GRATEFUL FOR ARTISTIC FRIENDS

I AM SITTING OUTSIDE THE BECKET ARTS CENTER. A COOL BREEZE BRUSHES AWAY THE HUMID HEAT OF AN AUGUST DAY. INSIDE MY FRIENDS ARE HANGING THEIR WORKS OF ART- COLLAGE AND PAPERCUT OUT ART- IN PREPARATION FOR THEIR ART EXHIBIT.
THE ARTISTS-MOTHER AND DAUGHTER, ARE NOT ONLY EXCITED BUT UNDERSTANDABLY ANXIOUS AS WELL. THE HUSBAND -FATHER IS RIGHTFULLY PROUD AND THRILLED, A BIT ON EDGE HIMSELF. I CAN FEEL ONLY PLEASURE AT BEING ASSOCIATED WITH THESE SPECIAL FRIENDS. I HAVE LENT A HAND, 'SCHLEPPING' OBJECTS OF SOME WEIGHT. MY FINE MOTOR SKILLS AND VISUAL ACUITY LEAVE A GREAT DEAL TO BE DESIRED.
I SIT BACK AND WITNESS THE BEAUTY ON THE BARE WALLS OF THE MODEST GALLERY IN THE BERKSHIRE HILLS. I AM TOUCHED BY THE INTRINSIC CREATIVITY OF EACH WORK, MY SENSE OF GRATEFULNESS HEIGHTENED BY THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE ARTISTS ARE FRIENDS. SUE, THE MOTHER, HAS BEEN CHALLENGED BY ILL HEALTH ; HER SUMMER'S EXPECTATIONS HAVE BEEN DASHED, AND HER ABILITY TO FEEL GRATEFUL HAS BEEN SEVERELY TESTED. I AM GRATEFULLY CONFIDENT THAT THIS MOMENT OF WORKING AND EXHIBITING HER TALENT AND THAT OF HER DAUGHTER HAS THE POWER TO ELICIT A RENEWED SENSE OF HEALING AND SPIRITUAL STRENGTH. THIS GIFT OF EFFORT AND BEAUTY TO OTHERS WILL I BELIEVE REDEEM A SUMMER OF ENFEEBLEMENT AND FEAR AND TRANSFORM DISAPPOINTMENT AND WORRY INTO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THANKFULNESS, MAGIC AND JOY.
TO SUE, LANNIE AND JAMIE- CONGRATULATIONS -ENJOY THE GIFT OF GIVING YOUR TALENT AND PASSION TO OTHERS.

GRATEFUL FOR FASTING-CONTINUED

It is Tisha B'Av and I am in transit from upstate New York to my home in New Jersey.I confess that all I want at the moment is my daily cup of coffee-I could easily dispense with food and other drink indefinitely, but only on condition that coffee, in whatever form, would be available.
There is much time to think, to cogitate and contemplate one's feelings and sensations on a day such as this.Occasional grumbling from within emerges; a pang of hunger darts through my mind, an automatic expectation of immediate gratification ensues. I remind myself that this sensation of need will be delayed for the day. Somehow, I think away the discomfort and focus on something else. I am able to take some reassurance from the fact that my hunger and thirst are temporary at best, and in a few hours I will once again enjoy the easy access to a refrigerator and food pantry to replenish my body and restore a sense of clarity to my mind.
The thought then arises: When a starving person somewhere in Africa or Asia experiences pangs of hunger, what do they look forward to? How many hours must past before they can restore their sense of well-being by inserting a spoonful of something into their quivering mouths or by cupping their hands with some dirty water brought to parched and cracked lips? I shudder at the awareness of so many having to harden themselves in the face of such want and deprivation, with so little hope of any access to the most meager of meals.
My discomfort is genuine yet almost laughable,almost inexcusable,in the knowledge of so much need of so many .
For us, we indulge in preparation to fast and celebrate the break fast at the end of twenty four hours of deliberate self-deprivation. Our fast is symbolic,temporary, an exercise.What about the millions for whom fasting is not prepared for nor is it broken any time soon. The absence of food is chronic, persistent, a way of life. Parenthetically, the New York Times reveals today that Sudan is engaged in the surplus production of food for export while millions of its citizens starve, dependent on charity from foreign sources. I wonder what the prophets of Israel would say to that!
Therefore, I am grateful for this fast as it reminds me of my good fortune and blessing. What remains is to share this gift with others. This is our task as the fast will soon draw to an end.

