Philosophy vs. Chasidus

In the summer of 5688 my father was in Marienbad. One of the elders of the "Enlightenment" was staying there s well and he came to visit my father. Hes asked my father about some profound subject and my father replied with an explanation according to chasidic doctrine.

The elder was pleased with answer and explanation and he said, "This is Chasidus?! It seems like a deep philosophical concept. What, then, is the difference between the logic of philosophy and that of Chasidus?"

My father replied: "My brother, Rabbis Zalman Aaron , once gave the following answer too that question. 'When a person studies philosophy, he ultimately sheds his tallis kattan and hat. And when a person studies Chasidus, he ultimately puts on a gartel and a yarmulke'.

"This is the truth.. Everything depends on the introduction and preparation for study. Philosophy is generally studied in a spirit of cynicism born of a desire to cast off the yoke of heaven. But Chasidus is studied in a spirit of warmth born of belief and acceptance of the yoke of Heaven and an awe of Heaven.

"This," my father concluded, "its the fruit of the devotion of the early chasidim to Chasidus. they bequeathed to their children and their children's children some spiritual lachuchis (moisture)(referring to an intuitive sense and warm regard for Chasidus.) so that a chasidic concept stick to them. A chasidic axiom is absorbed well by them and places them on the path of truth."

Taken from The Chasidic Heritage Series The four Wolds a letter by Rabbi Yosef Yitzhak Schneersohn of Lubavitch. Kehot Publication Society.

Moshiach will build the Beis Hamikdash in its place.

One mights suggest that this idea that the Beit Hamikdash will begin its return to Jerusalem from its place in exile is alluded to in Maimonoide’s description of Moshiach: ”If he…built the Beit Hamikdash in its place…. he is definitely Moshiach.” Why are the words “in its place” necessary? And if they are necessary, why does Maimonides not name the place explicitly by saying, “if he… built the Beit Hamikdash in Jerusalem?”

The answer is that since, grammatically, “in its place” can also be read as “in his place,” it is an allusion to Moshiach’s place in exile* – that is, before he achieves the status of Moshiach vadai (Definite Moshiach). While still in exile, Moshiach builds a Small temple – a microcosm and a model of the Beit Hamikdash. This is a preparation for the future Beit Hamikdash. This Small Temple will be revealed first there, in exile, and will then return (with G-d and the Jewish people) to Jerusalem.

*On a simpler level, Moshiach's knowledge of the precise location of the Beit Hamikdash is one of the things that prove he is Moshiach Vadai (the Definite Moshiach). (See footnote in Likkutei Sichot, vol. 8, p. 362. See Also footnote in Likkutei Sichot, vol. 24, p. 652.)

From the book: Kuntres Beis Rabenu Shebebavel (The Holy temple In Transit) By the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson. Translated by Rabbi Alexander Zushe Kohn.

A sheep is safe amongst seventy wolves - the sheep has a Mighty Sheperd.

It's curious to me that i find on the blogosphere (and not really anywhere else) talks that there will be a destruction of Jewry especially in America G-d forbid. I think that this line of thinking is a tremendous mistake. The non-Jews in America are in the geder of the righteous amongst the nations of the world. They support and uphold justice, fight evil, give more to charity than other nations. I think that these thoughts about the opposite of good in America is a total misrepresentation of the facts on the ground. There has been no oppression or signs of oppression towards Jews, G-d should protect us always from such things.

It seems to me that the reason why a Jew might feel this way is because Jews are accustomed to feel that they are in exile and oppressed and that we must look over our shoulders to make sure no enemy is coming from behind.

The reality is that the nations of the world are ready for the imminent redemption and are simply waiting for us Yidden to open our mouth and tell them that the redemption has arrived. So the world stands ready for geuala and we are still looking around and feeling that we are in exile. It is my belief that fears over our safety, Hashem saves us from such thoughts is coming from a deep inner and a personal golus. A golus heart, a golus mind and a golus mentality.

Wake up yidden and realize that the world is not what it was, is not what it used to be and it's not going back to the old world order. You are living in the days of the redemption and no evil will ever befall the Jews, for God is with us and we shall not fear.

