Wisdom and how to get it…

Welcome to the 48 Ways To Wisdom sourced from the Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) 6th Chapter *see below** and expounded on by Rabbi Noach Weinberg zt’l.  The Pirkei Avot lists 48 different ways to achieve wisdom; each one of which will be explained below.

I am indebted to Joshua Baturo who posted on these awesome 48 ways and got me inspired to learn more from Rabbi Weinberg z”l . Many thanks to both of them. All text in quotes are from Joshua’s postings.  Joshua’s quotes are a good way to begin to understand what each of these 48 Ways to Wisdom is all about.

The rest is directly from Rabbi Weinberg and his teachings. This next level of review serves to dig deeper into each of the 48 Ways. Lastly, each of the 48 ways is explained in greater detail and with more meanings, by clicking on the links provided below that will take you to his lessons as well as MP3 audio recordings where you can listen to what he has to say. There are other sources included in this article that expound upon or clarify some of the writings.

** Ethics of the Fathers, 6th Chapter – expounds about the greatness of Torah and how important it is to study Torah in this life.  “Rabbi Meir would say: Whoever studies Torah for Torah’s sake alone, merits many things; not only that, but [the creation of] the entire world is worthwhile for him alone. He is called friend, beloved, lover of G‑d, lover of humanity, rejoicer of G‑d, rejoicer of humanity. The Torah enclothes him with humility and awe; makes him fit to be righteous, pious, correct and faithful; distances him from sin and brings him close to merit. “

1/48: TALMUD  (literally, “study”) (aka Total Awareness) 

 “The first of the 48 ways to wisdom is called Talmud, which means to use your mind to learn and grow in the ultimate manner. This entails being constant, consistent, continuous, cyclical and comprehensive. Let’s look at each of these element below:

• Constant – Just like how you’d be shocked at seeing a dollar bill fly out of a window every second is the same way how we should look at how a valuable moment passes. We are judged by what we do in our spare time. At our youth years we spend time to make money but in our elderly years we spend money for more time.
• Consistent – This is a key to spiritual growth and learning Torah. We must set aside time for Torah study and must stick to that time. If we organize our schedule we will be more successful on what we do, if we schedule a time to learn we will be even more successful.
• Continuous –  Whenever  you pursue a certain goal, strive to reach it without interruption. It is better to learn for an hour straight rather than 2 hours with interruptions. Despite the “multi-tasking” generation of e-mails, texts and notifications, one must train oneself to focus on one thing for a long time.
• Cyclical – means to review. It is very crucial to review what we learn. Tractate Chagiga page 9A says that one cannot compare learning something 100x with learning it 101x.
• Comprehensive – learn to be the student of life. You can learn anything from anything. Be aware of things that are happening to teach you something.”

According to Rabbi Weinberg, the 1st of the 48 ways is called “Be Aware of Every Moment”.  To achieve significant results in life, the effort must be constant. Don’t waste a minute. 

10 TOOLS FOR CONSTANT AWARENESS

1. Plan out what you want to accomplish. If you know what you’re after, you’ll pursue it with more vitality.
2. Plan in the evening how you’ll get up in the morning. Don’t let the snooze button control your life.
3. To start off on the right foot, get up 10 minutes early and say the Shema.
4. Review your day. See what the obstacles were. Strategize how to avoid them in the future. Review what you learned in the past 24 hours.
5. Catch yourself day dreaming at least once a day and examine: “What am I doing right now, and how could I use this moment more effectively?”
6. Become a student of life. Study wherever you are. Have books, thoughts, etc. ready to keep your mind growing. (No staring out the window like a zombie.)
7. Memorize pieces of wisdom. It will give you something to learn as you walk down the street or wait in line at the supermarket.
8. Pick appealing catch-phrases, to inspire yourself on the spot, and to wake yourself up when you feel like drifting off.
9. Frequently ponder the question: What is the purpose of life? What am I doing on this planet?
10. Plan ahead now. What do you want to study? What do you need to realize your ambitions? How do you want to grow?

Click here for the MP3 recording. 

2/48: LISTENING

“When the Torah uses the word Shema in the prayer of “Shema Yisrael”, it’s implying a deeper level of listening which is focus. The first step is to actually listen and to understand the other person’s viewpoint. Many times we often catch ourselves in a conversation where we  hear the person speak, but our mind is elsewhere. And it’s embarrassing to ask the person to repeat whatever they just said. Due to this, there is a lot of misunderstanding and errors. What helps is to repeat whatever is said to you or whatever you read. “

Rabbi Weinberg calls this 2nd of the 48 “Listen Effectively”.  When the media hits you with another message, don’t take the idea for granted. Listen for the message behind the message. Analyze and question. Do this with everything.   Effective listening means: 1) hearing the words; 2)understanding the message, and 3) putting it into action.  It’s interesting that the words “listen” and “silent” have the same letters.

WHY IS “EFFECTIVE LISTENING” AN INGREDIENT IN WISDOM?

• “Listen” and “silent” have the same letters.
• Get the picture straight, especially when you are emotionally involved.
• Don’t fall into the trap of the “I-You-He” game.
• Without definitions, you can fool yourself into thinking you’re living “the good life.”
• No one wants to be a bafoofstik.
• Torah contains powerful tools for living. Make sure you dig out the depth of meaning.
• There’s no use arguing if you don’t know what you’re arguing about. No use in learning if you don’t know what you’ve learned. No use in taking action if you don’t know what you want to achieve.
• If you use this tool for the rest of your life, you are rich.

Click here for the MP3 recording. 

3/48: VERBALIZE

“As  mentioned above in Lesson 2/48, how repeating what you hear or read helps your focus. The Torah describes the creation of mankind as follows: “Hashem, blew into his nostrils the soul of life; and man became a living being ” (Genesis 2:7). Onkelos defines “a living being” as “a speaking spirit.” Speech is the bridge that connects the spiritual thought to a physical reality. Therefore, when we say something out loud, the thought becomes more tangible. If you can’t teach it to someone, that means it’s unclear to you.

Did you know that you can actually convince your brain whatever you say? If you repeatedly say out loud “I am waking up tomorrow at 7 AM” until you believe it, you will wake up at 7 AM. It takes practice but once achieved you can go as far as breaking bad, old habits and starting new healthy ones. Speech is very powerful tool for our development. The Torah is very strict on what we say because our words can take or give life. People vent their problems and feel relieved, make songs of their current moods, even grow healthier plants just by greeting it with a “good morning!”

Rabbi Weinberg calls this 3rd of the 48 ways “Say it Out Loud”.  Articulate your beliefs out loud. It bridges the gap between lofty notions of the soul and the world of reality. In other words, you’ll find out if you really believe what you say. Take a moment and think: “What am I living for?”  Now try saying out loud: “I am living for…”  Notice the difference? Speaking our beliefs out loud helps reveal how closely we actually follow our principles for living, and if they truly resonate within.

WHY IS “SAYING IT OUT LOUD” AN INGREDIENT IN WISDOM?

• “Saying it out loud” helps you clarify fuzzy ideas.
• Articulation is objectivity.
• The more senses you involve, the more of an impression it leaves on you.
• What you speak is an expression of who you are.
• Everyone needs a sounding board, a feedback system. Do it yourself!
• Never say, “I can’t.” Because then you won’t, even if you could.
• Language is the bridge where body meets the soul.
• Talking aloud keeps you from falling asleep and day-dreaming.
• Words are reality. “To say is to be!”

Click here for the MP3 recording

4/48: UNDERSTANDING THE HEART

“Begin to listen to who you really are and what really makes you happy. Living a life on autopilot often leads to midlife crisis. Think of all your goals and motivations and then thing of all the blockages. Get in contact to your inner feelings; what the soul looks for and act upon that. The soul wants to grow and be a radiant light but the body is the blockage that just wants to hit snooze when the alarm clock rings. Listen to the soul speak and feed it it’s necessary food, which is growth. It can be as simple as learning to play an instrument. The more we learn the more happy we become. Babies have it easy, they are always learning something which is why they are so happy.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls this 4th of the 48 ways “Introduce Yourself to Yourself”.    Don’t go through life making assumptions about who you are. Take the time now to “meet” yourself – before a crisis comes along and forces the issue.  Begin the process of self discovery.  Ask yourself what am I living for?  Get in touch with your emotions.

WHY IS “KNOWING YOURSELF” AN INGREDIENT IN WISDOM?

• You can know truth if you look honestly into yourself.
• Emotions are powerful forces of greatness. Know them. Harness them.
• Identify your problems. It’s the beginning of solving them.
• If you don’t get it straight now, you’re bound to make some bad mistakes.
• Don’t be afraid of finding out who you really are.
• Use your free will as a conscious tool for better living.
• If you’re angry or upset, track it down. What’s the root?
• If you’re acting illogically, at least acknowledge that to yourself!
• The key to sanity is letting truth into the body.
• You can’t afford to wait too long to get to know yourself. Because you are the most fascinating person you’ll ever meet.

Click here for the MP3 recording.

5/48: AMAZEMENT

“We’ve all experienced a moment where we’ve been in complete amazement. But the feeling of awe doesn’t last so long because we slip back to our mundane routine. Being that we have access to any video of anything in the world on the Internet, we can literally watch videos of the Swiss Alps, The Empire State, Mt. Everest or our galaxy. Even listen to any breathe-taking song. Then we have to figure out the essence of the experience. If we understand what triggers the awe, then we can relive those amazing moments at anytime we want!”

“What is the essence of our experiences? In my humble opinion, I think the most awe-inspiring creation is the human being, who is fashioned in the image of God. Look at man’s incredible power by reaching his full potential, going to moon and back or being a Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. Both physically and spiritually your potential is unlimited! After seeing these breathe taking creations, we are basically coming into contact of the blueprints of the creation. We are getting a glimpse of God’s power and perfection. We are surrounded by His amazing works just open your eyes.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls this 5th of the 48 ways “The Power of Awe”.  In the face of tremendous force like the Grand Canyon or a hurricane, human beings feel small. Do we mind? No! It’s exhilarating. It’s the power of awe. 

WHY IS “AWE” AN INGREDIENT IN WISDOM?

• Awe can break through laziness and open ruts. It unleashes potential and locked-up energies.
• It’s a human tendency to be petty. Awe pulls us up and out.
• The reality of this world is that there is nothing mundane.
• Life has the potential to be one thrill after another, if you understand the power of every moment.
• Concretize awesome experiences so you can recall them at any time.
• Awe is the result of seeing potential actualized.
• Seek the small “wows.” The awesomeness of life is without end.
• Use the awesomeness of everyday life to relate to the Creator of it all.
• See the power and the pleasure of understanding truth. You are in touch with the awe of “wisdom.”
• Step outside under the stars. It’ll put you back on track.

Click here for the Mp3 recording.

