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TOPIC: Thought I wouldn't need to ask for help 14203 Views

Re: Thought I wouldn't need to ask for help 18 Sep 2024 17:14 #421807

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chosemyshem wrote on 18 Sep 2024 14:10:

eerie wrote on 18 Sep 2024 06:15:

mggsbms wrote on 18 Sep 2024 02:58:
Is there a סוג ג?  Where one never seems to get out of the trenches, and cant go more then 5 days, let alone 50, or 500, without lusting, yet still gets up in the morning trudging thru another day, drowning but still swimming, davening and learning, broken to the core but still showing up, commiting and commiting again. Maybe we are not worthy to be called a סוג, but we are still in hashems army, because we still are with the program, hoping, yearning, crying, for what? For the same kirvas elokim, but we haven't been answered yet, maybe one day.

My dear friend, I know it's hard as hell, but you have been answered. Red took the words out of my mouth. If you are fighting, then you are winning! The soldiers who come back from the battlefield with scars and wounds, and some who never heal, are the ones who receive the greatest medals! You, and the many, many people just like you, who continue to fight, despite setback after setback, despite having so much stacked against them, and every day give it a fresh shot, I have no idea where you draw those reservoirs of strength from, and I know that I am not worthy of the medal you will receive.
With much admiration,
Eerie

Eerie I think you know that the line I highlighted is not really true. Sounds nice and inspirational and all, but that doesn't make it true.

People fight and lose. People die on the battlefield all the time. Our actions have consequences. Bechira is the most powerful tool mankind possesses and when used for evil it leaves scars. 

What you perhaps meant to say was that we cannot comprehend Hashem's calculus of the deeds of man, which takes into account actions, thoughts, capabilities, abilities, situation, what was given to him, the overall relationship with hashem and a million other details that make up the comprehensive state of a person's avodas Hashem. And that someone who does a lot of aveiros can be closer to Hashem than someone who does more mitzvos. And that striving to come close to Hashem is a beautiful thing even if it feels like you're failing.

But you don't get extra credit for fighting stupidly. Imagine a soldier who comes back from a battle bloody and broken. He comes to the king and asks for a Purple Heart, a Medal of Honor with the Tiffany Cross etc. The king asked him how he got so injured, and the soldier proudly boasts that he charged enemy lines with just a knife and killed 3 enemy soldiers before being taken captive and tortured for years. And though he was tortured brutally, he never gave up hoping and eventually escaped. 

The king smacks the soldier in the face and orders him arrested for treason. "You idiot," he shouts at the soldier, "You're a fighter pilot. Why did you do something so idiotic like attacking an army with a knife." 

Fighting stupidly is not valor. Fighting a harder fight than you need to does not earn you schar nor does it bring you closer to Hashem. There are people who think they are fighting when all they are doing is bashing their brains out by banging their head over and over against the wall.

Obviously, it's very difficult to know and be self-honest about how much of the fight is a self-imposed hardship. But someone who's been struggling for years might be a precious HEROtm who is doing the best they can in a very difficult nisayon. And his 100% effort is all the more precious for being put in such dark places. But he also might be an idiot who has refused G-d's helping hand and directions out of the maze over and over again. 

Something that's been a lifelong issue for me is using bitachon to justify atzlus.

Stop using bitachon as an excuse.

