART.com Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:35:39 PST deviantART.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://s.deviantart.com/minish/widgets/apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/14600036/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/14600036/ Wed, 12 Sep 2007 07:48:48 PDT
Gut Yontiv!

I just want to wish everyone a Shanah Tova U'Metuka. May this be a year free from pain and war, but rich in health and happiness. May all of the people Israel be united as one, and may we all find the strength to fulfill Hashem's Torah as best we can.

]]> ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/12380589/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/12380589/ Thu, 29 Mar 2007 19:22:47 PDT
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May we all find the strength in ourselves and in Hashem's Torah to erase Amalek from our thoughts, our deeds, and from the face of this Earth.

]]> ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/8908389/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/8908389/ Mon, 29 May 2006 05:28:05 PDT ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/8908388/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/8908388/ Mon, 29 May 2006 05:28:05 PDT ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/8898934/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/8898934/ Sun, 28 May 2006 05:18:43 PDT ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/8750184/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/8750184/ Fri, 12 May 2006 13:57:42 PDT ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/8409110/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/8409110/ Sat, 08 Apr 2006 14:53:18 PDT
Both schools are on opposite sides of the spectrum. Have no idea where to go... ]]> ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/6714895/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/6714895/ Sat, 08 Oct 2005 18:40:18 PDT ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/6139475/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/6139475/ Fri, 05 Aug 2005 06:55:57 PDT Nikki! ]]> ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/6139465/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/6139465/ Fri, 05 Aug 2005 06:54:52 PDT ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/6045926/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/6045926/ Wed, 27 Jul 2005 05:34:59 PDT ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/5966163/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/5966163/ Mon, 18 Jul 2005 08:09:58 PDT ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/5730808/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/5730808/ Thu, 23 Jun 2005 06:36:32 PDT ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/5662810/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/5662810/ Thu, 16 Jun 2005 05:34:25 PDT
Well, school ended on a pretty good note, except for the fact that Lindsay left. Hopefully things will work out while next year while she is at Penn State. Next year I'm going to be a little counselor person at my boarding school for the new freshies. That should be quite interesting.

As far as summer is concerned: I need a job desperately! I went to the mall yesterday and filled out about eight applications. Maybe I will get a call. And, I plan on going to Philadelphia to see Lindsay in July, and she will probably come down in early August to go to Ft. Myers with my family and me for some spa resort.

And, for anyone that reads this- go out and buy the Team Sleep cd. It's not bad. Oh, and from what i have read they already have a new cd planned to come out in the fall. Pretty trippy if i do say so myself. The Deftones album should be coming out too. Has anyone heard the new Billy Corgan cd? If you have, drop me a note.

Peace biznatches ]]> ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/4548661/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/4548661/ Thu, 10 Feb 2005 18:08:34 PST ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/4394525/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/4394525/ Sun, 23 Jan 2005 14:09:28 PST ]]> ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/3767630/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/3767630/ Sat, 06 Nov 2004 10:55:02 PST ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/3603472/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/3603472/ Sat, 16 Oct 2004 12:43:25 PDT ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/3367460/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/3367460/ Wed, 15 Sep 2004 05:10:09 PDT ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/3297039/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/3297039/ Mon, 06 Sep 2004 00:33:47 PDT ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/3223021/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/3223021/ Fri, 27 Aug 2004 09:29:03 PDT ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/3153672/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/3153672/ Wed, 18 Aug 2004 07:50:20 PDT ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/3148559/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/3148559/ Tue, 17 Aug 2004 15:28:23 PDT ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/2910324/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/2910324/ Sun, 18 Jul 2004 10:36:09 PDT israel!! ]]> ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/2825321/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/2825321/ Wed, 07 Jul 2004 12:24:29 PDT ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/2755616/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/2755616/ Mon, 28 Jun 2004 12:57:59 PDT here ]]> ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/2619690/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/2619690/ Wed, 09 Jun 2004 09:24:10 PDT -----------------

In truth, there are two possible channels by which to receive your livelihood, according to the perspective you take in life:

You could decide to become just another element of nature, chasing after your bread in the chaos, running the race of survival of the fittest.

And the fact is, you may even do well taking this route --in the short run. In the long run, however, your soul is being denied its nourishment, and your body, too, will never feel satisfied.

