Jewish Recovery Thought - Pinchas
By Rabbi Ben A.
Pinchas
"You shall observe to offer it to Me in its appointed time… two each day, a continual offering.”
Numbers 28:2-3
This week's reading speaks about the various offerings to be brought in the
Now, the term "appointed time" in Scripture generally denotes a holiday or special occurrence. So the fact that such an expression is used in describing something that happens everyday should strike us as odd. Seemingly, the daily offering has no appointed time; for its time is all the time. However, in this curious choice of words, there lies a key principle in the service of G-d.
Our lot seems to have a predisposition for spurning the “now” and becoming preoccupied with some real or imagined “big event” in the future. Our anticipation of the “big event” may take on divergent fo
So we are told that the time for the continual offering, brought twice every day, is in fact a special time. If we cease being interested in what the now can give us and focus rather on how the now may be used to be of service, then any time that we may bring our offering before G-d – even a regular, daily offering – becomes an important and che
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I really relate to this post. As often as I can I go to a "life coach"--"addiction specialist." I really like her,She is a Psychologist-and I pay a pretty good deal of money to see her. The first time I saw her after listening to me talk for a while she told me something seeming silly. "You are like a scared little rabbit, always waiting for the next thing to run from. You never feel comfortable in your skin because you are always waiting for the next bad thing to happen." Turns out this was not such a silly statement-even when she put her fingers up and sort of pretended to make a rabbit face. We are in some way all like that scared rabbit, never able to enjoy when something good occours in our life because we are only looking for the bad. In most cases it is not our fault. Somewhere along the way we have learned these behaviors, most likely all for defferent reasons. I suppose that the different reasons are not so important. This behavior of always being in a defensive posture-always ready to react to our enviornment excludes us from being able to "stop and smell the roses." Sometimes the seemingly silliest comparisons end up ringing most true. There has not been a day that has gone by since I heard this woman tell me that when I did not stop and say to myself "Cary, what you thought was the dumbest thing you ever heard in the world is also the truest." This thought at least temporarily allows me to slow down for a second, even if just for a second and "smell the roses." I find relief in the funniest places-mostly where I never expected it. That being said there is the other side of the coin. I do find myself around other people from time to time who don't listen like this woman I was speaking about. Because she listened she was able to tell me what I needed to hear. I suppose the best way I can express this thought is through an analogy. Every boxer has a plan before he goes into a fight. He can see his opponets punches before they hit him and react with the perfect defense. He can see every punch before he throws it.-He is able to size up his opponent, maybe a soft body-vulnerable to a body shot. Maybe a weak chin ready to break like glass upon first contact. He has the fight won before he ever steps into the ring. That is until he himself gets hit. All of the sudden all of the planning, all of the mental preperation goes out the window. He is left with his head spinning barely able to stand on his feet. The reason this woman was able to speak to me...really speak to me is because she had been in such a fight. She had taken a punch and was able to keep fighting. Unless you have taken a punch in life you never really know how you will react. So for all those out there-and certainely I am not speaking to everyone- Study your steps- learn them well-impliment them in your daily affairs--improve your character defects- stick with the winners,--do all that. Just be ready.... because as any boxer knows - The punch that knocks you out is the one you never saw comming. Let's not be quick to judge-we are all in different places and different phases of recovery. Don't look at someone with the perception that you are better because you work a better program. Sometimes the best thing we can do for others is just listen and try to understand where they are coming from. You may never know that you are the first person they opened up to after fighting a 12 round championship fight.
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