Torah and Parenting 103: Setting Limits

If you were to poll our community, the average parent would admit “we probably give our children too much.” And while this sentiment may not be clearly spoken out by young parents, once children hit the teen age years, most parents upon reflection would say : “ I wish we had been more firm with them when they were younger”; “We’ve probably spoiled them”; “They would have been better off, had they not be given quite so much”

We live in permissive times, and parents seem almost afraid to say the word “no” to their children. Yet intuitively, we understand that we are injuring our children by not being firm, by not setting limits, and following through with consequences when they go past those limits. The challenge for parents is to find the balance between letting our children know that we love them unconditionally and setting limits and educating them in our expectations.

Using the backdrop of some of the most famous personalities in all of history for reference, the Medrash presents to us some of the foundations of effective parenting.

Listen To Shmuz #134 Here, and then come back to comment!

ReJEWvinate -- Jewish Torah Shiurim

One of the tools of a highly successful person is the ability to stay focused and motivated over long periods of time. Whether in sports, academics or business the effort and consistency needed to accomplish long term goals, requires a high level of motivation and the ability to rejuvenate excitement and enthusiasm. Often times the difference between one who actually reach great heights and one who doesn't, is their self awareness and their ability to marshal the inner resources to stay on top of their game. In religion as well, the same skill set is needed to maintain a high level of enthusiasm and focus on growth to prevent our daily actions from becoming merely robotic.

In this Shmuz we are focused on one of the Torah's techniques for staying motivated-- ReJewvinating.

Listen To Shmuz #133 Here, and come back here to comment!

Working For A Living -- Torah Lesson

We know that we were put on this planet for a few short years, to shape ourselves into who we will be for eternity. HASHEM has created this world specifically to give us the chance to mold our inner essence. We also know that the Torah and its mitzvahs are the greatest vehicles of self perfection. If so, one of the questions that a thinking person must ask themselves is, why do we need work? HASHEM is quite capable of creating a world where all of man's needs are met. Yet, not only do we labor, it seems that majority of our life is spent earning a living. Why would HASHEM want that to be? If the entire purpose of life is to allow us to grow in spirituality, wouldn't those goals have been better met by putting us in a world where all of our physical needs were met, and then we would have the time and energy to focus on perfecting ourselves?

This Shmuz addresses one of the most basic questions a Jew must ask himself: Why does HASHEM want us to work for a living?

LISTEN TO SHMUZ #131 HERE & COME BACK TO BLOG!

Living With Bitachon -- Online Shiur Torah

We know that everything is from HASHEM. We also know that we must do our part-- our Hishtadlus. In theory it is easy to find the balance-- I must act in the way of the world, yet knowing all the while that HASHEM runs everything. One of the great challenges of life is actually personifying that tightrope walk between Bitachon and proper Hishtadlus.

How hard should I be working? How seriously should I take the medical reports and new findings? When is it appropriate for me to say, "I have done my part, now it is in HASHEM's hands"?

Drawing on some very inspiring examples of perfect Bitachon, this Shmuz helps us put our belief system into practice.

Click Here to Stream, Download, or Podcast Shmuz #130 & come back to blog!

HaKaras HaTov – Recognizing the Good --- Torah Jewish Life

Shmuz Info Coming Soon...

Click Here to Stream, Download, or Podcast Shmuz #129 & come back to blog!

DAVENING - Making It Real -- The Torah Bible

Unfortunately, there was no Shmuz this week.
Please enjoy this classic Shmuz on Davening.

Of course we daven. Three times a day. Everyday. The question is how real is our davening, and to whom are we davening. It often seems that our davening is more talking to the walls than talking to Hashem. This Shmuz helps us focus on some of the most basic principles in Judaism, things we always knew, yet take for granted, and are so critical for our growth as religious Jews and thinking people.

Click Here to Stream, Download, or Podcast Shmuz #20 & come back to blog!

"Kiruv - The Message and the Medium" Jewish Life

In 1996 Gordon and Horowitz published a study entitled Will your grandchildren be Jewish? Their conclusion: if one were to view the Jewish Nation as a totality, based on ever decreasing birth rates and skyrocketing intermarriage rates, the odds of any Jews being left by the end of the 21 st century are slim to none.