Shem, let me explain something simple to you. I try to post only things that will help people in their battle. I'm not here to philosophize, ponder, quote Rav Dessler or any of the like. The general idea of my posting is write what I think the person might find helpful to continue fighting this battle.
So, while you take apart the question very well, you seem to agree that it is possible for my words to be true. When a guy isn't a fighter pilot, when he's a foot soldier, and he's been given a herculean task, and he keeps fighting, then fighting is winning. He's to be complimented and told how unbelievable he is, because that's the plain truth. 
If I understand correctly, the there are many people who should be told exactly what I posted.
Now, do I ever know that that's the fact? No. Is it possible for that person to be fighting smarter? Perhaps. And there may be a time and place when that person brings up the discussion, to dissect the way that person is fighting, to ask and listen, and then advise on how he can fight smarter. But until then I have no way of knowing if he has a better way of fighting. So, doesn't he deserve the benefit of the doubt, and not my second guessing him? Doesn't he deserve to be told that as long as he's fighting he's winning?! Are we even close to being in a position of being able to judge him?! Do I know his background, his upbringing, his life's experiences, his challenges, the nature Hashem gave him, the family, shul, community that is his lot? And even if I may be wrong about him, I ask one simple question. Which will be helpful for him, the idea that he's a hero for still being in the game, or my dissecting the hashkafa etc. I think you know the answer. 
With true respect,
Eerie
Feel free to say hi. My email is 1gimpelovitz@gmail.com
Last Edit: 18 Sep 2024 17:18 by eerie.

Re: Thought I wouldn't need to ask for help 18 Sep 2024 17:25 #421808

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eerie wrote on 18 Sep 2024 17:14:



Shem, let me explain something simple to you. I try to post only things that will help people in their battle. I'm not here to philosophize, ponder, quote Rav Dessler or any of the like. The general idea of my posting is write what I think the person might find helpful to continue fighting this battle.
 I ask one simple question. Which will be helpful for him, the idea that he's a hero for still being in the game, or my dissecting the hashkafa etc. I think you know the answer. 

Eerie, undoubtably you're a nicer person than me. I appreciate your positivity and relentless determination to help another Yid out, and the world (and the forum!) is a better place with you in it.

To answer your simple question. It depends. If the guy you're talking to needs chizuk - of course tell him he's a hero. But if he's doing the wrong things, then telling him fighting is winning is doing him a disservice. It's effectively chanifa that denies him the privilege of growth.

It's possible (but more difficult) to give chizzuk while also encouraging growth. Since I don't know how to do that, I'll leave the chizzuk to you, the growth discussions to others, and I'll discuss the philosophy and hope it helps someone. 

Re: Thought I wouldn't need to ask for help 18 Sep 2024 17:33 #421811

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Rabbi Shem,



You are indeed correct (in my opinion, at least).



However, most people don't fight stupidly consciously (at least from their vantage point). Any stupidity that they are incorporating in their mode of struggle, fight etc. is one that they're not aware is stupid, or, alternatively, perhaps aware but not in a place to take THAT step yet. The same as the bechira of the struggle itself, no? Essentially noone will argue that each single instance of _______ (insert whatever my particular drug-lust of choice is at any particular opportunity here), is not within my bechira to overcome, yet we operate with some sort of cognizance that the struggle in its entirety and generality is difficult/impossible to overcome - PRECISELY due the difficulties inherent in NOT fighting stupidly, no?



Which leads one to add on a caveat to the first line of this post - להלכה ולא למעשה....



Perhaps I'm not being clear - but one man's half-pence....
Last Edit: 18 Sep 2024 21:01 by yitzy148.

Re: Thought I wouldn't need to ask for help 18 Sep 2024 17:37 #421812

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When a guy cries out in pain from an injury, he's laying doubled over in pain, that's not the time for constructive criticism of any sort. What he needs is a caring EMT. In an appropriate conversation, a person can be made aware of the things he can change to fight smarter, even while being super positive and encouraging
Feel free to say hi. My email is 1gimpelovitz@gmail.com

Re: Thought I wouldn't need to ask for help 18 Sep 2024 18:57 #421823

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yitzy148 wrote on 18 Sep 2024 17:33:
Rabbi Shem,

You are indeed correct (in my opinion, at least).