6/48: FEAR

“Fear comes from seeing consequences. There’s nothing wrong with living a life of fear as long as we learn to maintain it to our benefit. There are 4 misconceptions we have about fear:

1. There are people who pay for weapons to avoid fear and then there are people who pay for a horror movie. True, FEAR CAN BE UNCOMFORTABLE yet can deliver a great pleasure. It opens your eyes to see significance in our choices and motivates us to push further.
2. You see a driver speeding, coming straight toward you. When staring death in the eye people tend to tense up, not being able to move. That isn’t from fear that’s from shock. We’ve all heard the story of a mother who lifted a car to save her child. FEAR MOTIVES YOU NOT RESTRICTS YOU.
3. PEOPLE AVOID FEAR TO PRESERVE THEIR INDEPENDENCE and not allow external sources to compel them to act. Fearing Hashem actually brings freedom from fearing nonsense. 4. It’s OK to serve God through fear. People think that SERVING HASHEM THROUGH FEAR ISN’T AUTHENTIC. Our Sages say that it is impossible for a person to reach serving Hashem through love without serving Him through fear.

Rabbi Weinberg calls this 6th of the 48 ways “Mastering Fear “.   Roller coasters and horror movies… we pay good money to be scared out of our wits. Find out how to harness the energy of “fear” for positive purposes.  The Hebrew word yirah means both “to fear” and “to see.” Way #6—Yirah —teaches that the essential choice of life is to open our eyes to available opportunities, and to fear the consequences of avoiding that reality. Be afraid of meaninglessness.

WHY IS “FEAR” AN INGREDIENT IN WISDOM?

• Fear helps you do what’s right, not what society thinks is right.
• Fear gets you in touch with your own mortality; death is the most potent fear.
• Fear is an exercise in free will.
• Be afraid of a meaningless old age. If you live as though there will always be a tomorrow, then you’ll never make much of today.
• Fear is not restricting. Fear is power and freedom.
• With fear, you can feel the thrill of life 100 percent of the time.

Click here for the MP3 recording.

7/48: HUMILITY

“Imagine a humble person….Usually what comes to mind is an older fellow, slightly bent over, face to the ground or gentle. But the Torah describes Moshe, the greatest prophet and leader, as the most humble man on earth! The actual definition of humility is understanding that we are dust compared to Hashem so doing His will is all that matters. Being humble also means being objective and not subjective. At the end of the day you want to do the right thing based on facts and not by your emotions. Tractate Bava Kamma 17A compared Torah to water. The Rambam explains that water doesn’t collect on an incline, rather it flows to the lowest place. So too, Torah isn’t found in the hearts of the haughty, only in the hearts of the humble, who are the objective ones.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls this 7th of the 48 ways “The True Charisma”.  Humility is not an inferiority complex. It’s doing the right thing and not being dependent on the opinion of others.  Do the right thing for the right reason. 

WHY IS “HUMILITY” AN INGREDIENT IN WISDOM?

• Humility generates truth and objectivity..
• Humility is freedom. Your personality expresses itself in an organic, internally generated, and more real way..
• Humility is pleasure. Arrogance is pain..
• Humility enables you to embrace others..
• Humility deepens your relationship with G-d..
• Until you know what you are willing to die for, you have not yet begun to live.

Click here for the MP3 recording

8/48: JOY

“As we all know, joy gives power and boosts our energy. Activate the power of joy by consciously anticipating the pleasure coming your way. For example, look forward for your vacations everyday so you can have a feeling of joy everyday. As mentioned in Way #4, notice how babies are never depressed, it’s because they are constantly learning and discovering new things and from here we can prove that learning brings happiness. When you do the will of God, your Mitzvah doubles.

The Torah says the Jewish people will be punished “because you did not serve Hashem with joy (Deuteronomy 28:47). You’re going to be held accountable if you do a Mitzvah as if you’re doing Hashem a “favor”. The whole point of existence is to live with joy. Hashem wants us to have maximum pleasure! Hashem, Who created us, knows what makes us happy, hence the Torah and its commandments. “

Rabbi Weinberg calls this 8th of the 48 ways “Constant Joy”.  Joy gives you the power, motivation and confidence to achieve things that otherwise seem too difficult to attempt. Better than a granola bar – joy is pure energy.  Learn to differentiate between real joy, which generates the power to accomplish, and illusory joy, whose burst of energy fades into a let-down.

WHY IS “CONSTANT JOY” AN INGREDIENT IN WISDOM?

• Joy gives you power and energy.
• With joy, you will knock the ball right out of the park.
• It is natural to feel joy; it is human to overlook it.
• Don’t suffer your problems. Solve them.
• Why wait until you’re almost dead to appreciate how good life is?
• Do the will of G-d and you’re connected to eternity.

Click here for the MP3 recording

9/48: Purity

“Anyone can be pure the question is, are you really pure? Or are you just pure in the eyes of the public? Everyone knows the famous blessing, “I wish your life would be as good as your Facebook profile makes you seem to have that good life.” Here are 3 realms of purity: our intellect, emotions, and goals.

• To gain purity of intellect is to learn to focus on one idea. Which is why before we perform a certain Mitzvah, we should make a declaration on it, “I am about to perform X.” Your mind has thousands of things streaming through a day, it takes great effort to be able to attain concentration. Once you’ve learned how to concentrate, you’ll discover that your mind has the power to operate on multiple tasks. We are what we think which is why the Torah is very strict with one polluting their brain with filth.
• Purity of emotion –  before entering a situation, decide which emotion you want to primarily experience, and focus on it. As explained in  Way #3, you can actually convince your brain what to do.  When bumping into someone,  you might say, “Hey what’s up, how are you?” And they answer back “What’s going on? How are you?” That’s considered an insincere greeting from both parties. People are greeting others routinely, instead of from the heart. Believe it or not, people can feel your sincerity. Many times people can tell what your soul is feeling.
• Goals –  we should be clear and genuine about our goals in life. Our goals shouldn’t be taken lightly, otherwise, down the road we won’t be goal oriented. Like King Solomon wrote in Kohelet 9:10, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with full strength.” Make your goals real. You only have a very short time to fulfill them. Believe it or not, 120 years isn’t a long time.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls this 9th of the 48 ways “Total Concentration“.  We use just a small fraction of our mental capacity. Learn how to concentrate and avoid distractions. You’ll achieve more goals! When we totally concentrate, we achieve intellectual and emotional purity.

WHY IS “TOTAL CONCENTRATION” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• Interrupt the daydreaming process.
• Apply yourself to the task with single-minded dedication.
• Incorporate what you’ve studied into your behavior.
• Contemplate one idea at a time and clarify it to the fullest extent.
• Take one emotion and experience it to the fullest.
• Link your emotions to your goals.
• Success depends largely on the intensity of ambition.
• Take one emotion and pump it up.
• You are the master of your mind. You can train it to focus.
• Block out insanity.
• Mean what you say and say what you mean.

Click here for the Mp3 recording.

10/48: SERVING THE WISE

“Literally means to serve Torah scholars, to learn from them and assist them. We must have a guidance counselor, spouse, Rabbi or teacher to constantly keep us on the right track. It’s very difficult to criticize ourselves, we therefore need that third party to tell us where we err. Even though we don’t like being told what to do, we even tend to do it on purpose just because we’re told not to do it, we still must learn the trait of humility and be open minded as explained in Way #7. Imagine going back in time 5 years and meeting yourself. What valuable wisdom are you going to tell yourself. Do you think you would’ve listened? Torah scholars who’ve experienced what you may experiencing can help you the same way, especially your parents!”

Rabbi Weinberg calls this 10th way, “Honor the Wise Person”.  An apprentice gains first hand knowledge by watching how an expert works. So too with wisdom. Don’t read about it in a book; find yourself an expert.  Learn about Life,  assist the Wise Person,  be prepared to absorb Wisdom, and Choose a Teacher for Life.

WHY IS “HONORING THE WISE PERSON” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• To learn about life, you need a mentor, someone to guide you on a rational and consistent path.
• Human beings are subjective. We need someone to help give us objectivity.
• Independence is human nature, but if you don’t moderate it, it will stand in the way of your growth.
• Be a student of truth. The most destructive disease is ignorance – not being connected with reality.
• Get in touch with those who understand life and pump them for information.
• Go find a teacher now.

Click here for the Mp3 recording.

11/48: EXAMINING IDEAS WITH FRIENDS

“Let us create man in Our image” – Genesis 1:26. … Who is “us”? Rashi explains that this is a lesson to us, that when we are about to start a project we must ask for advice from our friends. As explained in Way #7 on humility, being able to listen to advice from friends. Be a judge not a lawyer, a lawyer argues but a judge strives to get to the objective. Don’t be right, be smart. There is no point to an argument when both parties are bounded by egos and are trying to be right rather than smart. Which is why for thousands of years the preferred method of learning Torah is with a partner, a study partner who is also striving for the truth.”

How do we choose our friends? Many of our friends become friends due to the circumstances beyond our control. Whether it be a person assigned to share a dorm room with you or your neighbors who share the same passions as you. Whatever it may be, friendships are meant to be for life. Important traits that your friends should have are loyalty, commitment to truth, honesty, kindness, and insight. In my humble opinion, I try to keep away from “friends” who speak Loshon Hara about other people. Chances are they are speaking Loshon Hara to people about you, too.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls this 11th way of 48,  “Working through with friends“. Companies test-market new products. To know the value of your ideas, find friends to give you straight, honest feedback.  Choose your friends carefully. Don’t argue, discuss. Maybe find common resolutions and conclusions.  And always pursue Truth.

WHY IS “WORKING IT THROUGH WITH FRIENDS” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• Friends are too important to leave to chance. Choose a friend wisely, to accomplish life goals with.
• Discuss ideas with others who can be more objective than we are about ourselves.
• Close friends stimulate and expand your ideas.
• To achieve greatness, you need others to help you get there. You need teamwork.
• You are affected by friends and environment. If they want wisdom, you’ll want wisdom.
• If you find yourself at a philosophical loggerhead, remember that people of goodwill who reason together will reach a common conclusion.
• A primary goal in life is to correct your mistakes. Don’t be afraid to find out if you’ve made a mistake.

Click here for the Mp3 recording. 

12/48: TEACHING STUDENTS

“Until you teach an idea to someone, you don’t fully comprehend it. Rabbi Chanina in Tractate Taanit 7a says, “I have learnt a lot from my teachers, and even more from my colleagues, but the most from my students. TEACH, DON’T PREACH! It is common for people to think, “who am I to tell people what to do or think, I’m not a preacher.” It is also common for people to confuse the difference of preaching and teaching. Preaching is to accept what I say because I’m authority. Teaching is an open exchange of ideas.”

We must understand that being that most of us are not the authority we should speak with people and not at people. If we see someone we care about hurting about something we will do anything we can to help them, we will even give advice that sometimes we won’t do if we were in the same situation. You don’t need to know everything about a subject in order to discuss it.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls this Wisdom 12 of 48 Ways “Growth through Teaching”.  Until you share an idea, it remains but a hazy notion in your imagination. Transmitting the idea to others makes it real. You’ve taken it out of the potential and made it a reality. Turns out that teaching is a moral obligation. Make it real and inspire action.