GRATEFUL FOR FASTING

There are two major fast days on the Jewish calendar, that is, they are observed for a full twenty four hour period: Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and Tisha B’Av, the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av.
Yom Kippur is an “easier” fast-usually the weather is cool; the day is saturated with spirituality- synagogue, prayer, community and repentance. Tisha B’Av, by contrast, occurs during the summer months, the weather usually sweltering, the time of our annual vacations when our inclination is to indulge our bodies with food and drink, not deprive them.
Philosophically, the contrast of these two fast days has been insightfully defined by a Hassidic rabbi as follows: “On Yom Kippur-“ver darf essen,” who needs to eat; on Tisha B’Av, “ver ken essen,” who can eat!”
On the Day of Atonement food is unnecessary; we unfold as angelic, spiritual beings for whom the body is no longer in the center of our consciousness. On Tisha B’Av, a day of mourning commemorating Jerusalem’s destruction, how can a Jew enjoy food in the knowledge of such suffering!
To be frank, I have trouble fasting on Tisha B’Av. Aside from the inopportune time of the year, the emotional rationale seems to be drifting away-we live in a free and prosperous country, we have been blessed with renewed Jewish independence on our ancestral home of Israel, the idea of fasting seems more and more alien to many.
Nevertheless,it is, correctly, I believe, pointed out that we are faced with the moral need to remind ourselves of the wide disparity between our dreams for a better world and the reality of a world in disrepair; fasting serves that reminder. How better to personally experience the struggles not only of the Jewish people but of all people, especially the millions of children, who go to bed each night on empty bellies and with aching hearts.
Thus I am grateful for the gift of fasting, a way to help sensitize our souls to the needs of others, to bring to light our often times submerged sense of compassion, to point us in the direction of self-empowerment and away from viewing ourselves as passive and helpless victims. When we fast we become more in touch with our human gift of choice and self-determination. Fasting fosters choice, kindness and our gift of being human.
For all this we are grateful.

GRATEFUL AGAIN FOR THE LIGHT

I took a seat on the bench facing the river. It was early morning, a balmy summer day, returning to my favorite spot for study, reading and contemplation.
I looked up; my eyes were blinded by brilliant light. I wrote these few words, an expression of gratefulness for those few moments of utter wonder.

"Today the sun was dancing on the flowing waters of the Hudson,
a grid of dazzle,
sparkling yet more like blinding bursts of electrical eruption-
a momentary performance of nature’s bountiful light
brimming over the cup of life
with hope that some drops
may spill over and touch
the parched lips of life’s inevitable pain.”

GRATEFUL FOR HELPING OTHERS FEEL GRATEFUL

I MISS MY LITTLE SYNAGOGUE ON THE SHORES OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY. BUT TODAY I AM REPLENISHED SPIRITUALLY AND EMOTIONALLY WITH WORDS OF GRATEFULNESS SHARED BY A SPECIAL STUDENT, CONGREGANT AND “TEACHER” OF THIS LOVELY SHUL.
I QUOTE HER WORDS TO SHARE THE POWER OF GRATEFULNESS AND TO SUGGEST THAT PERHAPS SO MANY OF THE CHALLENGES OF SYNAGOGUE LIFE COULD BE SUCCESSFULLY MET IF ONLY WE APPROACH THEM WITH THE GRATEFULNESS THAT RESIDES IN OUR HEARTS.
“AND SO RABBI GLAZER, IT IS OUR TURN TO BE GRATEFUL- GRATEFUL THAT YOU’VE TOUCHED OUR LIVES… MOST IMPORTANTLY, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO REGAIN OUR SENSE OF WHAT IS SO VERY SPECIAL ABOUT KOL AMI.”

THANK YOU RONA FOR YOUR GIFT OF GRATEFULNESS.

GRATEFUL FOR “STUDENT-TEACHERS "

I HAD NOT SEEN OR SPOKEN TO HIM FOR SEVERAL YEARS ;I thought about him more than occasionally; his books of photography grace my coffee table. On Shabbat, I glance at the photographs of people’s souls and gain spiritual nurturance as I celebrate the sacred day of gratefulness.
We met over lunch and almost four hours later we parted but not before it became clear to me how grateful I am for erstwhile students who are in fact my teachers. I was his rabbi; he is my teacher.
We chatted, laughed, caught up with one another's life changes, shared a wonderful meal and simply relished each other’s presence.
He left me with many gifts-a copy of his book of photographs on the moment of healing, insights about life and light, but most important of all he reminded me to remain true to my own voice. The most precious gift he gave me was the gift of myself,my spirit and soul.
In his book of visual poetry,he adds poetic words. This is what he writes:
“We are made whole …when we are receptive to the vibrant reality of another human being, when we touch and are touched lovingly.”
Thank you, Abraham, for your vibrant reality and your loving touch.

GRATEFUL FOR A STUDENT'S WISDOM

Every now and then,if one is particularly blessed,one encounters a response to a teaching that seems to capture its essence more poignantly and authentically than the words of the teacher himself/herself. Today I received an e-mail from a congregant and friend who has been reading my postings for a while. I am most grateful for his interest and for the following insightful understanding of gratefulness in one's life. I am delighted to dedicate this posting to his words.
"I have been perusing some of your wonderful discourse on gratefulness in your blog. You seem to have reached a level where the contemplation of the concept of gratefulness
itself has become internalized, a source of solace and peace; an inherent
emotion has evolved to replace an ephemeral frame of mind. So, it strikes me
that one can indeed be grateful for gratefulness itself. In this regard, one
really can be "eternally grateful". What a wonderful gift from Hashem, God, for
which we should be grateful to the Eternal."
Thank you Paul.