However, most people don't fight stupidly consciously (at least from their vantage point). Any stupidity that they are incorporating in their mode of struggle, fight etc. is one that they're not aware is stupid, or, alternatively, perhaps aware but not in a place to take THAT step yet. The same as the bechira of the struggle itself, no? Essentially noone will argue that each single instance of _______ (insert whatever my particular drug-lust of choice is at any particular opportunity here), is not within my bechira to overcome, yet we operate with some sort of cognizance that the struggle in its entirety and generality is difficult/impossible to overcome - PRECISELY due the difficulties inherent in not fighting stupidly, no?

Perhaps I'm not being clear - but one man's half-pence....

Since we're philosophizin' (in addition to working). I'm not sure I understand you, but I'll give it a shot.

Fundamentally, if knowledge or understanding is outside of our grasp then it's outside of our realm of bechira. Let's hypothesize the existence of a kabbalistic meditative technique that burns out lust. None of us are liable for not going and learning that technique because we don't know it exists. 

But what about the existence of an organization that teaches techniques to help fight the battle. And let's say that organization advertises heavily, and has proven to have a better success rate than someone fighting alone. But someone says, "Nah, that's not for me." That person is choosing to fight stupidly. And since that was me for about 5 years before I broke down and joined GYE, so I'll just use that as an example to make things concrete.

So if I understand you correctly, you're questioning the conscious nature of that choice to refrain from joining and arguing that just like my lust pushed me uncontrollably to masturbate, it (or ego or laziness) pushed me to stay away from GYE.

I think that's certainly plausible. I also think there are people who will not be able to escape the struggle no matter what they do since Hashem davka wants them in the mud. But the point is that for most people there are eitzos to escape, and those eitzos are approachable. And all too often with just a little push, a little mussar if you will, we can reach those eitzos. We just need to stop lying to ourselves and look for them.

Re: Thought I wouldn't need to ask for help 18 Sep 2024 20:00 #421828

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eerie wrote on 18 Sep 2024 17:37:
When a guy cries out in pain from an injury, he's laying doubled over in pain, that's not the time for constructive criticism of any sort. What he needs is a caring EMT. In an appropriate conversation, a person can be made aware of the things he can change to fight smarter, even while being super positive and encouraging

I agree, very well said. 
נאה דורש ונאה מקיים!! 

Thank you for being here, Eerie.
Your Ahavah and Chizzuk and unflagging caring is a unique and special gift!
Please feel free to reach out anytime at chaim.oigen@gmail.com
Last Edit: 18 Sep 2024 20:03 by chaimoigen.

Re: Thought I wouldn't need to ask for help 20 Sep 2024 02:30 #421948

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eerie wrote on 18 Sep 2024 17:37:
When a guy cries out in pain from an injury, he's laying doubled over in pain, that's not the time for constructive criticism of any sort. What he needs is a caring EMT. In an appropriate conversation, a person can be made aware of the things he can change to fight smarter, even while being super positive and encouraging

So this is the basic image I have in my head. A gentleman is in a violent car accident and EMT Eerie is the first responder.  As he is is applying the tourniquet to the said gentleman's severed leg this is what he's saying.

Nah, you're really not such a terrible driver. A stop sign ? Here?  NOOOOO- It wasn't really a stop sign, it just looked like one. No of course you're not bleeding to death from blood loss  Ech, its just a small cut. You're a terrific driver Okay, so you got into a minor crash- Its perfectly normal EVERYONE does that all the time Not a big deal.
May you slide down the banister of happiness and get many splinters of success up your career

Feel free to send me an owl, a howler, or even a Crumple-Horned Snorkack to Iamredfaced@gmail.com


The Red Face

Re: Thought I wouldn't need to ask for help 20 Sep 2024 04:27 #421961

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So he should tell him what a terrible driver he is while he's tending to his life threatening wound?



I was traveling the last couple of days, so I had some time to think while cruising along some long stretches of endless expressways, will share some anecdotes supporting the chizuk approach that Eerie wrote.