WHY IS “TEACHING” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• The test of whether you’ve grasped an idea properly is to teach it to others. Until then, you don’t really understand it.
• We all want to be good. Sharing your wisdom gives you the self-respect that comes through sharing.
• If your own child needed to know something important, you would care enough to teach it.
• Teach whenever you can. The more you practice, the better you get.
• Teaching others in a meaningful way is a deep expression of creativity.
• Students make you honest with yourself.
• If you have a piece of wisdom, there’s a moral obligation to share.
• Teaching others contributes to the betterment of the world.

Click here for the Mp3 recording. 

13/48: BEING DELIBERATE

“The key to be deliberate is to take time to think about it, and weigh the pros and cons. Don’t be so quick to jump into a decision because many of our decisions boomerang and hit us hard. Tractate Eruvin 54b teaches us that we should review our studies four times since wisdom is to soul as food is to body. “

Rabbi Weinberg calls this Wisdom 13 of 48 ways “Think about it“  We sometimes make snap decisions. Or we may mull over decisions for too long. Become skilled at the happy medium of good decision-making. Consider these 4 steps to deliberations: 1) plowing, first time you go over an idea, try to figure it out. That’s “breaking up the soil. 2) planting, the second time, the idea begins to make sense, you’re “putting seeds into the ground,”  planting it into yourself. 3) harvesting, the third time, you come to an experiential and intellectual understanding. It’s “reaping the wheat.”and 4) digesting, the fourth time, you integrate the idea into your life. It “nourishes” your soul and is now part of you.

WHY IS “THINKING ABOUT IT” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• We all want greatness. It takes time and hard work to achieve it.
• When you reach an impasse, pause and analyze. Deal with the problem. Don’t look for the quick, easy solution.
• Careful reflection ensures a much wiser response than an impulse reaction.
• To know what you’re living for, take the time to think it through. Otherwise you could end up with a very superficial life.

Click here for the Mp3 recording.

14/48: THE WRITTEN LAW

“Judaism consists of 2 basic sets of instructions: the Written Law which is the Tanach (Torah/5 Books of Moses, Prophets, and Writings) and the Oral Law which is the Mishna and Talmud. The Written Law is the actual law and the Oral Law explains it. Almost half of the world accepts the fact that G-d gave the Torah to the Jews and even adapted some of the Torah’s teachings. The Torah has all the secrets of the universe from beginning to the end of time. By now, I don’t need to bring down proofs of it’s validity. Baruch Hashem, thank God, we have an abundance of books, websites and discoveries proving the Torah’s validity.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls this Wisdom 14 of 48 ways “Written Instsruction for Living“.  When we learn Torah, we are not studying an abstract and arcane text of the ancient world. We are engaged in discovering the essence of Judaism, which is the essence of ourselves. The Bible is the all-time bestseller and has made an enormous impact on Western civilization. Everyone should study the Bible at least once in a lifetime.

WHY IS “WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• Read the Bible from beginning to end. If you haven’t yet learned Hebrew, buy an authentic Jewish translation. (Recommended: ArtScroll’s “Stone Chumash”)
• Learn Torah. Discover G-d’s instructions for living. Don’t wait until your life is almost over.
• Understand Torah. It’s the book that changed the world. Ask questions until you know the message in detail.
• Correlate any differences and resolve them. There are no “unintentional” discrepancies in Torah. Look in the book and you will find it.
• Organize it. Wisdom is only useful when it’s at your fingertips. Torah should be your encyclopedia, almanac and index to living.
• Review Torah, in order to remember. You wouldn’t head out on the open road without a map. When going through life, don’t leave the Torah behind.
• Integrate Torah. Make the ideas part of your reality. Rebbe Akiva said that a Jew without Torah is like a fish without water.
• Update it. Renew Torah wisdom as your life situation changes. Don’t “honor your parents” at age 25 the same way you did at age five.
• Upgrade it. The first paragraph of the “Shema” contains 48 words, corresponding to the 48 Ways. Torah wisdom is infinitely vast. Always delve one level deeper.

Click here for the MP3 Recording.

15/48: THE ORAL LAW

“While most of the world is familiar with the Written Law, only the Orthodox Jews (more observant) know about the Oral Law. The Written Torah lists the commandment for daily living, and the Oral Torah explains how to carry them out. For example, the Written Torah says in regard to Tefillin, “And let them be totafot between your eyes.” The Oral Torah explains what totafot are, shape, color, who wears them and when. Without the Oral part of the Torah, we the Jewish people would never know how to serve Hashem the proper way.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls this Wisdom 15 of 48 ways  “Oral Instructions for living”. Judaism is not supposed to be a reference work sitting on the shelf. It’s to be lived and internalized. If you gain a piece of wisdom, integrate it into living.

WHY IS “ORAL INSTRUCTIONS” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• If G-d spoke on Sinai, the message is significant! Look up the explanation of what He said.
• Torah is wisdom for living. The more Torah you know, the more fulfilled you become.
• The Oral Torah is as absolute as the Written. One cannot be understood without the other.
• Master the Mishnah, and you uncover a whole world of understanding and insight.
• If you have an insight into living, remember it and integrate it.
• Get your share of wisdom that the Jewish people have accumulated over time.
• Jewish consciousness is to know Torah by heart, to repeat and review until it’s letter-perfect.

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16/48: MINIMIZING BUSINESS

“We all know people who have been swallowed up by their careers and thirst for money. That’s why this Way to Wisdom specifically used the word ‘minimize’ and not ‘eliminate’. Money isn’t the key to happiness, but it sure does help. Money can bless you, but it sure can curse you. The Torah is all for hard work, and stragetic planning for your business affairs. There are large portions of Oral Law explaining how to do business the correct way. But the Torah warns us to not get too involved. Let’s remember, $100 blessed is better then $1000 cursed. In Hebrew, the word Zuuz means move. In Lashon HaKodesh (the language of the Torah), it means money. Money moves from his pocket to his pocket to her pocket, so let’s prioritize permanent things in oppose of temporary moving things.”

Rabbi Weinberg called this Wisdom 16 of 48 ways “Apply Business Accumen To Living“. To compete in the marketplace, a business has to function at maximum efficiency. Apply those same core principles to your pursuit of a great personal and spiritual life. Operate efficiently, commit to the goal, do some strategic planning, keep an accounting, maintain quality control, invest long term, test the market, and do an inventory control.

WHY IS “BUSINESS ACUMEN” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• If you can work hard to make money, you can work at least that hard to have a great life.
• Value your time, because it is your most precious asset in this world.
• What makes you successful in business will make you successful in living.
• No one ever said on his deathbed, “I wish I’d spent more time at the office.”
• The highest pleasures demand the greatest investments.

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17/48: MARRIAGE POWER

“Judaism views the intimate union between husband and wife as one of the holiest acts that we can perform. In hebrew, marriage is called “Kiddushin” which comes from the word “Kadosh,” holy. Marriage is two halves coming together to complete each other. Men and women need to carefully choose their spouse because that person will be their second half. Attraction and humor are essential, however not priorities. Kindness, honesty, and loyalty are priorities. If the man and woman both have good character traits, and are essentially good people, their marriage will thrive. Once a person is married, the Torah learning and the pursuit of wisdom will be smoother because the burdens of loneliness isn’t dealt with anymore.”

Rabbin Weinberg calls this Wisdom 17 of 48 Ways “Marriage Power/Harnassing the power of Sex”  Intimacy is a powerful drive, second only to survival itself. Society uses it to sell movies, cigarettes and automobiles.

WHY IS “MARRIAGE” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• How you approach intimacy is a barometer for how much you are generally in control of your desires.
• Intimacy for its own sake is degrading.
• Marriage is a holy act of unification which helps lift us into a connection with G-d.
• Intimacy is an eternal bond. Choose your eternity carefully.

18/48: PHYSICAL PLEASURE

“G-d created a physical world for us to enjoy in moderation. Otherwise,  He would have created each fruit with one color and one taste and each vegetable another color and taste. Talmud Yerushalmi Kiddushin 4:12 says, “If a person had the opportunity to taste a new fruit and refuses to do so, he will have to account for that in the World to Come.” If you think about it, all pleasures in life can always be done in a Kosher manner. We don’t have to be sinners in order to enjoy life, and just because the Torah expects us to be good, moralistic, and religious people, it doesn’t mean we must live under a rock.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls this Wisdom 18 of 48 Ways “The Use of Physical Pleasure”.  The physical world is for our pleasure. Spiritual growth comes through grappling with the mundane world in a way that uplifts and elevates.  While physical pleasure is an essential part of enjoying life, at the same time, we have to know how to control it and harness it. A person cannot just eat chocolate bars the whole day long. That is not living. When used wisely, physical pleasure is a steppingstone to higher pleasures. When enjoying beautiful things, our bodies feel relaxed, and we are more ready to tackle deeper life issues. Dealing with problems requires emotional strength, and the purpose of physical pleasure is to generate that strength.

WHY IS “PHYSICAL PLEASURE” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• To waste anything in life is foolish; to waste pleasure is absurd.
• The body is to the soul like a car is to the driver. Keep the body feeling good so the soul can tackle what life is about.
• We live in a “pleasure world.” Make sure you get the true, lasting pleasures.
• Watch out that you don’t use material pleasures as a way of running away from life.
• Over-indulgence drains self-respect.
• To get the most pleasure out of life, be full of vitality and purpose.
• Savor your pleasures like a gourmet.
• Translate all your pleasures into energy for living.
• When you have a cup of coffee, you feel good. Now how will you apply that burst of energy?
• To maximize any physical experience, make sure to get the “meaning” behind it.
• Don’t retreat from life, elevate it.
• Wisdom is a delicious flavor. Translate the energy of a good ice cream cone into wisdom.
• Don’t get lost in a bag of potato chips.

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19/48: MINIMIZING SLEEP

“Sleep is, of course, a necessity; our bodies need it in order to function. However, excessive sleep can shutoff your batteries rather than recharge your batteries. People who love life sleep as little as possible. When you’re full of excitement you’d wake up without hitting the snooze button. Example is the early morning of your flight to Israel, you wake up at any given time of the day. The Rambam in Hilchot Deiot 4:4 writes that 8 hours of sleep is sufficient. The older a person gets the more he begins to realize how much time he has left in this world. The more he realizes the time he has left in the world the less this person is going to waste his remaining time on sleep. Just because we’re young in years, we must have the same mentality of the elderly for our end is never revealed to us.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls this Wisdom 19 of 48 Ways “Wake Up and Live”.  Sleeping too much is just as harmful as not sleeping enough. Minimize sleep – because on a deeper level, it’s about “waking up” to life.  The proof to thinking that sleep is a mirage, is  when you’re full of excitement and energy, you simply can’t sleep.  If life is a bore, you feel more like sleeping. Someone who loves life doesn’t want to go to sleep at night.

WHY IS “WAKING UP” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• The struggle of life is the struggle to be awake.
• Decide that life is good. Otherwise you’ll go to sleep.
• Get the maximum out of your body. But don’t torture it either!
• Don’t miss out on life’s opportunities and pleasures by oversleeping.
• When we’re excited about a project, our creative juices and mental faculties are in full gear.
• Watch out for “zombie-ism.” Don’t walk around devoid of thoughts in your head.
• Too much sleep dulls the mind.
• Tiredness is a habit. Break it.
• Unless we take practical steps to stay awake, sleep is going to overcome us.
• Whenever you learn something new, wake up to the recognition that you were partially asleep before.
• If you learn how to live with joy, sleep vanishes.
• In the “final sleep,” what do you want inscribed?

