Lemon tea and Torah portion

One more Sunday. What a miracle :)

Just finished my second cup of lemon tea and Torah portion. I did not know that some commentators translate צפרדע as a crocodile. I still prefer classic Rashi, plus frogs are my favourite animals or whatever you call them. What I mostly like is that all the Jewish prophets were human which gives us strength to strive to become like them. I remember rabbi Halpern telling us that Torah is a life book with ordinary people who have suffered, loved, experienced all kind of human feelings which shows us they were no divine creatures. We are same, aren't we? Sometimes I feel so connected to those people I see beautiful and wise Sarah smiling at her baby son or my favourite Jacob blessing his grandchildren like his own.

Berlin is as snowy as it can be. Freezing and my street is empty after holiday.
By the way I was thinking yesterday how lucky Jesus is to have so many people to celebrate his birthday. I would like to talk to him actually, he must have been charismatic personality indeed. Or his lobbyist Saul-Paul was at least. Anyway, it is good if people really believe in values like loving and helping each other, appreciating one G-d and His creation. I like life and the world because of its colourfulness of religions, traditions, cultures. I cannot imagine world without them all.

To resume with my favourite rabbi Halpern's words again, one should never be embarrassed to show its kindness, love and gratefulness to people, and to Hashem for sure. And SMILE! Not just smile, but smile with all your heart and mind. Rather laugh, laugh out your guts because life is what you make it.

Follow your dreams

by Victoria Usova

You know how I define great people? By the way they treat other people. I have heard that beside great ones you feel as great too, but beside low people you feel low and depressed because they make you feel like nothing.

So I've always been striving to be with great people and learn life lessons from them. What I learned is that: you should love your fellow, you should love people and never hurt anyone's feelings.

• Do you remember my sweet Rebetzin Roberg? Well, she told us to keep dreaming because they DO come true.
• Then Rabbi Spinner advised us to set a goal every year and work on its achievement.

I dream and have goals. Most of my dreams have come true as you know: I live with my people and have wonderful time, I've been to Venice - my dream place... plus I had set a goal to learn Rashi letters by the end of this semester. So I did.

I'm following my dreams.

Shabbat Shalom!

World of beauty

World is going crazy with football. Even I hesitated for a second before huge TV in the street when Slovakia won over Italy. I hate mass sports, but when I look at those people sitting outside in cafes I like it - they seem happy.

Wimbledon is also on, but Football World Cup absolutely upstaged it and there are only couple of us remembering tennis.

It's been a long and interesting week - learning Chumash with Rashi's commentaries every morning with Leah, then other lessons, dinners, another lessons, work, sleep, internet.

Yesterday I met my friend Naomi, we walked a bit, then sat in a park and had a nice conversation. It's unbelievable how people need to talk, laugh and just be together sometimes. Everytime I have nice time with my friends, I thank G-d for that because that's exactly what one needs in our times when people are rushing to and fro forgetting about world's beauty, about life outside internet and etc. I guess only now I understand why G-d created man by His image - even though we are sure of His existence, we still need and long to talk to somebody, to listen to other person and just feel that we're not alone. It's wonderful, isn't it?

Yesterday night I went to the Smiths' as usual and helped rebetzin. When I held her baby boy and looked into his eyes, I felt so good and my first thought was: those people who believe in evolution and Darwin's theory must be stupid - how can anyone believe in nonsense like that? Only G-d could create a man, and a woman, and a baby by His image because they are beautiful.

Have a wonderful week end!

Shabbat Shalom!