The same holds by the land of Israel, as soon as Jews decide to open their mouths and declare to the world that Israel is a Holy Land and it belong to Jews and that we are ready to defend it with our military might, the nations will have no more claims against us. The claims only come when we are ready to negotiate. But the land is not something which is negotiable, it is G-d's gift to the Jewish people.

I have seen that under American presidents who are very "pro Israel" and American Presidents who are not so "pro Isreal", Isreal acts the same way. Meaning it doesn't help Israel what the American president thinks. The only thing that can help Israel is what the Yidden in Isreal and all over think and what Israel's politicians speak and put in as policy in Isreal.

We should all have a gmar chasima tova and celebrate Yom Kuppur with The Lubavitcher Rebbe Melech Ha Moshiach in Jerusalem.



This is a picture of 770 Eastern Parkway, Beis Rabbenu in exile.

Sefirot Tree.

A generation completely righteous or completely not righteous.

i heard a nice vort the other day. it says somewhere that Moshiach will come in a generation which is completely righteous or a generation that is completer wicked. so the question is how can Moshiach come now its not completely to one side either way.

So really you can say that if you compare us to the past generations we are completely wicked. Our learning compared to them is nothing. Our good acts are self motivated. Our davening is superficial and so on and so forth. And behlal look at whats going on out there with the hefker velt attitudes.

On the other hand look at how the world is. And look at how much troubles and pains the Yidden have gone truth rahmona litzlan and besides it all look at us! We are davening and learning and going out on Mivztoim to bring fellow yidden closer to Torah and Mitzvos. So when we look at at in this way we see that in reality every Jew is completely righteous and meritorious and Moshiach can come right now problem

This was based on a teshuva of Rav Moshe Feinstein ztl.





Every Jew and non Jew should be blessed for a Good and Sweet year, and we should have the main blessing of the complete revelation of the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach!!!

Yechi Adonenu Marenu Vrabenu Melech Hamoshiach Leolam Voed.

Drawing of Chassidim Farbrengen.

Chassidim Farbrengen.

Drawing of Chassidim Dancing.

Two Chassidim Dancing.

Drawings from an old Jewish Sefer.

Anyone know which book these are from?

Drawings from an old Jewish Sefer.

May the Real Moshiach Please Stand Up.

I heard a conversation recently between two friends. One said that President Obama is ruining the economy and the country, and turning America into a dictatorship. The other said look at the bright side: the American people were fooled into voting for him because they expected him to be the Messiah. Well he's not exactly the Messiah but that's why the American people voted for him. America is ready for the real Messiah to come, they just don't know exactly who he is yet so they were fooled into thinking that the President of America could be Moshiach. Anyhow, President Obama promised change and hope and basically redemption from the old worldly culture.
All this shows that the world is one small good deed away from the real redemption, so may the real Moshiach please stand up.

Funny Moshiach Video

Moshiach, Moshiach, Moshiach...

Mashiach the son of David will not come until the pocket will be empty of even the smallest coin

וזהו שאמרו רז״ל: אין ישראל נגאלין אלא בצדקה

And this is what our Sages, of blessed memory, meant by saying that7 “Israel will be redeemed only through charity.”

שיעשו גם אם יהיו פטורים מדינא

[This refers to the charity] that they will perform even if they are legally not obligated,

כי אין בן דוד בא כו׳

for8 “[Mashiach] the son of David will not come [until the pocket will be empty of even the smallest coin].”

I.e., even if (Heaven forfend) there will not be a solitary coin left in one’s pocket, tzedakah will still be given. And it is this boundless level of tzedakah that secures a complete atonement for the sins of our people, after which9 “they will immediately be redeemed.”

The Rebbe explains that the Alter Rebbe does not conclude the above-mentioned quotation about the precondition for the coming of Mashiach because it is quite possible that he did not want to write out the last words (viz., “until the pocket will be empty of even the smallest coin”); and this precondition of the Sages can be fulfilled on the spiritual level, by conducting oneself with the humility of the destitute.

