Thoughtstream

Why tell stories of men and women who put their life in great danger for the sake of Judaism if that could sow fear in the heart of a young student?

There’s much more to Shabbat than the food.

My brother-in-law is visiting, and he’s offering my kids a choice of treats: a smashed box of raisins or a shiny bar of chocolate.

When tending to a baby’s needs, there is no need to be apologetic.

We think we need to be crystal clear. We discipline our children, elaborating on exactly what they have done wrong, and then reiterating it again to ensure that they never repeat the same crime again. But we might consider tempering our clarity just a bit.

In a world filled with TMI, who notices privacy policies anymore?

Boundaries take many forms, but they always have two things in common

The same way equality with “stuff” is counterproductive, so is equality in status.

The necklace symbolized the mutual commitment the couple had for each other and for their values.

The Torah was never intended for angels, or humans with no physical concerns.

You wouldn’t think to look to scripture for a romantic, sensual, love poem. But if you take a peek at King Solomon’s Song of Songs you’ll be blown away by the imagery and passion.

Of course I have limitations right now, but that’s not because I’m lazy or running on lack of sleep! In my womb lies a precious soul, and my body’s ability to create another life is nothing short of miraculous!

I didn’t want to hear that my gargantuan loss was just random. I needed to believe that there was meaning to it.

I deserve the Worst Mother of the Year award!

You can choose not to engage in the battle. Instead of fighting the thoughts, disregard them. Or more accurately, replace them.

Spending most of our waking hours dealing with tiny humans and mundane tasks can present a challenge.

Why name a child "Bitter"? Why wallow in bitterness—wouldn’t that only serve to demoralize her and her loved ones?

I never quite figured out how to do it. These savvy people pick up an archaic piece of furniture in a second-hand shop, dab some paint on it and change the drawer handles, and the remodeled piece is fondly dubbed “vintage.”

Did you ever try getting hungry children to cooperate?

Giving to others often comes with a fringe benefit, that warm, fuzzy feeling inside.

Before he fed their souls, he made sure that they were cared for physically.

Without intending to, we often turn a casual social get-together or a joyous family gathering into an opportunity to develop an inferiority complex.

Sometimes we don’t see our own value.

We all have our bucket list of things we would appreciate having in our lives, but let’s make sure the important ones are at the top.

The laws of supply and demand state that at any given moment I have five things in my life vying for the same time slot, but there is still one obligation that I must learn to place above all.

We all want a great marriage. We all want to feel the love, experience the passion, and live happily ever after. But what about when things don’t go so smoothly?

As a mother, there are oh so many things to worry about. Does my son have friends? Is he being bullied? Is he bullying? Is he reading at grade level? Will he turn out alright? These small anxieties can really add up. . . . How do I process these thoughts so they don’t put me on edge?

Yelling works, right? For about a minute. And then the long-term results are disastrous.

At the age of 22, I discovered a new emotion.

Whenever I have guests, I find myself spending hours peeling, chopping, frying, slicing, pouring and many more verbs. And sometimes it’s hard, and I need some motivation to keep me going in the kitchen.

Why bring children into this mess of a world? Why build a family, only to experience hardship, challenge and strife?

Children don’t just forget about empty promises; to them, dishonesty is dishonesty.

Until the coming of Moshiach, there exists no individual who can possibly be perfect, devoid of all flaws.

My child is in the middle of the process.

Guilt is counterproductive.

Sometimes, we just mess up. We fall short of our own idealistic aspirations.

“Why?” The question can take on a life of its own, morphing into “What’s the point of all this? What is the purpose of this endless spiral of time—with the repeat tasks, challenges and frustrations of day-to-day living?”

Isn’t it strange for rabbis, leaders and learned men to make a spectacle of themselves? Is it not demeaning?

The good thing is, G‑d didn’t just leave us with a list of commandments. He also gave us the ability to understand the meaning and symbolism behind many of the mitzvahs so that they don’t remain dry.

While love can begin for an external reason, it needs to mature into unconditional love.

I am meant to be happy with my lot, but only in the physical realm.

I now have a righteous reason not to wash clothes!

Do you ever feel that you still haven’t figured out what you’ll do “when you grow up”?

It is so much easier to be sensitive to others in a professional environment. It’s much harder to be sensitive to friends and family who are in one’s immediate circle.