Love it. I hate counting too (perhaps in a sour grapes sense) but there's a time and place.

Care to make a competition out of it?

chosemyshem wrote on 04 Sep 2024 18:21:

Write up a draft of the terms, and I'll have my lawyer take a look at it.

thompson wrote on 04 Sep 2024 18:25:

The party of the first part (hereinafter "the Party") and the party of the second party (hereinafter, the "Party pooper") hereby agree to party.


But seriously. First person to watch pornographic content, masturbate, or engage in other erotic adventure (each person according to his issues) before Yom Kippur will pay 20 bucks to the pot. Winner take all.

thompson wrote on 04 Sep 2024 18:18:

Hey this dialogue sounds familiar to me. perhaps, our ALL or Nothing is at play here

chosemyshem wrote on 04 Sep 2024 18:33:

Any relation to Winnie the Pooper?

Where's this pot you speak of? I'm asking for withdrawl purposes.

thompson wrote on 04 Sep 2024 19:00:

I googled Winnie the Pooper and I'm feeling a lot of regret.

guardyoureyes.com/forum/1-Break-Free/420804-The-Elul-Challenge

chosemyshem wrote on 04 Sep 2024 19:19:

Alright! Twenty bucks from Shem in the pot!

LOL!!

And so, without much fanfare, pomp, or ado, I have two clean days in preparation for the High Holidays.

That's two clean days and a portrait of Andrew Jackson (on a cotton and linen canvas) from Shem.

thompson wrote on 04 Sep 2024 18:18:

Thank you

Mornin'

Day 7

Over Shabbos, I've come to realize that in preparation for the new year, I need more than a negation. More than something I don't do. A soldier on the battlefield can perhaps hide in a trench and survive, but what tale will he have for his grandkids?

Get busy living or get busy dying.

Not doing harm, isn't busy. In fact, it's the bare minimum of living. It's just waiting for death to come and relieve you from the battle.

That's the hard lesson that the Nebach of the Shteeble (y'know, Moishy) learned from his old man as his father got busy dying.

Any suggestions?

thompson wrote on 09 Sep 2024 14:37:

Shalom Brother Thompson,

I wrote this for myself a while back, and I hope you will appreciate it. As you say, negation may be a chapter, but the title of the book is 'Life'. I haven't read your book. There is only one copy, it's not in circulation, and the ending hasn't been revealed yet, even to the author. What inspires you to turn over the next clean page with satisfaction that your writing today will be worthy of a page in your life's book? 5 additional minutes of: Learning, concentration in davening, thinking about Hashem, seeing the good, appreciating yourself, helping others? Not everyone's story gets told time and again in this world, but everyone leaves a legacy that it timeless. Whatever you choose to do, if it comes from the right place, it will have the right effect. 


Tehillim 118:17 we read in Hallel "Lo Amus, Ki Echyeh"

The expression is an inverse opposite - seemingly saying the same thing from both sides. Why did Dovid Hamelech say both, and why in this particular order?

If it is appropriate, I'd like to take away my own personal meaning, and perhaps others may agree with my interpretation (not to the exclusion of other interpretations).

When we have personal struggles, we can decide to fight and hopefully overcome them - Ki Echyeh. But deterrents may (and probably will) arise and hinder our progress or try and turn us back. If we start from a mindset of asserting Lo Amus - no matter what, I will not give up; then we can follow up with Ki Echyeh in overcoming our challenges despite any obstacles.

One can physically be alive by default of not being dead. Establishing first that we are not dead, then being alive means really living - with purposeful fulfillment.

If we can accomplish this, then we can Sippur Ma'asei Kah - In growing by overcoming these struggles, I will see their benefit and not only thank G-d for myself, but also tell others to strengthen them in their battles by seeing that His will is good.

Yasor Yisrani Kah - Hashem tests me because I need correcting, and these tests are dedicated to putting me on the correct path.

ViLamaves Lo Nisanani - Proof that Hashem wants me to succeed in passing these tests is that I am alive, so there is no test given in life that a person cannot possibly overcome (with Hashem's help) - otherwise they would be dead.

Pischu Li Sa'arei Tzeddek . . . Yavou Vo - When we recognize our tests are intended to be for our betterment, what looked like a fence blocking our way is actually a gate. If we can internalize this concept, it will open for us to enter and ascend to an elevated state of living.


Continued Hatzlacha

Day 8

Today will be known as the day that lust woke up.

He was all like, "Hey! What's going on? How long have I been asleep? Look at that woman crossing the street. You should really pull up the you-know-which scene as soon as you get to work and get some much-needed sexual release." All of that and then some.

Part of me feels like he might be right*.

On the other hand, there's an ego at stake here.


*Feelings are overrated, but that's for another time.

thompson wrote on 10 Sep 2024 14:17:

Feelings are definitely overrated. But lying to yourself about your feelings isn't super helpful. Honest rejection seems about right.

I'm super disappointed no one suggested Daf Yomi in response to your post yesterday. B'makom sh'ein ish. I'll suggest Oraysa. 

Like Daf Yomi in that there's a consistent pace you gotta keep up with and an international chevra holding in it (though obviously to a much smaller extent). Unlike Daf Yomi in that the pace isn't crushing and you can even chazer a little. 

Make it a focus of your life.

(Or check out Dov's 12 step workshops (link in the sig) for a different approach to starting to live a spiritual life. Maybe it'll speak to you.) 

Couldn't agree more. 
If not for my daily daf regiment, אז אבדתי בעניי

Not from a religious perspective. 
Just having a daily daf chavrusa, keeps me sane. Makes me wake up in the morning and run out and get my day started. 
I've fallen (read-falling) 10,000,000 times (or maybe I fell once and never got up) but at least I know that I have my daily daf. (Rav Meir shapiro doesn't get enough credit)