Torah Reading: Naso

HOT TOPICS

Avoiding Life's Freakouts

by Rabbi Tzvi Gluckin

Thinking about the meaning of life.

Published: January 8, 2011
Hear related audio on this topic.

Give Tzedakah! Help Aish.com create inspiring
articles, videos and blogs featuring timeless Jewish wisdom.

Visitor Comments: 7

(7) Annette, September 13, 2011 3:27 PM

Punchy!

very punchy... almost freaky amazing to say all that in 1:58 !!! hope my kid watches this !

(6) Anonymous, January 12, 2011 11:52 AM

Loved it!!!

Said it all in the one line summary:) THANKS

(5) Maria, January 10, 2011 6:52 PM

Freak out

Nice cat, Rabbi! Thanks for the insight. Yes it's so important to clarify what OUR values are, what is really important to US, what we want to achieve in our time, what contribution we want to make. Sometimes we get paralysed thinking that we have to realize great and wondrous actions in order to have a meaningful life, but small acts of kindness go a long way toward giving us a sense of accomplishment and purpose. And perhaps what we view as a small thing is perceived by the recipient as a life-changing experience.

(4) , January 10, 2011 5:08 AM

Sometimes we need to pause and reflect. Other people thoughts and opinions may have seeped in and they are not our thoughts. Someone else may have tried to tell you what the purpose of life was, and it's not your purpose. Follow your own heart, not someone else's.

(3) esther lichtenstein, January 9, 2011 11:48 PM

Rabbi Tzvi!

Good to see you rockin your wisdom rabbi :)

(2) SusanE, January 9, 2011 7:41 PM

Been There and Back and There and Back

Hello Rabbi. Nice guitar! Thanks for the video. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I've Lived through several periods of music since the 50's. Broadway, R&R, Elvis, R&B Beetles, Andy Williams, Disco, Heavy metal, Hip hop - Rap and Yanni. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` Each stage of this life has been just as exciting and diverse as the music. Some of us get comfortable and no longer freak out, and appreciate all the 'music. We learn that what we needed........ we already had for every 'stage' of life. At this stage I'm in, Boy is that nice to know!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Each stage has meaning, and sometimes it takes maturing to the next stage to find out what that was. Thanks again for your words, and entertainment.

(1) ruth housman, January 9, 2011 4:23 PM

freaking out: YOU ROCK!

Good Morning, I had written last night in an email to my husband, David, that I DID freak out. Using these very words. Why? Because everything I focus on is mirroring. As in this most wonderful supportive talk. He had made a mistake in responding to my blog, in which I had mentioned Eleanor Rigby, and he wrote Digby. Then last night I watched an episode of Grey's Anatomy and Digby was the name of one of the characters. So I freaked out! How much of this can any one person take? My husband's response might be helpful to all readers, and that was, Digby, on the Bay of Fundy, is a place where the tides are exceptionally strong. The boats hit the rocks when the tide goes out and then when the surge comes in they do float again. He said, Ruth, take this metaphor and calm down. Yes there's a meaning in all this, and your entire life has been a search for meaning. I say YES! you are in all respects so totally RIGHT and this is a beautiful entry of yours. It's about the MUSIC, Tzvi. It's always been about the Music. This symphony has a conductor! Thank You from one who truly did, freak out, last night!

See All Comments

stub

About the Author

Rabbi Tzvi Gluckin

More by this Author >

Tzvi Gluckin lectures extensively on a wide range of Jewish related topics. He is the author of four books including: Everything You Want Is Really Jewish, Discover This, and Knee Deep in the Funk: Understanding the Connection Between Spirituality and Music. He served in the Israeli Army, holds a B.M. in Jazz Studies from the New England Conservatory of Music, and is currently the director of Vechulai, an innovative Jewish think tank in Boston. For more information, visit his website at gluckin.com/.