I don't know why, but when I woke up this morning, I started thinking about the statement that "G-d helps those who help themselves." When I began thinking about that idea, I realized something. We've been talking a lot about how the mentalities of the עמל and the חכם are so prevalent in our 21st century lives, but this idea portrays something different. This idea is the exact opposite of the Amal, in that it attributes all of man's successes to G-d even when man DOES work toward it. It seems to be much more the partnership idea of the ירא א-לוקים, saying that G-d is in complete control, but man still has to take steps on his own to make something happen.
This just kinda gave me a little hope that our society isn't as self-centered and "it's-all-about-man" as it appears.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Just one more before we leave Kohelet...
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When my friend was really injured and was going through a lot of surgeries, there were a lot of Tehilim groups going on all around the world because a lot of people either knew her or heard her story. Mrs. Lennon and I ran a learning group in honor of her Refuah Shelemah. We learned the tehilim Shir Lamalot Eisa Einai. I had never really looked into the tehilim before that week when I studied to teach it. The tehilim is saying just that you can't just look up to G-d and ask for help, He has to see that you are also putting in effort to get better or to help yourself.
ReplyDeleteIn Nezikin we are learning about Tzedakah, and we learned that Rambam tells us that G-d promises you will be protected if you give Tzedakah. This also seems to say that G-d helps those who help others. This is reflective of the Amal's early philosophy. All he wanted to do was help others, but he went a little extreme on the whole perfection thing.
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