Or you could see your life as an intimate relationship with the Source of Life Above --as though all your livelihood was no more than manna from heaven, handed to you personally and lovingly straight from the hand of your G-d and partner in all you do.

Then your main job is to keep the basket where your manna will fall sparkling clean, insuring that no one is being hurt or misled by your business. To spend the profits you are granted on spreading kindness in the world. ]]> ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/2572884/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/2572884/ Thu, 03 Jun 2004 09:05:10 PDT
Know that the world is in a constant state of elevation, rocketing upwards towards its ultimate wholeness at every moment. Every quivering of every leaf, every subtle breeze, every slightest motion of any particle of our universe is another move in that same direction. Even those events that seem to thrust downward are in truth only a part of the ascent --like the poise of an athlete before he leaps, the contraction of a spring before its energy is released.

There is not a thing you could do halt that dynamic even for a moment. True, you must take responsibility for your deeds and work hard, very hard, to clean up your own mess. But when all the dust settles, you are exactly in the space where you were meant to be: One step closer. ]]> ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/2541987/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/2541987/ Sun, 30 May 2004 10:43:13 PDT
Certainly, it is nice to know the "how". When you know and understand, you can immerse your entire mind and heart into the matter.

But when you experience that which you do not yet understand there is surprise and there is wonder. For that moment, you are swept away and lifted out of your little world. You taste first-hand that, yes, there is truly a reality that exists beyond my own mind and heart.

This is the path of wonder the Torah takes to come into our world. It is a path that takes an open mind, one ready for truths beyond itself. As the people declared at Sinai, "We will do, and then we will understand." ]]> ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/2501209/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/2501209/ Mon, 24 May 2004 20:06:19 PDT
Wisdom preceded the world and wisdom is its destiny. With each passing moment, wisdom becomes younger as we come closer to the time when it is born and breathes the air of day.

Our ancient mothers and fathers, the sages, all those from whom we learn wisdom--they are not guardians of the past. They are messengers of the future. ]]> ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/2489725/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/2489725/ Sun, 23 May 2004 10:37:02 PDT The only true explanation for pain and suffering is that the world itself is intrinsically good, that the world was created with the intentions of being good, and that pain and suffering are somehow part of the larger integrity of the world. This is not to suggest that pain itself is beneficial, nor that we should always accept it. In fact, we must express our feelings of pain to the fullest, and do everything in our power to alleviate suffering in ourselves and in others. We should do all we can to discover how pain may be a “blessing” in disguise, and to overcome the agony and restore harmony to our body and soul. And, when we realize that we are comprised of not just a body but a body and a soul, two conflicting but compromised forces, we recognize that there is a far higher purpose to our lives, and a far deeper meaning to our pain. Whenever we accomplish something we have to inevitably endure some type of suffering or discomfort. For example the intense pain that a woman feels while giving birth. No matter how great such pain may be, it is ultimately justified by the goodness it produces.
Pain and suffering are opportunities to challenge the way we look at life. When things are going well, we tend to take life for granted, but trauma brings us to the edges of our existence, allowing us to view it from a new, revealing perspective. So the real question we must ask is not just why we sometimes suffer, but what we are meant to learn from it. Even if it takes a whole life time to learn, pain and suffering will eventually teach us something in the long run. Anguish will eventually teach us how to connect with ourselves and all that we interact with.
We should see pain as a test that examines how consumed we are with material comfort, which may limit us as individuals, as opposed to spiritual growth and development of the soul itself. Instead of being depressed or broken by pain, we should do all we can to continue life with an intense commitment to goodness, thereby challenging God to live up to His promises of being righteous and fair. Trust in G-d and others and confidence in yourself and the world are all possible ways of turning pain around. It proves to us that, although we may not fully understand our pain, we recognize it as part of a greater good and a learning process. And despite our impediments, despite our confusion, despite our pain, we remain absolutely confident that goodness, a greater understanding of ourselves and purpose, and our surroundings will prevail. Freeing ourselves from pain can only come about through movement. Moving away and distracting ourselves from a painful situation; moving away from the cause that produced such painful symptoms.
For some, starting the climb out of pain requires a strong push, or even hitting rock bottom. But, the body was made to heal itself, and the soul is pure and can heal itself. Pain and suffering may result in the loss of one’s life, but death ultimately results with the soul re-uniting itself with its creator and eternal partner. Suffering is only but another life lesson just as an academic or moral one. It brings out our true character, and reveals to us how strong we our as individuals. Suffering will not only help us as people to develop and grow, but pain, war, death, and everything that goes along with it will help the world grow into what it potentially can be as a peaceful place that produces only love and goodness. ]]> ~Lhabya http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/2489699/ http://Lhabya.deviantart.com/journal/2489699/ Sun, 23 May 2004 10:31:59 PDT
First, let’s explore our options. See the universe around you? Where did it come from? There are only four possible solutions: a) the universe created itself; b) the universe emerged from nothing; c) the universe was always here (in one form or another); and d) the universe was created by some kind of creator. Now, let’s analyze these solutions one by one (but hold on to your hats, 'cause this is heavy stuff):