There is a story told about the Bardichiver Ruv Zt"l, once he was very late to davening the crowd was waiting and waiting, finally he entered, and confided to his talmidim the reason for delay, he explained every time he comes into shul he finds a reason why he is the lowliest person among the congregation, and he generally finds many of his own flaws that prove his inadequacy, however this week the town boor showed up who was known for his many aveirus and he could not find himself more lowly then this fellow, hence the wait, till it occurred to him, that had he been in this yid's situation no way would he have the capacity to show up to shul...  So that's for the chashivus of showing up.



Many years ago I wrote this on this site and I copy paste,

"R' Yeshua Geltzeler shlit"a writes a letter to his father in law Rav Desler zt"l, some memories of the time he spent Rosh Hshana with R' Shrage Feivel Mendlowitz zt"l,. (It was after the passing of R' shraga feivel, and they are from the rosh hashanah of that year, (a mere three months prior)).



R' Shraga Feivel turned to R' yeshua before tekias shofer and asked how do you explain what we say by שופרות,כי אתה שומע וגו' ומאזין תרועה ואין דומה לך why does he finish ואין דומה לך ?



R' Shraga Feivel answered, there is nobody else that understands the broken heart of a yid, nobody really could judge a yid because he doesn't know his struggles, however the eibeshter knows our struggles, that is why he listens to us. ואין דומה לך



R' shraga feivel clicked his fingers, and finished of these words with a stifled cry, and quipped "this is our only yeshua to go to the yom hadin", and with that he turned to blow shofer".



And to the point of bitochon on aveirus, this is a dangerous subject if not understood correctly, but it pays to note a powerful hashakfik piece about this, in the sefer "Imrei Noem" where he asks how were the shevatim judged on mechiras yosef if hkb"h was part of the plot, so obviously there is such a concept of bashert, and he explains that this is what Rachel meant when she said אסף אלקים את חרפתי, she meant averirus in general, because hkb"h is always in on the plot. It's a vort to see for yourself, and I won't pretend to do justice quoting it.



The above thoughts are to point out that these chizuk words used here aren't to be flippantly thrown away, it goes without sayin that they shouldn"t be abused  by the recipient, however there is a time and place for this kind of EMT service as well.

Sorry Reb C"O for hijacking your thread, with this I rest my case.
Aka -  Mischadeish075 Email mischadeish075@gmail.com
Last Edit: 20 Sep 2024 09:15 by mggsbms.

Re: Thought I wouldn't need to ask for help 20 Sep 2024 06:17 #421966

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mggsbms wrote on 20 Sep 2024 04:27:
So he should tell him what a terrible driver he is while he's tending to his life threatening wound?

I was traveling the last couple of days, so I had some time to think while cruising along some long stretches of endless expressways, will share some anecdotes supporting the chizuk approach that Eerie wrote.

There is a story told about the Bardichiver Ruv Zt"l, once he was very late to davening the crowd was waiting and waiting, finally he entered, and confided to his talmidim the reason for delay, he explained every time he comes into shul he finds a reason why he is the lowliest person among the congregation, and he generally finds many of his own flaws that prove his inadequacy, however this week the town boor showed up who was known for his many aveirus and he could not find himself more lowly then this fellow, hence the wait, till it occurred to him, that had he been in this yid's situation no way would he have the capacity to show up to shul...  So that's for the chashivus of showing up.

Many years ago I wrote this on this site and I copy paste,
"R' Yeshua Geltzeler shlit"a writes a letter to his father in law Rav Desler zt"l, some memories of the time he spent Rosh Hshana with R' Shrage Feivel Mendlowitz zt"l,. (It was after the passing of R' shraga feivel, and they are from the rosh hashanah of that year, (a mere three months prior)).

R' Shraga Feivel turned to R' yeshua before tekias shofer and asked how do you explain what we say by שופרות,כי אתה שומע וגו' ומאזין תרועה ואין דומה לך why does he finish ואין דומה לך ?

