Six Ways to Teach Kids About Spirituality

B"H


Menachem Av 26, 5772 * August 14, 2012

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Editor's Note:

Dear friends,

I have been thinking about competition and winners, and I realized the garbage pail in my kitchen deserves a gold medal.

It has been around for years, is consistent, never complains, works hard, is reliable, only mildly smells, gets along well with garbage bags, and holds on to everything. Deserving of a gold medal, don't you think?

I was about to start the awards ceremony, when free choice came up in this week's Torah portion and stopped the show: "See here, I am placing before you today blessing and curse. Blessing if you follow the commandments . . . curse if you don't." In other words, no free choice = no reward and punishment. Sorry, can.

Free choice is one of mankind's fundamental, essential qualities, unique among all of creation. Everything else runs on a kind of autopilot: life directed and played out based on their natures and traits.

Our unique capacity to choose makes reward and punishment possible. Without a conscious "me" doing the action, why reward or punish it? This also explains why people do bad stuff sometimes. Can't exactly choose when there's only one option. So, here's to the bad.

But don't choose it.

Zalman Nelson,
Responder for Ask the Rabbi @ Chabad.org



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THIS WEEK'S FEATURES:

PARSHAH

The Politics of Freedom (By Rabbi Jonathan Sacks)


Jews were the first to believe that an entire nation could govern itself in freedom and equal dignity. This has nothing to do with political structures, and everything to do collective moral responsibility.

>> http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=FB7704D29CBE3E83CF42E79FB7FDD801&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2


Charity from the Heart (By Lazer Gurkow)


I have a confession. I can't stand to be thanked for giving charity. I just hate it when the person to whom I gave a dollar heaps lifelong blessings on me.

>> http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=4DFF9238B0075E384A6CBAB7220CB5AC&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2


The Translation of Evil (Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe)

Jeremiah proclaims: "From the Supernal One's word there cannot emerge both evil and good." If G-d is the essence of good, can there be evil in His work?

>> http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=AFD469D10F52AB6D28899CDA9F09C33F&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2


Re'eh in a Nutshell


Blessings and curses; a home for G-d, meat, blood, false prophets, idolaters, kosher signs, tithes, pilgrimages, and the Jewish approach to charity.

>> http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=854B13D675E48128FE82001DFD78FC05&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2


SPIRITUALITY

Why the World Needs a Soul (By Tzvi Freeman)


Modernity is precarious. Our soul believes life has purpose and meaning, while our brains consider our bodies to be no more than walking water bottles of biochemical reactions.

>> http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=1946B072768F96C8B929D870325DB1FC&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2


Six Ways to Teach Kids About Spirituality (By Yvette Miller)


Often, "the talk" comes when we're not ready . . . Where did Grandpa go when he died? . . . If G-d is good, why did Grandma get sick? . . .

>> http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=ADCAAF158FFC400E05092CA08FC4C1A7&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2


JUDAISM 101

The Shema


The Shema starts with Judaism's defining statement: "Hear O Israel, the L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is One." It then discusses some of Judaism's basics, such as love of G-d and Torah study.

>> http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=F6A93443F470B342B528C5792123935B&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2


Jewish Birthdays


The day you were born was the day you became your very own person—no longer just a watermelon in your mommy's tummy. That's why it's a day to ponder: What have I accomplished by being here?

>> http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=A19222F4123E1AD053CD2D7547E346AE&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2


Rosh Chodesh (By Menachem Posner)


What is Rosh Chodesh? When and how do we celebrate it?

>> http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=8B4C9D1BE1CB6FE2A1BF7AAD0045053B&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2


VIDEO

Happy Birthday! (By Tzvi Freeman)


If things were so comfy in the womb, what are you celebrating?

WATCH (3:18) >> http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=5BFC07F8A2C2C5843D5225E68BAC558A&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2


Do Not Fear (By Dov Greenberg)


Which verse appears most often in the Torah?

WATCH (3:27) >> http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=8511EBD60D0CA1AC0BB7760B50D3CDC0&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2


Ambition and Integrity: Can the Two Coexist? (By Chana Weisberg)


Only if amibition is accompanied by integrity are we assured against deception.

WATCH (18:33) >> http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=ACFD067410307D759197EBFF1CDCE1EE&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2


A Stick Man Has a Decision to Make (By Dovid Taub and DovBer Naiditch)


See what happens—or does not happen—in "Choices."

WATCH (0:57) >> http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=E3BE5A56D4B7AEC3313A0B82C39F6B4B&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2


JEWISH LIFE

A Rabbi's Encounter with Death (By Jonathan Mark)


In 2010 Rabbi Blech, in his mid-70s, went to a doctor who told him, "I need you to call in your wife," and so his wife Elaine came in and they looked at each other. After all, doctors just don't call in wives.

>> http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=B3F3C5187D5E9AD7EE7D4DBCA372D242&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2


Single Woman (Answered by Sarah Zadok)


I am a single woman, never married, and don't have any children. Is there a place in Judaism for the single woman?

>> http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=00BE6533B9BD1C122A6837B668F56962&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2


STORY

The Fireman


"Whenever we have a fire," the innkeeper explained to the lad, "we sound the bugle, and the fire is quickly put out."

>> http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=88A63F9C64282628FCD3C9A77A80E5F0&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2


Separating Gold, Silver and Copper (<!-- blank -->)


R. Pinchas heard that R. Zalman had a wondrous manner of donating to the poor, so he decided to journey to visit him and hopefully pick up a few tips about how to improve his own methods of giving to the poor.

>> http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=B83D7FE039A07E34932CFE92F790B096&amp;ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2


THE REBBE

Do Heretics Go to Heaven? (Correspondence by Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, The Lubavitcher Rebbe)

>> http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=9E15A2BCB3EC7975B9F5695318507917&amp;ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2

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