On Our Own/Cheryl Kupfer

We turn to You, the G-d of mercy, You, who we fear and adore, Please heed our prayers and pleas and bring relief, For our battered souls cannot take too much more.

Hashem gave us the right to storm the gates of heaven with an avalanche of requests, even demands.

According to their misguided logic, life must have a seder – a specific order – with the oldest getting married first, followed by younger siblings. However, their thinking is so illogical.

Hashem was very clear about how you deal with Amalek, of which Hamas is a spiritual, if not physical descendant (which it likely is with Ishmael commingling with Amalek over the centuries).

Sadly, those who should be supportive and encouraging may be pessimistic by nature or have their own agenda for not wanting the individual to succeed.

What struck me this time was the fact that these animals have no guyvah chinam – baseless snobbery. (Remember, you saw this phrase first here.)

A situation that I’m sure happens way too often is when a friend or relative pressures someone who can’t afford to lose money to “invest in a sure thing.”

Don't we all complain about being tired or having aches and pains somewhere?

Internal bullying is a private version of lashon harah.

I am on a bus as I write this article and the ride will be at least 11 hours. For me, one of the big draws of traveling in a manner most would feel is quite tedious, is that several long distance bus companies offer free WIFI service. This allows me the opportunity to possibly enrich myself financially (by watching the ebb and flow of the stock market); educate myself (by reading various online newspapers, including The Jewish Press); entertain myself (downloading the many humorous, sometimes witty, satirical articles/photos/cartoons available to brighten a person’s day) or write a column, (and for a change not have the pressure of stressfully productive hours before my deadline) – all time consuming activities that should make time pass quickly.

Don't assume that the "no" from a doctor is based on "know"ledge.

Throughout life, we will face many extremely difficult challenges - custom-made Chanukahs that Hashem tailored for us.

Parents should be quick to say something positive to a child even as they chide him or her for bad behavior.

Sadly, there are mothers who, due to severe depression are unable or unwilling to prepare nourishing food for their children.

Where once divorce in heimische communities was relatively uncommon, nowadays every family has a son, daughter, sibling cousin who is divorced – sometimes twice or even three times!

Many go about the business of living frum, observant lives, but they are only going through the motions.

Outside is a winter-white wonderland replete with dazzling trees, wires, and sidewalks seemingly wrapped in glittery silver foil. It’s quite lovely to look at, which is about all I can do since I’m stuck indoors. Icicle-laden tree branches are bent and hunch-backed by the frozen heaviness of their popsicle-like burden, and the voices squawking from the battery-operated transistor radio I am listening to are warning people not to go out since walkways and roads are extremely slippery, and there is real danger from falling trees.

One of the subjects I was taught as a young child in school was Tefillah. Since we spoke only Ivrit during our Limudei Kodesh and secular Hebrew studies - literature, creative writing and Jewish history - we pretty much understood the words we were davening.