R' Shraga Feivel answered, there is nobody else that understands the broken heart of a yid, nobody really could judge a yid because he doesn't know his struggles, however the eibeshter knows our struggles, that is why he listens to us. ואין דומה לך

R' shraga feivel clicked his fingers, and finished of these words with a stifled cry, and quipped "this is our only yeshua to go to the yom hadin", and with that he turned to blow shofer".

And to the point of bitochon on aveirus, this is a dangerous subject if not understood correctly, but it pays to note a powerful hashakfik piece about this, in the sefer "Imrei Noem" where he asks how were the shevatim judged on mechiras yosef if hkb"h was part of the plot, so obviously there is such a concept of bashert, and he explains that this is what Rachel meant when she said אסף אלקים את חרפתי, she meant averirus in general, because hkb"h is always in on the plot. It's a vort to see it on your own, and I won't pretend to do justice quoting it.

The above thoughts are to point out that these chizuk words used here aren't to be flippantly thrown away, it goes without sayin that they shouldn't be abused either by the recipient, however there is a time and place for this kind of EMT service as well.
Sorry Reb C"O for hijacking your thread, with this I rest my case.

These are poignant and powerful ideas. And a poignant and powerful post. You have not hijacked my thread. The name of my thread is “Thought I wouldn’t need to ask for help”. But I did. And I do. You, friend, are one of those whose help I need, (all the way from when you reached out well over a year ago), and I thank you.
Please feel free to reach out anytime at chaim.oigen@gmail.com
Last Edit: 20 Sep 2024 06:21 by chaimoigen.

Re: Thought I wouldn't need to ask for help 20 Sep 2024 17:19 #422002

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redfaced wrote on 20 Sep 2024 02:30:

eerie wrote on 18 Sep 2024 17:37:
When a guy cries out in pain from an injury, he's laying doubled over in pain, that's not the time for constructive criticism of any sort. What he needs is a caring EMT. In an appropriate conversation, a person can be made aware of the things he can change to fight smarter, even while being super positive and encouraging

So this is the basic image I have in my head. A gentleman is in a violent car accident and EMT Eerie is the first responder.  As he is is applying the tourniquet to the said gentleman's severed leg this is what he's saying.

Nah, you're really not such a terrible driver. A stop sign ? Here?  NOOOOO- It wasn't really a stop sign, it just looked like one. No of course you're not bleeding to death from blood loss  Ech, its just a small cut. You're a terrific driver Okay, so you got into a minor crash- Its perfectly normal EVERYONE does that all the time Not a big deal.

My dearest friend Red, I warned you I told you how to write it, you didn't listen, so here goes
Our friend the skier has said it best. No, we don't lie and tell the guy it wasn't really a stop sign. We don't talk about the stop sign at all! Now, while your humor is very appreciated, and you have made me laugh probably more than any other person in my life, I consider you a real friend, with a deep lasting connection, I know how much you mean to me, I have to call you out here. Because it's misconstruing the point and may possibly take away from the chizuk a person gets
I hope you never have to respond to a crash, but if that ever happens I surely hope you won't be giving him driving lessons and explaining to him how much more careful he could have been and how the whole accident was avoidable etc. even if it's the truth!
When a guy is bleeding, you sooth him, cradle him, hug him, find positive things to say. When a guy cries about any pain in his life, especially a pain that's been going on for years, and he cries עד מתי!!! That's not the time for speeches and lessons in safe driving (or how to talk to his spouse, or how he could have avoided the whole issue if only he would have traveled down Red Road, etc) It's the time to find the positive, to tell him how much you care, how you understand him, etc.
Red, I know you didn't mean it, you were just doing you, trying to share the joke. And you know how hard I laughed. I just have to do me, and share the chizuk.
Feel free to say hi. My email is 1gimpelovitz@gmail.com
Last Edit: 20 Sep 2024 17:22 by eerie.