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20/48: CONVERSATION

“Over the years, the world is getting smaller and smaller. With social media and smartphones, everyone is more familiar with the people around them. You would think people now have the most friends to talk to than ever. Studies show the opposite unfortunately. We have lost the art of conversating by replacing words with texts and emojis. Notice, because people forgot how to conversate, they begin to point out the obvious just for sake of conversation, for example an awkward silence in an elevator almost always starts off with, “So cold outside right?” In a conversation, yours and the person’s goal is to get the opinions across each other. Arguing, story-topping, or interrupting, ends up in an unpleasant time that you just want to stop there and end it. The point of conversation should always be for two people with two different perspectives to https://www.simpletoremember.com/articles/a/the-art-of-conversation/grow from it. Good conversation can leave an ever lasting memory.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls this Wisdom 20 of 48 Ways “The Art of Conversation”.  People today are busier than ever – commuting, flying, buying. “Conversation time” is diminishing. Is there no one listening out there? Build connections, practice the art of conversation and think of it as the point of conversation is not to impress others or to enhance your popularity, but to learn about others.

WHY IS “ARTFUL CONVERSATION” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• Be fascinated with human beings and you’ll be an excellent conversationalist.
• Talk to people in the office, neighbors, even strangers.
• Human beings have wisdom. Get them to share it.
• Negative speech will make you a negative person.
• Use speech wisely. It’s one of the greatest gifts we have.
• Have a conversation, not a confrontation.
• Conversation is a tool of creation; it pulls us out of isolation, builds connections and expands our world.
• Fulfilling our needs depends on how well we communicate those needs to others

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21/48: LAUGHTER

“Laughter is a powerful tool. Tractate Shabbat 30b says that when the great Sage, Rabbah, lectured his students, he always began with a joke. Avraham named his son Yitzchak, which means “He will laugh.” Tractate San Hedrin 63b says that all mockery is forbidden except the mockery of idolatry. By mocking the theology (not the people) we remove ourselves from its influence and reduce its power. Laughter releases tension, therefore it is wise to laugh at your own problems in life so you don’t get swallowed up by its pressure. Obviously don’t ignore them, but tackle them through laughter and not through self-pity. Even fake laughter can lift your spirits and relax you.”

Laughing reduces tension. Did you ever sit in class with a very motivating speaker? Everyone in the class is focused on the words of the speaker, some even tearing up. There’s always the class clown, who yells out a joke about what the speaker said which resulted in everyone’s focus significantly being diminished and the rest of the motivational class is now meaningless. Be very careful on what you’re poking jokes at, G-d forbid to ridicule others. Hashem said it from the beginning, embarrassing someone (through mockery) is considered like murder. Just look at the suicide rate, and how many are victims of bullying.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls this Wisdom 21 of 48 ways, “Laughter Is Serious  Business”.  Laughter is a deeply spiritual emotion. Maybe that’s why the list of Jewish comedians is so long! Understand the dynamics of laughter and use it wisely.  Put life into perspective, diffuse the tension, laugh at insanity, but don’t abuse laughter by ridiculing, laughing excessively, laughing negatively, and know what not to poke fun at. 

 WHY IS “LAUGHTER” AN INGREDIENT IN WISDOM?

• Use laughter to keep your troubles in proportion. Realize they’re not as bad as they seem. Life is not problems; it’s opportunities.
• Laughter dispels gloom, depression, worry, pain and aggravation. Use it as a quick way to snap back into action!
• Use laughter consciously and in a measured amount.
• Aggravation and suffering sap our strength. Laughter brings out cheerful relaxation and gives you new energy.
• Laughter destroys everything in its path—for good and for bad.
• Laughter taps us into the deeper reality of God’s interaction with the world.

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22/48: CONQUERING FRUSTRATION

“Imagine you finally bought that Ferrari you’ve always wanted. You finally take it out of the dealership, and pull up to your first red light. All of a sudden, a garbage 2005 Honda Odessy bumps you from behind. Your brand new Ferrari!! Furious, you storm out of the car, heading toward his car about to let him have it… And then you realize he’s a 7-foot-2 inch linebacker. And at that moment, you diminish your rage and ask for his insurance card. Where did all that anger go? And how did you shut it off in moments? We clearly have the power to control our emotions.

How many projects do we start, but out of frustration we quit? Or how many projects we didn’t start because of the fear of getting frustrated of it? Our Yetzer Hara (Evil Inclination) is a master at tricking us. He’s been going at it since Adam and Eve. While we’ve been only dealing with him for decades, he’s been doing it for milleniums. Here’s a common tactic that he does to us; “One bite of this cheeseburger won’t do anything.” Or, “Just sleep for another 5 minutes, no big deal.” In many cases, he wouldn’t jump to convince you to full on sin, rather little by little until you full on sin. In that case, use the same tactic against him, “5 more minutes of study” or “Just 1 more push-up.” Frustration is much easier to bear in small doses.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls this Wisdom 22 of 48 Ways “Conquer Frustration”. It’s a tough world and we have to be persistent. Quitting is giving into frustration. Don’t turn back. Accept the frustration as a challenge – and love it!  Don’t quit out of frustration. Quitting once can lead to loss of confidence. Take things in stride and try to enjoy the frustrations by getting enjoyment from resolving them. 

WHY IS “CONQUERING FRUSTRATION” AN INGREDIENT IN WISDOM?

• Quitters never win, and winners never quit. Losing your temper means you’re a quitter.
• When you quit because of frustration, you lose credibility and self-confidence. Adopt the motto: “I will overcome frustration.”
• The best way of dealing with frustration is to accept it as a challenge—and love it.
• Focus on your progress and take pleasure every step of the way—even if it’s only a small amount.
• Anger is called idol worship—because we’re taking marching orders from the wrong boss.
• Life is difficult and the path to greatness is paved with frustration. You can’t get to heaven on roller skates.
• When we know that God provides the challenge, then we know we can succeed.

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23/48: GOOD HEART

“We need to develop an AWARENESS of the ongoing struggle within us, the Good and Evil Inclinations. For example:

• We need to study but want to procrastinate.
• We need to diet but want to eat cake.

These conflicts within us are totally normal and are what makes us higher than angels; the fact that we choose to do good rather programmed to do good. Our soul wants to reach greatness but our bodies wants to stay in bed. To win these battles, we must be aware of the struggling sides and focus on our innate desire to be good.

So now that we learned to be aware of our inner struggles, how can we distinguish the Good voice in us and the Evil voice in us? Ask yourselves, “What do I want to do and what do I feel like doing?” Your soul wants to do the right thing which is jumping out of bed when the alarm goes off. However, your body wants to hit the snooze button. Learning the advice from the Torah tells you what is considered good and what is considered evil. Follow the voice that’s tells you to follow the Torah, for the Torah is all good. Do what your soul, which is a part of Hashem, truly wants and not what your body, who came from and will return to earth wants.

Here’s an eye opener example of wanting to do good; In order to be freed, back to your comfortable life, you’ve been asked to murder 10 children. Would you do it? No way! But why?! Because being good means more to you than freedom. So much more, you’d give up your life for it.  Because we are Jewish, we have a conscious to do good, because we have a conscious to do good, we’d die for it, and because we’d die for it, that’s what makes it important to us! SO IF WE REALIZED THAT WE AS WOULD DIE TO DO THE RIGHT THING, THAT MEANS WE SHOULD LIVE TO DO ONLY GOOD!”

Rabbi Weinberg calls this Wisdom 23 of 48 Ways “The Good Heart”. Human struggle is two conflicting inclinations – to either do the right thing, or to be selfish. Be aware of the inner struggle and increase your capacity to choose good.  Be able to distinguis between your two hears: between wants and desires; between wants and what you feel like doing. What you want to do is usually the right thing, whereas what you feel like doing is usually the more comfortable choice.

WHY IS A “GOOD HEART” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• Remind yourself daily that you want to be good. We get distracted by daily life and forget how much being good matters.
• Be aware of the conflict between what you deep-down “want,” and the desires that get in the way.
• Once you understand the inner conflict, it will be a lot easier to make a conscious choice to use your capacity for good.
• Realize that being good is only doing yourself a favor. You want self respect more than anything else in life.
• Make sure to pursue what you objectively know is good, not what society tells you.
• If you want to be good, then seek out wisdom. Wisdom enables you to recognize “good” and make the right decisions.
• On any decision, ask: What does my soul want, versus what does my body want?
• Never say “I’m good enough already.” You don’t really mean it.
• If goodness is important enough to die for, then it makes sense to live for it.
• There is a mitzvah to be like God. It’s what we all desire.

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24/48: TRUSTING WISE MEN

“Torah scholars increase peace in the world. All your sons will be disciples of Hashem, and abundant will be the peace of your sons. Do not read ‘your sons’ (banayich), but rather ‘your builders’ (bonayich).” Tractate Brachot 64a refers to Torah scholars as builders of the world. To seek wisdom means looking for a Torah scholar as explained in Way #10. Trusting wise men does not mean to blindly accept whatever they say. Listen carefully to them and consider what they say. The Torah wants us to USE OUR OWN BRAINS  as well as LISTENING TO OUR WISE MEN. That’s why the Torah and the Sages are completely open to questions. As a matter of fact the Talmud is comprised with questions and debates. Not because we want to feel inferior over anyone but because we just want the bottom line truth.

WHY IS “SEARCHING FOR WISDOM” A WAY TO WISDOM?

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25/48: ACCEPTING PAIN

“What is the opposite of pain? The common answer is pleasure which is incorrect. The answer is simple, no pain or comfort. Think about any pleasure in the world, and how it ends with pain. So if we’re going to live a pleasurable life, we’re going to need to learn how to accept pain for the greater the pleasure, the greater the effort required to obtain it. As the saying goes, “no pain, no gain.” We have a sense of gratification based upon the effort we put into the task.

There is no running away from effort. There are no shortcuts in life, everyone travels the same road to success, some more than others. Even cheating on a test, a person who studied all night not only will pass the exam and level up, but will also acquire knowledge. The one who cheated, might level up but definitely won’t have the knowledge. Remember, pain is passing and results is lasting. With this being said, everyone is going through some sort of pain, the question is would you allow pain to stop you? Would you allow the thought of going through the pain to stop you? Best answer is, don’t even focus on the pain and focus on the pleasures of your accomplishments. Your road to success is paved with mud anyway,  you may as well smile.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls this Wisdom 25 of 48 Ways “No Pain, No Gain”.  Pain is an unavoidable reality of life. Don’t run away. The key to success is to learn how to accept the pain and grow from it.  

WHY IS “ACCEPTING PAIN” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• “According to the effort is the reward.” The more effort you expend, the more pleasure you’ll get.
• If you jump ship when the waters get choppy, you’ll never make it to shore.
• Accept the pain of confronting reality and finding truth.
• Deal with the difficulties of life by finding pleasure within the pain.
• Don’t fear the pain; learn to welcome it as a necessary byproduct of growth.
• Don’t escape the suffering of others.
• Learning wisdom requires struggling to research an idea, understand it, integrate it, and practice it over and over.

