Think or Sink

“Let us make man in our image, as our likeness…” (Bereishis 1:26)

A famous brain surgeon once commented that if the soul really does exist in man, it probably resides in the brain, for it’s the most mysterious and magical part of the human body. As our bodies are in Hashem’s image, our minds are our reflection of His divineness on earth.

If the goal of life were the pursuit of physical pleasures, there’d be no need for man to be created with divineness within him. Our G-dliness forces us to pursue a higher calling, to make morally correct decisions using our precious gift of thinking. (Rav Shmuel Brazil)

“So, who’s your rebbi?” My kids all jumped on each other as they returned home on the first day of school.

“Rebbi Fried,” Yitzi answered. “I heard he is strict-o.”

Behind his back, Binyamin wiggled his eyebrows, reminding me that he’d had Rebbi Fried two years earlier for math. If my memory served me correctly, the math he’d learned was mainly along the lines of three strikes and you’re out.

In general, I’ve been really happy with my boys’ teachers over the years. I hoped Rabbi Fried wouldn’t change that attitude.