However, one category stands out in stark relief -- the Orthodox. Based on their average birth rate of between 4-6 children per family, and their intermarriage rate of less than 3%, they are burgeoning and ever increasing. We should expect that by the end of this century the Jewish Nation will be alive and vibrant, however strictly Orthodox. The only question that remains is of those Jews alive today: How many will make it themselves, and how many of their grandchildren will be Jewish.

Listen To Shmuz #128 Here!

Breaking The Forces of Habits -- The Jewish Torah

We are creatures of habit -- we act by habit, we react by habit and, to a large extent, we even think by habit. And, in truth, it has to be that way. If we didn't act based on previously established patterns of behavior, life would be unmanageable. If every time we turned a corner we would have to think through the actions involved, our entire mind's focus would be on navigating the basics of living, with no upper brain room left for thinking. For that reason, HASHEM gave us this ability to put things on auto pilot, doing many activities without even giving them a second thought, thereby leaving us the ability to free our mind for more important things.

While this reality is a fact of life, it also brings us face to face with one of the core realities of growth: our habits determine who we are and what we become. Assuming that some of my habits are in my best interest and some aren't, the question then becomes, "How do I change"?
This Shmuz helps us identify those habits that affect us, and then defines the strategies necessary to change them.

In this Shmuz we are introduced to the vital obligation upon every Jew to be involved in Kiruv, and some practical understandings as to how easy it for everyone, not just the Kiruv professional, to have a profound effect on the people around us.

STREAM, DOWNLOAD, WATCH THE SHMUZ #127 HERE!

Congratulations! The Shmuz is awarded "Best of the Best in Jewish Outreach"

At the recent AJOP Convention,
The Shmuz was chosen to receive the coveted award of the
"Best of the Best in Jewish Outreach."

(see Pictures Here)

At the recent AJOP convention, The Shmuz was chosen to receive the coveted award of the "Best of the Best in Jewish Outreach." The Shmuz was selected to receive this award for outstanding work in producing, marketing and running effective outreach programming.

In attendance at the three day convention, were over 500 Kiruv professionals from around the world. The Shmuz was showcased as an example of effective, innovative teaching and marketing strategies. Rabbi Shafier and Yechiel manned a booth that highlighted some of the Shmuz marketing materials including the graphic flyers, car magnets, key chains, Shmuz pods, in addition a full screen projection showed TheShmuz.com in operation. It is clear that the Shmuz has created a “buzz” in the Kiruv world, based on the sheer number of professionals from around the globe who made comments akin to “Yeah, I heard about the Shmuz.”

The last day of the convention Rabbi Shafier made a presentation about the work of TBT, and the focus of the Shmuz and TheShmuz.com

In addition to showing others organizations what the Shmuz has accomplished, Rabbi Shafier got a chance to meet with many other professionals to gain insight and advise for new initiatives and strategies for both the Shmuz as well as TBT’s future growth.

Shiur Torah-- Dignity of Man

While there is much talk today about the importance of self esteem and its effect on a person's attitudes and accomplishments, there is a corollary benefit of understanding the greatness of man -- If I am obligated to respect myself because I was created in the image of HASHEM, then so too, I must respect you, because you also were created in that same image. In fact, Ben Azzai teaches us that if a person wants to improve his interpersonal relationships, a concept that will help him even more than Loving one's neighbor as oneself, is this understanding that All men are created in the image of HASHEM.

This Shmuz focuses us on the Torah's view of the true dignity of man, and the profound effect that this concept has on our lives.

CLICK HERE TO STREAM, DOWNLOAD, PODCAST or WATCH TO SHMUZ #126

Business Ethics-- The Torah Online

HASHEM created man with an innate sense of morality and an inborn need to do what is right and proper. One of the difficulties of acting ethically is that in the slippery slope of life that sense of right and wrong becomes dulled. It seems that in the business world this is more clearly felt, where the lines between what is considered honest and moral, and what isn't, quickly get blurred.

In the post Enron era, when much of the business community is checking its moral compass, isn't it time for us, The Chosen Nation, to make sure that we are living our lives in accordance with the Torah's standards?

In this Shmuz we are introduced to an overview of what the Torah considers the ethical approach for business dealings, and how to conduct our day to day affairs.

Click here to Watch, Stream, Download or Podcast Shmuz #125 and come back here to comment!