Re: Thought I wouldn't need to ask for help 20 Sep 2024 17:21 #422003

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eerie wrote on 20 Sep 2024 17:19:

redfaced wrote on 20 Sep 2024 02:30:

eerie wrote on 18 Sep 2024 17:37:
When a guy cries out in pain from an injury, he's laying doubled over in pain, that's not the time for constructive criticism of any sort. What he needs is a caring EMT. In an appropriate conversation, a person can be made aware of the things he can change to fight smarter, even while being super positive and encouraging

So this is the basic image I have in my head. A gentleman is in a violent car accident and EMT Eerie is the first responder.  As he is is applying the tourniquet to the said gentleman's severed leg this is what he's saying.

Nah, you're really not such a terrible driver. A stop sign ? Here?  NOOOOO- It wasn't really a stop sign, it just looked like one. No of course you're not bleeding to death from blood loss  Ech, its just a small cut. You're a terrific driver Okay, so you got into a minor crash- Its perfectly normal EVERYONE does that all the time Not a big deal.

My dearest friend Red, I warned you I told you how to write it, you didn't listen, so here goes
Our friend the skier has said it best. No, we don't lie and tell the guy it wasn't really a stop sign. We don't talk about the stop sign at all! Now, while your humor is very appreciated, and you have made me laugh probably more than any other person in my life, I consider you a real friend, with a deep lasting connection, I know how much you mean to me, I have to call you out here. Because it's miscontuing the point and may possibly take away from the chizuk a person gets
I hope you never have to respond to a crash, but if that ever happens I surely hope you won't be giving him driving lessons and explaining to him how much more careful he could have been and how the whole accident was avoidable etc. even if it's the truth!
When a guy is bleeding, you sooth him, cradle him, hug him, find positive things to say. When a guy cries about any pain in his life, especially a pain that's been going on for years, and he cries עד מתי!!! That's not the time for speeches and lessons in safe driving (or how to talk to his spouse, or how he could have avoided the whole issue if only he would have traveled down Red Road, etc) It's the time to find the positive, to tell him how much you care, how you understand him, etc.
Red, I know you didn't mean it, you were just doing you, trying to share the joke. And you know how hard I laughed. I just have to do me, and share the chizuk.

I like my version better, but I'm sorry
May you slide down the banister of happiness and get many splinters of success up your career

Feel free to send me an owl, a howler, or even a Crumple-Horned Snorkack to Iamredfaced@gmail.com


The Red Face
Last Edit: 20 Sep 2024 19:54 by redfaced.

Re: Thought I wouldn't need to ask for help 20 Sep 2024 17:25 #422004

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Feel free to say hi. My email is 1gimpelovitz@gmail.com
Last Edit: 20 Sep 2024 18:00 by eerie.

Re: Thought I wouldn't need to ask for help 27 Sep 2024 00:03 #422483

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I hope I'm not opening up old wounds, but with Rosh Hashana less than a week away I've been thinking about the point that Reb CO made, about crying for what we could have been.
Just learned this Gemara
The Gemara says in Shabbos (קה עמוד ב) כל הבוכה על אדם כשר מוחלין לו כל עוונותיו. Rav Dessler points out that this person has not changed his ways, perhaps his nisyoinois are so great and his resolve not yet strong enough, and he has yet a way to go, but he cries over the loss of an אדם כשר, and that is referring to a person that is crying over the loss of a good, upstanding Jew because he realizes the loss to the world with the passing of such a human being, he values those things that were lost, and the loss touches him to the point that he feels compelled to cry. That expression of what he holds so dear, the cry of the person who those values mean so much to him that he sheds tears when they are lost, that cleanses him of all his misdeeds. The Gemara says further כל המוריד דמעות על אדם כשר הקב"ה סופרן ומניחן בבית גנזיו. Says Rav Dessler, the Gemara tells us that Hashem only has Yiras shomayim in his treasure house, and here it says He has the tears cried over a special individual? The answer is that these tears are Yiras Shomayim! They are a person expressing from the depths of his soul that he yearns for restoration of Yiras Shomayim in the world, and nothing in the world is more special in Hashem's eyes, and such tears are stored in Hashem's vault for all eternity
I think it's not such a huge stretch to say that a person who grows past our struggles, who realizes and actualizes certain values, is a living embodiment of those יראת שמים, and when he cries about his past, he cries about the lost אדם כשר that perhaps he could have been, perhaps purer, perhaps more temimusdig, perhaps less prone to be pulled by the filth of the world, when he cries about that loss, he achieves מוחלין לו על כל עוונותיו, and he achieves tears that nothing in the world is dearer to Hashem