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26/48: KNOWING YOUR PLACE

“We must evaluate our strengths and weaknesses to know where we stand in relation to others. Knowing where we stand will enable us to do the task or take the lead. On the other hand, we will know if we’re not able to do the task and allow someone else who is stronger do it. Do not be afraid to answer “I don’t know”, anyone would rather you to step up than to give false information. The Talmud teaches us, that silence is golden. “A learned person does not speak in the presence of a someone greater” (Pirkei Avot 5:9).

Rabbi Weinberg calls this Wisdom 26 of 48 Ways, “Know Your Place”.   Every person has a unique contribution to make in this world. Figure out who you are, and where you fit into the grand scheme.  Each human being possesses a unique combination of personality, talents, timing and circumstances – a specific role to play in this world. The important thing is to discover your unique contribution – and fulfill it.

WHY IS “KNOWING YOUR PLACE” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• When in the presence of someone more knowledgeable, think twice before speaking.
• By understanding others, we can see what we know and don’t know.
• Don’t be afraid to ask others for advice.
• If you don’t take control of your life, you’re being manipulated by others.
• If the moment calls for it, take the lead.
• You were created to fulfill your unique role in life.

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27/48: THE SECRET TO HAPPINESS

“Picture yourself on a bridge, over looking the sunset. All of a sudden, a man jumps on the ledge and yells, “I can’t take it anymore! Goodbye cruel world!” Right away you offer your help, “please don’t jump! Let’s talk about this.” “Talk? Okay! Let’s talk!” He says. “My wife left me, my kids hate me, my boss fired me, and I’m blind! What reason do I have to live?!” All of a sudden, he turns to you with a smile on his face, “It’s a miracle, I can see!” he jumps off the ledge, hugs you, and runs away.

What just happened? He got his sight back, and forgot about all of his other problems. He now wants to go and see everything he has missed until now, he doesn’t care about his other issues as much as he use to. But why do we have to wait for Hashem to take things away from us to appreciate and pray for it to come back to us? Better to appreciate it now, and utilize what we have for the good so we never have to deal with that kind of test. And this is the secret to happiness: Who is rich? The one who is happy with their portion (Pirkei Avot 4:1).

Imagine you’re in the park on a beautiful Spring day. Suddenly, someone pierces the air with negativity, “Who forgot the forks?! It’s way to hot for the park! When are we going home??” And everyone around him tenses up. A person’s mood affects other people. No one likes to travel with a “negative Nancy.” So if you’re going to release negativity do it on your own time. When we’re at a party, despite whatever we are going through we try to put up a happy face. We should do the same when at home. Especially when on Erev Shabbat and during Shabbat, when the Evil Inclination would do anything to get you angry.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls this Wisdom 27 of 48 Ways “Happiness “ – sameach bi’chelko – literally “satisfaction with one’s portion.”  You can have everything and still be miserable. Or you can have relatively little and feel very rich. Happiness is a state of mind. Develop tools for how to get it.  Make your troubles insignificant.

WHY IS “HAPPINESS” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• Happiness is energy and power for living.
• Focus on what you have and you’ll be happy. Focus on what you don’t have and you’ll be miserable.
• Happiness is not the goal in life; it is the means to tap your inner energy in order to accomplish your potential.
• Happy people are healthy, optimistic, and have more driving force to achieve.
• Happiness is not “living in a state of semi-depression.” That’s mere survival.
• Happiness is in your control. By not controlling it, you are slave to your emotions.
• Happiness requires discipline, determination and hard work.
• Happiness is not a “happening.” Don’t wait for it to happen. Go out and create it.

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28/48: PROTECTING WHAT IS PRECIOUS

“You’re not a fanatic if you go the extra mile to avoid failing, if you put up “fences” to avoid sinning. We all make mistakes, some more than others. Too often, we make the same mistakes repeatedly. Take a hard look at the damage our mistakes causes. The most extensive damage due to our mistakes is hurting our credibility and self-confidence. The first “fence” we should erect is to avoid making resolutions unless we’re absolutely committed to keeping it. And the most important “fence” you can make is to ensure that you do NOT WASTE YOUR PRECIOUS LIFE. Every human being must ask themselves, “What am I living for?” Focus on the bigger picture of life and you’ll see, the smaller meaningless things in life will diminish from your priority list.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls this Wisdom 28 of 48 ways “Protect what is Precious“. A fence keeps a safe distance from danger. Take precautions. If you find a “hole” in your life, build a fence to avoid stumbling into errors. Set boundaries. Think before you consume.

WHY IS “BUILDING FENCES” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• Life is difficult. When you have tough work, you need tough tools.
• If you don’t protect yourself, you’ll lose self-confidence and give up on life.
• Wage war with strategy. Make a plan to know where you’re going.
• Don’t try to do it all alone. Enlist the help of others.
• Protect your values from the onslaught of society.
• Maintain high standards and implement a method to check yourself.
• Given the opportunity to rationalize, many will “distort reason to indulge desires.”

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29/48: NOT CLAIMING CREDIT

“When winning the lottery, you don’t go around boasting how smart you are in choosing the winning lottery. You don’t take pride in winning, rather you take pleasure in the gift Hashem has given you. Take pleasure not pride of your natural strong points. We should not go around taking pride of how good we look or how smart we are. We should take pleasure of it and give thanks to Hashem on how good we look and how smart we are, otherwise we just look arrogant. Arrogant people are so consumed with themselves that they don’t respect or value other people. To an extent, we are all arrogant. The best medicine to arrogance is to know that Hashem created us ALL in order to achieve great things. However, we are all different, some people have it harder, while others have it easier. We are all in the same rat race to greatness.”

Rabbi Weindberg calls this Way 29 of 48 Ways “Subtle Traps of Arrogance” . Arrogance stunts spiritual growth. To avoid arrogance, distinguish between pride (“I’m better than the other person”) and pleasure (“I’m not better, just fortunate”).  Whenever you accomplish something, distinguish between “pride” and “pleasure.” Pride means: “I did it. This makes me better than other people.” Pleasure means: “Thank G-d I was given this opportunity to enjoy and to accomplish. I am not better, just fortunate.”

WHY IS “AVOIDING ARROGANCE” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• If you’re busy patting yourself on the back for what you’ve achieved, you won’t make an effort to do more.
• If you’re constantly defending your opinions, you’ll never be open to hearing new ideas.
• If you are arrogant about your ideas, then you are limiting yourself.
• If you’re grateful, you will grow.
• If you experience pleasure in doing the right thing, then look for more pleasure.

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30/48: BEING BELOVED

“People have need to love and be loved. Love is probably the most spiritual thing a person can feel. In this way of wisdom, Rabbi Noach Weinberg focuses on how to be beloved. Drop your ego, and be the first to say “good morning” to a person on the street. Give out warmth, and warmth will come back to you. The first step to being beloved is to love, and then love will come back to you. The Hebrew word for “give” is hav, which has the same root as the word ahavah, which means “love”. Rabbi Dessler in Michtav Eliyahu explains that giving leads to love. When giving to your spouse or kids, you invest in them and therefore you love them.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls this Wisom 30 of 48 Ways “Be Loved by Others“. The human desire to be loved is deep and natural. The most effective way to be loved…. is to love others. If you give warmth, you’ll attract warmth.  The most effective way to be loved is to give to others. When you give physical, material, emotional, spiritual pleasure—with no strings attached—they will love you.

WHY IS “BEING LOVED” AN INGREDIENT IN WISDOM?

• Giving others pleasure is your pleasure.
• Seeing the virtues in others is one of the greatest virtues you can exhibit. If you love others this way, they will love you in return.
• The first place to start showing appreciation is with your own family.
• Love brings unity. And unity is power.

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31/48: LOVING HASHEM (G-D)

“How do we love G-d? The answer is in the Shema prayer, “Love Hashem with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your possessions”. Loving Hashem in these 3 ways correspond in 3 different levels:

• Possessions: Imagine coming home, and you see a brand-new Cadillac with a letter on it saying, “In appreciation for everything you do, enjoy your new car. Insurance and gas is on me for the next 5 years. Yours truly, Mr. Montgomery”.  What a guy…. Now appreciate all the gifts Hashem has given us, no strings attached. “No sciencists are able to duplicate them, no money is able to afford them, and not everyone has them. However, You chose me, to enjoy the gift of sight, so thank You for my eyes, Hashem!” Gifts are an expression of love, so now think how many gifts Hashem has given us. The more we thank Him, the more we feel love toward Him through all of our possessions.
• With all your soul: A deeper level of love comes from appreciating the concern Hashem shows you every moment of life. He keeps your organs functioning. Recognize how many twist of events happened for your benefit. Look at world history and see how Hashem has protected us until today. Personal story with me, I woke up one morning at 8, preparing to meet with a client in Manhattan. As I’m going to Manhatten, my client calls me up apologizing that he’ll be an hour late. “No big deal I’ll just go to Dunkin Donuts”. We eventually met up, I went back to work to deliver the signed documents but the attorney held me up. Finally after a long day of work, it’s 8 PM, I’m driving home and it’s my green light. I’m in middle of the block where suddenly a pick up truck, zoomed right through his red light, without even slowing down! I’m thinking to myself, “If I was 3 seconds late, he would’ve crashed right into me, Baruch Hashem!” And then I thought, “If my client, and the attorney and all the events that took place today was off by a few seconds it would’ve led up to me being 3 seconds late, and be struck by this truck, Baruch Hashem!!” These things always happen to us, Hashem guides us every second of the day, it’s our job to notice it.
• With all your heart: The deepest level to love Hashem is appreciating His transcendent nature by recognizing that beneath all the pleasures we seek in this world, lies the Infinite, single dimension that is the Source of all pleasure. the more we contemplate the genius, beauty and awesomeness of nature the more we’ll appreciate the kindness of Hashem. The Ramban writes the deepest way to love Hashem is through understanding His genius –Torah.”

Rabbi Weindberg calls this Way 31 of 48 Ways, “Seek the Ultiamate Pleasure“.  (Way #31 is Ohev et HaMakom—literally “Love The Place.”)  We can have lots of money, love and power. But no human being is truly satisfied unless he’s in touch with the transcendent dimension.  To love G-d is to appreciate all the good He does for you. Whatever you have is a gift from G-d. That means giving up the illusion that you alone are responsible for your achievements. There are 3 primary paths to develop love for G-d: 1) through nature, 2) through history, and 3) through Torah.

WHY IS “LOVE OF GOD” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• Every human being has a longing for the transcendental.
• Take pleasure in the infinite beauty, grace, power, wisdom and meaning of our Creator.
• People shy away from G-d because they’re afraid it will stifle them. Yet they’ll climb mountains for the ultimate transcendental pleasure.
• Artists think they have it, but there is more. God is the real aesthetic experience.
• Love the Almighty for the gifts He gives you—hands, feet, power of speech, etc.
• If you feel G-d’s love for you, you’ll love Him in return.
• The pleasure of a gift is according to the one who gives it to you. Appreciate who G-d is.
• It’s relatively easy to love G-d, since everything about G-d is virtuous.
• Every pleasure you have can be related back to G-d as the source. Feel His presence constantly.
• The best way to attain love of G-d is to ask continuously: “What am I living for? What do I want out of life?”

