Postings upon the 20 yahrzeit of Reb Dovid

The 9th of Tamuz is the yahrzeit of Rabbi Dovid Lifshitz, Z”TL, the Suvalker Rav.

Micha Berger has a great post about Reb Dovid, his rebbe on his blog:
http://www.aishdas.org/asp/2013/06/veahavta-rebbe.shtml

There also is a nice article in the Jewish Press:

My Rebbe’s Rebbe

Also, there is a story about him in my first blog post:
http://uberdox.blogspot.com/2006/04/mussar-from-haircut-wecome-to-my-first.html?m=1

May Reb Dovid’s neshama have an Aliyah.

Amazing pictures from Lithuania

Rabbi David Lapin, of iAwaken.org was recently in Lithuania and shared a number of really amazing photos on the iAwaken.org Facebook Page. I am only posting a few of the pictures.

 

Chofetz Chaim's Kever

Chofetz Chaim’s Kever

Chofetz Chaim's Kever

Chofetz Chaim’s Kever

Chofetz Chaim's Yeshiva in Radin

Chofetz Chaim’s Yeshiva in Radin

Chofetz Chaim's Yeshiva

Chofetz Chaim’s Yeshiva

R Shimon Shkop's kever

R Shimon Shkop’s kever

R Shimon Shkop's kever

R Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor’s kever

Reb Yisrael Salanter's Beis Medrash in Kovno

Reb Yisrael Salanter’s Beis Medrash in Kovno

Volozhin Yeshiva

Volozhin Yeshiva

The Plane Truth

I always try to find a positive outcome whenever I see things in the news that make Torah observant Judaism seem less than an ideal lifestyle. In the media, yesterday, I was saddened to hear about a group of senior yeshiva high school students who were escorted off an airplane. They were taken off the plane for not following federal laws regarding the use cell phones on airplanes. 

Many papers, news agencies, and CNN covered this story. Why? Because, like it or not, an observant Jew is always in the spotlight. It is part and parcel of our National mission to represent the will and sanctification of Hashem’s name. 
I have been on planes when people are still checking email or playing Angry Birds  despite the announcement to turn off all electronic devices. In essence, if you don’t follow this rule prior to take off, you are delaying the flight, which affects everyone on the flight. 
It is those times that we wrongly think that our own rights/needs supersedes the rights/needs of others what leads us astray. [You can tweet that]
As mentioned in this blog, written in articles, taught in yeshivos/day schools (hopefully) people are either givers or takers, as taught by Rav Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler zt’l. Throughout life you are one or the other. Unless you are living isolated in a cave or on an island by yourself, people are watching you and making judgements and assumptions based on your actions. 
Just last week, I was pulled over by a police officer because he thought I was driving while using a handheld device. It turned out, as he saw, that I was holding a chewy granola bar. However, I was extremely polite to him because I was representing our people. 
I can only guess that yesterday’s news was because we, well at least I , needed to be reminded of this plane truth (pun intended). 

Have you seen the light?

“When a person looks at himself in a negative light, he blocks the light of the soul that is within. One he other hand, when a person looks at himself properly, he knows that his soul is pure and untainted. Then from the light of the soul, he is able to draw forth powers with which to cope with everything he faces in life.” – Da Es Atzmecha, Gettting to Know Your Self 


6 Reasons why I loved being on LSD early Sunday morning

  1. Starting a bike ride on Lake Shore Drive at 5:30 gives me the ability time to watch the sun continue to rise as I enjoyed cool, but great weather.
  2. Being able to use my bike and exercise while raising money for Chai Lifeline is an incredible way to be involved in the mitzvah of tzedakah.
  3. I was able to listen to 4 shiurim and still get through my song playlist.
  4.  Had I not biked 52.5 miles, then I wouldn’t have been able to be surprised by my wife and kids after the ride was over.
  5. Taking upon any challenge with a health mindset allows you to realized that it is only when you are pushed, or push yourself, that you can really grow.
  6. By Biking the Drive for Chai Lifeline, I have already raised almost $2,100 of my goal amount of $2800. I still have, at least, one matching donation from someone’s company and I know that after reading this, you might also open your heart and still sponsor me within the next 48 hours.

I thank all of you that sponsored me. If you haven’t sponsored me YET, you can still do it. I’m told the website will still accept sponsors, just click here.

As I go to sleep before I Bike The Drive for Chai Lifeline

I know, you’ve seen the video, read the playlist, and some of you even made me tear up when I saw that you sponsored me. Thanks! Just to update you, the shiurim I will be listening to while biking the drive for, at least, the first 3 hours are:
Rav Reuven Leuchter: Emunah 2 (and maybe 3)
Rav Revuen Leuchter: Growth Dynamics in Torah
Rav Moshe Weinberger: Hachsharas Avreichim 11 (and maybe 12)

If you read my blog, you know I have raised money for Chai Lifeline for the past 5 years by Biking Lake Shore Drive. Thanks to my sponsors I have raised around $9000 in 5 years, which blows me away. I’m less than $1200 from my current goal and I still need your help. Please repost this, share it, or send a link to a friend and help get the word out. To sponsor you can go here: www.tinyurl.com/bikethedrive.

Thank and stay tuned for a post-ride post later. I am going to sleep.