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(continued)
Sam: Rabbi, I have not always been religious and I sometimes get frustrated with the new lifestyle. Do you have any advice for me?
Rabbi Shlomo: 1) Congratulations and kudos on your decision to follow the path of your ancestors and the Journey of Judaism.
Rabbi Shlomo: 2) Welcome to the club. Jews have been getting frustrated with Judaism since it all began!
Sam: thank you
Sam: I've never had to watch everything I do so closely
Rabbi Shlomo: 3) After all, why not! Judaism is not easy. No change is. And Judaism is the ultimate change. Because natural tendency (and fueled especially in modern western societies and philosophies) is to follow your heart. If it feels good it must be good. If I want it, I should have it.
Sam: you're right about that Rabbi
Rabbi Shlomo: And Judaism says just the opposite! Follow the mind. If it is good in the mind, it doesn't matter what the heart feels. To the contrary, train the heart to feel happy about what the mind knows is good
Rabbi Shlomo: So ever since the beginning of Judaism Jews had a problem. In their minds they knew what was right, but their hearts felt otherwise. The objective is, and has always been, to allow the mind to rule, but some times we just resorted to the beastly way of following the heart
Sam: is it wrong for me to get frustrated with being seen as a Jew and only a Jew?
Rabbi Shlomo: what do you mean
Sam: there's so much more to me, mom was Ashkenazi, dad is British and Chinese. Without anyone of my ancestors I would not be who I am
Rabbi Shlomo: indeed
Rabbi Shlomo: But YOU ARE a Jew. So anything that your ancestors have contributed to your existence is somehow related to your Jewishness
Rabbi Shlomo: a house can have many rooms, but that doesn't make it many houses
Sam: Rabbi, that is soooo wise
Sam: wow
Sam: but still Rabbi, I'm frustrated with all the do nots of Judaism
Sam: keeping Kosher and sabbath mostly
Rabbi Shlomo: so what?
Rabbi Shlomo: So you are frustrated?
Rabbi Shlomo: You want a remedy to ease the frustration?
Sam: it's hard and often slips my mind that I have to wait 4 hours before having dairy after I have meat
Rabbi Shlomo: yes it is hard
Rabbi Shlomo: (6 hours)
Rabbi Shlomo: so are you asking for a way to make life easy?
Sam: 6 hours!?
Sam: OY!
Sam: gevalt...
Sam: I don't want a remedy Rabbi because I know what is right
Sam: I just want to be told that it's okay to be a process, I wanna be told it's okay that Teshuva takes a while
Rabbi Shlomo: it takes forever
Rabbi Shlomo: struglling is fine
Rabbi Shlomo: G-d likes it
Rabbi Shlomo: Not only does He like the outcome, but He likes the actual struggle
Sam: G-d likes it? How can he like it? Watching us fall?
Rabbi Shlomo: it is like watching a sports game - do you just want to watch the scores and highlights, or do you want to watch the actual game - with its ups and downs
Rabbi Shlomo: G-d likes to see us in the game. Involved in Judaism. Taking life seriously, and engaging in the issues
Sam: I think I understand
Rabbi Shlomo: Here is a remedy to make it a little easier: Study
Sam: what do I study?
Rabbi Shlomo: you see, since the main issue is battle of the heart and mind - who is in control
Rabbi Shlomo: and Judaism wants us put the mind in control
Rabbi Shlomo: we need to focus on strengthening the mind.
Rabbi Shlomo: And the mind's strength is knowledge!
Sam: so what do I study?
Rabbi Shlomo: you study the subjects that mind needs extra strength in.
Rabbi Shlomo: For example, if your mind says keep kosher, but your heart (and taste buds) are pulling you in other direction. Your mind needs fortification.
Rabbi Shlomo: It needs to know more about keeping Kosher
Rabbi Shlomo: more about why you should only eat kosher
Sam: so kosher and shabbos...
Rabbi Shlomo: more about what kosher means to Judaism, to the Jew, to G-d
Rabbi Shlomo: because the "louder" your mind can screem keep kosher, the less able is your heart to scream cheeseburger. The more your mind can explain to you with clarity and depth the beauty of keeping kosher, the less your heart is able to pull you in other directions
Sam: that's what I want! I want clarity and depth and beauty in Judaism to outweigh the confusing frustration
Rabbi Shlomo: and that's what g-d wants of you too!
Rabbi Shlomo: He wants you to understand. To fortify the mind.
Rabbi Shlomo: To train your heart to desire the values determined by the mind.
Sam: thank you Rabbi!
Sam: Thank you soo much!
Sam: I will study
Rabbi Shlomo: my pleasure, G-d bless you
Rabbi Shlomo: with much success
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