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32/48: LOVING HUMANITY

“How do we come to love humanity? First, we must define love. Love is recognizing and appreciating a person’s virtues and inner beauty and identifying them with their virtues not their weaknesses. It takes real effort to train ourselves to look away from people’s negative traits and focus instead on their positive qualities. The more we identify people with their virtues, the more love we will have toward them. Obviously, we shouldn’t be naive. If a person is a thief, and there’s no denying, then don’t deny it. But if a person comes over to you, and tells you that this person is a thief, and at that moment you have the option to think negative or positive, go for the positive. There is no reason why you have to believe “broken telephone” stories.”

Rabbi Weindberg calls this Way 32 of 48 Ways, “Love Humanity/the Dynamics of Loving”.  Imagine having never seen another human being before. Realize the beautiful human ability to communicate, accomplish, and create. What fantastic gadgets!  What exactly does it mean to “love” others? The definition of love is “the pleasure of identifying people with their virtues.” Start with some of these… Accepting /Balanced / Caring / Decisive / Easygoing /  Forgiving /  Gentle / Honest / Insightful / Knowledgeable / Logical / Moral / Neat /  Optimistic / Patient / Reliable / Scholarly / Talented / Versatile / Warm

WHY IS “LOVING HUMANITY” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• In order to realize your own potential, you have to love humanity. Their success is your success, too.
• The more you have love in your life, the more happy and efficient you’ll be.
• If you don’t appreciate the phenomenon of human beings, you’re missing out on one of life’s greatest pleasures.
• Loving others connects you to the world, to all facets of creation.
• Love helps you get out of the confines of “me” and into the expansive “we.”
• Prioritize your love. Appreciate the relative value of each virtue.
• Realize that all human beings are G-d’s children.

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33/48: LOVING RIGHTEOUSNESS

“You’re standing at the supermarket checkout, and the clerk hands you too much change. You return the extra change. How does that make you feel? Even though it’s a small act, you feel great! For all you know you saved her, her job. Or you see an envelope falling out of someones pocket. You grab it and return it to him. And he’s thanking you profusely, how does that make you feel? We human beings have a need to feel important and needed. When we help people and they are indebted to you, we feel a sense of accomplishment.”

Rabbi Weindberg calls this Way 33 of 48 Ways, “Fullfil Your Obligations“. (Way #33 is Ohev et ha’tzedakot—literally “love righteousness.”) Many people grumble about obligations as unpleasant aggravations. But fulfilling obligations helps actualize your potential and is the basis of self esteem. Once you realize the pleasure of fulfilling obligations, it’s much easier to carry them out. And if you have to do them anyway, you might as well take pleasure!

WHY IS “FULFILLING OBLIGATIONS” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• To be a good person, you need to enjoy being good.
• Obligations are easier when you get in touch with the pleasure of doing the right thing.
• Doing the right thing is a soul experience, a far greater pleasure than material success.
• After a difficult task, pause to reflect how great you feel.
• Obligations help us to actualize our potential.
• Obligations are inevitable in life, so you might as well enjoy them!

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34/48: LOVING THE STRAIGHT PATH

“Rabbah Bar Chanan hired workers to transport barrels of wine for him. Due to their negligence, the barrels broke and he incurred a severe financial loss. He took their coats as compensation. The workers who were poor, took him to Bet Din, where he was told that he must return the coats and pay them their wages. “Am I not entitled to recoup the losses I incurred”, asked Rabbah. The judges replied, “For you, that’s the law. You must go beyond the letter of the law.” (Bava Metzia 83a) “You shall do whatever is straight and good in the eyes of Hashem” (Devarim 6:18). Rashi says to go beyond the letter of the law. “You shall be holy” (Vayikra 19:1). Ramban says that technically a person can be repulsive while doing the Mitzvot. For example, you can technically give charity in a heartless manner or you can give it with a smile.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls this Way 34 of 48 Ways, “Use your Inner Guide”. Buried within the subconscious, in the farthest corner of our memory, lies the knowledge of everything we need to know about living. Now bring it to the forefront of your mind.  We all want to do the right thing. Nobody wakes up in the morning and says, “I want to be bad.” Yet if everyone claims to be doing “good,” how do we know objectively whether we’re doing good or not?

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35/48: LOVING CRITICISM

“Many of us do not love, let alone want to hear criticism. However, deep down we all know that criticism is what opens our awareness to what needs fixing. A voice inside tells us, “You’re criticizing me because I’m no good”. That’s our pride and ego talking. “You’re criticizing me because you care and I need improvement”. That’s our humility talking. The reason why we don’t like hearing it is because sometimes it catches us off gaurd, that’s why it’s so important to work on being humble so one may accept criticism in a healthy way.

When it comes to decision making, it gets tough. But when someone asks us for advice, we all of a sudden become the best therapist. It’s so easy to criticize someone else. But when it comes to ourselves, we are the most righteous in the world. When someone we know did something stupid, before criticizing, think “how would I feel if I was on the receiving end? How would I want to be approached?” the first step to correcting others is to actually care and love others because once they sense that you’re doing to feel superior over them, they’re going to disregard you. The Rambam writes,” A person who rebukes his friend should do it privately, gently and patently (Hilchot Dei’ot 6:7).”

Rabbi Weinberg calls this Way 35 of 48 ways “Love Criticism and Know how to React to it“.  Criticism is usually seen as a personal attack. But think of what an Olympic athlete willingly endures from coaches! To reach your potential, seek constructive criticism.  Criticism doesn’t mean you’re no good. It means, “You’re good, but I believe you can be even better.”

WHY IS “LOVING CRITICISM” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• • We all want to get the most out of living. But humans are inherently subjective. Ask friends for feedback.
  • If you’re hungry to grow, you’ll always be eager to hear people’s advice—without getting defensive.
  • When we pay for criticism, we listen to it carefully. Appreciate free criticism, too

.

• Constructive criticism shows you care about the other person’s pains and achievements.
• The battle for life is the battle for sanity. Criticism gives us clarity on our mistakes.
• The Jewish people are a unit. If one Jew hurts, all Jews should feel it. Helping another Jew is helping yourself, too.
• The Talmud says that Jerusalem was destroyed because people didn’t correct each other.
• King Solomon said, “Criticize a wise person—and he’ll love you!” (Proverbs 9:8).

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36/48: DISTANCING YOURSELF FROM HONOR

“Human beings are desperate for recognition and honor. We do it through our look or our money. We even crest illusion of ourselves just to look important. Chasing honor makes people do ridiculous things as we all know a prankster on YouTube. No one is doing it for the money, otherwise EVERYONE will be doing it. People who seek  honor/approvals/ likes/views is a sign that they don’t approve of themselves nor respect themselves that they need other peoples constant approvals. The Talmud says Honor flees from those who chase it (Eruvin 13b). The saying goes, “I wish your life will be as awesome as you make it to be on your Facebook”.

We all know a person that boasts about their accomplishments. As great as it sounds, no one likes a show-off. If you boast about giving charity you don’t care about the Mitzvah nor the people you’ve helped, you care about your self-image. The Shulchan Aruch says in Yoreh Deah 249:13, you loose the reward of that Mitzvah if you boast about it. In the same vein, we shouldn’t seek for leadership positions because of the respect and honor. Only assume responsibility when needed as the Pirkei Avot 2:5 says, “In a place where there are no leaders, strive to be a leader”.

Rabbi Weinberg calls Wisdom 36 of 48 ways “Handling Social Pressure“.   Don’t spend your life trying to impress others. Because even if you convince others that you’re great, have you convinced yourself? Be free of opinions and examine your motives.

WHY IS “HANDLING SOCIAL PRESSURE” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• Don’t get trapped in the obsessive need for recognition.
• Seeking the approval of others harms you, because it keeps you from the real work of becoming great.
• If you need others to verify your significance, it’s time to examine your self-esteem.
• When you act to impress others, you feel the emptiness inside.
• Ask yourself: Given the choice, would I rather be famous-and-miserable, or satisfied-and-unknown?
• When you get the urge to toot your own horn, ask yourself: Who am I trying to impress?
• Even if you convince people that you’re the greatest person in the world, have you convinced yourself?

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37/48: NEVER BE SATIATED WITH YOUR LEARNING

“The Torah is able to learned by a 5 year old or by a 65 year old person. There’s never “too much” or “too boring”. Often enough we come across parts of the Torah that don’t grasp our interest, as if the Torah is read for entertainment. On the contrary, it’s there for our life improvement. Imagine, one day your kid will come over to you and ask you a simple question about a topic he learned in Yeshiva. This topic happens to be the “boring” topic that you skimmed right through.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls Wisdom 37 of 48 ways “Never Be Bored“.   Don’t take life for granted. Don’t casually accept the ecosystem, communication, gravity… Look for fresh insights. Reawaken the mystery.  Appreciate life. Never say I can’t. Apply fresh ideas to everyday life.

WHY IS “NEVER BEING BORED” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• To stagnate in learning is to stagnate as a person.
• Keep reworking and updating what you know about living.
• Don’t take life for granted.
• Don’t give up on yourself. Keep trying and you’ll make it.
• Don’t be duped by laundry soap that’s labeled “new and improved.”
• You say you know it. But learn it again, and you’ll see how much more there is yet to discover.
• In order to be great, we must wake up from complacency.
• If you don’t think life is fantastic, try missing one day.

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38/48: NOT TAKING DECISIONS LIGHTLY

“We mistakenly believe that we make decisions once in a while, only when major issues arise. The reality is that we make decisions as soon as we wake up, everyday. “When am I gonna wake up? What will I eat?” Perhaps if we stop and think about each every decision we make, our day will be more meaningful. While decisions making, we would all love to have the option of closing our eyes and have the problem disappear. But we all know that won’t happen, but many of us still live in the world where closing our eyes will solve the problem. Reality check, the world is still turning and won’t wait for us to turn with it.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls  Wisdom 38 of 48 Ways “Responsible Decisions“.  Every conscious moment is another decision. The cumulative impact determines the overall quality of life.  And the most important decision is “What am I living for?”. Decisions are not made every once in a while or just when a major issue comes up. The reality of life is that every conscious moment is another decision. From the instant we wake up, we begin to decide. Living is decision-making; decisions should be made and taken seriously.