This could also explain why the Alter Rebbe does not say...כשיהיו (“when they are legally not obligated”), but rather...אם יהיו (“if they are legally not obligated”).

7. See above, Epistle 9, footnote 16.
8. Sanhedrin 97a.
9. Rambam, Hilchot Teshuvah 7:5.

From: Lessons in Tanya

How will we make money in Moshiach times?

Thought this was interesting from Kuntres Umaaon Maamamor 25, Chapter 1.
It says that God will bless you in all that you do.
Says Sifri, does this mean that if he sits with folded hands and does nothing God will help him? So the Torah says in that that you do. A person has to do and then God will help him.

This is a difference between the days of exile with its avodas haberurim and the future day of the Moshiach. In the times of Moshiach God's material blessing will flow down without the need to prepare a vessel for one's sustenance. But in the days of exile man has to work himself to prepare the instrument for his sustenance.


anyhow that all I wanted to say for now, enjoy.

He Answered With a Nod - A Miracle Story about Moshiach's Coming in 5769 or 5770.

I am surprised that I haven't seen this story published on the internet even though it has been published for almost a year now. I am sure many people will find it very interesting with all the news about Moshiach's coming in the year 5769 and 5770.

Story taken from:
Miracles And Amazing Stories In Our Times, Volume XII, Number 12

He Answered With a Nod
note: the original publication checks all stories for authenticity.

The Shabbos between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur (known as Shabbos Shuvah), the fifth day of Tishrei 5769, October 4, 2008 became even more unique after the most incredible dream of Rabbi Yosef Feldman's.

During the afternoon of that Shabbos when he dozed off, he saw in a dream a fellow Chasid, Rabbi Zev Simons OB”M who passed away along with his wife in a tragic car accident approximately eight months before.

In his dream, Zev requested a favor of Rabbi Feldman. Puzzled, Rabbi Feldman queried, but you are not alive anymore. Zev acknowledged this to be true but nevertheless, he asked Rabbi Feldman to go to Zev's house and make a Minyan there. But, Rabbi Feldman responded the house had been sold. Zev informed him that that if has not been sold yet, it is in the process. Rabbi Feldman further questioned, how he can get into the house, surely it must be locked. To which Zev replied, “don't worry, you'll be able to get in”.

Now, Rabbi Feldman had some questions of his own and proceeded to ask of Zev, “When is Moshiach coming?” and Zev's immediate response was “in approximately a year”. Rabbi Feldman asked further “and is the Rebbe Moshiach?” Zev did not answer verbally, but nodded with his head. And with that the dream ended.

The following day, Rabbi Feldman decide to go to the Simon's house and see what will transpire. As he reached the house, true to Zev's word, the door was open and there was a South African Jewish family living there. Rabbi Feldman approached the gentleman and inquired whether he was the owner of the house. The man responded that they were in the process of buying the house but at the moment the sale has not been completed.

Rabbi Feldman proceeded to tell him of this dream and the request of Zev Simons OB”M concluding with his request t fulfill Zev's wish. The man was agreeable to allow the Minyan in his home and took part in it as well.

Rabbi Feldman arranged the Minyan during which they said Kaddish, learned Mishnayos for the benefit of the departed and gave charity as well on their behalf.

During his conversation with the gentleman of the house, Rabbi Feldman was informed that these people did not know the Simon's nor of their tragedy. Yet when they had a little boy, whose Bris took place the day after the accident, by divine providence they name their son Menachem Zev.

Moshiach Now!!!

Moshiach is coming in 5769

There was a yid who lived in Vilna in the times of the Alter Rebbe and his name was Mendel. He was a learned man but he was a big opponent of those who followed in the path of the Baal Shem Tov and his followers. So what he would do was make fun of every single minhag (custom) that the Chassidim would employ. The way that the Chassidim dressed being careful to button their coats right over left, the gartels, the way the Chassidim behaved and so on and so forth.

