7 min read
GOOD MORNING! Recently I purchased an Eveready pen flashlight. I was fascinated by the warning on the package: "If swallowed, promptly see doctor; have doctor phone (202) 625-3333 collect." When I read this, immediately a number of questions popped into my head:
It turns out that the phone number leads to the National Poison Center and National Battery Center (you might want to copy it down and put in on your fridge - [202] 625-3333). The lady I spoke with informed me that to the best of her recollection she didn't know of anyone who had swallowed a pen flashlight, but if they did it would need to be removed - though there is little to worry about leakage from the batteries.
I began to wonder why a reputable, respected company would put such a seemingly ridiculous warning on their packaging. Then I received via email an article about the Stella Awards. And if you ask, "What are the Stella Awards?", I remind you of Stella Liebeck who collected $2.9 million dollars from McDonalds for spilling hot coffee on herself. The Stella Awards are given for the most frivolous lawsuits in the United States.
Here is a run down of contenders for the Stella Award:
It could be that the people at Eveready Battery Company had heard about the Stella Awards when they designed their packaging...
What does all of this mean to us? It is easy to laugh at the foibles, irresponsibility and greed of others, but remember that when you point a finger at someone three fingers point back to you. There is something deep in our psyche that looks to place blame with others when really we should be looking at our own behavior and our own personal responsibility.
With Rosh Hashana coming soon (the night of September 6th), rather than blaming others, we should look at our own lives and our own behavior for what we can correct.
Torah Portion of the Week
Ki Tetzei
Topics in this week's portion include: Women Captives, First-Born's Share, The Rebellious Son, Hanging and Burial, Returning Lost Articles, The Fallen Animal, Transvestitism, The Bird's Nest, Guard-Rails, Mixed Agriculture, Forbidden Combinations, Bound Tassels, Defamed Wife, Penalty for Adultery, Betrothed Maiden, Rape, Unmarried Girl, Mutilated Genitals, Mamzer, Ammonites & Moabites, Edomites & Egyptians, The Army Camp, Sheltering Slaves, Prostitution, Deducted Interest, Keeping Vows, Worker in a Vineyard, Field Worker, Divorce and Remarriage, New Bridegroom, Kidnapping, Leprosy, Security for Loans, Paying Wages on Time, Testimony of Close Relatives, Widows and Orphans, Forgotten Sheaves, Leftover Fruit, Flogging, The Childless Brother-in-Law, Weights and Measures, Remembering What Amalek Did to Us.
Dvar Torah
based on Growth Through Torah by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin
If after a war, one wants to marry a captive, there is a process that the Torah sets out. Regarding one part of the process the Torah states, "And she shall cry for her father and mother a month of days" (Deuteronomy 21:13). Why does the Torah require a month of crying?
The Ramban (Nachmanides) cites the Rambam (Maimonides) that this month of crying is to have compassion for the woman the soldier wants to marry. By crying she will find inner peace. When one is very sad, one's nerves become calmed after crying. The Ramban himself explains that this month is the amount of time necessary for her to internalize a change from her belief in idolatry.
Rabbi Chaim Zitchyk comments that we see from here that to really change a trait it takes a thirty day period of intensive work. This is the principle of the month of Elul (the month we are now in which precedes Rosh Hashana) which is a time for us to focus on our behavior and traits in order to make major improvements on ourselves.
At times a person tries to work on a trait for a day or two and when he doesn't see improvement he becomes discouraged and gives up. When you want to improve any trait, give yourself thirty days of serious effort in order to see visible changes. While some people are able to make changes very quickly, even they need a significant amount of time in order to ensure that the new habits become second nature. Even if you do not see any positive changes the first week or two, if you will persevere for an entire thirty days you will begin to see the fruits of your labor.
PIRKEI AVOT 2:1
"What is the correct path that a person should choose for himself? That which is honorable to himself and earns him esteem from his fellow man - Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi
CANDLE LIGHTING - August 16:
(or go to http://aish.com/candlelighting)
Jerusalem 6:46
Guatemala 5:44 Hong Kong 6:36 Honolulu 6:54
J'Burg 5:29 London 8:09 Los Angeles 7:21
Melbourne 5:27 Miami 7:38 Moscow 7:45
New York 7:35 Singapore 6:56
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
If you blame things on others,
it's because there is only
one other choice.
With Deep Appreciation to |