WHY IS “RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• Living means growing. If you don’t make decisions, you won’t grow.
• The most important decision to make is: “What am I living for?”
• Making decisions will make your life real.
• The more informed you are, the better your decisions will be. Don’t make any decision you’re not qualified to make.
• Evaluate fairly, not based on prejudices. Be a judge, not a lawyer.
• To live rationally and meaningfully, be willing to admit when you don’t know.
• Only you determine your life path. Anytime you want to change, it’s up to you

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39/48: SHARING THE BURDEN/Sensitiviy to Others

“By now, we’ve all been through hardships in life. There’s always that one person that comes over to you with a huge smile, “Hey cheer up! It’s gonna be fine.” You probably feel like slapping him in the face because even though that person is trying to help, they genuinely don’t feel what you feel. For physical pain everyone jumps with bandages, water, CPR. However, for emotional pain, all too often it’s ignored hoping “time will heal all wounds. Enter their world and feel their pain, because a broken heart is worse than a broken arm. This includes sharing joy. Imagine proposing or getting a new car and having no one to share the news with. It hurts. We have a specific Mitzvah to share the joy of a groom and bride on their wedding day. Joy must be shared in order for it to be experienced in full.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls  Wisdom 39 of 48 Ways “Share the Burden“.  A broken heart is worse than a broken arm. Sensitize yourself to the pain of others. It will give you renewed awareness and energy for living.  The first step in sharing the burden is to see others as real people, not as objects.  Put yourself in the other guy’s shoes.  Seeing things from another’s perspective will, at the very least, reduce your anger and increase your empathy.

WHY IS “SHARING THE BURDEN” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• Everybody wants to be a good person, to help humanity. In order to make it a humane world, be sensitive to others and share with them.
• To deal with people effectively and intelligently, see where they’re coming from.
• Wherever you find yourself—in class, at work, or at a social gathering—pay close attention to the people around you. Learn their names, talk to them, observe their moods, and listen.
• If you don’t feel empathy for others, you usually end up adding to their burden—i.e. saying the wrong thing while they’re suffering.
• Sharing the burdens of others is the way to bridge the gap between ourselves and the rest of the world, connecting us with the intrinsic oneness of humanity and the universe.

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40/48: MAKING OTHERS MERITORIOUS

“The last Way to Wisdom was feeling another’s pain. This Way to Wisdom is actually taking the next step by pushing them to the side of virtue. The first start of helping others is by accepting responsibility for them. If we see our fellow in a deep state of sadness or depression, have your friend help you with your errands, basically make them feel needed. People have at least 1 problem and you have at least 1 solution, your strategic plan is to put them together.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls  Wisdom 40 of 48 Ways “Making Others Meritorious”.   We all live in this world together. It’s easy to take responsibility when someone is in physical danger. You’re just as obligated when he’s in spiritual danger.  Accept responsibility. Motivate others.  Judget people favorably. See the merit in everyone. 

WHY IS “MAKING OTHERS MERITORIOUS” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• To be a good human being, you have to be as equally concerned with others. Their lives and suffering are just as real as yours.
• When we’re helping others, our minds are objective and functioning well. Then we can do the same for ourselves.
• Don’t “suffer” humanity’s problems. Instead, find a cure.
• Give to others the precious ideas you have learned. Whenever you hear a good piece of wisdom, ask: “How can this idea help my friend?”
• When people do things that cause you harm, don’t automatically assume they’re out to get you.
• Judge people to the side of good. If you see their merits, you’ll be able to help them.
• People need each other. Do everything you can to help.
• Feel you are responsible. “The buck stops here.”

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41/48: LIVING IN REALITY/Be Reality Oriented

“Don’t live a life of illusions. Save your friends or family from living an illusion. We must live the truth and not a fake life. In my journey of religion, I have found the biggest truth is Hashem and His Torah. One of the biggest obstacles of our generation is the thought of not having a point to seek the truth, “Everyone is right, everyone has their opinions”. We need to fight this insanity for the truth exists, it’s either there is Hashem or there isn’t. Both can’t be right and both can’t just be opinions. It is not Hashem’s job to show us open miracles like He did in the Exodus story. It is our job as his children to prove our love toward Him, and find Him ourselves.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls  Wisdom 41 of 48 Ways “Getting into Reality”.  There’s something really breathtaking about life. Wouldn’t you rather experience love than watch it in a movie? Get into reality. It’s the real thing.  Too many people today are living an illusion. They’ll escape into the fabricated world of a movie, or into a virtual reality experience. But isn’t the most beautiful reality the one that’s real? Isn’t it better to see a fantastic sunset than watch it in a movie? To experience the thrill of adventure rather than simulate it in an amusement park? To achieve greatness rather than hallucinate you’re Cleopatra? Everyone has a sneaking suspicion there’s something truly breathtaking about life. So why are so many people miserable? Because they’re not focused on reality.

WHY IS “GETTING INTO REALITY” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• Never stop asking: Is it good to be alive? What am I living for?
• We need to be good. Helping others straighten out their lives is not just part of living; it’s what living is about.
• Get to the root of the problem. Cut it out and release the latent potential.
• Ask yourself: “Do I really want to live in reality?”
• Make decisions about the wisdom you learn: “Am I going to live with it, or ignore it?”
• Live in the real world. It will make you yearn for sanity.

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42/48: PEACE OF MIND/Attaining Inner Peace

“Shalom Aleichem! Is the classic Jewish greeting. We greet each other saying, “peace unto you” for without peace, nothing else matters. Earlier, in Way #23 part 2, we briefly described the inner conflict of people. To snooze or not to snooze? To eat sweets or eat healthy? This inner conflict is the reason why many of us is does not have inner peace. Instead of fighting with your materialistic body in every fight, how about we get to the source? The source is to train your body to be in tune with soul. Eventually, you won’t have as much inner conflicts. The body and soul fight, but at the end of the day it’s evident that YOU want to listen to the soul. Take actors for example, they have every possible worldly pleasures but we here divorce stories or over dosing way too often. We see from here that physical pleasure isn’t what the goal is, rather spiritual pleasure is what will attain true happiness, true satisfaction and true inner peace.”

Rabbi Weinberg also calls  Wisdom 42 of 48 Ways“Peace of Mind”.   The world can be in turmoil, but a person can be at peace with himself. To attain internal equilibrium, focus on the needs of your soul. 

WHY IS “PEACE OF MIND” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• If someone doesn’t know what he’s living for, then he’s at war with himself.
• You cannot have peace while being mediocre.
• When we think big, we become big. Look around the world and see how much you can accomplish.
• Greatness is achieved by leading with the soul, and harnessing the passionate power of the body.
• Real peace comes only when your body desires your soul’s success.
• If we succeed in making others great, we become great ourselves.
• The ultimate cause that the soul yearns for is oneness with God.

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43/48: FASCINATION WITH LIVING

“When being in fascination with something, it makes the experience more meaningful. When learning, try to imply it to your life or at least to someone you know so you can pass on the information. Who cares how to build a car engine? But if you’re stranded in a desert, that lecture on car engines can possibly save your life. I learn a lot of Torah, but when I come across how offerings work or building the Bet Hamikdash, I get bored of it because it’s not applicable to my daily life. However, we can apply it by deriving lessons from it and one day when Moshiach comes, it’ll feel great to actually know what to do. Imagine this, “Does anyone here know how to set up the Altar?!” And you’re all the way in the back screamed out, “I do!”

Rabbi Weinberg also calls  Wisdom 43 of 48 Ways “Fascination with Living”.   Children live in a natural state of awe. To reclaim that energy, identify what fascinates you the most about life. Set goals for living and pursue them with relentless fascination. We’ve all experienced fascination so great that we’re sitting on the edge of our seat. Be completely absorbed in whatever you’re doing. Whether you’re studying geometry, cooking dinner, or raising your children—be fascinated. Because when we’re fascinated, we have a better attention span, greater retention—and in the end we’ll do a better job.

WHY IS “FASCINATION WITH LIVING” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• When we’re fascinated and absorbed, we do a better job.
• When we’re fascinated, it’s energizing rather than energy-draining.
• Connect your intellectual realization to your emotional hot-buttons.
• A real person is more fascinating than any TV character will ever be.
• Set goals for living and pursue them with relentless fascination.
• To become fascinated with truth and wisdom, remember that you’re a soul, not a body.

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44/48: ANALYZING THE PROBLEM

“We are told to analyze every problem and ask about everything. As the saying goes, “Jews ask answer questions with questions” Because our religion encourages us to ask questions about everything. Granted there are some questions we can’t answer because our finite minds can not fathom the infinite, otherwise we ask as much as we can because we just want to know the truth. Learning the text of the Torah entails asking investigative, analytical questions. A verse can entail thousands of pages of commentary for all levels of learning. Think about it, a pre-schooler in Yeshiva learns the same Chumash an adult does. The Talmud, is the greatest Question and Answer Manuel. Composed by various of brilliant minds in the past, the Talmud digs and probs deeply to get to the answer. It is a no wonder that many sharpest minds in the Jewish world have come out of Yeshiva study halls.”

Rabbi Weinberg also calls  Wisdom 44 of 48 Ways “Analyze the Issues”.  The best defense against abuse is to question what you see. Use your intellect to uncover inconsistencies, irregularities and rationalizations.  Expose yourself to people who have mastered the art of questions. An expert on questions identifies the basis of the issue, sorts through the pertinent factors, determines what additional information is needed—and pinpoints the conclusion. That is power for living. Basic questions can be applied to everything in life: Define: What is the issue? Deliberate: Why is this important to me?Apply: What am I going to do about it?

WHY IS “ANALYZE THE ISSUES” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• A fool is too embarrassed to ask questions. Don’t be a fool.
• A good question is half the answer.
• Questions and answers are life’s tools for clarification.
• For every contradiction, there is an equal and opposite resolution.
• Human beings reveal themselves by what questions they ask.
• Contrast one concept with another, to see if any contradiction emerges to anything previously assumed true.
• Life is not “instant answers.” We have to work hard to gain a full understanding.
• When drawing our conclusions, don’t simply rely upon outside opinions and assumptions.
• A wise person asks questions. And a wise person looks for answers.

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45/48: EXPANDING YOUR IDEAS

“It is not enough to hear an idea and accept it face value. We must get to the bottom of it, understand it’s depth, develop it, and then add your own new dimension. Illustrating the process comes with 9 steps. Illustrate a process means to understand and add. Let’s take the concept of “A human being is beloved for he is created in the image of God” the (Avot 3:14) as an example. .

1. Basic Point: God loves all human beings
2. Implication: Definition of love is to take pleasure in another’s virtues. To “love” means to focus on other people’s virtues and excuse their faults. If God loves all human beings then every person must have virtues that warrant loving.
3. Conclusion: Since God loves all human beings, human beings must be lovable. This is confirmed by the fact that almost everyone has at least two people who love them, that’s theirparents. So if you are having troubles loving someone ask yourself “If I were their mother what would I love about them?” This unlocks an amazing new dimension that every human being is gorgeous we just need to look from the right perspective to discover their unique beauty.
4. Derivation: What is lovable about human beings? There is at least one universal quality all human beings share: we are ALL created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). Every person is invested with a soul that endows them with infinite value and the power of free will.
5.  Extension: We are commanded to love our fellows as ourselves (Leviticus 19:18 Mitzvah #238), which means that love is something that can be commanded. This goes against the common perception that while it is certainly praiseworthy to love others, love cannot be obligated. The Torah teaches otherwise, we have the capability to love people. This is not something that is reserved for the most righteous among us for we are ALL equally commanded to fulfill this Mitzvah.
6. Parallel: When we love someone, we want others to love that person as well. Since God loves us, He also wants us to love each other.
7. Corollary: Part of loving someone is protecting them from harm. Therefore, loving humanity also means fighting for human rights, work against injustice, stop violence, and care for the needs of others.
8. Consequence: If everyone practiced loving humanity, the world be filled with a greater degree of patience, tolerance, understanding, and unity. Living with this one principle would transform the rest of human history!
9. Appreciation: It was the Jewish innovative declaration to love humanity. The Torah also teaches us details on how to love humanity.