They say of course that all jokes get old and so Mendel set out to devise a plan to come up with new material of how he may make fun of the Chassidim and their ways. As most of his material was already outdated he decided that he will go to Leozna himself and see the Rebbe, and this way he will have the best possible way to make more jokes and fun. He set out to Leozna, arrived there and was greeted by the Chassidim. He informed them of his desire to see the Rebbe. "See the Rebbe?" they said, "you cannot just go in to see the Rebbe so easily". First you have to prepare. They told him that you have to learn these certain books, Musar seforim and so on for examle Chovos Halevavot (Duties of the Heart) and Reishis Chochma. Then you have to go to the mikva. You have to farbreng with the chassidim. you have to write out your request to the Rebbe on paper, you don't speak to the Rebbe. You have to make an oppointment and wait to be let in to be seen. So he agreed to do all these things. He went back to Vilna and learned all the books that he was insturced to learn and came back to Leozna. He fargbred with the Chassidim, immersed in a mikva, wrote out a request on paper and made an appointment to be go into the Rebbe's room.

The day came for him to be seen. He went into the Rebbe sat down and handed his paper over to the Rebbe. The Rebbe took it and read the letter to himself. Then he picked up his head sat back and answered Mendel in a musical voice.

Mendel's reqest was that the Rebbe should give him a tikkun (corrective measure) to dirtying his tziza (fringe of his garment). This too was all made in a manner to make fun of the whole idea of Rebbe and Chosid and so on and so forth. then instead of signing his name Mendel he signed his name Chaim ben Sarah.

So the Rebbe looked up and answered, there are more things that you require a tikkun for besides getting your tziza dirty, isn't there Mendel? the Rebbe said using Mendel's real name. This had such a great effect on Mendel that he immediately fell into a faint. He eventually woke up exited the room, stayed in Leozna for a few months, realized his great error and become a very big and devout Chosid of the Alter Rebbe.

So they said about him, I cannot remember who says the Rebbe or the Chassidim that this was a case that his yetzer ha Tov was able to outsmart his yetzer ha Ra. How is this? His yetzer Ha Tov wanted that he should come to the Rebbe realize what truth is realize what the Rebbe is and so on and so forth. But unfortunately his yetzer ha Ra would not let him go so easily. So his yetzer Tov decided to trick it. His yetzer Tov told his yetzer Ra, come to Leozna, there you will see all the Chassidim and their silly and foolish ways and activities, you will see the Rebbe himself, you will have what to talk about and laugh at your whole life! And this way he was able to drag his yetzer Ra also to the Rebbe and all this was to realize truth, chassidus and the Rebbe.

We are faced with a similar situation this year. For what ever reason many people are afraid and do not wish that Moshiach will come in the year 5770. So can trick our yetzers to do a lot more in order bring Moahiach a year earlier, this year, in 5769.

This story was heard from Rav Shalom Jacobson shlita.

Moshiach Now. 5769 (2009).

Great Link to Noahide Book

I found this link recently the book The Path of the Righteous Gentile is available as a free e-book from Moshiach.com

http://www.moshiach.com/action/morality/

Enjoy.