a) The universe created itself

When did the universe create itself—before it was there, or after it was there? If the universe created itself before it was there, then it wasn’t there to create itself! On the other hand, if it created itself after it was there, then it was already there, and had no need to create itself! And, if the universe created itself, why did it stop creating itself? Why don’t we see new universes appearing out of nowhere? Furthermore, before the universe created itself, was a universe there? If it was not there, then we have an absolute paradox: there was something there with the power to create itself, and yet it wasn’t there. In other words, it was something that was also nothing. Say what?

b) The universe emerged from nothing

Whatever happened to the Third Law of Thermodynamics (conservation of matter)? Matter can neither be created nor destroyed. It is absurd to think that “something” can emerge from “nothing.” Don’t be impressed by what many people are led to believe—that scientists found particles appearing out of nothing and later disappearing into nothingness. First of all, it contradicts not just common sense, but the very Law of Identity, which is the foundation of all logic. (The Law of Identity: Something is what it is!) Secondly, how can anyone be sure that these particles really are emerging from nothingness? It is much more probable and logical to say that they really are undetected before they appear—either because we don’t have the instrumentation to detect them or because we fail to understand the dimensions of reality. Either way, it is a bit presumptuous to believe in the absurd when there is an alternative explanation. Also, it is a logical assumption that Something is better and more powerful than Nothing. In that case, if Nothing can create Something, then Something surely can create. Well then, why can’t we, who are Somethings, create other Somethings out of Nothing?

c) The universe was always here (in one form or another)

If the universe was always here, and therefore, time goes back infinitely with no beginning, how long did it take to reach today? “Well,” you say, “it took an infinite amount of time.” But then how did we actually get to this point? How can one travel an infinite span of time? We must conclude that time and distance are finite, because they had to have begun sometime and somewhere. This means that the universe had a beginning (or should we say Genesis?) that was triggered by a Creator.

d) The universe was created by some kind of creator

This option is the most logical, yet the most frightening. It means there is an answer to the question, “Why are we here?” It means that there is a Creator, and that being so, He or It must want us here for a reason.

2. The moral approach

If there is no G-d, there is no right and wrong. If there is no G-d, that means we are a just a bunch of animals who evolved somehow out of the cosmos. And since we are just a bunch of animals, does it really make a difference in the vast universe if one two-legged animal kills another two-legged animal? Absolutely not. Yes, it’s not nice to kill, and yes, you violate the you-scratch-my-back-I’ll-scratch-yours social contract if you kill someone, but nobody has the authority to dictate to you that killing is wrong. Because he’s no better than you, because he’s just another two-legged animal, his opinion is no better than mine or yours. Therefore, if G-d doesn’t exist, there should be no objection to the American enslavement of blacks, the Nazi executions of millions of Jews and others, the countless atrocities throughout history. But there are objections—why? There shouldn’t be—after all, we’re just a bunch of animals, right? There are objections because we are not just a bunch of animals—because morality is absolute, and not relative to our individual consciences. Because there is a G-d, and there is meaning and sacredness to life.

3. The Jewish History Approach

How is it that Jews survived every empire, force, and army that history could throw at them? There is simply no rational explanation. If it’s because of their strong beliefs, well, other nations, peoples, and cultures had strong beliefs, too—perhaps even stronger than the Jews’. Why are they not aroun... ]]> ~Lhabya