Rabbi Reflects on the News

On the News


A. Lance Briggs, Chicago Bears terrific linebacker crashes his $350,000 sports car at 3 am. First tells police it was stolen, (much after the incident), then calls back and says it wasn't and he crashed it ""Within 10 minutes I called back and accepted responsibility for what I did because it was ridiculous in the first place....The first thing I did when I got back here was hug every one of my teammates and tell them I love them because you never know what's going to happen/"
Rabbi Reflects: Many aspects to this story"
1.Responsibility and drunk driving
Last week I mentioned Illinois has new drunk driver rule for first offenders about installing machine in car before you drive. And drinking and driving is shatnez-a forbidden mixture. We don't know if this is the issue, because he fled the scene. He was charged with misdemeanors. After the Bears dumped lineman Tank Johnson first for gun possession then drunk driving, maybe people should learn,
2. Too much money corrupts?
$350,000 for a sports car? Well it is his money. How about Mrs. Hemsley and a $1.4 million tomb.? NYT had story about Great Gatsby like estate on Long Island on 21 acres . Hope of owner was all family live together. Now he died, 81 yer old widow lives in decaying main mansion and all rest of family live in houses on estate and huge estrangement.
Leader of NY society Mrs. Astor died recently, her grandson was suing her son, his father, for neglecting the aged patriarch.
7000 carat diamond (softball size) supposedly, biggest ever found. Who gets to wear it on a ring and say they have world's largest diamond.?
Bears Briggs held out all summer, upset the Bears gave him franchise tag and would only pay him $7 + million for a season.
3. On apologies- Sen. Craig first pleads guilty to the soliciting charge in men's room in airport then denies it and says he falsely confessed because his mind was warped from relentless press ion Idaho looking into his personal life. Ex astronaut Lisa Nowak, who drove cross country to harm other female astronaut over male astronaut will plead temporary insanity. Briggs first blames others and lied to police, then owned up. What is a Jewish apology...
4. New book by Diana West The Death of the Grown Up-how America's arrested development is bringing down Western Civilization- The steadily expanding reach of the youth culture over the last half century has brought Western civilization to the brink of collapse ( NYT review ). Our heroes today are pro athletes who take drug enhancing things (tour de farce-biking, Bonds home runs, ) or train dogs to kill and kill loser (Vick),
Another story-Nashville teachers have new dress code-no dirty or torn clothing, see through blouses, beachwear etc. .


2. Top ranked colleges listed again (I cut it out because mine was tied for #9-U of Chicago) They are partially ranked based on highest percentage EXcluded. Synagogue should be place of highest percentage INcluded. God loves all. Hachnasat orchim-welcome guests.

3.Tom Friedman column on Iraq in NYT Wednesday "When US officers try to explain the challenges of building Iraq, they often talk about three different time pieces they're working with:Washington's were every second we stay is a problem: the Iraq Shiite led government's watch seems to be broken and you have to tap it regularly to get it to work, and the Iraqi Sunni watch awlays wants to go in reverse.
I had an item the other day about Chavez putting back time half an hour in Venezuala.
Ed Feinstein's new book has Hasidic tale about clock of hasid that is unique-it counts towards redemption.

4. Tribune article opens "when Etheopia decided 6 years ago it needed to find a goodwill ambassador to send on the road to spruce up its image as a nation and tourist destination, the government turned to one of its oldest residents and perhaps the only one to be truly world famous, a diminutive bag of bones named Lucy.
Sunday, I had a very interesting experience. I participated in the Ordination service of a Presbyterian Minister. Jews get Ordained by the schools. Protestants by a Church.
I wore two kippot there. One was as the President of the Niles Township Clergy Association and the other was as a Rabbi. The candidate wanted Psalms read in Hebrew. I was even on the official body that recommended his ordination. The service was very moving. He was the only one ordained. They do it one at a time. We do it as a group. All ordained laid their hands on him. We got a handshake from the Chancellor.
I wasn't sure whether I should do that laying of hands since I can't Ordain a Christian minister. But, I did not want to offend. The head guy there suggested I do it, so I went up and stood with them and put one finger on the shoulder of the person who was in front of me who was touching the new minister.
The charge from the presiding minister of the Church to him could have been a fine charge to any Rabbi, with a few words changed.
My version of it would be
1.Teach Torah at every opportunity
2.Even though the Synagogue pays me, I work for God, never forget it.
3.Worry less about pleasing the members, and more about pleasing God
4. Always be prepared to teach Torah
5.Never pass up an opportunity to teach something if you can
6. Keep on learning
7. Be always humble, modest, calm, and strive for holiness.
8. The society waters down our message all the time, we shouldn't.
Our world famous item is not 3.3 million years old like Lucy, and its an old piece of skin, but it is even more than the key to luring tourists, and sprucing up our image-its...