A Fair Attempt at a Rebbe Painting

A Fair Attempt at a Rebbe Painting

A Letter From the Rebbe to a Tomim Who Started Cutting his Beard

Igros Kodesh VI pg. 285)
29 Av, 5712, Brooklyn.
Greetings and blessings,
For a person like yourself, it is surely unnecessary to elaborate on the concept explained in many places in Chassidus, and also in works of Mussar: that a divine blessing [:arousal from above”] requires a fit vessel, appropriate effort on man's part [ an arousal from below']. It is absolutely obvious that one should not initiate something that runs directly contrary to the “arousal from above: for which one is [requesting and] praying.
[In light of the above,] How shocked was I to see you[r appearance] in the office of the Merkos Le'Inyonei Chinuch, that you labored and compelled your divine soul to remove, Heaven forfend, the “Image of G-d” from your face, by cutting and removing the thirteen fixtures of the beard, which correspond to the thirteen pathways of divine mercy! They are the channels for one's livelihood, as is explained in the Zohar and in Chassidus in several places. Elaboration upon this is unnecessary, especially for tone who hails from the Sephardic community who have held fast to the study of the Zohar for all time. There, no opposition ever existed to it, as did exist in several places in earlier days among the Ashkenazim.
It is difficult and burdensome for me to elaborate upon this. Surely these lines will suffice. I give you the benefit of the doubt that perhaps your intention [in cutting your beard] was as follows: You have seen and contemplated the statement of our Sages that earning one's livelihood is as difficult as splitting the Red Sea.1 It, therefore occurred to you that perhaps it worthwhile to assist the A-lmighty (Who sustains [all creatures] from the eggs of lice until the horns of the wild ox2) in His task by causing your outward appearance to resemble the gentiles. This would then make it easier for you to be given a rabbinical position, or the like.
However, even one who is not intelligent will easily understand that this is contrary to simple faith; to suggest that laxity in observance of the mitzvos of the Torah-i.e., distancing oneself from the Source [of life]-will bring the person to be granted a large flow of blessing. You should study in-depth that which is explained concerning [the verse], “[He will bless himself in his heart, saying , “Peace will be with me, though I follow the caprices of my heart] adding the watered to the thirsty.”3
It is my firm hope that the efforts that my father-in-law, the Rebbe, of blessed memory invested in you as his student and his Chossid will assist you to leave behind the aforementioned mistaken thinking. If the hand of someone else is enticing you [to cut your beard], then explain to him as well that such conduct is contrary not only to divine intellect, but also to human intellect. For every Jew believes that G-d is the Master, even of this physical and coarse world. He and only He is the one to allocate sustenance to a person and his family. Thus, the human effort [“arousal from below”] should also be consistent with this.
From on who awaits good news and blesses you with spiritual and material success, which, for a Jewish man and woman, go hand in hand,
PS: Our Nesi'im have elaborated upon [the prohibition of] cutting one's beard: Tzemach Tzedek, Shu”t Yoreh Dei'ah, 93. Tzemach Tzedek, Chiddushim leMakkos, ch. 3. Piskei Dinim on Yoreh Dei'ah, 181, sec.2. Derech Mitvosecha, 2:221b. In the book known as Amudei Arazim of Rabbi Margolis of Yerushalayim, toward the end the compiled the opinions of the later rabbinical authorities, etc., concerning all the above.

[1] Pesachim, 118a.
[2] Shabbos, 107b.
[3] Devorim, 29:18. This is explained in Kuntres U'Ma'aon, ma'mar 5.

The Rebbe as the Moshiach

There is no debate within the Lubavitch community: Only one individual, the Rebbe, crafts the opinion of Chabad. There may be divergent opinions as to what the Rebbe's opinion is on a specific subject, but the resolution can only be found within the fullness of the Rebbe's works.

In their recent Post op-eds on Lubavitch, neither Rabbi Shmuley Boteach ("Chabad messianists: Wrong, but still Jews," January 21), nor Rabbi David Berger ("Rabbi Boteach, you're wrong about Chabad," January 24), actually reference the Rebbe's own writings or statements on the subject of the messiah.

A fundamental principle of Chabad throughout its 200-year-plus history is that its primary mission is to bring the messiah and the revelations of redemption to all of mankind.

In 1951, during the Rebbe's first discourse, he said that our present generation was the seventh from the Alter Rebbe - the first Lubavitcher Rebbe. The Rebbe explained that Moses, the leader of the seventh generation after Abraham, was the catalyst in bringing the divine presence into the world. In a similar way, the Rebbe outlined, our generation - the seventh, is tasked with, and will succeed in bringing the divine presence into the world permanently, with the full redemption.

The rest of the article is found here at JPost.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1201523794958

Drawing of a man learning Torah

Drawing of a man learning Torah.

Gimmel Tamuz - Beginning of Redemption

It obvious to all of us that the main thing is that G-d Almighty should send immediately the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach to redeem the Jewish people in an auspicious time and an auspicious hour with joy and a happy heart.

On Gimmel Tamuz what at first seemed like the beginning of exile turned out to be the beginning of redemption.

