I’m sure you’ve all seen and used the little monkey emoji that have their eyes, ears, and mouths covered. But have you ever considered where they come from and what it means? The origins for these three fellas are a bit obscure. They are Japanese in origin, depicted on the walls of a Shinto shrine,...
Have you ever tried to change someone else? If your answer is yes (which it is probably for all of us), then you know it’s a trap which only leaves you feeling dis-empowered and frustrated. What can be even more painful is watching someone you love go through a difficult process and knowing that you...
Have you ever noticed how an interview sometimes says more about the person asking the questions than the one who is answering? I’ve been interviewed for a few magazines and news programs myself recently. I’m always grateful for the opportunity to speak about the things that are close to my heart: Kabbalah, Global Spirituality, and...
The word Shoftim means “judges.” And that is precisely what this week’s portion is all about. Both the Torah and the Zohar discuss the subject of judges at length, in what seems to be very different ways. In the Biblical story, we find Moses instructing the Israelites on how to nominate and identify judges amongst...
To be completely attuned to another person’s “wavelength,” we must completely remove our prejudices from the picture. What I see with my eyes isn’t what you see with yours. You and I have two completely different perspectives on everything surrounding us. If we can temporarily give up what we think, who we are, and what...
It is said that we have two eyes for a reason: one eye to see the beauty and warmth in our friends, and the other to look inside ourselves to see what is wrong with us so we can transform it. It is so much easier to look for what is wrong in a person...