Rabbi Weinberg also calls  Wisdom 45 of 48 Ways “Expand your Ideas”.   Whenever you learn a piece of wisdom, extract what’s relevant to your life. Develop it. Take it to its ultimate conclusions. Live with it.  It’s not enough to hear an idea. You have to study it, develop it, and add new dimensions. And then live with it. Only then will the idea become part of you. Hearing a new idea means more than just listening with your ears. Hearing means to absorb the idea on a level that impacts you, and gets into your heart.

WHY IS “EXPANDING YOUR IDEAS” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• Whenever you hear a piece of wisdom, extract what’s relevant to your life.
• When you learn a concept, unfold it to see its components. If A is true, then B may also be true.
• Drill! Take a lot of concepts and put them through this process.
• Anything that we hear is not really valuable unless we make it our own.
• Every night before going to sleep, do an intellectual house-cleaning.
• To be alive, you have to be engaged in the process of life.

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46/48: LEARNING IN ORDER TO TEACH

“The Rambam teaches us that the Mitzva to teach Torah is part of the Mitzvah of learning Torah. If we learn Torah with the mindset that we’re going to have to teach it to someone, our learning will be more sincere and more beneficial.

You don’t have to be a big rabbi to teach, teaching is about sharing what you know, everyone in their own capacity. No one became a great teacher without flopping a few times. Don’t share your knowledge to people who only ask for advice. Every Jewish individual has an obligation to reach out and give others the gift of clarity.

Facebook, Instagram or whatsapp are all perfect ways to reach out. If you like a Torah class on Facebook, it’ll be shown on the newsfeed where other people will see. There are hundreds of Torah groups on whatsapp, just click share and randomly select a friend. You will be very surprised if how far it’ll go.”

Rabbi Weinberg also calls  Wisdom 46 of 48 Ways  “Learn in order to Teach”. Don’t grow only for yourself. If you have some worthwhile information, share it. By reaching others, you will reach yourself.  To effectively communicate what you’ve learned:

1. Define it clearly. What is the essential point?
2. Understand it fully. Is there any point that I’m not clear on?
3. Know how to transmit it. How can I best explain this to others?
4. Put it into practice. To whom do I teach it?

WHY IS “LEARNING IN ORDER TO TEACH” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• When you learn in order to teach, you gain greater clarity about what’s floating through your mind.
• If something is worth learning, it’s worth sharing.
• Make sure you learn something new every day. If you haven’t learned, you haven’t grown.
• Every night, ask yourself: “How can I teach what I learned today?”
• Knowing you’ll have to teach gives you more power in understanding, analysis, attention and motivation. Use it!
• Teaching wisdom is the Jewish national mission to be a “light unto the nations.”
• When you learn a concept, unfold it to see its components. If A is true, then B may also be true.
• Drill! Take a lot of concepts and put them through this process.
• Anything that we hear is not really valuable unless we make it our own.
• Every night before going to sleep, do an intellectual house-cleaning.
• To be alive, you have to be engaged in the process of life.

Click here for the MP3 recording. 

47/48: LEARNING IN ORDER TO DO

“Wisdom is not truly acquired until we put our knowledge into practice. How many times have we heard a bomb lecture, got so inspired however continued our current ways. What’s the point of the lecture and of the inspiration if we’re not going to apply it. It’s the same thing as giving our children an intervention and they get so inspired but didn’t change a thing. We are the same way if we don’t apply what we learned, Hashem, our Father in Heaven, gives us His laws, His teachings, and when we learn it we get inspired but we don’t change. How frustrated would He get?”

Rabbi Weinberg also calls Wisdom 47 of 48 Ways “Learn in order to do”.  The whole point of wisdom is to make life better. There is no greater waste than to have a bunch of great ideas, and not to use them.  When it comes to money and power, people are drawn toward wisdom. But when it comes to life lessons, people unfortunately  don’t pay as much attention. Nothing aids the integration of ideas more than penetrating study. The more we understand, the more motivated we are to implement the idea into our lives.

WHY IS “LEARNING IN ORDER TO DO” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• The whole point of wisdom is to apply it to make life better.
• Don’t put off change for another day.
• Talk is cheap. Action takes commitment.
• Don’t assume that just because you learned it, you’ll use it.
• Making a decision to grow is based on free will, the essential power of a human being.
• Every concept in Torah is an instruction for living. Learn how to use it.
• If you undertake a deep commitment to change, it will positively impact the rest of your life.

Click here for the MP3 recording. 

48/48: MAKING THE TEACHER WISE

“Way #44 explains how we should ask questions about and not follow our faith blindly. Way #48 is explains how we should challenge our teachers in a respectful manner. Abaye, a great Sage in the Talmud, would test his teacher Rabbah with illogical twists or make an incorrect point to keep him on his toes (Tractate Brachot 33b). A good teacher is happy to hear the students’ interactive learning.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls Wisdom 48 of 48 Ways “Educate the Educators”.  Don’t swallow wholesale what others say. Check it out. Ask questions. Does it make sense? Don’t be afraid to challenge. If your teacher has the truth, he is happy when his students are critical. By questioning and challenging your teacher to articulate his position, you’re actually sharpening him. As one of the great Sages said: “I learned a lot from my teachers. I learned even more from my study partners. But I learned the most from my students.”

WHY IS “EDUCATING THE EDUCATORS” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• When one teaches, two learn.
• To get the full meaning of any idea, you must ask questions.
• Even if you don’t understand an idea, consider its merits carefully.
• Give the teacher credit that he wouldn’t say something ridiculous.
• Appreciate that you’re not perfect. Maybe in this case you’re making a mistake.
• Uncomfortable ideas are our greatest opportunity to grow.
• Wisdom is deep. It takes time and patience to acquire.
• In Jewish consciousness, learning lasts a lifetime.
• The smarter a teacher becomes, the smarter the student becomes.

Click here for the MP3 recording. 

49/50: ORGANIZING YOUR MIND  – what??? there’s more than 48 Ways??

“Before we begin Way #49, we need to address the most obvious question, “Why does the 48 Ways to Wisdom consist of 50 Ways?” As mentioned in the introduction, the source of the 48 Ways are from a Mishna in the Pirkei Avot 6:6, and over there it says that there are 48 Ways and really lists 50 Ways! The answer is that Way #5 The Power of Awe and Way #6 Mastering Fear can be considered as one Way. Way #7 Humility and Way #29 Not Taking Credit, can also be considered as one Way, therefore technically having 48 Ways to Wisdom.

Way #49 Organizing Your Mind, also can be Pondering What You Have Learned. Create a mental filing cabinet, so that when you hear a new piece of wisdom, you can automatically place it in the correct file. A crucial part of organizing our mind is establishing priorities. To do that, we must ask ourselves the following questions about the three main areas of life:
BETWEEN ME AND MYSELF: What is the purpose of life? What are my goals and dreams? How did I arrive at them? What are my challenges? What are my virtues? What do I ultimately want out of life?
BETWEEN ME AND OTHERS: what do I know about relationships with friends, parents, colleagues, and society? What causes me to struggle in relationships? What do others like most about me?
BETWEEN ME AND HASHEM: what do I know about truth, kindness and why this world was created? What are my G-d-given rights? And what are my obligations?
Formulate your answers into a set life plan. Create a one-week plan, a one-month plan, and a one-year plan and how they will lead you to accomplish your lifetime objectives. What do you want to be said in your funeral? What do you want to be written on your tombstone? These are very helpful tools to organize your mind with your priorities and your goals.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls Wisdom 49 “Organize your Mind”.  The human brain is a sophisticated filing cabinet. How will you access that information? Organize what you know! The key to organizing wisdom is to develop a framework that doesn’t turn your mind into a red-tape bureaucracy. Always look for the logical flow. 

WHY IS “ORGANIZING YOUR MIND” A WAY TO WISDOM?

• Organizing wisdom is the most important step in gaining control of your life.
• When something interesting comes your way, file it in your mind so you can access it when you need it.
• If you understand what you learn, it will remain yours. If it’s superficial, it will disappear.
• Unless you make a conscious decision to remember, you are likely to forget.
• If a piece of information is worth gathering, it’s worth organizing.
• What do you want to achieve in five years, 10 years, 50 years?
• “Out of sight, out of mind.” Review your priorities and bring them to the fore.
• As long as your head is mixed up, you’ll feel the pain of chaos up there.
• Pressing the delete button gives you control over your life.
• Know the right time to take out the right knowledge.
• Master the art of “Wisdom Management:” Organize it, control it, direct it.
• Unless we organize it properly, what good is it?

Click here for the MP3 recording. 

50/50: GIVING CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IT DUE

“Literal translation, when quoting someone, always acknowledge the source. Do not take credit for something that does not belong to you. Give credit where credit is due. The Talmud, when giving over a piece of advice, it always says exactly who this piece of information came from. This teaches us, humility. Instead of taking credit, we give it to whom it actually belongs to. Furthermore, when teaching and quoting its sources, the learner will be more confident in your teachings knowing that it came from higher sources.”

Rabbi Weinberg calls Wisdom 50 of 50 “Rewards of Gratitude”.  Acknowledge your gifts and be grateful to the source. Because if you know from whom you’re receiving, you can always go back for more.  When you acknowledge the source, you don’t lose, you win. You will never be able to appreciate a piece of wisdom, an insight into living, unless you are willing to acknowledge the gift. Because by denying the gift, you downgrade its value. Therefore you won’t apply it seriously—because to you it doesn’t have value. 

WHY IS “REWARDS OF GRATITUDE” AN INGREDIENT IN WISDOM?

• Make a list of things that you quote. Know where you got them, and give credit.
• If you downgrade the source of your wisdom, you downgrade the value of the wisdom.
• Tools for living are more valuable than any car, stereo, or trip around the world. Acknowledge the debt.
• When gratitude to others breaks down, then so does society as a whole.
• Turn the tables: If it was your idea, wouldn’t you want credit?

Click here for the MP3 recording. 

That’s it 48/50 Ways to Wisdom.  I hope you enjoyed. I hope you learn. I hope you teach. 

REFERENCES:

• The 48 Ways to Wisdom by Rabbi Noach Weinberg
• Talmud  is the generic term for the documents that comment and expand upon the Mishnah (“repeating”), the first work of rabbinic law, published around the year 200 CE by Rabbi Judah the Prince (Judah Ha Nasi)  in the land of Israel.
• Pirkei Avot, Chapter 6 
• Sefaria — is a non-profit organization dedicated to building the future of Jewish learning in an open and participatory way. Thjey have assembled  a free living library of Jewish texts and their interconnections, in Hebrew and in translation.