In G-d We Trust - An Essay About the Ailing Economy

The economy has been going haywire fast. What are we supposed to think at a time like this? I believe that we have to go back to basics and see why this problem happened in the first place, the complete loss of faith in the American dollar and economy. I mean, what happened over here? Nobody believed that what they were buying was worth anything valuable. No one could trust that salespeople were selling them anything useful. The whole system became who can outsell the next guy? Who can offer some piece of junk to the customer that he doesn't need, and convince his that he really needs it?

The system had to collapse. But we really have to see this as one step backwards in order to to take two steps forward. We have to be astute and realize that we have to put G-d back into the way we do business. A person has to be able to trust that what he is buying is worth the amount that he is paying and that he is not being ripped off. We have to instill back into our society that the idea of cheating and stealing is against the laws of G-d Almighty. Only with such an awareness can the economy recover and become strong again.

A rare story of the Alter Rebbe

This unbelievable story was heard in the name of Rabbi Vishedski A'H.

There was once a chossid of the Alter Rebbe. The man was a peddler of goods and made a living traveling from town to town selling his items. One time, by a yechidus, the Rebbe asked him questions and after hearing the chossid's responses, the Alter Rebbe advised him that he should always carry with him three challahs. The chossid did not understand why the Rebbe would give him such a strange instruction, but the chosid did exactly as the Rebbe instructed, trusting that one day he would understand why he got such advice from the Rebbe.

And so it happened, one day that the chossid was traveling before shabbos and he lost his way. Shabbos was approaching soon so he quickly tried to find a place to stay. He knocked on a house and the owner came out with a friendly smile. They exchanged greetings and the chossid explained to the man that he needed a place to stay the night. The man invited him in and led him to his room. Now, this man was a non Jew, when he opened the door and led the chossid into the room, the chosid realized that there was a friend that was going to be staying with him that night. It was a huge dog the size of the chossid himself! He realized that his host is not as friendly as he first appeared to be and quickly turned around to go back. By this time the door was locked and the non Jew told him that it this room “people go in but they do not come out.”

The chossid became very afraid. He figured being in a room with such a friend he did not have long to live. He started praying to G-d and saying vidui (confession). He noticed that the dog was just sitting in his corner. So the chossid began davening mincha. Still, the dog was quiet. He then davened kabbalas shabbos and marriv. The chossid remembered that he had three challas with him so he found some water in the room, washed and made kiddush on the bread. The dog listening to kiddush, so to speak, and afterwards was very excited. The chossid realized that the dog wanted some challah, so he ate a small piece and gave the dog the rest of the loaf. Needless to say, the rest of the night he did not sleep, with such a friend in the room who would sleep? Morning came and the chossid davened shacharis and the same scene repeated itself with the challah.

After shabbos the owner of the house opened the door to the room carrying a broom and bucket hoping to clean up the bones of the man. Lo and behold he found the chossid sitting in one corner and the dog in the other. So he screamed at the dog, "get that Jew, eat him!” but the dog wouldn't move. The chosid realized that when you feed a dog you become its owner. So he said to the dog “get that man!” and the dog jumped on the non Jew and tore him apart and killed him.

Then the dog took the Jew by his kappota and dragged him to the forest. There he took him to a place where the chosid found a great treasure, a chest filled with gold coins. The non Jew acquired it all by killing and stealing it from his former guests. The dog grabbed the Jew again and took him outside the forest near the village. At that point the dog spread dropped dead. The Jew realized where he was and made his way home. Before going home he stopped by the Alter Rebbe to tell him all that had transpired. The Rebbe took him in and told him the following: the dog was a gilgul (reincarnation) of a Jew who did not properly fulfill the mitzvah of eating after making kiddush. His punishment was to be stuck in the body of this dog. When you made kiddush for him this was its' rectification. The reason he took you to show the gold coins is because he wanted to repay you for helping him accomplish his tikkun so he can go to Gan Eden. The Rebbe told the chosid that he should open a business with the gold coins which the chossid did and became a rich man.

Needless to say, the chossid realized why the Rebbe gave him the seemingly strange instruction to carry the three challahs with him at all times.