With eyes looking forward to a bright future,
With a hand outstretched so CO can hold it,
L'chaim,

עירי

Feel free to say hi. My email is 1gimpelovitz@gmail.com
Last Edit: 27 Sep 2024 00:06 by eerie.

Re: Thought I wouldn't need to ask for help 12 Nov 2024 05:12 #424861

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Bichagvei HaSelah


The Wall stood strangely imposing, though I could feel its silent welcome.

Feeling strangely awkward,
I tried to reach out and up and in, as always,
         to find where the barrier breaks,
    To connect.<
                          And I couldn’t.

I knew it was all me.
                Dried-up me.

   The day(s) had been too long.
I was tired. And too full of the dust of the journey and a     
             thousand whispers elsewhere. Dry.

I waited.
it didn’t work. wasn’t working.

Felt a dull aching sickness. Two thousand miles for this?

So I meandered a bit, the ripped shirt flailing. Looking hollow-eyed at all there was to see. Trying to feel what I wasn’t.
No poem was coming.

And then I saw the bedraggled pigeon
Huddling in the crack of the wall. At rest. Stillness.

The hubbub below, with late-night Nishmas and the yearning, screaming bellows of a red-bearded holy, giant soul on fire not reaching her (like me).
Silent, huddled in the crack, for shelter and rest.

Shelter and rest. Oh yes.
Because I’m tired of flying on, like a sparrow in the rain. I’m tired of seeking and calling out by dawn and dusk ,
Oh! Hashmi’eini already, oh please!

I want to climb up and squeeze all the way in, and huddle there, another Yonaleh, Bichagvei Haselah

it feels right -
in your Shelter, in your Wall, I can huddle.
 it’ll be alright. That’s where I can go. I’ll be home, even without any words. I’ll be alright. With You.

הנה זה עומד אחר כתלמו
im glad I came.
Please feel free to reach out anytime at chaim.oigen@gmail.com
Last Edit: 12 Nov 2024 14:09 by chaimoigen.

Re: Thought I wouldn't need to ask for help 26 Nov 2024 17:04 #425834

  • chaimoigen
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Over the last week and a half I got in the habit of checking out a certain (non Jewish) news feed a bunch of times. Which led to following a few interesting links, a few times. In violation of my personal no browsing policy. Never went further than that, so I thought, “why should I post about violating a self-imposed Kabbala that isn’t relevant for most people?”  

The past few weeks have been tough.
But it’s stupid to go backwards and indulge in brainless numbing tactics that I’ve left behind. And it’s stupid to let myself see, even very briefly, some of the inappropriate images that the non-Jewish media feels are newsworthy (and which they do not consider inappropriate, because they live in a different universe than I.) Especially after more than a year of not seeing anything like that, BH. 

I guess smart people can do stupid things. Especially when acting without paying too much attention. Which is stupid. Well, I’m not interested in doing anything stupid.  Stopping this here and now, imyH. 

I guess I’ll have to face the things that are painful without idiotic distractions. 

Chaim Oigen
Please feel free to reach out anytime at chaim.oigen@gmail.com
Last Edit: 26 Nov 2024 17:07 by chaimoigen.
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