I was just out for a walk. It’s a beautiful sunny day in Pico-Robertson.<\/p>\n
I passed these kids playing. They were laughing and shooting each other with water guns.<\/p>\n
At least one kid wore a t-shirt that read “Stop the genocide in Darfur”.<\/p>\n
It seemed incongruous. How does one enjoy life while wearing a t-shirt with that message?<\/p>\n
It all seemed very Jewish. We’re keenly aware of humanity’s capacity for cruelty. At the same time, we want to enjoy life. How does one reconcile these conflicting impulses?<\/p>\n
The Jewish tradition has about the best guidance that I know of. It sets aside time for prayer and reflection. It sets aside time for work. It sets aside time for celebration. We need wisdom about how to lead a life and the Jewish tradition provides specific directions.<\/p>\n
I wear a yarmulke and fringes during my waking hours. They are to remind me about God. So should one wear a yarmulke and fringes while masturbating<\/a> (a sin according to every religious tradition I know of)? The blogger who asks that question, Heshy Fried, is now engaged to be married<\/a>. A hearty mazal tov to Heshy and to his beautiful Chabad bride.<\/p>\n Heshy is consistently the funniest Orthodox blogger I know.<\/p>\n I once hooked up with a student from AJU. When we were grappling, she said she liked to talk about Torah in bed. And she was serious.<\/p>\n She also shared later that evening that she’d been arrested for hooking up with a girl in the back of a car.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I was just out for a walk. It’s a beautiful sunny day in Pico-Robertson. I passed these kids playing. They were laughing and shooting each other with water guns. At least one kid wore a t-shirt that read “Stop the … Continue reading