Beautiful, Noahide Universal Laws Movie

Enjoy and learn from these videos. This is video one of five.



Video 2



Video 3



Video 4



Video 5

Journey to see through someone else's eyes

An essay by my friend Joel.

Today I am going to look at writing a story through someone else's eyes. That would make sense if I want to improve my writing skills. Up until now my writing has been through my own eyes. I have to say that I like that more than writing through someone else''s eyes. I feel very uncomfortable trying to speak for someone else. I really don't like it at all. It felt wrong when I have attempted to write from someone else's point of view in the past. For me, it might be wrong today as well. But, that is the exercise of the moment. Can I tell you anything as if I were seeing it through someone else's eyes?

I'm not going to pressure myself to do this. Instead I am going to coach myself and try to find out if it works for me. In the meantime I am going to do what I always have done. Which is, more or less thinking out loud. I have to say that it has been working for me. So, I am not in such a hurry to move into another mode. The danger of trying to stretch myself is that I may stretch myself too far and stop writing altogether. That has happened plenty of times before. I like to think of it as the "burn it up" phase because when I reach it I want to completely destroy everything I had ever written. Somehow the idea of a fire taking it all away is comforting. But that is only when I am in that "burn it up" phase. I try not to get myself into that phase too often.

The thought of writing through someone else's eyes bothers me enough to raise the warning flag. So I will approach this exercise with caution. They say, "he who turns and runs away lives to fight another day." If I'm not up to figuring out how to write through someone else's eyes right now I would prefer doing something else that doesn't raise the "up in smoke" response.

So, here I am. Just me. Talking out loud about nothing.

This is how I start. This is how I begin to explore.

Now you may be thinking...

Boom. There it is. Could this be the beginning of seeing through someone else's eyes?

I don't think so. "Now you may be thinking..." is just what comes up for me when I write. That's me taking both sides of the argument. And frankly, I don't like going that way. I tend to get lost in a made up argument in my head and waste my time and the reader's time trying to defend myself against this inner critic.

I tend to be very critical of my work. So as I am writing, a part of me watches my every move with a critical eye. I am asking myself now what this critic is looking for. Is it the truth? Yes. No. Maybe.

Well, here we go... Now I'm going to get into a conversation with myself about it.

I might as well go for it. The conversations are always going on in my mind. I just don't want to bother you with all of this.

I've been accused of spending too much time thinking about things. I've been told that I should just do it. "Yes, you should think things through but then you need to make a decision and move on from there."

I don't know to what extent I agree with this advice. And this is the kind of conversations I have with the critic in my mind all the time.

This reminds me of a story about how intense these inner conversations can get.

-------------

A guy once had the idea to get up very early - at the crack of dawn. So he set his alarm to wake himself up.

When the alarm went off he said to himself, "Wow. What a good idea. I can get so much done by starting my day at this early time. I shouldn't waste a minute."

Then he hears a voice in his mind say, "Yea, but you can remain in bed for a little longer and it won't make that much of a difference. You'll still get what you need to done today."

He thought about it and it sounded like a good idea.

Then a second voice in his mind said, "No, don't listen to him. He's going to mess up your whole day. You need to get your feet moving. The early bird gets the worm."

He considered that and agreed that this is also a good point.

The first voice responded, "But, if you stay in bed a little longer you will feel more rested and therefore you will eventually be more productive."

Anyway, they argued back and forth, each presenting a very compelling side to the argument. The guy said to the voices look I don't have a strong preference either way so I'll let the two you decide whether I should get up or stay in bed. Just tell me when you've come to some consensus.

He figured that as long as they were busy arguing he might as well take a short snooze.

He said he woke up four hours later and they were still arguing. That's how strong the voices can be.

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I try to avoid getting sunk by these critical voices. I spend so much time fending off the criticism of these inner critics that I can't imagine writing from someone else's point of view.

I have a list of things that I avoid doing. Evidently, this exercise falls into that category. I may just finish up this entry with the recognition that it was too much for me to do today. I don't see it happening. but at least I got to see what comes up when I consider it.

Written by Joel.